Sugar cravings

Do you often crave sweets, especially before your period or during stress? Serotonin plays a major role in sugar cravings because it affects mood, hunger, and gut function.

Why Does Low Serotonin Trigger Sugar Cravings?

• Serotonin regulates mood, appetite, and digestion.

• When serotonin is low, the body craves sugar because:

Sugar boosts serotonin temporarily, making you feel happier.

Sugar gives a quick dopamine hit, increasing cravings.

Low serotonin = Increased stress, anxiety, and depression, making sweets more tempting.

When Do Serotonin-Related Sugar Cravings Happen?

• Before Your Period (PMS & PMDD)

• Estrogen drops before your period, reducing serotonin.

• Low serotonin = More sugar cravings, mood swings, and fatigue.

During Stress & Anxiety

• During Stress & Anxiety

• Emotional eating happens when the brain seeks a quick serotonin boost from sweets.

If You Have PCOS & Insulin Resistance

• PCOS often leads to low serotonin and unstable blood sugar.

• High insulin levels trigger cravings for sugary foods.

Poor Sleep & Fatigue

• Bad sleep reduces serotonin and increases cravings for carbs.

• Tiredness makes you reach for sugar for quick energy.

After Eating Refined Carbs & Sugar

• Sugar spikes serotonin briefly, but then it crashes, making you crave more.

• This cycle leads to binge eating and worsens cravings over time.

Sugar craving

Sugar cravings and noradrenaline (NE) are closely linked through brain reward systems, stress response, and energy regulation. Here's a full explanation of how noradrenaline influences your desire for sugar — and vice versa.

Sugar Cravings & Noradrenaline: The Brain-Body Link

Noradrenaline & The Reward System

• • Noradrenaline works closely with dopamine in the brain’s reward pathway, especially in the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex.

• • When noradrenaline is low, the brain may seek fast gratification to restore energy and focus, leading to sugar cravings.

Low NE → Low mental energy → Craving quick glucose → Eat sugar → Temporary mood/focus lift

Stress, Cortisol, and Noradrenaline

• Under stress, the sympathetic nervous system releases noradrenaline and cortisol.

• Initially, noradrenaline suppresses appetite, but with chronic stress, cortisol:

• Increases cravings for quick energy foods (especially high-sugar, high-fat)

• Promotes central fat storage

• Alters insulin sensitivity, leading to blood sugar swings

So: Chronic stress = high cortisol + fluctuating NE = intense sugar cravings

Energy, Focus & Brain Fog

• Noradrenaline increases:

• Alertness

• Concentration

• Mental stamina

When NE is low, you feel:

• Mentally fatigued

• Distracted or foggy

• Low motivation

• Mental stamina

The brain may instinctively crave sugar to get a quick dopamine/NE boost to improve focus and alertness.

Blood Sugar & Noradrenaline Loop

• Sugar intake spikes blood glucose, which indirectly increases noradrenaline release.

• But this is short-lived → sugar crash → compensatory drop in NE → more cravings.

High-sugar diets lead to NE dysregulation → unstable mood + poor appetite control

Sugar cravings aren’t just about taste—they’re often hormonal signals from your body trying to cope with stress, fatigue, or emotional imbalance.

Adrenaline

Adrenaline is your body’s fight-or-flight hormone. When you're under stress, adrenaline causes a rapid drop in blood sugar by burning through glucose quickly. This triggers an intense craving for sugary foods to refuel your system—especially in moments of panic, anxiety, or energy crashes.

GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid)

GABA is a calming brain chemical that helps manage stress and reduce overstimulation. When GABA is low, you may feel anxious, restless, or emotionally overwhelmed. To self-soothe, your brain craves sugar as a quick dopamine boost, creating a cycle of emotional or stress eating.

DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone)

DHEA supports mood, resilience, and energy. When levels are low, your ability to manage stress decreases, and sugar becomes a quick-fix coping mechanism. Low DHEA is also linked to reduced dopamine activity, which can make sugar more tempting as a “reward.”

Cortisol

Cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone, drives sugar cravings when it’s high for long periods. Chronic cortisol elevation increases appetite and makes the body demand fast, high-carb fuel—especially in the late afternoon or evening. It also disrupts blood sugar regulation, which leads to more frequent hunger and snacking.