Fructose Linked to High Blood Pressure

Watch not only products with HFCS, but any with sugar, as it can be GMO beet sugar, or any with aspartame, sucralose, rebiana, zevia, truvia, or purvia -

By Todd Neale, Staff Writer, MedPage Today
Published: July 01, 2010
Reviewed by Dori F. Zaleznik, MD; Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston and Dorothy Caputo, MA, RN, BC-ADM, CDE, Nurse Planner

People who consume the amount of fructose found in two-and-a-half regular soft drinks a day appear to have a higher risk of hypertension, a cross-sectional study showed.

Consumption of at least 74 grams per day was associated with 26% to 77% greater odds of crossing various thresholds of elevated blood pressure (P<0.05 for all), compared with lower levels of consumption, according to Diana Jalal, MD, of the University of Colorado Denver, and colleagues.

"Limiting fructose intake is readily feasible, and, in light of our results, prospective studies are needed to assess whether decreased intake of fructose from added sugars will reduce the incidence of hypertension and the burden of cardiovascular disease in the U.S. adult population," they wrote online in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

There has been a recent increase in the consumption of fructose in developed nations due primarily to the addition of table sugar or high fructose corn syrup to soft drinks, bakery products, fruit drinks, dairy desserts, and candies.
At the same time, the prevalence of hypertension has been rising. However, epidemiological studies have yielded conflicting results as to an association between the two trends.
To explore the issue, Jalal and her colleagues used data from 4,528 adults without a history of hypertension included in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2003 to 2006.
The majority (61%) had a systolic blood pressure of less than 120 mm Hg. Another 30% were prehypertensive (systolic pressure of 120 to 139 mm Hg).
The rest of the participants had either stage 1 or stage 2 hypertension (6% and 2%, respectively).
Fructose intake was determined through a self-administered dietary questionnaire. Consumption of natural fruits was excluded to isolate intake of added sugar.
Median intake was 74 grams a day. Increasing systolic blood pressure was associated with increasing fructose intake, a trend that reached borderline statistical significance (P=0.05).
After adjustment for demographics, comorbidities, physical activity, smoking, total kilocalorie intake, and dietary confounders including total carbohydrate, alcohol, salt, potassium, and vitamin C intake, as well as other factors, fructose intake of 74 grams per day or higher was associated with higher odds of elevated blood pressure at the following thresholds (P<0.05 for all):

• 135/85 mm Hg: OR 1.26
• 140/90 mm Hg: OR 1.30
• 160/100 mm Hg: OR 1.77

Additional analyses showed that fructose intake was associated with systolic -- but not diastolic -- blood pressure.
The reason this study, and not some previous studies, found an association between fructose consumption and hypertension could be because of the high level of consumption in the current study, according to Jalal and her colleagues.
In addition, some previous studies looked only at soft drink consumption or included naturally occurring fructose from fruit in their analyses.
There are several possible mechanisms that might explain the positive association between fructose and blood pressure, the authors wrote, "including stimulation of uric acid, inhibition of [the] endothelial nitric oxide synthase system, and stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, or by directly increasing sodium absorption in the gut."
The study was limited, they wrote, by the inability to establish a causal relationship between fructose and blood pressure using cross-sectional data, the reliance on self-reports, and the possibility of confounding by glucose in the foods assessed on the dietary questionnaire.
The study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health.
Jalal reported no conflicts of interest. One of her co-authors is listed as an inventor on several patent applications for lowering uric acid as it relates to blood pressure and metabolic syndrome. He is also author of The Sugar Fix.

Primary source: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology
Source reference: Jalal D, et al "Increased fructose associates with elevated blood pressure" J Am Soc Nephrol 2010; DOI: 10.1681/ASN.2009111111.

Read more »

Posted in: high blood pressure,high fructose corn syrup,soda

Diet soda linked to heart risks

UPDATE: 29 April
New information, or I should say confirmation of very old and well known information about phosphates and phosphorus in soda, diet or sweetened, reinforces negative health effects. Worse is the chemical reaction between phosphorous-containing compounds and aluminum cans.

Early death by junk food? High levels of phosphate in sodas and processed foods accelerate the aging process in mice

ScienceDaily (2010-04-28) -- High levels of phosphates may add more "pop" to sodas and processed foods than once thought. That's because researchers have found that the high levels of phosphates accelerate signs of aging. High phosphate levels may also increase the prevalence and severity of age-related complications, such as chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular calcification, and can also induce severe muscle and skin atrophy. ... > read full article

UPDATE: 22 April, 2010
What the ABC News report did not state, is that most sweetened soda and other such beverages contain HFCS, not fructose. There is a difference. Also to be considered is that over 90% of corn used in food products is known to be genetically modified (GMO)and/or controlled by Monsanto as Round-Up Ready. Round-Up is a carcinogen. Atrazine, another very toxic chemical, is used in growing corn crops.
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
A sweet problem: Princeton researchers find that high-fructose corn syrup prompts considerably more weight gain
See also - Death of HFCS, this and this.
Originally posted 7/23/07

Dr. Vasan Ramachandran might be on to something. Something the FDA already knows and has known for many decades, according to the history of aspartame toxicity and the extreme measures utilized to cover it up.

Not much is different about sucralose (marketed as Splenda). Both were originally developed as insect poisons.

The only cautions I will offer is to check with the experts on this subject and ignore Ramachandran's advice to use these products moderately.

I'll also mention that diet drinks DO cause weight gain and that study has been done. (Once again no thorough search of the literature Vasan). They also cause diabetes, cancer and other serious health problems.

My advice is not to use them at all. Especially when there are more than 92 registered complaints against aspartame on file with the FDA, and the ones on sucralose are mounting.

Safe sweeteners are available - Stevia and Just Like Sugar are in many of the same products as the toxic ones, and there is no health risk.

Study: Diet soda linked to heart risks

By JAY LINDSAY, Associated Press Writer

People who drank more than one diet soda each day developed the same risks for heart disease as those who downed sugary regular soda, a large but inconclusive study found.

The results surprised the researchers who expected to see a difference between regular and diet soda drinkers. It could be, they suggest, that even no-calorie sweet drinks increase the craving for more sweets, and that people who indulge in sodas probably have less healthy diets overall.

The study's senior author, Dr. Vasan Ramachandran, emphasized the findings don't show diet sodas are a cause of increased heart disease risks. But he said they show a surprising link that must be studied.

"It's intriguing and it begs an explanation by people who are qualified to do studies to understand this better," said Vasan, of Boston University School of Medicine.

However, a nutrition expert dismissed the study's findings on diet soda drinkers.

"There's too much contradictory evidence that shows that diet beverages are healthier for you in terms of losing weight that I would not put any credence to the result on the diet (drinks)," said Barry Popkin, of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, who has called for cigarette-style surgeon general warnings about the negative health effects of soda.

Susan Neely, president of the American Beverage Association, said the notion that diet drinks are associated with bulging waistlines defies common sense.

"How can something with zero calories that's 99 percent water with a little flavoring in it ... cause weight gain?" she said.

The research comes from a massive, multi-generational heart study following residents of Framingham, Mass., a town about 25 miles west of Boston. The new study of 9,000 observations of middle-aged men and women was published Monday online in the journal Circulation.

The researchers found those who drank more than one soda per day — diet or regular — had an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, compared to those who drank less than one soda. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of symptoms that increase the risk for heart disease including large waistlines and higher levels of blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and blood fats called triglycerides.

At the start of the study, those who reported drinking more than one soft drink a day had a 48 percent increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome compared to those who drank less soda.

Of participants who initially showed no signs of metabolic syndrome, those who drank more than one soda per day were at 44 percent higher risk of developing it four years later, they reported.

Researchers expected the results to differ when regular soda and diet soda drinkers were compared, and were surprised when they did not, Vasan said.

But Popkin said that result isn't that surprising. He said much of the market for diet sodas are people who have unhealthy lifestyles and know they need to lose weight — with the other portion being thin people who want to stay that way. That means many people drinking diet sodas have unhealthy habits that could lead to increased heart disease risks, whether they drink diet soda or not.

In studies in which some users were randomly given diet sodas and others were given regular soda, diet soda drinkers lost weight and regular soda drinkers gained weight, Popkin said.

In a statement, the American Heart Association said it supports dietary patterns that include low-calorie beverages.

"Diet soda can be a good option to replace caloric beverages that do not contain important vitamins and minerals," the association said, adding further study is needed before any association between diet soda and heart risk factors would lead to public recommendations.

Vasan also said poor overall health habits may be one reason diet soda drinkers did not show lower heart disease risks in the Framingham study, but there hasn't been enough research to say for sure.

Another possible reason is a controversial theory called "dietary compensation," which holds that if someone drinks a large amount of liquids at a meal, they aren't satisfied and will tend to eat more at the next meal, Vasan said.

Other theories, Vasan said, are that people who drink a large amount of sweetened drinks are prone to develop a taste for sweeter foods, or that the substance that gives soda its caramel color promotes resistance to insulin, which is needed to process calories.

Without a more definitive explanation, Vasan offers only this advice to diet soda drinkers: "Consume in moderation and stayed tuned for more research."
___

On the Net:

Framingham Heart Study: http://www.framinghamheartstudy.org/

American Heart Association: http://www.americanheart.org

http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2008/09/affecting-unborn.html
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2009/11/soft-drinks-with-artificial-sweeteners.html
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2008/02/maybe-its-pink-maybe-its-not-breast.html
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2008/04/words-on-water.html
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2008/10/bone-health-is-not-helped-with-soap-or.html
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2008/05/better-than-rx-for-gerd.html
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2005/07/nutraceutical-hype.html
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2008/12/problems-with-new-sweetener.html
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2009/12/zerose-zevia-or-what-ever-you-wish-to.html
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2010/02/heart-month-hype.html
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2009/12/lethal-science-of-splenda.html
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2010/02/soft-drinks-and-pancreatic-cancer.html
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2007/07/diet-soda-linked-to-heart-risks.html
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2010/03/diet-soda-for-kids-brings-more-obesity.html
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2010/03/clintons-soda-deal-reinforces-obesity.html

Read more »

Posted in: Diane Sawyer,Diane Sawyer one soda,diet soda,heart disease,soda

Soft Drinks and Pancreatic Cancer

Most soda today is made with HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) and it seems as if this, along with the very toxic artificial sweeteners used in soda, causes many health problems often not discussed in the media.  It comes as no surprise that soda consumption can lead to this serious disease.  However, don't overlook the use of green tea and risk of pancreatic cancer.

Most HFCS is made from GMO corn and this genetic modification may also be a contributing factor.

The better news is that there are things you can do for pancreatic health, and also for pancreatic cancer naturally.

See also: www.leaflady.org/sweet_but_not_so_innocent.htm
www.leaflady.org/fructose.htm
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2008/12/dangers-of-hfcs.html

Monday Feb 8,2010 WASHINGTON (Reuters) – People who drink two or more sweetened soft drinks a week have a much higher risk of pancreatic cancer, an unusual but deadly cancer, researchers reported on Monday.
People who drank mostly fruit juice instead of sodas did not have the same risk, the study of 60,000 people in Singapore found.
Sugar may be to blame but people who drink sweetened sodas regularly often have other poor health habits, said Mark Pereira of the University of Minnesota, who led the study.
"The high levels of sugar in soft drinks may be increasing the level of insulin in the body, which we think contributes to pancreatic cancer cell growth," Pereira said in a statement.
Insulin, which helps the body metabolize sugar, is made in the pancreas.
Writing in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, Pereira and colleagues said they followed 60,524 men and women in the Singapore Chinese Health Study for 14 years.
Over that time, 140 of the volunteers developed pancreatic cancer. Those who drank two or more soft drinks a week had an 87 percent higher risk of being among those who got pancreatic cancer.
Pereira said he believed the findings would apply elsewhere.
"Singapore is a wealthy country with excellent healthcare. Favorite pastimes are eating and shopping, so the findings should apply to other western countries," he said.
But Susan Mayne of the Yale Cancer Center at Yale University in Connecticut was cautious.
"Although this study found a risk, the finding was based on a relatively small number of cases and it remains unclear whether it is a causal association or not," said Mayne, who serves on the board of the journal, which is published by the American Association for Cancer Research.
"Soft drink consumption in Singapore was associated with several other adverse health behaviors such as smoking and red meat intake, which we can't accurately control for."
Other studies have linked pancreatic cancer to red meat, especially burned or charred meat.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer, with 230,000 cases globally. In the United States, 37,680 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in a year and 34,290 die of it.
The American Cancer Society says the five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer patients is about 5 percent.
Some researchers believe high sugar intake may fuel some forms of cancer, although the evidence has been contradictory. Tumor cells use more glucose than other cells.
One 12-ounce (355 ml) can of non-diet soda contains about 130 calories, almost all of them from sugar.
(Editing by John O'Callaghan)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100208/hl_nm/us_cancer_pancreas_sodas/print

Read more »

Posted in: aspartame,diet soda,pancreatic cancer,soda,soft drinks,splenda,sucralose,sugar