Climate Change and Metabolism: Impact On Fructose Metabolic Pathways and Health Outcomes

Abstract

The effects of climate change have been well-documented in the scientific literature for decades, spanning all aspects of global environmental and social health. While not as commonly researched, the smaller-scale effects on human metabolism have also been observed, with a rise of metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity rising in tandem with global temperatures. Biochemical metabolic pathways are also being affected, as dysregulated endogenous fructose metabolism has been highly implicated in such disease states (1). This review will explore the relationships between human health, endogenous fructose metabolism, and the overarching impact of climate change on these factors. As endogenous fructose metabolism has been shown to increase under evolutionarily stressful conditions, such as thermal pressures, the result of rising global temperatures on climate change is a key concern in a variety of fructose-mediated disease states. Further experimental research is necessary to elucidate the nature of these relationships and pinpoint biomolecular mechanisms, as understanding is key to better preparing the public for the ongoing physiological effects of the world’s changing climate, which this review hopes to illuminate.