High fructose corn syrup, blood fats and uric acid in people
What it found
High fructose corn syrup produced similar changes in blood fats and uric acid to other caloric sweeteners like table sugar.
The available data comparing it to other sweeteners is limited.
What they found
Studies in people
Compared to other sweeteners
The data suggest that high fructose corn syrup produces similar responses in the body to other caloric sweeteners like sucrose. However, the amount of data comparing them is limited.
Studies in people and animals
Fructose and feeling full
Evidence shows that fructose skips many of the signals that tell the body it is full. This may lead to eating too much, gaining weight, and developing insulin resistance.
Uric acid levels
Fructose has been shown to raise uric acid levels. Higher uric acid promotes problems seen in metabolic syndrome, including raised blood fats.
Other findings
What HFCS actually is
High fructose corn syrup is the main source of fructose in the diet. It is an artificially made sweetener that contains 55% fructose.
What the authors conclude
- They note that very little data exists comparing the body's response to high fructose corn syrup with other caloric sweeteners.
- Their reading of the available evidence suggests that high fructose corn syrup produces similar metabolic responses to sweeteners like sucrose.
How it was done
Overweight and obesity rates have risen for decades, bringing many related health problems. Scientists want to understand whether excess sugar, especially fructose, plays a role.
The authors gathered and examined existing research on high fructose corn syrup. They compared its effects on the body to those of other caloric sweeteners such as sucrose.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This work gathers past studies rather than running a new trial, so it cannot prove cause and effect on its own.
- The authors say the data comparing high fructose corn syrup to other sweeteners is limited, so firm conclusions are hard to draw.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Rippe Lifestyle Institute, USA
The paper
- Title
- The effect of high-fructose corn syrup consumption on triglycerides and uric acid
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Angelopoulos TJ, Lowndes J, Zukley L, et al (2009). The effect of high-fructose corn syrup consumption on triglycerides and uric acid. The Journal of nutrition. doi:10.3945/jn.108.098194PubMed 19403709DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error