The Effects of High Fructose Corn Syrup Consumption On Human Health

Fructose is a monosaccharide that found in fruits and vegetables. Its consumption has increased considerably with consumption of sugar and added sugar in recent years. Fructose is preferred in the food industry and health sector with its advantages such as low glycemic index and high sweetness compared to glucose. However, studies have shown that fructose produces lower insulin, leptin, ghrelin and enteroendocrine hormone responses than glucose and is metabolized differently than glucose. Fructose bypasses the phosphofructokinase enzyme that is control point of the glycolysis pathway in metabolism. This bypass capability leads to an independent progression of glycolysis from energy requirements, accumulation of uric acid due to excessive consumption of ATP, and uncontrolled production of the fatty acid precursor coenzyme (Co) A. This difference in metabolism is associated with diseases such as obesity, diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), dyslipidemia and hypertension. The high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) contains more fructose than sucrose and natural sources, and is a modified sugar, leading to greater metabolic changes and damage. In this review, current approaches on fructose metabolism, differences between fructose and glucose metabolism and effects of HFCS on human health were evaluated.