Health
Scientists crack code on how dietary fiber shields your body from harmful sugar damage
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A new UC Irvine study may have finally uncovered how dietary fiber protects the body from sugar’s damage, and how protecting yourself starts in the gut.
Researchers at the UCI School of Medicine found that inulin, a naturally occurring fiber found in vegetables like onions, garlic and artichokes, can reshape the bacteria living in your gut to stop fructose before it hits your liver.
“We found that consuming a type of dietary fiber called inulin… changes the bacteria in the gut to promote the consumption of harmful dietary fructose,” said lead researcher Cholsoon Jang, PhD, of UCI’s Nutrient Metabolism & Disease Lab.
The findings, published in Nature Metabolism, reveal a new level of protection offered by fiber, not just in digestion, but in how the body handles sugar at the molecular level.
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Scientists say fiber could help prevent or reverse early signs of fatty liver disease. (iStock)
Jang and his team discovered that when people eat fructose (a common sugar in fruit and sweetened foods) gut bacteria in the small intestine can metabolize it before it reaches the liver. But without enough fiber, too much fructose “spills over,” overwhelming the liver and triggering fat buildup.
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Fructose is a sugar found in fruit that can ‘spill’ into the liver, leading to liver disease. (iStock)
By feeding gut bacteria with inulin, researchers found that the microbes essentially burn through fructose early, preventing that cascade of damage.
Even more striking, once these bacteria were “primed” by inulin, they were able to reverse signs of fatty liver disease, reducing fat accumulation and boosting the liver’s natural antioxidants.
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Jang says the research proves not all calories are created equal.
He says their work gives “insight into how fiber protects our health from harmful nutrients like fructose.”
The Nature Metabolism study identified how specific gut bacteria metabolize sugar before it reaches the liver. (iStock)
The study focused on non-obese participants: people who might otherwise slip under the radar yet still face hidden risks from high-sugar diets.
Jang noted that metabolic damage isn’t limited to those who are overweight. Even people who appear healthy can experience liver stress and insulin resistance if their gut microbes aren’t equipped to handle excess fructose.
“By identifying specific gut bacteria and metabolic pathways involved, our findings can guide personalized nutrition strategies,” Jang said.
Vegetables like garlic, artichokes and onions can be a good source of inulin, the helpful fiber studied by the research team. (iStock)
He added that future research will explore whether other common fibers beyond inulin can trigger similar protective effects.
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The implications stretch far beyond the lab. If certain fibers can train gut microbes to neutralize sugar before it harms the liver, it could open the door to new treatments for fatty liver disease, diabetes, obesity and even cancer.
For now, researchers explain that the findings indicate that fiber not only aids digestion but can be a defender of metabolic health.
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As Jang put it: “For example, by checking how well someone’s gut bacteria clears fructose before the body absorbs it, we can choose the right prebiotic or probiotic supplement for that person to improve results and reduce side effects.”
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Chronic kidney disease has been named the ninth leading cause of global death.
Record numbers of men and women are currently estimated to have reduced kidney function, according to new research following a study published in the journal The Lancet.
Researchers at NYU Langone Health, the University of Glasgow, and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington analyzed the rise of kidney disease worldwide.
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They examined 2,230 published papers and health datasets from 133 countries, searching for diagnoses, mortality and the toll of disability from the disease.
From 1990 to 2023, cases rose from 378 million to 788 million, landing the disease in the top 10 of most deadly diseases in the world for the first time.
The largest risk factors for kidney disease include high blood sugar, high blood pressure and high body mass index (BMI). (iStock)
The research, conducted as part of the Global Burden of Disease 2023 study, also revealed that about 14% of the world’s adult population has chronic kidney disease. About 1.5 million people died from kidney disease in 2023, an increase of more than 6% since 1993.
Most people in the study were in early stages of the disease, which can be improved with drugs and lifestyle changes before dialysis or surgery becomes necessary, the researchers noted.
The research, which was presented last week at the American Society of Nephrology’s annual Kidney Week conference, marks “the most comprehensive estimate of the condition in nearly a decade,” according to the authors.
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Chronic kidney disease causes the kidneys to lose the ability to filter waste and excess fluid from the blood, NYU Langone detailed.
Mild cases may not show any symptoms, but those in the most advanced stages can require dialysis, kidney replacement therapy or an organ transplant.
Chronic kidney disease causes the kidneys to lose the ability to filter waste and excess fluid from the blood. (iStock)
Impaired kidney function was also identified as a key risk factor for heart disease, contributing to about 12% of global cardiovascular mortality.
The largest risk factors for kidney disease, based on the study findings, include high blood sugar, high blood pressure and high body mass index (BMI).
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Study co-senior author Josef Coresh, M.D., Ph.D., director of NYU Langone’s Optimal Aging Institute, said these results classify chronic kidney disease as “common, deadly and getting worse as a major public health issue.”
“These findings support efforts to recognize the condition alongside cancer, heart disease and mental health concerns as a major priority for policymakers around the world,” he said in a statement.
Kidney disease may show no symptoms, yet can ultimately require dialysis or organ transplantation. (iStock)
Study co-lead author Morgan Grams, M.D., Ph.D., the Susan and Morris Mark Professor of Medicine at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, also commented that chronic kidney disease is “underdiagnosed and undertreated.”
“Our report underscores the need for more urine testing to catch it early and the need to ensure that patients can afford and access therapy once they are diagnosed,” she wrote.
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New medications have recently become available that can slow disease progression and reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and heart failure, although it may take time to see the global impact, Grams added.
A doctor urged physicians to be more aware of kidney function and the impact of certain medications. (iStock)
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel commented on the “dramatic increase” in an interview with Fox News Digital, agreeing that kidney disease is “vastly underestimated and underdiagnosed,” in part due to lack of symptoms in early stages.
“The kidneys are filters of waste and managers of electrolytes and acid/base balance,” said Siegel, who was not involved in the study. “They are very sensitive to changes in blood pressure and blood flow, and can lead to loss of protein and electrolytes when damaged.”
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“High blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, diabetes and low blood pressure all impact basic kidney function, so there is a high degree of secondary kidney disease and failure in addition to primary damage to the kidneys themselves,” the doctor added.
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Siegel urged physicians to be more aware of kidney function and the impact of certain medications.
This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Gates Foundation and the National Kidney Foundation.
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