A diet high in this may be disastrous for your immune system

It’s a staple of sugary drinks, candy, and any number of other processed food items. And, while it shouldn’t really surprise anyone to hear it’s unhealthy, the findings of a new study focusing on fructose’s (fruit sugar) impact on the immune system are quite unexpected. 

We’ve known for some time that lots of fructose will put one at a higher risk of developing obesity, type 2 diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Now, a team of UK scientists is reporting that a diet high in fructose may also hinder the immune system from working properly. 

This research was led by Swansea University, in collaboration with the University of Bristol and the Francis Crick Institute in London.

Fructose is naturally found in various fruits, honey, and many root vegetables. But, fructose levels in nature are far lower than what’s being added to processed food products like candy in the form of high-fructose corn syrup. There’s a reason this practice is so common; fructose is very sweet and tastes great. Are our immune systems paying the price for unnaturally sweet foods?

“Our study is exciting because it takes us a step further towards understanding why some diets can lead to ill health,” says study co-author Dr. Emma Vincent in the Bristol Medical School: Populational Health Sciences (PHS).

The research team discovered that fructose appears to incite immune system inflammation. When that occurs, the immune system creates more inflammation-associated reactive molecules. Study authors say that when the immune system becomes inflamed and releases reactive molecules in the absence of a legitimate threat, that inflammation can actually damage the same cells and tissues it’s supposed to protect. 

It isn’t just cells either; fructose-induced unnecessary inflammation may also contribute to the malfunctioning of entire organs and body systems. 

This study isn’t completely irrelevant when it comes to the relationship between obesity and fructose, however. Both diabetes and obesity have long been linked to low levels of bodily inflammation. With these new findings in mind, it isn’t a stretch to theorize that some of the immune system inflammation caused by fructose is also contributing to the connection between lots of fructose and higher odds of becoming obese.

“Research into different components of our diet can help us understand what might contribute to inflammation and disease and what could be best harnessed to improve health and wellbeing,” adds study co-author Dr. Nick Jones, of Swansea University’s Medical School.

There are plenty of people who indulge in fructose-loaded foods all the time and don’t see their weight increase. Factors like metabolism speed and genetics influence all that. Even for that group, these findings call for some reassessment. 

It’s one thing to know that eating a lot of candy might cause you to pack on a few more pounds, but the notion that a high fructose diet may weaken your immune system? In 2021, during an ongoing viral pandemic, that should be enough motivation to make anyone reconsider picking up that fourth bag of gummy worms at the grocery store.

The full study can be found here, published in Nature Communications.