[Science Daily: Fructose alters hundreds of brain genes, which can lead to a wide range of diseases]
Wide range of diseases are closely associated
with the changes that occur in genes in the brain. A study held by UCLA
demonstrated the adverse effect of fructose on brain genes, which can further
lead to multiple number of diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease,
Alzheimer’s disease, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This study
alerted those who favour the fructose rich Western diet. Fructose is a simple ketonic monosaccharide found in plants. It is absorbed directly into the bloodstream during digestion. Americans are able to access fructose at ease in virtue of its cheap price and high sweetness. It is found in high-fructose corn syrup, cheap liquid sweetener, syrups, honey and soft drinks. The issues appertained to fructose will aggravate danger owing to its over-exposure to people. According to an article from Medscape Medical News, fructose intake has exceeded more than 10% of daily energy in US diet.
Fortunately,
UCLA has discovered that omega-3 fatty acids (DHA) can prevent the harmful
effects caused by fructose. DHA occurs naturally in the membranes of our
brain cells, but it is produced in subtle quantity, which is not enough to
combat diseases. DHA plays a substantial role in fighting diseases as it pushes
the entire gene pattern back to normal instead of altering limited number of
genes. To attain the adequate quantity to fight against the disease, we ought
to consume it through our diet. DHA reinforces several functions such as
learning and memory by strengthening synapses in the brain neurons.
The effects of both fructose and DHA were investigated
on rats by testing their abilities to escape from a maze after six weeks of fixed
diets (independent variable). The first group of rats drank water with the amount of fructose, which commensurate
with the amount of fructose a person will intake by drinking a liter of soda
per day. The second group of rats drank water with both fructose and DHA. The amount of fructose
was equivalent to the one of DHA. The third group of rats was given water with
the absence of fructose and DHA. When they were put in the maze.
The results showed that the first group took twice of the time that the second and third groups took to navigate the maze. The reserchers concluded that fructose impaired the rats’ memory, whereas DHA compensated the harmful effects produced by fructose. Also, rats in the first group had the highest blood sugar, triglycerides and insulin levels. In humans, the raised glucose, triglycerides and insulin levels are factors that trigger obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and etc. Furthermore, over 900 genes in the rats' hypothalamus and hippocampus were changed. Moreover, the majority of these genes were similar to those in human brains, and modifications on these genes generally lead to Parkinson’s disease, depression, and bipolar diseases. In addition, fructose appeared to primarily affect the genes called Bgn and Fmod that can set off a cascade effect (chain effect) that alters other vast number of genes in the brain. Also, fructose is found to remove or add a biochemical group to cytosine that turns the genes either “on” or “off”.
The results showed that the first group took twice of the time that the second and third groups took to navigate the maze. The reserchers concluded that fructose impaired the rats’ memory, whereas DHA compensated the harmful effects produced by fructose. Also, rats in the first group had the highest blood sugar, triglycerides and insulin levels. In humans, the raised glucose, triglycerides and insulin levels are factors that trigger obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and etc. Furthermore, over 900 genes in the rats' hypothalamus and hippocampus were changed. Moreover, the majority of these genes were similar to those in human brains, and modifications on these genes generally lead to Parkinson’s disease, depression, and bipolar diseases. In addition, fructose appeared to primarily affect the genes called Bgn and Fmod that can set off a cascade effect (chain effect) that alters other vast number of genes in the brain. Also, fructose is found to remove or add a biochemical group to cytosine that turns the genes either “on” or “off”.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fructose
http://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/577279
KSJ
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