Author: Laurel Hamers / Source: Science News for Students
Too much sugar can cause liver damage and raise the risk for other medical problems.
Now, researchers studying mice have learned that the small intestine protects the liver from exposure to one type of sugar, called fructose. But the small intestine has its limits, the study finds. High doses of fructose overwhelm the intestine’s ability to process the sugar. Researchers reported those results February 6 in Cell Metabolism.Fructose is a type of simple sugar. It’s found in honey and fruits, as well as in table sugar and in many sweetened foods and drinks. To use fructose for energy, the body needs to convert it into another type of simple sugar, called glucose, or into other smaller molecules. But too much fructose puts a strain on the body. For example, in people it puts the liver at risk for conditions such as fatty liver disease. It also raises the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes (DIE-uh-BEAT-eez).
Scientists knew fructose could be broken down and absorbed in both the liver and the small intestine. But they believed the liver was mainly responsible for the process. The new study suggests otherwise. It finds that moderate doses of fructose are transformed in the small intestine. The liver steps in only…
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