High Fructose Corn Syrup vs. Sucrose and Their Effects on Energy Regulating Hormones: Using Credible Science to Correct Misperceptions – An Emotional Debate

Client: Quaker / Tropicana

Category: Food and Beverage Companies

Background

High Fructose Corn Syrup consumption in the United States has increased dramatically in the last 30 years. The largest single source of High Fructose Corn Syrup in the American diet is soft drinks. Up to the mid 1960s all soft drinks were sweetened with sucrose. However, in the late 1960s, High Fructose Corn Syrup was introduced as an alternative to sucrose and eventually became the preferred sweetener in the soft drink industry. By the year 2005, all full calorie sodas in the United States were sweetened with High Fructose Corn Syrup. During the past 30 years the prevalence of obesity has also increased dramatically. Many scientists confuse the temporal association with the increased consumption of High Fructose Corn Syrup and increased prevalence of obesity as establishing a cause and effect relationship. As a result of the confusion on the part of these scientists, the public and the media became confused and High Fructose Corn Syrup became demonized. PepsiCo North America came to Rippe Lifestyle Institute with the request to perform high level scientific studies to determine whether or not High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS-55) was handled any differently in the body than sucrose with respect to short term energy regulating hormones.

RLI's Response

Rippe Lifestyle Institute conducted two, large, randomized clinical controlled trials in its Metabolic Unit exploring High Fructose Corn Syrup versus sucrose in the context of mixed nutrient meals on hormones regulating short term energy balance and appetite (insulin, leptin, and ghrelin). The first of these studies was carried out on lean women (BMI 19-25) and the second of these studies was carried out on obese women (BMI 30-39). These studies clearly showed that there were no differences in hormones regulating short term energy consumption or in satiety in either lean women or obese women. Subsequent studies utilizing blood samples drawn from these studies at the RLI Metabolic Unit also showed that there was no difference in uric acid production or triglyceride production when comparing High Fructose Corn Syrup to sucrose. These studies were published in a variety of abstracts (total of 9 abstracts presented at national and international scientific meetings and 3 papers). In addition, Dr. Rippe spoke at a major scientific symposium sponsored by the American Society of Nutrition which will result in a "white paper" from the American Society of Nutrition on High Fructose Corn Syrup stating that High Fructose Corn Syrup is no different for sucrose in terms of how the body handles it, as well as publication in a supplement to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Results

As a result of the high caliber scientific work conducted at the Rippe Lifestyle Institute Metabolic Unit, the terms of the scientific and public debate related to High Fructose Corn Syrup have fundamentally changed. Major articles in both the New York Times and the Washington Post have declared that High Fructose Corn Syrup and sucrose are handled the same in the body. The scientific debate has also changed. Leading scientists have now recognized that High Fructose Corn Syrup is not the cause of obesity in the United States. As a result of the additional work done on uric acid and triglycerides, RLI studies have also continued to play an important role in suggesting that High Fructose Corn Syrup is not a major cause of the metabolic syndrome, nor does High Fructose Corn Syrup increase the risk of coronary heart disease more than sucrose consumption.