K. L. Stanhope at the University of California School Of Medicine in Davis, California and colleagues conducted a study and found evidence suggesting that high consumption of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) or sucrose (cane sugar) can increase risk of cardiovascular disease.

The trial of 85 adults aged 18 to 40 years shows that consuming beverages with at least 10% of energy from high fructose corn syrup resulted in an increase in postprandial blood fat (triglycerides), fasting low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and 24-hour mean uric acid concentrations, which are all risk factors for cardiovascular disease, in a dose-dependent matter.

For the trial, participants were assigned to drink beverages sweetened with high fructose corn syrup in an amount that accounted for either zero (aspartame sweetened as controls), or 10%, or 17.5% and or 25% of energy requirement, during 13 outpatient days and during 3.5 inpatient days.

High fructose corn syrup consumed in an amount equivalent to zero, 10%, 17.5% and 25% of energy requirement increased postprandial triglyceride by 0, 22, 25 and 37 mg/dL  , respectively.   Likewise, fasting LDL cholesterol increased up to 15.9 mg/dL and uric acid increased up to 0.59 mg/dL in those drinking high fructose corn syrup sweetened beverages. 

Drinking aspartame sweetened beverages did not increase triglyceride, fasting LDL cholesterol and uric acid.   

In two higher doses, high fructose corn syrup also increased apolipoprotein B, apolipoprotein CIII, two components of very low density lipoprotein cholesterol, which is also a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

According to the study report, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey shows a link between increased intake of added sugar and increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality.

The U.S. data indicate that on average, an American ate 152 pounds of sugars in 2000, which means that over 30% of energy requirement comes from sugars.  The current study shows that even having high fructose corn syrup in an amount equivalent to 17.5% of energy requirement for merely two weeks increased risk biomarkers for cardiovascular disease.

Added sugars have been linked to a number of health conditions including obesity, medtabolic syndrome, breast cancer, endometrial cancer, NAFLD, heart disease, depression, and dental caries. (David Liu)

Stanhope KL, Medici V, Bremer AA, Lee V, Lam HD, Nunez MV, Chen GX, Keim NL2, Havel PJ.  A dose-response study of consuming high-fructose corn syrup-sweetened beverages on lipid/lipoprotein risk factors for cardiovascular disease in young adults.  Am J Clin Nutr. 2015 Jun;101(6):1144-54.