Differential Effects of Sucrose, Fructose, and Glucose on Postprandial Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism in Young Japanese Women

Abstract

Differential effects of sugars, namely sucrose, fructose, and glucose on postprandial carbohydrate and lipid metabolism were investigated in young women. Young Japanese women with normal body mass (BMI ≥18.5−<25 kg/m2) and apolipoprotein E phenotype 3/3 were enrolled. In the experiment (Exp) 1, subjects (n = 10) ingested one of the beverages containing (1) glucose (0.5 g/kg body mass), (2) fructose (0.5 g/kg), (3) sucrose (0.5 g/kg), or (4) glucose (0.25 g/kg) + fructose (0.25 g/kg) in a randomized crossover design. In Exp 2, subjects (n = 10) ingested fat cream (fat content: 0.35 g/kg) alone or along with either beverage (1), (2), or (3). Blood samples were collected at baseline and 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 6 h after ingestion and then analyzed. In Exp 1, the ingestion of fructose non-significantly increased postprandial serum triglyceride (TG), hepatic TG-rich lipoprotein-TG, and remnant cholesterol levels. In Exp 2, coingestion of fructose or sucrose with fat delayed postprandial lipidemia compared with the ingestion of fat alone. The extent of postprandial lipid response after coingestion of sucrose with fat was intermediate between that observed after coingestion of fructose with fat and that observed after coingestion of glucose with fat. In conclusion, ingestion of fructose may increase endogenous TG-rich lipoprotein concentration, but the effect of sucrose was weaker. Coingestion of fructose and fat delayed postprandial lipidemia compared with the ingestion of fat alone. The extent of postprandial lipid response by sucrose coingestion with fat was intermediate between fructose and glucose.