Tag: fructose

The fructose survival hypothesis for obesity

“The fructose survival hypothesis for obesity” – 24 July 2023, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rstb.2022.0230
https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2022.0230

Summary

Obesity and its associated metabolic diseases have had devastating health consequences on modern society. Here, we link these diseases with the activation of a major survival pathway developed in nature to help animals prepare for times of scarcity. Unfortunately, we have unknowingly adopted the foods that activate this switch in our everyday diet, and coupled with the thrifty genes we picked up, we are now suffering the consequences of putting this survival pathway in overdrive. The tragedy of our success is even greater than thought, for newer studies suggest that the fructose pathway may also increase our risk for cancer, pregnancy-related disease and neurological disorders. We recommend proceeding with studies such as outlined above to better understand the role of fructose metabolism in health and disease.

Fructose Could Drive Alzheimer’s Disease – Neuroscience News

Foraging requires focus, rapid assessment, impulsivity, exploratory behavior and risk taking. It is enhanced by blocking whatever gets in the way, like recent memories and attention to time. Fructose, a kind of sugar, helps damp down these centers, allowing more focus on food gathering.

In fact, the researchers found the entire foraging response was set in motion by the metabolism of fructose whether it was eaten or produced in the body. Metabolizing fructose and its byproduct, intracellular uric acid, was critical to the survival of both humans and animals.

The researchers noted that fructose reduces blood flow to the brain’s cerebral cortex involved in self-control, as well as the hippocampus and thalamus. Meanwhile, blood flow increased around the visual cortex associated with food reward. All of this stimulated the foraging response.

Fructose Could Drive Alzheimer’s Disease – Neuroscience News