Fructose Consumption and Hypertension

Fewer Than Three Soft Drinks Daily Can Raise One’s Blood Pressure

Nov 13, 2009 Stephen Allen Christensen

The consumption of fructose in the United States has increased dramatically in the last century, paralleling the rising incidence of hypertension.

According to Dr. Diana Jalal, assistant professor of nephrology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, fructose consumption -- in the form of sugar added to foods and beverages -- has increased dramatically in Western countries since the early 1900s. This trend matches the increasing prevalence of hypertension among people who live in industrialized nations.

Although the precise mechanism connecting fructose with elevated blood pressure is unexplained (it may involve reductions in nitric oxide production or alterations in uric acid or sodium metabolism) the relationship appears to be linear: The more fructose one consumes, the higher one’s systolic blood pressure is likely to be. (Jalal D, et al. High fructose intake correlated with high blood pressure. Renal Week 2009: American Society of Nephrology 2009 Annual Meeting. October 29, 2009)

The Fructose – Hypertension Connection: Where’s the Science?

Analyzing data from over 4500 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), Jalal and her colleagues found that consuming as little as 74 grams of fructose – about 2 ½ 12-ounce cans of non-diet soda – was associated with a blood pressure of at least 135/85. According to guidelines established in 1997, a blood pressure reading of 130/85 signifies hypertension in diabetic persons; 140/90 signifies hypertension in the remainder of the population. (Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure: The Sixth Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure [JNC VI]. Arch Int Med 157:2413-2446)

Furthermore, as fructose consumption increased, so did systolic blood pressures among NHANES participants. In quantifying the risk for hypertension imposed by ingesting fructose, Jalal and her associates noted that daily consumption of 74 grams or more was associated with a 28% higher risk for a blood pressure of 135/85 or higher, a 36% higher risk for a blood pressure of 140/90 or higher, and an 87% higher risk for a blood pressure of 160/100 or higher. In other words, the higher a person’s blood pressure was, the more likely they were to be consuming more than 74 grams of fructose daily.

Notably, NHANES participants reported no previous histories of hypertension. Therefore, regular consumption of fructose can drive one’s blood pressure upward, even if it is usually normal.

Fructose Is Found in a Variety of Foods

Although soft drinks account for about 35% of the fructose consumed in the U.S., many other foods also contain this sweetener, typically in the form of cheaply-manufactured high-fructose corn syrup. Anyone who frequently consumes any of the following foods is probably getting an ample share of fructose:

  • pastries, cookies, and other bakery products
  • dairy desserts
  • candies
  • dried fruit
  • sweetened juices
  • jams
  • jellies
  • syrups
  • milk chocolate
  • ketchup and other sweetened sauces

Fruits are another common source of fructose, but the amounts are not as high as those found in artificially sweetened foodstuffs, and fruits contain substances (antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients) that may neutralize the effects of fructose.

The Food Industry Reacts to Reports of a Fructose – Hypertension Connection

Naturally, companies that manufacture fructose-sweetened foods take issue with the results reported by Dr. Jalal and her associates at the ASN’s annual conference.

For example, Maureen Storey, PhD, senior vice-president of science policy for the American Beverage Association, responded to the study in a prepared statement:

“This is not a published, peer-reviewed paper where…the data and the results and conclusions have undergone the rigors of peer review…it is impossible to provide thoughtful comments on the results.”

Rather than pointing to high-fructose corn syrup as a cause of high blood pressure, Dr. Storey contends, scientists and physicians should continue to concentrate on known risk factors for hypertension, such as sedentary lifestyle, obesity, and poor diet.

In that case, then, thoughtful individuals might ask aloud whether high-fructose corn syrup – in spite of its ubiquitous presence in Western diets – should really be considered part of a good diet.

The copyright of the article Fructose Consumption and Hypertension in Nutrition is owned by Stephen Allen Christensen. Permission to republish Fructose Consumption and Hypertension in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
High Fructose Corn Syrup a Common Food Additive, Steve Christensen High Fructose Corn Syrup a Common Food Additive
   
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