Too much sugar is unhealthy – that we understand, however it’s not simply down to the numerous calories. Even moderate quantities of included fructose and sucrose double the body’s own fat production in the liver, scientists from the University of Zurich have actually revealed. In the long term, this adds to the advancement of diabetes or a fatty liver.
Sugar is contributed to numerous typical foods, and individuals in Switzerland take in more than 100 grams of it every day. The high-calorie material of sugar triggers extreme weight and weight problems, and the involved illness. But does excessive sugar have any other hazardous impacts if taken in frequently? And if so, which sugars in specific?
Even moderate quantities of sugar boost fat synthesis
Researchers at the University of Zurich (UZH) and the University Hospital Zurich (USZ) have actually been examining these concerns. Compared to previous research studies, which primarily took a look at the usage of extremely high quantities of sugar, their outcomes reveal that even moderate quantities cause a modification in the metabolic process of test individuals. “Eighty grams of sugar daily, which is equivalent to about 0.8 liters of a normal soft drink, boosts fat production in the liver. And the overactive fat production continues for a longer period of time, even if no more sugar is consumed,” states research study leader Philipp Gerber of the Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Clinical Nutrition.
Ninety-4 healthy boys participated in the research study. Every day for a duration of 7 weeks, they took in a beverage sweetened with various kinds of sugar, while the control group did not. The beverages included either fructose, glucose or sucrose (table sugar which is a mix of fructose and glucose). The scientists then utilized tracers (identified compounds that can be traced as they move through the body) to examine the impact of sweet beverages on lipid metabolic process.
Fructose and sucrose double fat production beyond food consumption
Overall, the individuals did not take in more calories than prior to the research study, as the sweet beverage increased satiety and they for that reason decreased their calorie consumption from other sources. Nevertheless, the scientists observed that fructose has an unfavorable impact: “The body’s own fat production in the liver was twice as high in the fructose group as in the glucose group or the control group – and this was still the case more than twelve hours after the last meal or sugar consumption,” states Gerber. Particularly unexpected was that the sugar we most frequently take in, sucrose, improved fat synthesis a little more than the very same quantity of fructose. Until now, it was believed that fructose was more than likely to trigger such modifications.
Development of fatty liver or diabetes most likely
Increased fat production in the liver is a substantial initial step in the advancement of typical illness such as fatty liver and type-2 diabetes. From a health viewpoint, the World Health Organization advises restricting day-to-day sugar usage to around 50 grams or, even much better, 25 grams. “But we are far off that mark in Switzerland,” states Philipp Gerber. “Our results are a critical step in researching the harmful effects of added sugars and will be very significant for future dietary recommendations.”
Reference: “Fructose- and sucrose- but not glucose-sweetened beverages promote hepatic de novo lipogenesis: A randomized controlled trial” by Bettina Geidl-Flueck, Michel Hochuli, Ágota Németh, Anita Eberl, Nina Derron, Harald C. Köfeler, Luc Tappy, Kaspar Berneis, Giatgen A. Spinas and Philipp A. Gerber, 5 March 2021, Journal of Hepatology.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2021.02.027
