Eating fructose linked to high risk of fatty liver disease?
Font size:
By David Liu, Ph.D.
Wednesday June 29, 2011 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study suggests that using foods or drinks with fructose like high fructose corn syrup may boost their risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
The study led by Miriam B. Vos and colleagues at Emory University and other Universities found high levels of uric acid in children who had non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
Uric acid is a surrogate biomarker for fructose intake. The results indicate that children with definite NASH had high intake of fructose in their diet.
In the study of 149 children enrolled in the multi-center NASH Clinical Researcher Network, the researchers also found low vitamin E was associated with high grades of steatosis.
Additionally, low vitamin C intake was linked with increased ballooning degeneration, type of cell deaths associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Comparing children with steatosis and those with steatohepatitis, there was no significant difference in their diet composition in terms of fraction of calories from fat, carbohydrates, and protein.
Steatosis is considered a benign fatty liver disease while steatohepatitis is more serious. The latter may lead to the development of cirrhosis in the liver.
The study was published in the June 21, 2011 issue of Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition.
This study did not directly link fructose consumption with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease or NAFLD. But early studies have suggested fructose consumption may increase risk of fatty liver, according to a report by M.F. Abdelmalek and colleagues of Duke University.
Abdelmalek et al. said in their report published in the June 2010 issue of Hepatology "fructose elicits metabolic perturbations that may be hepatotoxic."
The researchers themselves did a study of 427 adults who were also enrolled in the NASH Clinical Research Network and found daily fructose consumption was correlated with lower steatosis grade, but higher grades of fibrosis.
Increased hepatic inflammation and hepatocyte ballooning were found in older adults who had daily fructose consumption.
Increased consumption of fructose has been associated with increased incidences of obesity and diabetes.
Fructose is found in foods like high fructose corn syrup, fruit juice and honey.
Photo credit: wikipedia
Add to:
del.icio.us |
Digg
del.icio.us |
Digg
Email to a friend
Print version
Plain text
Home
Set as homepage
Add to favorites
Mobile site
Rss
Plain text
Archive