New research exposes the health risks of fructose and sugary drinks

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-09/acoc-nre092415.php

ublic Release: 28-Sep-2015
New research exposes the health risks of fructose and sugary drinks
Researchers call for more aggressive efforts to reduce consumption of products containing added sugar
American College of Cardiology

There is compelling evidence that drinking too many sugar-sweetened beverages, which contain added sugars in the form of high fructose corn syrup or table sugar (sucrose), can lead to excess weight gain and a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, according to a new review paper published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

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The paper, which reviewed data from recent epidemiological studies and meta-analyses of these studies, reveals that consuming one or two servings a day has been linked to:

as high as a 26 percent greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes,
a 35 percent greater risk of heart attack or fatal heart disease, and
a 16 percent increased risk of stroke

The research team also explored how fructose is metabolized in the body and its link to weight gain and the development of metabolic and cardiovascular conditions.

"Part of the problem is how fructose behaves in the body," said Hu. Glucose, another component of sugar, is readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream where it is transported through the action of insulin into the body's cells to be used as fuel. Fructose, on the other hand, is metabolized in the liver where it can be converted to fatty compounds called triglycerides, which may lead to fatty liver disease and insulin resistance, a key risk factor for developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Overconsumption of fructose can also lead to too much uric acid in the blood, which is associated with a greater risk of gout, a painful inflammatory arthritis.

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