Excessive consumption of fructose – common in high -processed diets – modifies the way the intestine responds to glucose, increasing the absorption of this sugar and compromising blood glucose control.
This was the conclusion of a study published in the Molecular Journal Metabolism by researchers at Université Laval (Ulaval), Canada, and the Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo (ICB-USP).
According to the authors, these effects observed in mice precede glucose intolerance and fat accumulation in the liver, two factors linked to the development of type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease associated with metabolic dysfunction (MASLD). And altered intestinal absorption is the trigger of the problem.
Node study mice were fed for seven weeks with a diet where 8.5% of the energy came from fructose – a proportion considered high, but still close to average human consumption. In just three days, the animals already had an increase in the gut capacity of absorbing glucose even before the appearance of glucose intolerance. After four weeks, glucose was no longer efficiently removed from the blood and, by the end of the study, fat accumulation was observed-a condition that can evolve to more severe paintings such as cirrhosis.
Interestingly, even with these adverse effects, mice did not developed insulin resistance in the muscles or adipose tissue, indicating that initial glycemic uncontrolled occurs due to changes in the intestine and not due to fault in peripheral insulin response.
The explanation for this phenomenon may be in the action of a hormone called GLP-2, produced by bowel cells. The researchers found that excessive fructose consumption raises circulating LPG-2 levels, a substance that stimulates intestinal surface growth and increased nutrient absorption. By blocking the receptor of this hormone (GLP2R) with a drug, it was possible to prevent increased absorption of glucose, avoiding both intolerance and fat accumulation in the liver.
However, GLP2R blocking strategy is not easily applicable to humans, as this same receiver is involved in protecting the intestinal barrier against infections and inflammation. This reinforces the complexity of the role of GLP-2 in metabolic health.
“We show that increased glycose absorption by the intestine occurs before glucose intolerance. This paves the way for the use of this mechanism as an early biomarker,” ICB-USP press office Fernando Foato Anhê, professor at the Ulaval Medical School and investigation coordinator. “The intestinal absorption test of glucose is cheap, safe and already used in humans-it would be enough to apply it in a new context.”
Supported by FAPESP through four projects (20/12201-4, 22/14545-8, 20/06397-3 and 22/02829-1), the research was conducted by Paulo H. Evangelista-Silva, PhD in the Postgraduate Program of the ICB-USP Functional and Molecular Biology, in co-authorship with Eya Sellami, researcher at Ulaval, and Caio Jordão Teixeira, postdoctoral student at the Department of Physiology and Biophysics of ICB-USP.
In the next stage, supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the group will investigate how intestinal microbiome can be manipulated to reduce the harmful effects of excess fructose.
Fruit is allied
According to evangelist-silva, the results of the study refer to the consumption of fructose added to ultra -processed foods . “Fresh fruits are rich in fiber, which help to slow glucose absorption and increase satiety. In addition, they contain beneficial nutrients for intestinal and liver health,” he explained.
The nutritional poverty of ultra -processed, low fiber and high levels of added sugars – such as corn syrup and sugarcane sugar – overloads the body. Evangelist-Silva recommends prioritizing fresh foods, as the food guide for the Brazilian population, developed by the Ministry of Health with the support of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
Sugarcane sugar and corn syrup are examples of fructose-rich sugars widely used by the industry in ultra-processed foods. Check out some examples below:
Industrialized soft drinks and juices (even 100% fruit)
Morning cereals and sweetened bars
Stuffed cookies and industrialized sweets
Breads and Ready Breads (such as Tubs and Bread)
Ready teas and sweetened sports drinks
Industrialized sauces (ketchup, barbecue etc.)
Sweetened yogurts, dairy desserts and jams
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This content was originally published in excess fructose changes bowel and increases risk of type 2 diabetes on the CNN Brazil website.
Source: CNN Brasil