Dr. Daniel Amen believes he knows the reason behind Lamar Odom's inconsistent play:
"Odom freely confesses that he just can't help himself when it comes to
the sweet stuff and always keeps a stash on hand of Gummi Bears, Honey
Buns, Lifesavers, Hershey's white chocolate, Snickers bars, cookies and
more. He eats the sugary snacks morning, noon and night, and even says
he sometimes wakes up in the middle of the night, chows down on some
treats, then falls back asleep.
"This is bad news for the Lakers. I've been telling my patients for years that sugar acts like a drug in the brain. It causes blood sugar levels to spike and then crash, leaving you feeling tired, irritable, foggy and stupid. Eating too much sugar impairs cognitive function, which may explain why Odom doesn't always make the smartest decisions on the court.
"This is bad news for the Lakers. I've been telling my patients for years that sugar acts like a drug in the brain. It causes blood sugar levels to spike and then crash, leaving you feeling tired, irritable, foggy and stupid. Eating too much sugar impairs cognitive function, which may explain why Odom doesn't always make the smartest decisions on the court.
While I doubt Odom's sugar addiction affects his play, I cannot believe that some athletes have such horrible eating habits. Gerald Green's desire for greasy fast food and Rajon Rondo's spicy pre-game meals are two other examples. At the very least, they should save that crap for the off-season.