Sucrose, High-Fructose Corn Syrup, and Fructose, Their Metabolism and Potential Health Effects: What Do We Really Know?

    Authors

    J. M. Rippe;T. J. Angelopoulos

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Adv. Nutr.

    Keywords

    DE-NOVO LIPOGENESIS; GLUCOSE-SWEETENED BEVERAGES; NORMAL DIETARY; CONSUMPTION; CONTROLLED FEEDING TRIALS; SOFT DRINK CONSUMPTION; C-REACTIVE PROTEIN; BODY-WEIGHT; URIC-ACID; INSULIN SENSITIVITY; ENDOTHELIAL DYSFUNCTION; Nutrition & Dietetics

    Abstract

    Both controversy and confusion exist concerning fructose, sucrose, and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) with respect to their metabolism and health effects. These concerns have often been fueled by speculation based on limited data or animal studies. In retrospect, recent controversies arose when a scientific commentary was published suggesting a possible unique link between HFCS consumption and obesity. Since then, a broad scientific consensus has emerged that there are no metabolic or endocrine response differences between HFCS and sucrose related to obesity or any other adverse health outcome. This equivalence is not surprising given that both of these sugars contain approximately equal amounts of fructose and glucose, contain the same number of calories, possess the same level of sweetness, and are absorbed identically through the gastrointestinal tract. Research comparing pure fructose with pure glucose, although interesting from a scientific point of view, has limited application to human nutrition given that neither is consumed to an appreciable degree in isolation in the human diet. Whether there is a link between fructose, HFCS, or sucrose and increased risk of heart disease, metabolic syndrome, or fatty infiltration of the liver or muscle remains in dispute with different studies using different methodologies arriving at different conclusions. Further randomized clinical trials are needed to resolve many of these issues. The purpose of this review is to summarize current knowledge about the metabolism, endocrine responses, and potential health effects of sucrose, HFCS, and fructose. Adv. Nutr. 4: 236-245, 2013.

    Journal Title

    Advances in Nutrition

    Volume

    4

    Issue/Number

    2

    Publication Date

    1-1-2013

    Document Type

    Article; Proceedings Paper

    Language

    English

    First Page

    236

    Last Page

    245

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000317161100012

    ISSN

    2161-8313

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