Sucrose and High Fructose Corn Syrup Have Equivalent Effects on Cardiovascular Risk Improvement as Part of a Structured Weight Loss Program

Abstract

PURPOSE: It has been suggested that fructose promotes weight-gain more than other sugars. Additional consequences of fructose consumption have been observed independent of weight gain, such as an increased fasting and post-prandial triglyceride level, increased blood pressure and the development of insulin resistance. However, fructose consumption by itself rarely occurs, so the practical relevance of these observations is questionable. It is therefore important to understand the physiological effects of fructose consumption from its primary sources in the human diet - sucrose and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there is a difference in the risk factors for heart disease when HFCS is compared to sucrose and consumed as part of a weight loss diet. METHODS: One hundred sixty two overweight/obese, but otherwise healthy adults (age = 42.9 ± 10.3 years) were enrolled in a randomized, double blind, prospective study. Participants in each of the four intervention groups were placed on a hypocaloric diet for 12 weeks. Diets included low-fat milk sweetened with either sucrose or HFCS at either 10% or 20% of the allocated calories (25th and 50th percentile population fructose consumption levels from all sources). All participants, including those in an exercise only (EO) group, performed exercise regimes consistent with ACSM recommendations. RESULTS: Statistically significant weight loss was observed in all 5 groups (p<0.05). Loss in the 4 milk- groups was greater than in EO (-6.67 ± 8.28 vs -2.25 ± 5.86 lbs, p<0.01), and no differences were observed among the four milk consuming groups (p>0.05). DBP, glucose and HDL were unchanged (p>0.05), but reductions in SBP (114.36 ± 13.08 vs 112.03 ± 10.73mmHg, p<0.01), cholesterol (190.31 ± 39.07 vs 178.67 ± 37.78mg/dl, p<0.001), triglycerides (123.69 ± 62.15 vs 108.20 ± 51.62mg/dl, p<0.001) and LDL (113.74 ± 34.46 vs 106.52 ± 33.22mg/dl, p<0.001) were observed. Neither the identity nor the amount of sweetener affected the magnitude of these changes (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: A reduced calorie diet and exercise program predictably resulted in weight loss, even when substantial sweetener was included. Weight loss was accompanied by an overall improvement in cardiovascular risk, whether the sweetener was HFCS or sucrose.