Toxic Fructose
Fructose causes a host of problems, including fatty liver. We should avoid it as much as possible, except for whole fruits.
As a primary care physician, the typical advice we gave to those with fatty liver disease was to lose weight, as there is no FDA-approved medication to treat it. But that advice might miss the mark a bit. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was noted in 16% of normal-weight people and in >23% of non-obese people (see link here).
For alcoholic fatty liver, we advise patients to stop alcohol. It appears that alcohol and fructose have some things in common. Neither are necessary for any biochemical requirements in humans (or mammals). They also share the same metabolism in the liver, which leads to fatty liver. They both have chronic toxicity when taken in more than small amounts.
Let's review:
- What is Fructose?
- Glycemic Index
- Intestinal Effects of Fructose Overdose
- Fatty Liver from Fructose Overdose
- Brain Effects from Fructose Overdose
