- Researchers on the Dasman Diabetes Institute in Kuwait examined the consequences of feeding mice a sugar-free, low-fat food regimen, which they in comparison with a management group.
- The mice on the sugar-free food regimen developed insulin resistance and different metabolic modifications.
- The sugar-free group additionally skilled elevated irritation in each the colon and liver.
Many individuals who begin a brand new food regimen cut back or eradicate sugary meals and drinks to enhance their well being. Some consuming plans, such because the carnivore diet, take away almost all dietary sources of sugar and carbohydrates.
Nonetheless, a brand new research in mice means that utterly eliminating sucrose, generally referred to as desk sugar, from a low-fat food regimen might have damaging results on intestine and metabolic well being.
Researchers fed mice a sucrose-free, low-fat food regimen for 16 weeks and located they developed impaired glucose management and skilled important modifications of their gut microbiome in contrast with mice fed a low-fat food regimen containing sugar.
The researchers offered their findings at ENDO 2026, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society. These findings are but to bear peer overview.
Sugar will be discovered in lots of meals and could also be current naturally, corresponding to in fruits, or it might be added, corresponding to in soda or sweet.
Extra added sugar consumption has been linked to weight problems, type 2 diabetes, and heart problems, main many individuals who need to enhance their well being to attempt low-sugar or sugar-free diets.
Within the new research, researchers regarded into the consequences of a sugar-free, low-fat food regimen in mice.
The researchers divided 12 wholesome mice of comparable weight into two teams. The management group consumed a low-fat food regimen containing sugar, whereas the opposite ate a sugar-free, low-fat food regimen.
Each teams acquired related calorie quantities to rule out variations in meals quantities contributing to findings.
Over the research interval, the researchers tracked a number of markers of metabolic well being, gut health, and irritation. They needed to see how the mice processed glucose and responded to insulin, and likewise how the composition of every group’s intestine micro organism modified over time.
On the finish of the research, physique and liver weights remained related between the 2 teams.
Regardless of no variations in weight achieve or calorie consumption, mice on the sugar-free food regimen confirmed indicators of worsening metabolic well being.
This group of mice confirmed proof of impaired glucose tolerance and lowered insulin sensitivity, each of that are linked to an elevated threat of kind 2 diabetes.
The researchers additionally noticed important modifications in hormones concerned in metabolism and urge for food regulation, in addition to decrease fasting insulin ranges.
One notable discovering of the research concerned modifications within the intestine microbiome and irritation within the sugar-free mice. The researchers discovered decrease ranges of a number of helpful micro organism that assist help intestine well being and regulate irritation, together with Lactobacillus murinus.
Moreover, they famous a rise in micro organism linked to inflammatory circumstances which was accompanied by indicators of irritation within the colon.
One other regarding change the researchers seen within the sugar-free mouse group was that they developed indicators of fatty liver illness and liver irritation.
Whereas extra analysis is required to find out whether or not these findings apply to people, the outcomes recommend that eliminating sucrose from a low-fat food regimen might alter the intestine microbiome and have an effect on metabolic well being, highlighting the significance of general dietary stability.
Mir Ali, MD, bariatric surgeon, bariatric drugs specialist, and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Middle, spoke with Medical Information At the moment concerning the research.
“I used to be stunned to see this end result, as decreasing carbohydrate and sugar consumption is the mainstay of a lot of profitable weight reduction methods,” Ali, who was not concerned on this analysis, stated.
He famous that a big physique of research helps the well being advantages of decreasing added sugar consumption and cautioned towards overinterpreting the findings.
“Total, I feel the constructive advantages outweigh the doable damaging results,” Ali supplied.
Ali talked about that additional research must give attention to people to see whether or not these outcomes carry over. He additionally mentioned the technique he suggests for his sufferers who’re attempting to drop some weight.
“What I like to recommend to my sufferers on a weight reduction journey is that they need to emphasize protein and greens within the food regimen and cut back carbohydrates and sugars,” Ali advised us. “There’s sufficient proof to help that that is higher for burning fats and general metabolic well being.”
Nneoma Oparaji, MD, a Houston-based doctor specializing in way of life drugs and weight problems drugs, likewise not concerned on this analysis, shared her ideas on the research with MNT.
“The research is intriguing as a result of it challenges the oversimplified concept that eradicating sugar is mechanically helpful,” Oparaji stated.
She added the caveat that the research shouldn’t be interpreted to imply that sugar is wholesome, however stated that “diet is extra complicated and nuanced than eradicating a single ingredient.”
Oparaji famous that modifications within the intestine microbiome could also be one of many research’s most vital findings as a result of intestine micro organism “regulate glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and irritation.”
“The largest takeaway is to not give attention to a single nutrient or single research. Wholesome consuming is about general dietary patterns, not a single ingredient.”
– Nneoma Oparaji, MD
