High fructose corn syrup

Studies in people

• No harm found

  Obesity risk³

  High fructose corn syrup is not uniquely responsible for obesity, and studies blaming it used extreme diets unlike normal eating.

• Open question

  Breast milk sugar levels⁴

  In nursing mothers, drinking a high fructose corn syrup beverage raised fructose in breast milk for up to five hours.

• Concern

  Asthma risk in people⁵

  In people, drinking high fructose corn syrup-sweetened soda, fruit drinks and apple juice was linked to higher asthma risk.

Animal and lab studies only

• Concern

  Male fertility¹³

  In animal studies, long-term high fructose corn syrup lowered sperm count and caused testicle changes.

Study type not stated

• Open question

  Weight and blood sugar⁷

  Scientists do not yet know whether high fructose corn syrup causes obesity or metabolic problems in people.

• No harm found

  Blood sugar and fats⁸

  Studies found no difference between high fructose corn syrup and table sugar for blood sugar, fats, or appetite.

• Concern

  Metabolic syndrome risk⁹

  High fructose corn syrup is linked to belly fat, fatty liver and insulin problems, sometimes without weight gain.

• Open question

  Sweetener health effects¹⁰

  High fructose corn syrup seems to affect the body much like regular sugar does, but scientists do not yet know for sure.

• Concern

  Weight and calories¹¹

  High fructose corn syrup is similar to sugar, and it adds calories that matter for weight.

How it’s made and used

• Sugar content in drinks⁶

  High fructose corn syrup in sodas matched the fructose levels labels and standards say it should have.

• Added sugar in the diet¹²

  High fructose corn syrup intake in the US rose over time, then dipped slightly between 2000 and 2004.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least two findings in people. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.