Suffering Cravings? Not a Matter of Willpower.

The interplay between dopamine, the brain, and GLP-2

Cravings often appear trivial at first glance: a sudden desire for something sweet, a bag of chips, or the urge to keep eating even though you know rationally that you should stop. Yet this behavior is too often reduced to a matter of discipline or self-control, when in fact that perspective misses the real mechanism entirely.

From a neuropsychological perspective, we now know that cravings rarely stem from hunger itself. Instead, they are most often a signal from a dysregulated brain, specifically from an imbalanced dopamine system. It is not your stomach, but rather your nervous system, that drives this behavior.

Cravings Are Not Hunger – They Are a Call for Brain Regulation

Physical hunger builds gradually and naturally subsides once the body is satisfied. Cravings, on the other hand, arise suddenly, are often highly specific—chocolate, salt, or sugar—and do not disappear once your body has consumed enough. They tend to appear most frequently in moments of stress, mental fatigue, or inner restlessness.

This distinction is crucial, because cravings are not a call for energy but a call for regulation. The brain is not seeking fuel for the body; it is seeking stability and calm for the nervous system.

Dopamine: The Engine Behind Cravings

Dopamine is often called the “happiness hormone,” but that description is misleading. In reality, dopamine functions as a motivation and drive neurotransmitter, signaling the brain about what is important and what should be repeated. It directs motivation, focus, reward processing, and repetitive behavior, and thus plays a central role in eating without physical hunger.

When dopamine is well-regulated, it helps maintain focus, suppress impulses, and guide decisions in line with our intentions. When the system becomes dysregulated, the balance shifts dramatically.

The Dysregulated Dopamine System

In individuals with persistent cravings, dopamine is rarely “too high.” More commonly, we observe low baseline levels, rapid dopamine drops, heightened sensitivity to external stimuli, and reduced inhibition from the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for impulse control and rational decision-making.

This pattern is particularly common among people experiencing chronic stress, burnout, overstimulated or hyperactive brains, ADHD-like traits, or long-term sleep deprivation. In these cases, the brain is constantly “on,” consuming large amounts of dopamine. When this supply is unstable, it produces a subjective feeling of inner emptiness, restlessness, or the sense that something is missing.

Why Food Feels Irresistible

Sugar, fat, and salt trigger a rapid release of dopamine, providing temporary relief and focus. However, this dopamine spike is fleeting; it drops quickly, weakens the system over time, and makes the brain increasingly dependent on repetition.

This creates a typical dopamine loop: eating provides temporary relief, which soon fades, prompting the brain to seek the same stimulus again. At this point, rational awareness might tell you to stop, but the brain’s inhibitory system is literally less active. This is neurobiology, not a weakness of character.

The Role of GLP Hormones: Often Misunderstood

GLP-1 plays a clear role in suppressing appetite, slowing gastric emptying, and increasing satiety. It primarily explains when we stop eating, but it does not explain why we begin eating without hunger.

GLP-2, in contrast, serves a different function. This gut hormone supports the repair of the intestinal lining, improves nutrient absorption, influences the gut-brain axis, and helps reduce low-grade inflammation. While it does not directly suppress cravings or regulate dopamine acutely, it affects the biological foundation on which dopamine must function.

Gut – Brain – Dopamine: The Indirect Path

A disrupted gut can activate the stress system, increase background noise in the brain, reduce the absorption of dopamine precursors, and impair stimulus processing. GLP-2 can help by strengthening the gut barrier, reducing inflammation, improving amino acid uptake, and dampening stress signals to the brain.

The effect is not a “stop button” for cravings but rather more stability in the nervous system. A more stable brain has less need for compensation, and therefore is less likely to seek rapid dopamine through food.

Why Dopamine Regulation Is Central

When cravings stem from dopamine deficiency, dopamine instability, or an overtaxed brain, it follows that dopamine regulation forms the cornerstone of any sustainable approach. This does not mean “boosting” dopamine indiscriminately; it means normalizing and stabilizing the system.

When dopamine is better regulated, inner restlessness decreases, impulse control is restored, and the concept of “enough” becomes meaningful. Eating no longer functions as a form of self-medication.

The Interplay: Why One Factor Rarely Suffices

Cravings rarely disappear through a single intervention. A realistic neuropsychological model combines dopamine regulation to address the drive, GLP-2 support to strengthen the foundational gut and stress systems, and stress reduction to prevent further dopamine leakage.

Together, these approaches reduce inner tension, improve stimulus processing, and decrease the need for rapid reward. This works not through suppression, but through the restoration of regulation.

Summary

Cravings are not a weakness; they are a signal of a dysregulated brain. Dopamine drives urges and repetitive behavior, while overstimulated brains often seek rapid dopamine through food. GLP-1 affects satiety, but not the underlying cause of cravings. GLP-2 indirectly supports the gut and brain, while dopamine regulation remains central. The interplay of these systems restores calm, rather than enforcing restraint.

👉 To truly understand cravings, we need to stop focusing solely on food and start focusing on brain regulation.