Can Fructose Trigger Hyperactivity in Kids?

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Can Fructose Trigger Hyperactivity in Kids?

 

" Is there a difference between fructose and High Fructose Corn Syrup and are

there any links to hyperactivity in children? "

 

-- Laura

 

(Published 02/26/2002)

 

 

Yes, there is a difference between fructose and High Fructose Corn Syrup.

Fructose is fruit sugar, a simple sugar that makes up one-half of the moleclue

of sucrose or table sugar. (The other half is glucose, usually called grape or

blood sugar.) Fructose tastes sweeter than sucrose but has fewer calories

because the body does not metabolize it well. This has led some people to

recommend crystalline fructose as a low-calorie alternative to regular sugar. I

do not agree with that recommendation.

 

The body doesn't handle large amounts of fructose well. You can maintain life

with intravenous glucose, but not with intravenous fructose; severe derangement

of liver function results. There's also evidence that a high intake of fructose

elevates levels of circulating fats, (serum triglycerides), increasing the risk

of heart disease. I never use fructose in my home.

 

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a recent invention of the food industry, made

by an enzyme-mediated process. Old-fashioned corn syrup is less sweet and

contains mostly glucose. HFCS matches sucrose in sweetness but is significantly

cheaper. It has been considered a " revolutionary " food science innovation

because it retains moisture and prevents drying, controls crystallization,

blends with other sweetners, acids and flavorings. Manufacturers love it, and it

has become the main sweetner used in processed foods today. Everything from soft

drinks and juices to salad dressings, ketchup, jams, jellies, ice cream and many

others.

 

HFCS contains 14 percent fructose. Never before in history have so many people

been consuming so much fructose, and I am concerned about its possible

disruptive effects on metabolism. I'd advise you not to buy products made with

HFCS and not to feed them to your kids. In general, they are low-quality foods

anyway.

 

As to your question about whether either fructose or HFCS causes hyperactivity,

conventional medical studies haven't shown that sugar in any form is

responsible, but that doesn't mean a connection doesn't exist as different

bodies process sugar differently. Some parents are convinced sugar makes their

young children hyperactive and have seen fewer behavior and attention problems

if sweets are restricted or removed. This is a parental judgement call based on

what you've observed in your own children.

 

Dr. Andrew Weil

 

 

 

http://www.drweil.com

 

 

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