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Is Fructose The Culprit To Cause Hypertension?
 

Sugar refers to a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose and fructose that is characterized by a sweet flavor. Having about 15 calories per teaspoon, sugar has been consumed safely for more than 2,000 years, and it remains a popular choice of sweetener in the world.

Though sugar has been blamed for many disorders including tooth cavities, hyperactivity and suppression of the immune system, moderate amount of sugar is still an important part of a healthy diet.

According to the guidelines set by the American Heart Association (AHA), women should consume less than 100 calories (6 teaspoons or 25 grams) and most men should take no more than 150 calories (9 teaspoons or 37.5 grams) of added processed sugar per day.

Yet, on average, Americans consumes 355 calories (22 teaspoons or 90 grams) of added sugar per day. Most of the excessive amount of sugar is believed to come from sweetened drinks and junk foods.

What harms would be caused to a person who has too much sugar intake?

The general consensus is that excessive calories from sugar could lead to obesity and in turn raise the risk of diabetes, though many health experts do not believe eating too much sugar will directly cause diabetes.

However, a 2010 meta-analysis of 11 studies involving 310,819 participants and 15,043 cases of Type-2 diabetes found an association between sweetened drinks and diabetes. Sugar-sweetened beverages might increase the risk of metabolic syndrome and Type-2 diabetes through obesity and by increasing dietary glycemic load, leading to insulin resistance, beta-cell dysfunction, and inflammation.

Metabolic syndrome is a group of risk factors associated with overweight and obesity that could raise the risk of developing medical complications including heart disease, stroke and Type-2 diabetes.

A paper released on September 23, 2009 revealed the link between excessive sugar consumption and hypertension (high blood pressure). Researchers from the University of Colorado-Denver and the Mateo Orfila Hospital in Spain reported that higher blood pressure was found among men who had excessive fructose intake through sweetened soft drinks and junk food.

Fructose, or fruit sugar, is a simple monosaccharide found in many foods. It is a white solid that dissolves in water. It accounts for about half the sugar molecules in table sugar and in high-fructose corn syrup, the sweetener used in many packaged foods.

In studying the link between blood pressure and men, researchers examined 74 men who were given 200 grams of fructose per day in addition to their regular diet. The amount was much higher than the daily intake of 50 grams to 70 grams of fructose consumed by most American adults. Allopurinol, which is a drug prescribed to patients with hyperuricemia (excess uric acid in blood plasma) and its complications, including chronic gout, was also given to half of the male participants.

After 2 weeks, men who received only fructose had their systolic blood pressure (top reading) increased by 6 millimeters and their diastolic blood pressure (bottom reading) raised by 3 millimeters. Most of their blood pressure readings, however, dropped to normal levels after 2 months.

The results also showed that men who had not been prescribed allopurinol were also twice likely to develop metabolic syndrome, measured by risk factors such as too much abdominal fat, high blood pressure and poor cholesterol readings. In comparison, those who took allopurinol and fructose had significantly lower uric acid levels and virtually no increase in their systolic blood pressure or higher risk of metabolic syndrome.

Prior to the 20th century, high blood pressure was not popular. In 1990, only 5 percent of people had high blood pressure (140/90 mmHg or higher). But by 1939, the figure had risen to 10 percent. Presently, nearly one in 3 adults suffer from high blood pressure that could lead to other medical disorders including heart disease, stroke and kidney failure.

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