| Researchers Find HFCS and Sucrose Affect Blood Glucose, Insulin, Leptin and Ghrelin Similarly |
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A study published in the February 2007 issue of Nutrition by Kathleen J Melanson, et al. at the University of Rhode Island reviewed the effects of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and sucrose on circulating levels of glucose, leptin, insulin and ghrelin in a study group of lean women. All four tested substances have been hypothesized to play a role in metabolism and obesity. The study found "no differences in the metabolic effects" of high fructose corn syrup and sucrose in this short-term study, and called for further similar studies of obese individuals and males. (5) You can read the full study by clicking here. An abstract of the study as presented at Experimental Biology 2006 follows. Similar effects of high fructose corn syrup and sucrose consumption on circulating levels of glucose, leptin, insulin and ghrelin. Kathleen J Melanson1, Linda Zukley2, Joshua Lowndes2, Von Nguyen2, Theodore J Angelopoulos2, James M Rippe2. Introduction: Fructose has been implicated in potentially promoting obesity, due in part to a lack of insulin-mediated leptin stimulation and ghrelin suppression. However, most work has examined the effects of pure fructose on these hormones and metabolism, rather than high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which is the most commonly-consumed form of fructose. Therefore the purpose of this study was to examine whether beverages sweetened with high fructose corn syrup and those sweetened with sucrose, when consumed with mixed meals, would differ in their effects on blood glucose, insulin, leptin, and ghrelin. Methods: Thirty lean women were studied on two randomized 2-day experimental visits to our metabolic unit during which high fructose corn syrup and sucrose sweetened beverages were consumed with isocaloric diets on day 1 while blood was sampled. On day 2 of these visits, food was eaten ad libitum. Results: No significant differences between the two experimental visits were seen in fasting values of plasma glucose, insulin, leptin, and ghrelin (p=NS). The within day variation in all four was not different between the two experimental visits. Net areas under the curve were similar for glucose insulin and leptin (p=NS). There were no differences in energy or macronutrient intake on day 2 (ad-libtum feeding). Discussion: These short-term results suggest that when fructose is consumed in the form of high fructose corn syrup, there are no differences in the metabolic effects in lean women compared to sucrose. Further research is required to determine if the current findings hold true for obese individuals and males. |