A team led by Gary Patti at Washington University reported that the sugar alcohol sorbitol can be converted into fructose in the liver and may contribute to liver disease. The study appears in Science Signaling and used zebrafish experiments to trace sorbitol through the gut into the body.
Patti’s lab had earlier shown that fructose processed in the liver can promote cancer cells and help cause steatotic liver disease, a condition that affects 30% of the adult population worldwide. In the new work, researchers found two main routes for sorbitol to reach the gut: direct intake in some low-calorie candies, gums and stone fruits, and production from glucose by an intestinal enzyme.
The enzyme that makes sorbitol has a low affinity for glucose, so it usually acts when glucose levels are high; this links sorbitol production to diabetes, but it can also happen in healthy settings after feeding. Gut microbes such as Aeromonas can degrade sorbitol and clear it in the gut. If those microbes are absent or overwhelmed, sorbitol can pass to the liver and be converted into a fructose derivative with possible harmful effects. The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health.
Difficult words
- sorbitol — A sugar substitute used in low-calorie foods.
- transform — To change from one form to another.transformation, converted
- accumulation — The gradual gathering of something.
- dysfunction — Abnormal or impaired functioning.
- alternative — Other choices or options.alternatives
- concern — A matter that worries someone.concerns
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Discussion questions
- What are your thoughts on sugar substitutes?
- How can people make better dietary choices?
- Why do you think research on food ingredients is important?
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