Sucrose Versus Glucose on Hunger Effects

NODE SMITH, ND

Drinks with sucrose compared to glucose may cause young adults to produce lower levels of appetite-regulating hormones, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Too much sugar consumption is a contributing factor for obesity. Sucrose, or “table sugar,” is composed of equal parts glucose and fructose and is often added to processed foods like soda, candy, cereal and canned foods. Glucose can be found in foods like honey and dried fruits.

“Our study found that when young adults consumed drinks containing sucrose, they produced lower levels of appetite-regulating hormones than when they consumed drinks containing glucose (the main type of sugar that circulates in the bloodstream),” said study author Kathleen Page, M.D., of the USC Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles, Calif. “This study is the first to show how individual characteristics, including body weight, sex and insulin sensitivity, affect hormone responses to two different types of sugar, sucrose and glucose. These findings highlight the need to consider how individual characteristics affect the body’s responses to different types of sugar and other nutrients in our food supply.”

The researchers studied 69 young adults between the ages of 18-35 years old who participated in two study visits where they consumed drinks containing either sucrose or glucose. They found that when the young adults consumed drinks containing sucrose, they produced lower amounts of hormones that suppress hunger compared to when they consumed drinks containing an equal dose of glucose. They also found that individual characteristics, including body weight and sex, affected the hormone responses to the different sugars.

1. Alexandra G Yunker, Shan Luo, Sabrina Jones, Hilary M Dorton, Jasmin M Alves, Brendan Angelo, Alexis DeFendis, Trevor A Pickering, John R Monterosso, Kathleen A Page. Appetite regulating hormones are reduced after oral sucrose vs glucose: influence of obesity, insulin resistance and sex. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2020; DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgaa865

Node Smith, ND, is a naturopathic physician in Humboldt, Saskatchewan and associate editor and continuing education director for NDNR. His mission is serving relationships that support the process of transformation, and that ultimately lead to healthier people, businesses and communities. His primary therapeutic tools include counselling, homeopathy, diet and the use of cold water combined with exercise. Node considers health to be a reflection of the relationships a person or a business has with themselves, with God and with those around them. In order to cure disease and to heal, these relationships must be specifically considered. Node has worked intimately with many groups and organizations within the naturopathic profession, and helped found the non-profit, Association for Naturopathic Revitalization (ANR), which works to promote and facilitate experiential education in vitalism.