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Metabolic and behavioural effects of sucrose and fructose/glucose drinks in the rat

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Abstract

Purpose

Overconsumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, in particular carbonated soft drinks, promotes the development of overweight and obesity and is associated with metabolic disturbances, including intrahepatic fat accumulation and metabolic syndrome. One theory proposes that drinks sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup are particularly detrimental to health, as they contain fructose in its ‘free’ monosaccharide form. This experiment tested whether consuming ‘free’ fructose had a greater impact on body weight and metabolic abnormalities than when consumed ‘bound’ within the disaccharide sucrose.

Methods

Male Hooded Wistar rats were given free access for 56 days to 10% sucrose (Group Suc), 10%, 50/50 fructose/glucose (Group FrucGluc) or water control drinks (Group Control), plus chow. Caloric intake and body weights were measured throughout the protocol, and the following metabolic indices were determined between days 54 and 56: serum triglycerides, liver triglycerides, retroperitoneal fat and oral glucose tolerance.

Results

Animals with access to sugar beverages consumed 20% more calories, but did not show greater weight gain than controls. Nevertheless, they developed larger abdominal fat pads, higher triglyceride levels and exhibited impaired insulin/glucose homeostasis. Comparison of the two sugars revealed increased fasting glycaemia in the FrucGluc group, but not in Suc group, whereas the Suc group was more active in an open field.

Conclusions

A metabolic profile indicating increased risk of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease was observed in animals given access to sugar-sweetened beverages. Notably, ‘free’ fructose disrupted glucose homeostasis more than did ‘bound’ fructose, thus posing a greater risk of progression to type 2 diabetes.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Iain McGregor for his advice on behavioural testing and for generously allowing us to use his equipment for this purpose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Nutrition Unit, School of Molecular Bioscience, University of Sydney, Building G08, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia

    Anastasia Sheludiakova

  2. Exercise, Health and Performance, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Building C42, Cumberland Campus, Lidcombe, NSW, 2142, Australia

    Kieron Rooney

  3. School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Building A18, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia

    Robert A. Boakes

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  1. Anastasia Sheludiakova
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  2. Kieron Rooney
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  3. Robert A. Boakes
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Correspondence to Robert A. Boakes.

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Sheludiakova, A., Rooney, K. & Boakes, R.A. Metabolic and behavioural effects of sucrose and fructose/glucose drinks in the rat. Eur J Nutr 51, 445–454 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-011-0228-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-011-0228-x

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