Fructose and Glucose Ingestion Affect Appetite Pathways in the Brain Differently

Fructose (usually in the form of high-fructose corn syrup) is added to processed foods and beverages because it is more intensely sweet than glucose — and its consumption has risen dramatically in parallel with obesity. Fructose ingestion has been linked to excessive caloric consumption and weight gain, but biological mechanisms for this association are unclear. Investigators recruited 20 normal-weight, healthy young adults to assess the effects of fructose versus glucose ingestion on cerebral blood flow as a proxy for neuronal activity (measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging [fMRI]) in areas associated with appetite control; levels of satiety hormones also were measured. In two blinded sessions, participants consumed 75 g of e…