Bacon vs. Orgasms vs. Drugs

Bacon: delicious, succulent, juicy, tender, satisfying!

Orgasm: sexy, hot, intense, amazing, satisfying!
Drugs: fun (in the moment), escape (at a cost), satisfying!

How would anyone be able to choose between the three? Well, honestly, you may not have to. Studies are showing the similarities between these guilty pleasures. When it comes to the brain, there is almost no differences between bacon, drugs, or an orgasm. It may seem shocking at first, but lets learn a little about the brain first.

The brain is still a mystery, hiding secrets mankind will be unlocking for many years to come. We do still have some facts on the brain and its processes. The limbic system, for example, is what houses the pleasure center. This pleasure center, also known as the reward circuit, not only gives us the feeling of enjoyment but also drives the desire to seek out this pleasure again. This is true for all pleasures: food (bacon), sex (orgasms), and even drugs (cocaine, heroine, etc.). Some of these pleasure components of the brain and their functions are found below:

• Amygdala- regulates emotion
• Nucleus Accumbens- regulates the release of dopamine
• Ventral Tegmental Area- actually releases the dopamine
• Cerebellum- controls muscle function
• Pituitary Gland- releases beta-endorphins, which decrease pain; oxytocin, which increases feelings of trust; and vasopressin, which increases bonding.

Now, it is fairly obvious that the intensity levels of having an orgasm and eating bacon or doing drugs are at different levels. However, they all use the same pleasure center and use the above components of the brain similarly. Dopamine is a chemical in the brain usually brought up when talking about pleasure. Dopamine is not the only neurological chemical at play when it comes to pleasure, but it is one that is important when it comes to going after said pleasure. Whether it is any of the three pleasures, dopamine is what motivates us to obtain it again. This happens after someone feels pleasure, which comes from the opioids. This is the actual pleasure chemical that is delivered after eating something delicious such as bacon, or having an orgasm. This chemical is the brains natural endorphin and morphine.


Drugs, such as heroine or cocaine, are stimulants that do just that. They stimulate the brain by flooding the reward system with dopamine, keeping people addicted and wanting more.To get the sensation time and time again, someone must seek out that pleasure, which is where addictions come in. You can obviously be addicted to drugs, but sex and fatty foods? Scientists are saying yes. These pleasures can take control of people's lives and lead to plenty of health risks. Obesity and drug-related health problems are serious issues in today's society.

An experiment was conducted on rats to test addiction to food. They were so succumbed by the pleasure fatty foods brought, that they suffered through the pain of electrical shocks to their feet just to enjoy this pleasure. If you did not know, rats and humans use the same neurochemicals to control the same components of the brain. The study actually showed the rats becoming so addicted to the food that they would have rather starved than eat anything else. An explanation to this would be the Nucleus Accumbens and the Ventral Tegmental Area that control the release of dopamine. Dopamine is produced in excess amounts when high-calorie foods are consumed in comparison to that of your average calorie foods.

I'm going to keep it safe and wrap it up now. The limbic system, or reward circuit, is a series of components in the brain that work as a pleasure center. It's what gives us pleasure and the need to obtain the pleasure. This is done through neurochemicals in the brain. Two of the more important chemicals being opioids, which give the pleasurable feeling; and dopamine, which keeps us going back for more. Our pleasure center works the same when it comes to drugs, bacon, or even orgasms. It may be at different levels of intensity, however, they are still similar in brain chemistry. I would like to say bacon causes orgasms, but I can't, which may be a good thing. Too much pleasure at one time, I would think.

FUN FACT: Pigs are known to have the longest orgasms, lasting up to 30 minutes long. 

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Marnia. "Your Brain On Sex." Reuniting. 24 June 2005. Web. 26 Oct. 2013.

Negative0. "Push Button. Receive Bacon." Meh.ro. 08 Nov. 2010. Web. 27 Oct. 2013.