The Dangers of Energy Drinks

Energy drinks have become increasingly popular in recent years. There are many brands on the market. Each contain caffeine and some have added stimulants such as guarana, an herbal form of more caffeine, as well as ginseng. Most of these drinks, in moderation, are probably relatively harmless for healthy people. However, when consumed to excess …

Sugar: The Bitter Truth (Lecture)

Robert H. Lustig, MD is Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He is nationally recognized in the field of neuroendocrinology, with an emphasis on the regulation of energy balance by the central nervous system. Dr. Lustig has a special interest in childhood obesity. He has become publicly notable through …

Fructose Consumption Increases Risk Factors for Heart Disease

Study suggests U.S. Dietary Guideline for Upper Limit of Sugar Consumption is too High: A recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM) found that adults who consumed high fructose corn syrup for two weeks as 25 percent of their daily calorie requirement had increased blood levels of cholesterol …

Treating Obesity Via Brain Glucose Sensing

The past two decades have witnessed an epidemic spread of obesity-related diseases in Western countries. Elucidating the biological mechanism that links overnutrition to obesity could prove crucial in reducing obesity levels. In the July 26 issue of PLoS Biology, Dr. Dongsheng Cai and his research team at Albert Einstein College of Medicine describe a pathway that …

Too Much Sugar Is Bad, But Which Sugar Is Worse: Fructose Or Glucose?

In 2005, the average American consumed 64 kg of added sugar, a sizeable proportion of which came through drinking soft drinks. Now, in a 10-week study, Peter Havel and colleagues, at the University of California at Davis, Davis, have provided evidence that human consumption of fructose-sweetened but not glucose-sweetened beverages can adversely affect both sensitivity …