A concerned mother, Rebble, posted a request for help for her 12 year old son who has suddenly started drinking Diet Coke and obsessively collecting the cans. I explain about the biochemistry of addiction and obsession. If your child, another loved one or even you, are hooked on Diet Coke, this blog offers practical solutions in the way of amino acids to balance brain chemistry and make quitting no longer about willpower. I share why I’d consider starting with the amino acid supplement tryptophan for serotonin support and the amino acid supplement tyrosine for dopamine support. And then looking into low blood sugar. I also share some of the many harmful effects of soda/diet soda and some practical tips for her as she encourages her son to make changes.
Here are her questions and what she has already tried to help him quit:
To my horror, my 12yo son has just started buying/consuming Coke and principally Diet Coke regularly from our village shop. He has got obsessed about collecting the cans, some of which are from his friends’ consumption but more and more from his. He used to hate these drinks but now peer pressure has kicked in and he wants to consume what his friends (who live on the stuff and a horrendous amount of sugar) consume.
I’ve pointed out the ingredients, that they are toxic to his brain. He doesn’t care.
I’ve shown him a brilliant video clip of Renaldo removing coca cola bottles from the press table and promoting water instead (with good effect).
Yet still he keeps buying the stuff.
I’ve made it known with the shopkeeper that I don’t approve of my children buying caffeinated sugary drinks full of neurotoxic ingredients but he doesn’t wish to police my children (though he did give me a refund on the 8 cans he had just sold my son!) which I understand.
Do you have a short summary of why it’s so bad, for children in particular? Either something I could show my children, their friends and/or the shopkeeper?
Is it the caffeine that makes it addictive?
My son does exhibit some challenging behaviors (e.g. torturous noise at home, not able to sit still without fidgeting with things at meals, etc.) but seems to be able to turn this on / off at will. I don’t think he does this at other people’s homes or at school. I can’t say they are necessarily linked to the drinks as they precede the start of him consuming them but I’m certain the drinks cannot help.
This is tough but I’m glad Rebble is horrified and working to do something about it. Sadly many parents have no idea how harmful these drinks are for pre-teens and teens.
She mentions his challenging behaviors preceded his diet soda drinking. It’s common that we see someone self-medicating with sugar and/or artificial sweeteners. And it’s likely that that peer pressure was the tipping point for him and then once she started he was well and truly addicted.
This is the feedback I shared for her and my observations on where to start: when I hear obsessed, peer pressure and challenging behaviors, I immediately think neurotransmitter or brain chemicals imbalances and would look into low serotonin and possibly low dopamine because of his inability to sit still. Low blood sugar may also be an issue.
What emotions are driving his addiction and obsession?
With an addiction you need to figure out what emotions are driving the addiction and use the respective amino acid supplement/s (one or more of them) to help break the addiction and improve the mood/behavioral symptoms at the same time.
These are the questions I review with my clients who have a Diet Coke addiction, or other diet soda or regular soda addiction (or even alcohol or carb addiction):
- If you drink it to feel happy (and especially from late afternoon into the evening) then your cravings are likely due to low serotonin, and tryptophan (or 5-HTP) stops the cravings and boosts mood and reduces anxiety.
- If you drink it for an energy boost or to give you focus then it’s likely due to low catecholamines and tyrosine will stop those cravings and give you a mood and energy boost, and also help with mental clarity.
- If you have to drink it when you haven’t eaten in awhile it’s likely low blood sugar. Glutamine on the tongue stops the desire almost immediately and also helps with the low blood sugar symptoms of shakiness and irritability.
- If you stress-drink, your cravings are likely due to low GABA, and GABA will stop the stress-drinking and calm you down too.
- If you drink it for comfort or a reward then it’s likely due to low endorphins and DPA (d-phenylalanine) will stop that feeling of “I deserve-it” and also give you a hug-like mood boost.
Ideally mom would have him complete the amino acids symptoms questionnaire in order to figure out which areas are issues for her son.
This is where I would start
I don’t have all this information but based on mom’s feedback this is where I would start: serotonin support, dopamine support and address low blood sugar.
We do know he is obsessed with collecting the cans. Obsession and cravings for a sweet taste is a clear sign of low serotonin i.e. a big clue that #1 may apply to her son and that he may benefit by using tryptophan or 5-HTP.
We do also know he is “not able to sit still without fidgeting with things at meals.” The Diet Cokes may be helping him focus and this is a big clue that #2 and low dopamine may also apply to her son, and that he may benefit from tyrosine. Keep in mind tyrosine also helps to break the caffeine addiction too.
I’m not sure what his “torturous noise at home” could be related to but it may be a clue to #3 i.e. low blood sugar and irritability. It may also be a symptom of rage or anger, also a sign of low serotonin and #1.
I would also look at his diet and make sure he is eating for blood sugar stability (quality protein for breakfast with healthy fats, healthy fats/protein at each meal and healthy snacks). And address everything else I cover in my book – gluten, microbiome etc.
It’s not unusual for someone to have imbalances in multiple areas. If this is the case, I always recommend doing a trial of one amino acid at a time, so it’s easy to see the benefits.
Role models, the harmful effects of soda/diet soda and other things I’d try with this young man
On one hand, you could be surprised that the Renaldo press conference clip removing the Cokes (watch it here) didn’t make enough of an impression because having a sporting hero as a role model is powerful. BUT on the other hand, based on what I know about soda/diet soda.caffeine and addiction, role models are unfortunately just not enough for some folks.
I shared these other things I’d try:
1) Have someone other than mom tell him about the harmful effects of diet sodas – a respected teacher, favorite uncle or nutritionist.
2) Appeal to things that may make him think twice about it like acne and not being fit enough to play his favorite sport. Concerns about weight gain or not being able to get into his desired university (because of impacts on his academic grades) may be a driver too. It’s doubtful that he’d be concerned with tooth decay, adrenal dysfunction, diabetes, heart disease, inflammation, increased risk of osteoporosis or increased anxiety/depression and insomnia.
3) Suggest that he does a school project on the topic so he understands the many harmful effects and facts (the research confirms that adolescents lack knowledge regarding health risks of soda and diet soda consumption. The project could hail Renaldo as a hero and he could get his buddies to help.
4) Help him find something else he likes to drink. Fruit juice isn’t a good option but fizzy fermented drinks are and so is fruit-infused water.
5) Be sure the rest of the family is setting an example at home and when you go out
6) Keep planting the seeds with love and encouragement
However, none of the above or flat-out saying he cannot buy diet sodas will work if there is the addiction aspect and unbalanced brain chemistry.
Keep in mind there is a continuum with sugar/carb/artificial sweeteners/caffeine addiction i.e. some kids (and adults) can quit sugar/carbs/artificial sweeteners/caffeine more easily and others need some nutritional support and some need much more support for balancing brain chemistry with amino acids. If there are also behavioral issues/signs that’s the clue they likely need the amino acid support.
Once he has the facts and understands the harm he also has to be willing to make the changes to break the addiction if it’s severe. I have parents gently recommend a month trial to see if it will work. “No diet soda forever” is too much for a pre-teen/teen (and adults too) to grasp and be ok with especially when they are addicted.
Rebble posed her question on a blog about Diet Coke addiction: I need help with my Diet Coke addiction – when I stop, my fatigue, brain fog, anxiety/depression increase big time!
Be sure to read the above blog for further insights.
I appreciate her for reaching out and hope this additional information helps her son and helps you too.
Resources if you are new to using tryptophan or GABA as supplements
If you are new to using tryptophan or GABA as supplements, here is the Amino Acids Mood Questionnaire from The Antianxiety Food Solution (you can see all the symptoms of neurotransmitter imbalances, including low low serotonin and low doapmine).
If you suspect low levels of any of the neurotransmitters and do not yet have my book, The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings, I highly recommend getting it and reading it before jumping in and using amino acids on your own so you are knowledgeable. And be sure to share it with the practitioner/health team you or your loved one is working with.
There is an entire chapter on the amino acids and they are discussed throughout the book in the sections on gut health, gluten, blood sugar control, sugar cravings, anxiety and mood issues (which include rage/anger/irritability/self-harm).
The book doesn’t include product names (per the publisher’s request) so this blog, The Antianxiety Food Solution Amino Acid and Pyroluria Supplements, lists the amino acids that I use with my individual clients and those in my group programs. You can find them all in my online store. The above oral lavender products are available in my online store too.
If, after reading this blog and my book, you don’t feel comfortable figuring things out on your own (i.e. doing the symptoms questionnaire and respective amino acids trials), a good place to get help is the GABA QuickStart Program (if you have low GABA symptoms). This is a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance and community support.
If you are a practitioner, join us in The Balancing Neurotransmitters: the Fundamentals program. This is also a paid online/virtual program with an opportunity to interact with me and other practitioners who are also using the amino acids.
Has one of the amino acids helped with your preteen’s soda or diet soda addiction? Which one/s helped?
What helped your preteen be open to the idea of using the amino acids to quit?
What else helped?
Has any of the above helped you too? Or your clients/patients?
If you have questions and other feedback please share it here too.
