Scientists from Yale University have now discovered that fructose production in the human brain is possible. According to this new study published Feb. 23 in the journal JCI Insight, this type of sugar is produced in the human brain by converting glucose. Also known as fruit sugar, it is naturally found in sweet fruits and honey, and is associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
The Yale University researchers say that follow-up studies will seek to understand how fructose affects the brain and eating behavior. Fructose is commercially obtained from sugarcane, sugar beets or corn. In processed foods, high fructose corn syrup, a mix of glucose and fructose, is commonly used, and has been criticized for its health risks.
In the study, researchers observed fructose production from the conversion of glucose, a simple sugar, into fructose, in eight lean participants. They were given infusions of glucose over a four-hour period, where their sugar concentrations in the brains and blood were assessed."In this study, we show for the first time that fructose can be produced in the human brain," the study's first author ,Dr. Janice Hwang, and an assistant professor of medicine, says.
She adds that through the observation, it is discovered that fructose in the brain is not simply due to dietary consumption of fructose, that the brain can actually generate it from any sugar you eat. Hwang further says that the new study adds another dimension into understanding fructose's effects on the brain, the Smartcooky reports.
According to the scientists, fructose production also occurs in other parts of the body. The study concludes that this newly discovered pathway may be one other mechanism by which high blood sugar can exert its adverse effects, the UPI reports. Scientists of this study hope to further investigate the extent of the effects of brain-produced fructose in the body
