Excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) doesn’t just cause obesity — it disrupts metabolism across organs, increasing the risk of diabetes and insulin resistance, according to a new study by the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR).
Hyderabad:Excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) doesn’t just cause obesity — it disrupts metabolism across organs, increasing the risk of diabetes and insulin resistance, according to a new study by the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR).
Published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, the study used a preclinical mouse model mimicking human SSB consumption. Researchers found that chronic intake of 10 per cent sucrose water caused metabolic imbalances in the small intestine, liver and muscles.
Surprisingly, the small intestine played a major role — developing a “molecular addiction” to sugar, absorbing too much glucose while neglecting essential nutrients like amino acids and fats. This imbalance disrupted energy metabolism and triggered dysfunction in other organs.
Instead of breaking down excess sugar efficiently, the liver worsened insulin resistance by overproducing glucose. Skeletal muscles also suffered, showing mitochondrial dysfunction and impaired glucose utilisation, making energy production inefficient.
“We often associate metabolic diseases with liver or insulin resistance, but our findings show that the small intestine plays a much bigger role in glucose imbalances than previously thought,” said Saptarnab Ganguly, subject board of biology, TIFR.The study highlights the urgent need to curb excessive sugar intake through policy measures, public awareness, and targeted therapies.
Global health reports, including those from the UN and NHS, show rising SSB consumption, reinforcing concerns over its long-term effects on public health.
The research was co-authored by Saptarnab Ganguly, Tandrika Chattopadhyay, Rubina Kazi, Souparno Das, Bhavisha Malik, Uthpala M.L., Padmapriya S. Iyer, Mohit Kashiv, Anshit Singh, Amita Ghadge, Shyam D. Nair, Mahendra S. Sonawane and Ullas Kolthur-Seetharam.
