High fructose corn syrup, triglycerides and uric acid
What it found
High fructose corn syrup gave similar metabolic responses to other calorie sweeteners such as sucrose.
The authors note that limited data are available on its metabolic effects.
What they found
Fructose and appetite signals
Fructose bypasses many of the body's signals that make you feel full. This may promote eating more energy, weight gain and the development of insulin resistance.
Fructose and uric acid
Fructose has been shown to raise uric acid levels. Raised uric acid in turn promotes many of the abnormalities seen in metabolic syndrome, including high triglycerides.
Main dietary source
The main source of fructose in the diet is high fructose corn syrup, an artificially manufactured disaccharide that is only 55% fructose.
Limited data on HFCS
Limited data are available about the metabolic effects of high fructose corn syrup compared with other calorie sweeteners.
Similar responses to sucrose
The data suggest that high fructose corn syrup yields similar metabolic responses to other calorie sweeteners such as sucrose.
What the authors conclude
“The data suggest that HFCS yields similar metabolic responses to other caloric sweeteners such as sucrose.”
Also in their conclusions
- They highlight that limited data are available about the metabolic effects of high fructose corn syrup compared with other caloric sweeteners.
- They say the data suggest that high fructose corn syrup yields similar metabolic responses to other caloric sweeteners such as sucrose.
How it was done
Rates of overweight and obesity have risen steadily for decades, and the need to understand what contributes to this and related metabolic diseases is great. Excess sugar consumption is seen as a significant factor, and fructose is viewed as particularly troubling.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This review does not report how many people were studied or for how long.
- It cannot show whether high fructose corn syrup causes any health problem, only how it compares with other sweeteners in the studies looked at.
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.
- 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 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error