High-Fructose Corn Syrup Most Toxic in Women, Death Rates Higher

Glucose and Fructose

Glucose and FructoseA new research study released by University of Utah Biologists uncovers even more frightening discoveries about the dangers of high-fructose corn syrup.

In a recent study using both male and female mice as test subjects, the biologists fed them a fructose-glucose mixture found in high-fructose corn syrup in doses equal to the amount people typically consume. What they found was alarming, especially for women.

The fructose-glucose mixture found in high-fructose corn syrup was more toxic than sucrose or table sugar and in the female mice the effects of consuming the mixture were most alarming. The female rodents suffered from a drastic reduction in both reproduction capabilities and length of lifespan. The male mice however, showed no differences in survival or reproduction when fed a high-fructose and sucrose diet.

So does this mean that it’s ok for males to consume the toxic sugars? No, not at all. The researchers explained that the male mice showing less dramatic responses to both sugars was likely because the sugars are both equally as toxic in male mice. While the toxicity of the fake sugar substitute is highly problematic to any species, the study showed it exponentially worse in female subjects.

High-fructose corn syrup is most commonly known for it’s presence in processed foods.

The study used equal amounts of high fructose corn syrup and equal amounts of table sugar found in baked goods. Both contain roughly equal amounts of fructose and glucose. However, in corn syrup, separate molecules, called monosaccharides, exist. In contrast, sucrose (table sugar) is a disaccharide compound formed when fructose and glucose bond chemically.

“This is the most robust study showing there is a difference between high-fructose corn syrup and table sugar at human-relevant doses,” says biology professor Wayne Potts.

This new study will be published in the March 2015 issue of The Journal of Nutrition.

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