No differential effect of beverages sweetened with fructose, high-fructose corn syrup, or glucose on systemic or adipose tissue inflammation in normal-weight to obese adults: a randomized controlled trial.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption and low-grade chronic inflammation are both independently associated with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Fructose, a major component of SSBs, may acutely trigger inflammation, which may be one link between SSB consumption and cardiometabolic disease.

OBJECTIVE:

We sought to determine whether beverages sweetened with fructose, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), and glucose differentially influence systemic inflammation [fasting plasma C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 (IL-6) as primary endpoints] acutely and before major changes in body weight. Secondary endpoints included adipose tissue inflammation, intestinal permeability, and plasma fetuin-A as potential mechanistic links between fructose intake and low-grade inflammation.

DESIGN:

We conducted a randomized, controlled, double-blind, crossover design dietary intervention (the Diet and Systemic Inflammation Study) in 24 normal-weight to obese adults without fructose malabsorption. Participants drank 4 servings/d of fructose-, glucose-, or HFCS-sweetened beverages accounting for 25% of estimated calorie requirements while consuming a standardized diet ad libitum for three 8-d periods.

RESULTS:

Subjects consumed 116% of their estimated calorie requirement while drinking the beverages with no difference in total energy intake or body weight between groups as reported previously. Fasting plasma concentrations of C-reactive protein and IL-6 did not differ significantly at the end of the 3 diet periods. We did not detect a consistent differential effect of the diets on measures of adipose tissue inflammation except for adiponectin gene expression in adipose tissue (P = 0.005), which was lowest after the glucose phase. We also did not detect consistent evidence of a differential impact of these sugars on measures of intestinal permeability (lactulose:mannitol test, plasma zonulin, and plasma lipopolysaccharide-binding protein).

CONCLUSION:

Excessive amounts of fructose, HFCS, and glucose from SSBs consumed over 8 d did not differentially affect low-grade chronic systemic inflammation in normal-weight to obese adults. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01424306.

• Authors: Jessica N Kuzma, Gail Cromer, Derek K Hagman, Kara L Breymeyer, Christian L Roth, Karen E Foster-Schubert, Sarah E Holte, David S Weigle, Mario Kratz
• Journal: The American journal of clinical nutrition (Am J Clin Nutr) Vol. 104 Issue 2 Pg. 306-14 (Aug 2016) ISSN: 1938-3207 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 27357093 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)
• Copyright: © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

Chemical References

• Adiponectin
• Hexoses
• High Fructose Corn Syrup
• IL6 protein, human
• Interleukin-6
• Sweetening Agents
• Fructose
• C-Reactive Protein
• Glucose

Topics

• Adiponectin (metabolism)
• Adipose Tissue (metabolism, pathology)
• Adult
• Beverages
• Body Mass Index
• C-Reactive Protein (metabolism)
• Diet
• Double-Blind Method
• Feeding Behavior
• Female
• Fructose (pharmacology)
• Glucose (pharmacology)
• Hexoses (pharmacology)
• High Fructose Corn Syrup (pharmacology)
• Humans
• Inflammation (blood)
• Interleukin-6 (blood)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Obesity (metabolism, pathology)
• Reference Values
• Sweetening Agents (pharmacology)
• Young Adult