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Carbohydrate Craving by Alcohol‐Dependent Men During Sobriety: Relationship to Nutrition and Serotonergic Function
Author(s) -
Moorhouse Mona,
Loh Elliot,
Lockett Donna,
Grymala John,
Chudzik George,
Wilson Allan
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2000.tb02034.x
Subject(s) - craving , alcohol , carbohydrate , medicine , endocrinology , psychology , chemistry , biochemistry , psychiatry , addiction
Background: Several studies report reduced serotonin (5HT) in alcohol‐dependent subjects. Furthermore, alcohol increases 5HT in animals. Thus, alcohol dependence may be an attempt to self‐medicate reduced 5HT. Relevant to this, reducing 5HT increases carbohydrate intake, and several studies report increased carbohydrate intake in alcohol‐dependent subjects. Like alcohol, carbohydrate increases 5HT. We hypothesized that a subgroup of the alcohol‐dependent population self‐medicates reduced 5HT with alcohol and alternatively with carbohydrate when not drinking. Methods: Three groups were recruited: a high carbohydrate craving alcohol‐dependent group ( n = 10), a low carbohydrate craving alcohol‐dependent group ( n = 11), and a nonaddicted control group ( n = 12). All groups were placed on a high‐carbohydrate, low‐protein diet for 2 days and then a high‐protein, low‐carbohydrate diet for 2 days. The effects of diet on mood, alcohol craving, stress, and 5HT were measured. Results: Although both alcohol‐dependent groups had similar alcohol cravings at baseline, only the carbohydrate‐craving alcohol‐dependent group craved alcohol significantly more when under the stress of the research protocol. The carbohydrate‐craving alcohol‐dependent subjects presented with distinct personality disorders and were uniquely sensitive to the adverse effects of carbohydrate on mood. Diet had a unique effect on 5HT in the high carbohydrate craving alcohol‐dependent group. The results of platelet 5HT uptake demonstrated that the high‐protein, low‐carbohydrate diet significantly increased K m values of high carbohydrate craving alcohol‐dependent subjects, whereas it reduced the K m values of both non‐carbohydrate‐craving alcohol‐dependent subjects and nonaddicted controls. Conclusion: Carbohydrate‐craving alcohol‐dependent subjects are a distinct subgroup of the alcohol‐dependent population.