Scientists find a new link between fructose and diabetes aggravated by dietary fat
June 9, 2022
(LOS ANGELES) – Those who are habitually inclined to consume burgers, fries and soda may think twice about their dietary choices following scientists’ latest findings about high-fat, high-fructose diets.
As reported in their recent publication in Cell Metabolism, a collaborative team, led by Xiling Shen, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI), discovered that a high-fat diet can increase fructose metabolism in the small intestine, leading to release of a fructose-specific metabolite called glycerate into circulation. Circulating glycerate can subsequently cause damage of the insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells, increasing the risk of glucose tolerance disorders, such as Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).