Health
Sorbitol can convert into fructose in the liver, study finds
ScienceDaily reports that researchers found the common sugar substitute can transform into a form of fructose in the liver.
The short version
- Washington University researchers identified that the body can convert the sweetener sorbitol into a fructose derivative inside the liver.[ScienceDaily]
- Zebrafish experiments demonstrated that diabetes is not necessary for the intestine to generate significant sorbitol.[ScienceDaily]
- Specific Aeromonas bacterial strains can consume sorbitol and turn it into a harmless bacterial byproduct.[ScienceDaily]
Key facts
- Washington University in St. Louis researchers found that the liver can transform sorbitol into a fructose derivative.[ScienceDaily]
- Study leader Gary Patti noted that sorbitol is essentially one chemical transformation away from fructose.[ScienceDaily]
- Zebrafish trials demonstrated that diabetes is not required for substantial sorbitol production in the gut.[ScienceDaily]
- Certain strains of Aeromonas bacteria consume sorbitol and turn it into a harmless byproduct.[ScienceDaily]
What remains uncertain
- The findings rely on zebrafish animal models, leaving the precise degree of translation to human metabolic outcomes uncertain.[ScienceDaily]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.
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