This unexpected product provokes obesity

Fructose is capable of triggering obesity through its own unique mechanism — not simply as a source of calories, but as a metabolic "switch." This was established by an international team of scientists whose findings change the conventional understanding of the nature of excess weight.

As reported by TUT.AZ with reference to Nature Metabolism, researchers studied in detail how the most common sweeteners — sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup — affect the human body. The primary focus was specifically on added fructose, rather than the kind naturally found in whole fruits.

Richard Johnson from the University of Colorado Anschutz explained that fructose acts as a special metabolic signal that triggers fat accumulation processes through entirely different pathways than glucose.

The analysis revealed a concerning pattern: the processing of fructose in the body bypasses key regulatory stages of energy metabolism. The result is increased fat production, a drop in cellular energy levels (ATP), and the appearance of substances directly linked to the development of metabolic disruptions.

In the long term, such changes significantly increase the risk of metabolic syndrome — a dangerous condition combining obesity, insulin resistance, and an elevated likelihood of cardiovascular disease.

At the same time, the scientists make an important caveat: the primary threat comes from so-called "free sugars" that are added to beverages and processed foods. Fructose from whole fruits, when consumed in moderation, does not produce such effects. Another unexpected detail — the body is capable of independently synthesizing fructose from glucose, which significantly broadens the understanding of its role in disease development.

The authors of the study draw attention to an evolutionary paradox: energy storage mechanisms that formed under conditions of food scarcity in the distant past, in the modern world with its caloric surplus, turn against humans and fuel the growth of chronic diseases.

According to the researchers, in-depth study of the specific biological properties of fructose will pave the way for fundamentally new approaches to the prevention and treatment of obesity and metabolic disorders.