AURORA, Colo.—Fructose in excess amounts may increase the risk of hypertension, according to an article that appears online ahead of print in the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (DOI: 10.1681/ASN.2009111111).
Researchers at the University of Colorado Denver Health Sciences Center analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2003-2006), and included 4,528 U.S. adults ages 18 and older with no prior history of hypertension. Participants reported their consumption of foods and beverages such as fruit juices, soft drinks, bakery products, and candy.
People who consumed a diet of 74 grams or more per day of fructose (the equivalent of 2.5 sugary soft drinks) had a 26 percent, 30 percent, and 77 percent higher risk for blood pressure levels of 135/85, 140/90, and 160/100 mmHg, respectively. A normal blood pressure reading is below 120/80 mmHg.
In a press release, Dr. Diana I. Jalal said, “Our study identifies a potentially modifiable risk factor for high blood pressure. However, well-planned prospective randomized clinical studies need to be completed to see if low fructose diets will prevent the development of hypertension and its complications,”
