Fructose, inflammation and cortisol as a proposed cause of organ fat
What it found
The authors propose that fructose triggers inflammation and raises cortisol inside cells, which pushes fat storage toward the organs.
This is a proposed mechanism rather than a proven finding in people or animals.
What they found
Fat cell inflammation
When fructose is broken down quickly in fat cells under the skin, it causes inflammation. That inflammation raises cortisol inside those cells, which then releases fatty acids that can be stored as organ fat.
Liver fat buildup
Fructose-driven inflammation in the liver also raises internal cortisol through a specific enzyme. The authors say this leads to more fat being stored in the liver.
Brain and cortisol release
Fructose reaching the brain, either from the blood or made locally from glucose, may trigger extra cortisol release. The authors suggest this drives the liver to make more sugar, worsening insulin resistance and body fattening.
What the authors conclude
- They propose that eating too much fructose causes inflammation and raises cortisol inside cells, leading to fat stored around the organs.
- Their theory aims to explain why some people appear thin on the outside but carry fat on the inside.
How it was done
Existing ideas about weight gain do not explain why some people store fat in and around their organs. The authors wanted to put forward a new explanation for this kind of fat buildup.
The authors put forward a theory linking fructose intake to inflammation and higher cortisol inside cells. They describe how this process could move fat from under the skin into the organs and liver. No specific trials, number of participants, or study duration are reported in the abstract.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This is a proposed theory, so it cannot show what actually happens when people eat fructose.
- Without trial data, it cannot prove that fructose causes organ fat buildup in real life.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute, United States; MGM Medical College, India; Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences, India
The paper
- Title
- Fructose-induced inflammation and increased cortisol: A new mechanism for how sugar induces visceral adiposity
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- DiNicolantonio JJ, Mehta V, Onkaramurthy N, O'Keefe JH (2018). Fructose-induced inflammation and increased cortisol: A new mechanism for how sugar induces visceral adiposity. Progress in cardiovascular diseases. doi:10.1016/j.pcad.2017.12.001PubMed 29225114DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error