High Fructose Corn Syrup Raises Cardiovascular and Diabetes Risk In Adolescents

Diabetes and cardiovascular diseases are present in the blood fractions of teenagers who consume a lot of fructose, according to a research at the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Sciences University. This scenario worsens in the face of excess belly fats. Experts found out that consumption of high dietary fructose can result in a lower level of cardiovascular protection such as adiponectin and HDL cholesterol. As compared to those with visceral fat deposits, adolescents with excess body fats accumulated around their belly are at a compound risk. Moreover, numerous scientifically validated researches stress the importance of removing fructose in all forms from the diets of both children and adults in order to lessen the risk of diabetes and heart diseases.

The study gathered a number of 559 adolescents, ages 14 to 18. They were carefully examined and detailed cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, insulin resistance, fasting glucose and blood inflammatory factors. Samples with excess fats around their midsections were found to worsen the identified risk factors, as compared to those with generalized fat right beneath the skin commonly known as subcutaneous fat.

Fructose Metabolism Increases Risk From Metabolic And Fatty Liver Disease

Fructose or simply fruit sugar is found naturally in vegetables and fruits. It is closely bound with fiber as well as slowly released into the bloodstream. At present, manufacturers of many processed foods and drinks use large amounts of pure High Fructose Corn Syrup extract (HFCS) that is processed by the body through a different pathway as compared to a table sugar or glucose. For the benefit of all, a common table sugar contains a 50-50 ratio of sucrose and glucose while HFCS is about 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose.

According to findings, that five percent of fructose is what the body processes differently and is believed to be the most responsible for triggering diabetes and promoting obesity. This breaks the beliefs that all forms of sugars are the same. Children and adolescents are most involved in the consumption of fructose and this places them in an increased risk of these diseases.

Dr. Norman Pollock, one of the authors of the study noted that –

"Fructose itself is metabolized differently than other sugars and has some byproducts that are believed to be bad for us... there's something in the syrup processing that plays a role in the bad byproducts of metabolism."

Kathleen A. Page, M.D., from Yale University and her colleagues also reported that --

“Increases in fructose consumption have paralleled the increasing prevalence of obesity, and high-fructose diets are thought to promote weight gain and insulin resistance.”

As documented in some medical researches, fructose is processed primarily in the liver where it creates havoc which leads to fatty liver disease and even cirrhosis after excessive and repeated exposure.

Take This As An Advice

Children, including adults, must remove processed food and sugary beverages in their diet in order to eliminate fructose. Always read nutritional labels as fructose and HFCS appear in many unsuspecting food sources. There must also be a limitation when it comes to consumption of fruits and natural fruit juices as too much of these may lead to an excess consumption of fruit sugar. Aside from these, nutrition experts highly recommend that fructose consumption must not be more than 25 grams per day at an early age to lessen the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease later in life.