Fructose has traditionally been regarded as “safer” than other sugars regarding weight gain and diabetes risks. However, this belief has proven to be incorrect. That is the conclusion reached by an international team of scientists in a new study, the results of which were published in the journal Nature Metabolism.
The research group analyzed data on widely used sweeteners—table sugar and corn syrup—which have traditionally high fructose content. These also contain glucose, but it turns out that fructose has a unique effect on the body.
The new project revealed that the body processes fructose through metabolic pathways capable of bypassing some conventional control mechanisms. This leads to the activation of fat formation, a decrease in cellular energy levels in the form of ATP, and the accumulation of substances associated with metabolic system disruptions.
Together, these factors increase the risk of metabolic syndrome—a cluster of disorders that includes obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, and cardiovascular abnormalities.
It is important to note that fructose enters the body not only through food. Our bodies can independently produce it from glucose, which increases the risks of “overdose.”
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