Alcohol and Drug Addiction and Hypoglycemia
Can Good Nutrition Fight Addiction?
Bill Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, became very interested in the biochemical basis of alcoholism and addiction. He researched this area extensively especially in the last years before his death. He personally suffered from hypoglycemic symptoms and depression and was known to consume a lot of caffeine and sugar. Once he took these foods out of his diet and added eating nutrition-dense foods, his blood sugar was stabilized and his sense of well being returned. He was driven to share this information with other alcoholics.
Bill W. self-published two pamphlets First and Second Communication to Alcoholics Anonymous Physicians (1965) and (1968). In 1971 after Bill’s death, Lois, his wife and founder of Alanon, published a pamphlet, The Vitamin B-3 Therapy: A 3rd Communication to AA’s Physicians stating that her husband, Bill, had become convinced that there was a biochemical connection with alcoholism and addiction. Hypoglycemia doesn’t necessarily go away when you stop drinking or using. It is a metabolic disorder that has to be corrected with proper diet and nutrition. My last post, Hypoglycemia and Addiction discussed this topic in some detail.
Preventing Symptoms of Hypoglycemia
Here are the top 15 out of 41 symptoms reported by 1200 hypoglycemic patients in a study compiled by a doctor who himself experienced many of these symptoms. These symptoms often correspond to addiction. The symptoms are as follows: nervousness, irritability, exhaustion, faintness, dizziness (tremors, cold sweats), depression, vertigo (dizziness), drowsiness, headaches, digestive disturbances, forgetfulness, insomnia, constant worrying (unprovoked anxieties), confusion, internal trembling, and heart palpitations (rapid pulse).
To support recovery from addiction, it is important to keep blood sugar levels balanced in order to prevent these symptoms from occurring and also to prevent sugar cravings which can lead to alcohol and drug cravings. There are some key nutrients that block the sugar cravings that come with hypoglycemia. Bill W gave one of them, B3 also known as niacin, to 30 of his alcoholic friends. After taking the niacin for a while, 70% reported they felt much better (with a reduction in symptoms and cravings).
Additional supportive evidence shows that B3 prevents the abnormal drop of blood sugar. Some other key nutrients are chromium, glutamine, vitamin C, magnesium and pantothenic acid. If all 3 heads of the dragon of addiction are fed (body (nutritional), spiritual, mental (emotional), then getting well and getting better every day in every way can be the reality of recovery.
