Excessive fructose may set up metabolic trouble

Co-author Lars Berglund points out that fruit juices typically feature more concentrated forms of fructose and glucose, whereas fruits and vegetables contain fiber and other good stuff. "It's healthier to eat apples than to drink apple juice," he says.

A fructose-heavy diet may contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome, which can increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

The findings, published online in the journal Nutrition & Metabolism, come from a University of California, Davis, study that investigated the relative effects of fructose or glucose consumption on 32 older, overweight or obese men and women.

Straight from the Source DOI: 10.1186/1743-7075-9-68

The study participants consumed glucose- or fructose-sweetened beverages, which provided 25 percent of their energy requirements for 10 weeks.

Consumption of fructose, but not glucose, affected various parameters associated with metabolic syndrome, including increased circulating concentrations of uric acid, which is known to be higher in people with metabolic syndrome.

In addition, fructose consumption increased GGT activity, which is an indicator of liver dysfunction, and production of a type of protein known as RBP-4, associated with increased insulin resistance.

No previous studies have investigated the effects of glucose or fructose consumption on circulating levels of RBP-4.

The study design involved three phases, including a two-week inpatient baseline period, an eight-week outpatient intervention period, and a two-week inpatient intervention period.

During baseline, subjects resided in the UC Davis Clinical and Translational Science Center’s Clinical Research Center (CCRC) for two weeks before beginning the outpatient intervention, consuming either fructose- or glucose-sweetened beverages. They returned to the CCRC for the final two weeks of intervention.

Fasting and 24-hour blood collections were performed at baseline and following 10 weeks of intervention for measurement of plasma concentrations of uric acid, RBP-4, and liver enzyme activities.

The study’s first results, published in 2009, showed that visceral adipose volume (fat inside the abdominal cavity) was significantly increased only in subjects consuming fructose, along with increases in several circulating lipids and a decrease in insulin sensitivity, although both groups exhibited similar weight gain.