Fructose & Metabolic Syndrome

[Guest guest]

and others, maybe you've heard of this research already. It's a

fascinating hypothesis that implicates fructose in obesity, diabetes,

and other problems of metabolic syndrome.

" Our story starts in 2006, with publication of an article by the

University of Florida researchers. The Florida group noted that the

rise in rates of obesity and metabolic syndrome over the past two

decades coincided with a marked increase in American's fructose intake

( RJ et al. 2007).

While suggestive, this correlation cannot prove cause and effect. But

then a group led by kidney specialist , M.D., built a

persuasive case consisting of three logical steps (Heinig M,

RJ 2006):

1. Unlike other sugars, fructose causes blood levels of uric acid

to rise rapidly.

2. Uric acid in the blood reduces levels of nitric oxide (NO),

especially in the endothelial lining of our arteries … so-called

" endothelial NO " .

3. NO enhances the efficiency of insulin, increases blood flow to

muscle, and enhances glucose uptake.

4. Animals that lack endothelial NO develop insulin resistance and

other features of metabolic syndrome: a cluster of symptoms linked to

increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

So, the Floridians proposed that the current epidemic of metabolic

syndrome is due in part to fructose-induced rises in people's blood

levels of uric acid, which reduce endothelial NO levels and induce

insulin resistance.

Their hypothesis is supported by the fact that, as they wrote, " …

changes in average uric acid levels correlate with the increasing

prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the US and developing countries. "

Full article here:

http://newsletter.vitalchoice.com/e_article000996088.cfm?x=bbVV2P3,b7b1jv7h,w

Tom