A diet high in fructose can lead to hypertension

November 1, 2:16 PMLA Low Carb ExaminerPatricia Crawford

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The joys of high-fructose corn syrup...by the carload.
Courtesy of flickr.com

A paper presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Nephrology in San Diego, California, has linked a diet high in fructose to the development of hypertension, or high blood pressure.

Over the last two centuries, our ever-increasing consumption of fructose, generally in the form of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), and the rising obesity rates, seem to have sharply risen at the same rate. In fact, the rates parallel each other.

In the past, the results of studies have been inconsistent in linking a high fructose intake with hypertension, much to the joy of the HFCS suppliers. 

A research team at the University of Colorado Denver Health Sciences Center studied 4,528 adults 18 years of age or older who had no prior history of high blood pressure. They found that people who ate or drank more than 74 grams per day of fructose, which is only the equivalent of 2.5 sugary soft drinks per day, increased their risk of developing hypertension by anywhere from 28% - 87%. 

High-fructose corn syrup lurks in obvious places, such as sodas, candies, and bakery items, but can hide in strange places, such as that packet of hot sauce from your local fast-food taco joint, or that "healthy" salad you order when eating out. Much like those of us who try to avoid buying anything imported from countries who routinely abuse their workers, we who shun HFCS have a tough time grocery shopping and eating in restaurants.

The study doesn't pinpoint the mechanism whereby HFCS can cause high blood pressure, but it's a safe bet to assume that inflammation is key. Inflammation is not only what HFCS does to the our vascular system, but is also how the HFCS suppliers react when anyone dares to criticize the role of HFCS in the typical American diet. I'd rather listen to their whining, any day, than hear my doctor, in the future, tell me that my lust for fructose is killing me.