What Is High-Fructose? New Research Study Explores Its Impact on Gut Health and Type 2 Diabetes Risk

What Is High-Fructose?

High-fructose is a type of sugar found naturally in fruits and honey, but it's also added to many processed foods and beverages. In the U.S., high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is commonly used in sodas, baked goods, and condiments.

How Does High Fructose Affect Health?

Consuming too much high-fructose sugar can lead to various health issues, including:

• Increased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Excessive intake of high-fructose sugars can contribute to insulin resistance, a key factor in the development of type 2 diabetes .

• Weight Gain and Obesity: High-fructose diets may lead to increased fat accumulation, particularly in the liver, which can contribute to obesity .

• Elevated Triglyceride Levels: Excessive fructose consumption can raise triglyceride levels, increasing the risk of heart disease.

Diabetes Statistics in the United States

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 37.3 million Americans have diabetes, with 1 in 5 of them being unaware of their condition . This highlights the importance of understanding dietary factors, like high-fructose sugar, that contribute to the risk of developing diabetes.

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High Fructose Diet, the Gut Microbiome, and Metabolic Health

Currently Recruiting

Overview:

Americans often consume too much fructose, a type of sugar added to many foods. This can lead to health problems like insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Scientists think this might be due to how excess fructose affects the gut microbiome (the bacteria in our intestines), but they don't fully understand how.

Key Points:

• Many people don't fully absorb fructose in the small intestine, so it travels to the colon and may disrupt gut bacteria, cause inflammation, and increase T2D risk.

• Researchers are testing whether high-fructose diets cause these harmful effects by changing gut bacteria.

The Study:

• Participants: 30 adults who have trouble absorbing fructose (confirmed by a breath test).

• Design: Each person will follow two different 12-day diets:

  • One with added fructose (25% of daily calories)

  • One with added glucose (also 25% of calories)

  • Diets will be separated by a 10-day break with a controlled diet.

    
    

What Researchers Will Measure:

1. Gut bacteria types and functions (from stool samples)

2. Substances made by gut bacteria (metabolites)

3. Body measurements (like weight)

4. Blood markers for insulin resistance and inflammation

5. Gut bacteria’s ability to break down sugars

6. Liver fat (using MRI)

They’ll also use advanced stats to track how changes unfold over time.

Animal Testing:

Researchers will transplant gut bacteria from the human participants into germ-free mice to see if changes in gut bacteria cause health problems like liver fat build-up or insulin resistance.

Goal:

To understand how high-fructose diets harm health via gut bacteria, and to find ways to reduce disease risk, especially in children and others who eat a lot of added sugars.

Who Can Join the Study:

Inclusion:

• Adults who don’t absorb fructose well

Exclusion:

• Take probiotics or antibiotics recently

• Drink more than 1 sugary drink per day

• Follow restrictive diets (vegan, vegetarian, etc.)

• Have food allergies or major illnesses like diabetes

• Use certain medications, smoke, or drink too much alcohol

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