Fructose alters Hundreds of Brain Genes, Causing Serious Health Diseases

Lisa Franchi April 27, 2016

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We all know that sugar is bad for our health. But in what ways, specifically? A new study by UCLA found that fructose can alter genes in the brain, leading to a wide range of health problems - from diabetes to cardiovascular diseases. 

The good news is an omega-3 fatty acid known as docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, seems to reverse the harmful changes produced by fructose. DHA is abundant in fish, particularly in wild salmon but is also present in fruits and vegetables, as well as walnuts and flaxseeds.  

"DHA changes not just one or two genes; it seems to push the entire gene pattern back to normal, which is remarkable," said Xia Yang, a senior author of the study and a UCLA assistant professor of integrative biology and physiology.  

Fructose is a liquid sweetener that is made from corn starch. It is usually used in sweetened drinks, syrups, honey and processed desserts. It is also used in most baby food products. Fruits contain fructose as well, although the fibre in them substantially slows down the body’s absorption of sugar apart from the fact that fruits contains healthy compounds that benefit our body, according to Yang.  

The researchers identified more than 700 genes in the hypothalamus (the brain’s major metabolic control centre) and more than 200 genes in the hippocampus (which helps regulate learning and memory) that were altered by the fructose. While the test was conducted in animal subjects, they explained that the said genes were similar to human genes that regulate metabolism, cell communication and inflammation. Since fructose alters the brain negatively, Yang recommends avoiding sugary soft drinks, cutting down on desserts and generally consuming less sugar and saturated fat. 

The findings were published in the EBioMedicine, an online journal published jointly by Cell and The Lancet. 

Source of this article:

Qingying Meng et al. Systems Nutrigenomics Reveals Brain Gene Networks Linking Metabolic and Brain Disorders