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Mindful eating: A deep insight into fructose metabolism and its effects on appetite regulation and brain function
Fructose, widely used as a sweetener in processed foods, affects both metabolic health and brain function due to its unique metabolic pathway. Unlike glucose, fructose (high-fructose corn syrup— a sweetener in many processed foods and beverages) bypasses key regulatory enzymes like phosphofructokinase-1, leading to unchecked metabolism and increased fat accumulation. Fructose does not significantly trigger insulin release, which in turn reduces satiety signals and encourages overeating. While the small intestine initially helps filter fructose, excessive consumption overwhelms this barrier, resulting in greater liver and brain exposure. This contributes to insulin resistance, obesity, and fatty liver disease. In the brain, especially the hippocampus, which is vital for memory, high fructose intake has been linked to mitochondrial damage, increased oxidative stress, inflammation, and disrupted insulin signaling, all impairing cognition and elevating the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Flores Monar, Sanchez Cruz & Calderon Martinez (2025) call attention to the need for more human studies and targeted strategies to curb the health risks associated with high fructose consumption. [NPID: Fructose metabolism, phosphofructokinase bypass, insulin resistance, obesity, fatty liver disease, hippocampus, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, cognitive decline, processed foods]
Year: 2025
