The No. 1 cause of diabetes – exposed

by Fred Pescatore, M.D.

Sugar kills.

I’ve been saying it for years. But now more and more research is proving just how dangerous it really is. Particularly in the form of “added sugar.”

Chances are, you’ve been hearing this term everywhere lately. It’s the latest nutritional catch phrase—and even mainstream health “experts” are hopping on the bandwagon.

I’m glad the dangers of sugar are finally taking center stage. But regardless of mainstream attention, I stand by my long-held stance: When it comes to all the sugar dumped into the American food supply, cutting back just won’t cut it.

In fact, given the deadly serious risks associated with added sugar highlighted in two new studies, I’m more steadfast in my position than ever. I’ll tell you about this new research—and what you can do to protect yourself—in just a moment. But first, let’s talk a little bit about what, exactly, “added sugar” IS and why it’s so deadly.

Added sugar=added risk  

Added sugar is just what it sounds like: Sugar that is added to a food or beverage either during the manufacturing process or by a consumer after the fact. The most common types of added sugars are sucrose (regular table sugar) and high fructose corn syrup.  They’re both bad for you. But recent research shows the latter is even deadlier.

In a recent review published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings, researchers point to added sugar—and high-fructose corn syrup in particular—as the No. 1 driving force behind the massive pre-diabetes and diabetes epidemics sweeping through the U.S.

Perhaps even more disturbing, another study (funded by the National Institutes of Health, no less), found that high fructose corn syrup nearly doubled death rate.

And, in both studies, it looks like fructose is the main assassin.

Fructose wreaks havoc in your body—starting with your liver

You see, sucrose is a combination of glucose and fructose. It’s roughly a 50-50 split between the two. High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), on the other hand, typically contains up to 65 percent fructose.

Now, fructose does occur naturally in fruits (and vegetables). But the concentration of fructose in these natural sources is much lower than what you find in processed foods that have added sugar

The problem is, excess concentrations of fructose throw your body into a tailspin. And it all starts in your liver.

Research shows excess fructose decreases the amount of a substance called adenosine triphosphate (or ATP) in your liver. Your body needs ATP for dozens of metabolic processes. And suppressing it can lead to some devastating effects. Not the least of which is insulin resistance.

But hampering ATP isn’t the only problem fructose causes for your liver. It also increases this organ’s production of triglycerides and interferes with its ability to break down fatty acids. Which, ultimately, leads to fatty liver. In turn, fatty liver triggers inflammation and makes insulin resistance even worse.

The end result? Type 2 diabetes.

Of course, researchers were careful to point out that “regular” sugar (i.e. sucrose) causes similar problems too. But the effects were magnified with the fructose-heavy HFCS.

So much so, it led them to make one of the best study conclusions I’ve ever read: “There is no biological need for any added sugars in the diet…Avoiding processed foods altogether would be ideal…[and] may be one of the most effective strategies for ensuring one’s robust future health.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself. But let’s take a quick look at the other new study too—and put the final nail into the “added sugar” coffin, once and for all.

Even deadlier than sugar

This study, conducted at the University of Utah, compared the effects of sucrose (table sugar) to HFCS in mice. Animal studies aren’t my first choice, but this one produced some profound results worth sharing.

Researchers fed mice diets with 25 percent of calories coming from added sugar, either in the form of sucrose or HFCS. They didn’t find any differences between the groups in terms of weight gain or diabetes risk. But the female rats fed HFCS showed some sobering results.

Not only did their reproductive ability plummet by 26%…but they also died at twice the normal rate.

And that was compared to the sucrose-fed mice (whose death rate was likely higher than a no-added-sugar “control” group’s would have been, if this study had included one).

So, as you can see, taking aim at added sugar is one of the few level-headed, logical “trends” to come along in nutrition in years. The problem is, the limits the so-called experts are suggesting just aren’t good enough.

The new Dietary Guidelines call for a limit on added sugars to 10 percent of total calorie intake. That amounts to about 50 grams of sugar—or 12 teaspoons—a day. Which is still WAY too much.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…and again…and again—until everyone finally gets the message. The ONLY way to protect yourself from the deadly effects of added sugar is to eliminate it from your diet. Completely.

But that doesn’t mean you have to swear off sweet flavors forever. There is one natural sweetener that won’t put your health at risk. In fact, studies show it may actually help improve blood glucose control and lower blood pressure. It’s also been credited with anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral properties. I’m talking, of course, about stevia. Personally, I like powdered Sweet Leaf the best. But you might find another version you like just as much.

For more on diabetes education, prevention, and even reversal, keep watching your inbox for the release of my new Metabolic Repair Protocol, which I’ve developed in partnership with OVH Learning. This protocol is packed with information you simply can’t afford not to know, and readers of the OVH Learning Weekly Digest will be among the first to get access.

Source:

“Added Fructose: A Principal Driver of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Its Consequences,”Mayo Clinic Proceedings 2015; 90(3): 372-381

“Compared to Sucrose, Previous Consumption of Fructose and Glucose Monosaccharides Reduces Survival and Fitness of Female Mice,” The Journal of Nutrition 2015; 145(3):434-441