Drinks sweetened with glucose provide a greater sense of satiety than those sweetened with fructose, and may therefore have value in curbing obesity and helping consumers manage their weight.
That’s the conclusion of a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The scientists behind the study had noted that the increase in obesity appeared to parallel increased consumption of fructose, and sought to discover whether there was any correlation between the two.
20 adults underwent two magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans at Yale University in conjunction with fructose or glucose drink ingestion in a blinded, random-order, crossover design study.
The researchers uncovered the fact that there was a significantly greater reduction in hypothalamic CBF after glucose when compared with fructose ingestion.
Glucose ingestion (compared with baseline) increased functional connectivity between the hypothalamus and the thalamus and striatum – brain regions that regulate appetite, motivation, and reward processing. Fructose increased connectivity between the hypothalamus and thalamus but not the striatum.
Regional CBF within the hypothalamus, thalamus, insula, anterior cingulate, and striatum (appetite and reward regions) was reduced after glucose ingestion compared with baseline; in contrast, fructose reduced regional CBF in the thalamus, hippocampus, posterior cingulate cortex, fusiform, and visual cortex.
Industry commentators have said that the study appears to provide a conclusive link between fructose consumption and weight gain.
