Any addiction is hard to bear. Once the body or mind has developed addiction of any kind, the craving for particular substance or food becomes uncontrollable. Addicts simply have to face long-term struggle to overcome their addiction and periods of relapse are simply inevitable. It is essential to recognize addiction and once the addict realizes he/ she has developed a problem the treatment may start.
Some scientists have found potential connection between two addictions, alcohol addiction and obesity. But in many people it is questionable whether alcohol addiction leads to obesity or a person is actually suffering from both conditions at the same time.
More about Addiction
Intake of certain substances stimulates the brain to release dopamine, one of many brain neurotransmitters. Production of dopamine stimulates the person to consume food or other substances in order to feel rewarded. This particular effect is evident in people who consume high-calorie and high-fat foods as well as people who are addicted to narcotic drugs (cocaine, heroin or amphentamines). The amazing thing about the brain is that it knows where the particular substances have been found and where they can be found again. This is medically known as conditional place preference and depends on spatial memories that are created in the dentate gyrus.
What is Connection between Alcohol and Obesity?
It is estimated that 1 gram of pure alcohol contains 7 calories. So apart from being a highly potential substance that may eventually cause serious addiction and subsequent health consequences, alcohol can be also blamed for weight gain.
It is possible for one to gain weight if he/she consumes alcohol on regular bases. Namely, increased intake of calories via alcohol leads to gradual weight gain. Such people tend not to exercise or engage in any kind of physical activity hence they simply do not burn enough calories and there is always sufficient amount of energy that is changed into fat tissue. Furthermore, regular intake of alcohol affects the way the body metabolizes certain substances. For example, the body becomes more prone to storing fat rather than using it as a source of energy. This is why people who have more than one drink per day as well as binge drinkers are highly likely to gain weight. It is estimated that even environment in which a person is drinking may have influence on weight gain. Drinking combined with eating high calorie snacks, little activity and smoking usually go together during the process of drinking and their mutual effect (particularly if the ritual is repeated frequently) is weight gain. So, it is obvious that intake of alcohol may cause increase in one's weight. This way a person develops two serious problems that must be dealt with as soon as possible.
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