Carbohydrates, Glucose, and Insulin

• Carbs are consumed from sugar, bread, fruit, or vegetables
  • Carbs are digested and converted to blood glucose
  • When carbs are consumed, glucose in the bloodstream rises rapidly
  • Next, the pancreas produces a large amount of insulin to remove excess glucose
• Insulin is the hormone responsible for body fat storage
  • Insulin takes glucose out of the bloodstream and converts it to starch called glycogen, which is stored in the liver and in muscles
  • The body can store only a limited amount of glycogen, so the excess glucose is stored as body fat

Dopamine

• Central to the brain’s sensation of enjoyment is a chemical called dopamine, a neurotransmitter that controls the brain’s reward and pleasure centers
  • Sugar consumption stimulates a dopamine release because it is hyperpalatable, which means that it is a food that stimulates the pleasure centers in the brain
• As with any dopamine-producing substance, the brain can become desensitized to this pleasure, leading to potential for chronic overconsumption, which enables an individual to develop a tolerance when these reward signals are triggered
  • It becomes necessary to consume more of the pleasure producing substance in pursuit of the original feeling of pleasure
• When dopamine receptors decrease, there’s a marked decrease in the activity of the prefrontal cortex — the part of the brain responsible for planning, organizing, and making rational decisions

Key Theme:

Dopamine response is a major factor affecting rational decision making and motivation. Understanding this process enables one to understand the motivations that underly societal “norms” which are perceived as facets of culture but rather exist as psycological malladies which function in the form of addiction and irrational – usually subsersive – decsion making.