Effects of a high fructose corn syrup beverage on indices of resting metabolism as compared to a sucrose beverage

Abstract

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has gained notoriety concerning possible negative effects on metabolism. A limited amount of research regarding possible differences between the metabolism of sucrose (Sucr) and HFCS exists. The purpose of this research was to examine whether a HFCS beverage alters indices of acute resting metabolism when compared to a sucrose beverage. Thirteen (5 male, 8 female: Mean±SD; 23.8 ± 3 yrs, 71.6 ± 14.0 kg, 171.0 ± 11.2 cm) adults from the local area volunteered for this study. After a baseline blood sample was acquired, each subject ingested a 300 milliliter (mL) beverage sweetened with 30 grams (g) of either HFCS or sucrose. Order of treatments was counter-balanced and subjects were blinded. Venous blood samples (approximately 5 mL) were taken at 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes, allowed to coagulate for 20 minutes, and then centrifuged for 10 minutes to separate the serum. Samples were analyzed for glucose, lactate, insulin and triglyceride concentrations. An ANOVA with repeated measures was used for statistical analysis and Tukey's post hoc test was used to differentiate means upon a significant interaction. Significance was set at an alpha level < 0.05. Data are listed as mean ± SD. No interaction effect was observed between time and treatments for any variable. Additionally, no treatment main effect was found for glucose (Sucr 4.13±1.1 mM/L, HFCS 4.33±1.1 mM/L, p=0.154), lactate (Sucr 2.2±0.8, HFCS 2.2±0.7, p=0.526), insulin (Sucr 11.13±13.0 pmol/L, HFCS 8.18±9.6 pmol/L, n=11, p=0.168), or triglycerides (Sucr 80±27.8 mg/dL, HFCS 81±14.7 mg/dL, p=0.861). There was a significant time effect found within the variables. The mean serum glucose and insulin concentrations at 30 minutes (Glu 5.6 ± 0.98 mM/L, p<0.001, Ins 22.69±17.3 pmol/L, p<0.001) were significantly increased over baseline, 60, 90, and 120 minutes. Mean lactate concentration at 30 minutes (2.7±0.9 mM/L, p<0.001) was greater than at baseline, 90, and 120 minutes. The triglyceride concentration at 120 minutes was significantly lower than at baseline in both conditions (baseline 84±22.1 mg/dL, 120 minutes 76±21.6 mg/dL, p=0.008). In the current study, there were no differences between interventions for any of the variables.