Burning Fat May Protect You from Harmful Sugar Toxins

New research published in the scientific journal Cell Chemical Biology1 shows that when the body burns fat, it also creates unique compounds that counteract the toxic substances created through metabolizing sugar. Study co-author, Mogens Johannsen, says “You can remove some of the toxic by-products from the sugar metabolism by eating fats or following a low-calorie or low-carbohydrate diet, which makes the body burn its own fat.”

It’s a Delicate Balancing Act

The results of the study help explain why a diet rich in fat and low in sugar has been shown to help prevent diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and cancer in many animal trials. The interesting takeaway here, however, is that previous research has shown that burning fat can create the same harmful toxins. The takeaway here is that there is a razor-thin balance between creating harmful sugar toxins and the detoxification of the body. Too much sugar or carbs can tip the balance. Johannsen says, “It illustrates that biological systems are immensely complex, and we still do not understand them completely.”2

The Results Could Lead to Huge Breakthroughs for Diabetics

While the study’s results warrant more testing, it could potentially lead to new treatments and remedies for diabetics. Neuropathy, a condition caused in part by the accumulation of these destructive sugar toxins, is all too common for diabetes patients. Johanssen says this could potentially lead to a new type of diet designed to combat these symptoms. “Such a diet could possibly help the body create more metabolites to neutralize the toxins.”

So, Where Do We Stand?

There’s no denying that the results of this study are surprising, but they warrant more testing before any significant action takes place. The study didn’t elaborate on how much sugar was detoxified by the body, which means toxins could still be left in the body, and they’ve yet to fully quantify the chemical reaction within individual test subjects. There are plans to conduct an additional study in which test subjects are administered the detoxifying metabolite to observe the effects. As of now though, while the results are interesting and warrant further studies, the full effects are simply too soon to tell.