Abstract
ABSTRACTAs the number of overweight and obese people has risen in recent years, there has been a parallel increase in the number of people with metabolic syndrome, diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The consumption of artificially sweetened beverages contributes to these epidemics. This study investigated the long-term effects of ingestion of a 40% sucrose solution on serum and hepatic parameters in male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus). After 180 days, the glycemic response, lipid profile and hepatic oxidative stress were compared to those of rats maintained on water. Sucrose ingestion led to higher body weight, increased fat deposits, reduced voluntary food intake and reduced feeding efficiency. Rats that received sucrose solution showed early signs of glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, such as hyperinsulinemia. Serum triacylglycerol (TG), very-low density lipoprotein (VLDL), cholesterol, ALT and AST levels increased after sucrose consumption. Elevated malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels and reduced glutathione levels characterize the hepatic oxidative stress due to sucrose ingestion. Liver sample histology showed vacuolar traces and increased fibrotic tissue. Our data showed the harmful effects of chronic consumption of sucrose solution, which can cause alterations that are found frequently in obesity, glucose intolerance and non-alcoholic hepatic disease, characteristics of metabolic syndrome.
Highlights
During the past decades, a dramatic rise in the overweight and obese population became a global epidemic (Engin, 2017)
The obesity and overweight cases have been increasing paralleling the number of people with metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Since that the effects caused by sucrose solution consumption and its consequences are still open for debate, and that liver plays a pivotal role in glucose and lipid metabolism, we aimed to investigate the effects of long-term liquid sucrose consumption on nutritional, morphometric, serum biochemical markers and hepatic oxidative stress parameters, which may draw attention to the effects of excessive consumption of artificially sweetened beverages
Summary
A dramatic rise in the overweight and obese population became a global epidemic (Engin, 2017). Obesity can aggravate: (1) insulin resistance (IR); (2) diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2); (3) dyslipidemia; and (4) accumulation of visceral fat When these factors are combined, they characterize metabolic syndrome (MS), which in turn is associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (Caixas et al, 2014; Simopoulos, 2013). Few studies have investigated the effects of long term (> 3 months) consumption of sucrose solution versus drinking water in Wistar rats (Aguilera et al, 2004; Chen et al, 2011; El Hafidi et al, 2001; Kawasaki et al, 2005; Masek et al, 2017). Some of these studies showed higher glycaemia and body weight caused by sucrose consumption, but others did not; among these studies only Aguilera et al (2004) evaluated lipid serum parameters, so more researches might contribute to the understanding of the effects of liquid sucrose consumption
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