Alcoholism, Depression and Blood Sugar Levels

Sugar Sensitivity and Nutrition for Recovering Alcoholics

Jun 17, 2009

Addiction to sugar plays a role in the recovery of alcoholics due to unique metabolism and brain chemistry. Many self-medicate for depression, self-esteem and energy.

Blood sugar levels and brain chemicals are important factors for the alcoholic in recovery. Nutrition, including sugar intake, should be closely monitored especially in the initial recovery stages to increase the chance of success for staying sober.

Kathleen DesMaisons, PhD. Addicitve Nutrition, asserts, “Sugar sensitive people have a more volatile blood sugar reaction to eating sweet foods than do other people.”

Sugar cravings and binging on sweets is very common in recovering alcoholics. Simple carbohydrates, sugar, and candy substitute for the alcohol, producing the same effects on brain chemistry.

Complex Carbs vs. Simple Sugars

Since recovering alcoholics have a sugar metabolism imbalance, the body chemistry is more sensitive to sugar “highs.”

The body converts all carbohydrates into glucose; the rate of absorption into the body is affected by the relative simplicity or complexity of the carbohydrate. Dr. DesMarais charts the “Carbohydrate Continuum,” explaining that the more complex starches like potatoes, whole grains, and green vegetables are less devastating on blood sugar levels. Alcohols and simple sugars and simple starches like pasta and white bread are broken down more quickly.

Alcohol is fermented fruit or grain, concentrated by distillation. “So, beer and wine contain a high level of fructose (a simple sugar) and alcohol, which can be absorbed directly from the stomach and requires no digestion at all. Hard liquor… if it is mixed with fruit juice, it becomes even more potent for you.” The result is that drinking alcoholic beverages is going to have a nearly immediate (and devastating) effect on your blood sugar level as well as cause beta-endorphin priming.” (Potatoes Not Prozac, p. 119)

This sugar metabolism imbalance accounts for the extreme energy highs and extreme energy lows recovering alcoholics and addicts struggle with.

Addiction Treatment Centers with Nutrition and Diet Counseling

Radiant Recovery is an online community that helps heal addiction through nutrition, founded by Dr. Kathleen DesMaisons, following the tenets of her book, Potatoes Not Prozac.

AddictionEnd is a treatment program that encourages the recovering alcoholic or addict to educate the mind, empower the body and renew the spirit. Find several books on the website, including Food for Recovery, and How to Treat Alcoholism: Nutritional Guidelines for How to Stay Sober both books by Dr. Joseph D. Beasley.

Why Alcoholics Self-Medicate for Energy, Self-Esteem, and Depression

Brain chemistry affects mood, energy, and self-esteem. The root of the problem of mood swings experienced by many alcoholics and addicts, according to Dr. Kathleen DesMaisons, is caused by a body chemistry imbalance in any one of the following:

Understanding the dynamics of the recovering alcoholics' brain chemistry and sugar metabolism helps each recovering person make smart decisions about what to eat. Smart decisions lead to greater chance of staying sober and staying clean.

Balanced blood sugar can help stave off depression and cravings and the need to self-medicate. Taking it one day at a time, or one moment at a time includes the decision of what to eat and drink at every meal.

Please check out the resources below for excellent book and article recommendations to educate the mind and understand how blood sugar, diet, and nutrition are all critical factors in recovery.

Potatoes Not Prozac by Kathleen DesMaisons, PhD. Addictive Nutrition, (Fireside/Simon & Schuster, 1998)

Food for Recovery by Joseph D. Beasley, M.D. and Susan Knightly (Addictionend.org, 2001)

Excellent article with technical information about digestive problems, energy use, and nutrition requirements of alcoholics and recovering alcoholics.

The copyright of the article Alcoholism, Depression and Blood Sugar Levels in Substance Abuse Recovery is owned by Angela Schnaubelt. Permission to republish Alcoholism, Depression and Blood Sugar Levels in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.