An American study revealed in the National Library of Medicine that cheese can make you “addicted”. An addiction similar to that which one could develop for tobacco, alcohol or even drugs. Info or misinformation, Doctor Juliette Hazart, addictologist and speaker answers us. At the same time, who would resist a delicious toast of tomme cheese and fig jam, a Savoyard fondue or a little parmesan on a plate of spaghetti? As a starter, main course or even dessert, this dairy product always finds its place on the plate.
Casein, the real cause of cheese addiction?
According to the American study, the main cause of this addiction to cheese is casein, an animal protein. According to the study, it acts on our body, and more particularly, our dopamine, the pleasure hormone, by giving a sudden desire to consume it without stopping. However, Doctor Juliette Hazart informs us: “at present, there is no scientific consensus on this subject. This dependence on casein remains a scientifically unproven hypothesis. »
A common addiction mechanism for a different purpose
Faced with our expert’s explanations, what element could have led the American study to describe our love for cheese as an “addiction”? “It is important to remain vigilant about associating the word “addiction” with foods. » To understand everything, let’s distinguish addiction to an eating behavior from addiction to a substance.
“When we consume a food, such as sugar, we activate the same regions of the brain as when we consume alcohol or heroin. This area is called the reward circuit. However, in the context of consuming food or having sexual intercourse, this circuit is naturally activated, releasing so-called “controlled” dopamine, with the aim of obtaining pleasure and repeating the behavior in order to ensure its survival and that of the species. Which is completely different from drugs, like heroin, which hijack the reward circuit and artificially increase the secretion of dopamine, sometimes to the point of loss of control and addiction.
Ultimately, everything comes down to behavior and its consequences on the person. “A person who has an addiction in the medical sense of the term will have negative consequences in their personal, professional or social life. »
Cheese addiction, myth or reality?
Our expert is clear: “cheese being as addictive as drugs is a preconceived idea! » We cannot talk about cheese addiction if we use the term “addiction” in the sense of illness. “In common parlance, we tend to say that we are addicted as soon as we particularly like something. Eating cheese every day does not mean there is an addiction. »
For good reason, “food addiction (and not eating disorders such as bulimia or binge eating disorder) is not classified as a pathology in the DSM 5 Manual (5e manual for the diagnosis and classification of mental disorders), unlike addictions to substances such as alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, heroin or cocaine, which are. »
“The frequency of consumption or the quantity consumed are not criteria for talking about addiction. »
It is neither the quantity nor the frequency of consumption that defines a pathology or an addiction, it is all about the loss of control. “It is important to distinguish addiction, which is characterized by a loss of control, from gluttony for which desires are controllable. »
“In the case of consuming food to relieve discomfort, if you feel the desire to abstain or limit your consumption but are unable to achieve this without help, if your consumption is repeated over time with a strong and irrepressible desire, it is recommended to consult a therapist.
