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New discovery may help develop pill that turns sugar into a superfood

"Imagine being able to swap out broccoli for sweets, Ben & Jerry's or some other sugary treat and achieve the same benefits"

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By Mark Waghorn via SWNS

Scientists say a pill that makes gorging on cookies and ice cream healthy could be on the horizon after a genetic variant was discovered in Greenlanders.

Scientists have discovered a gene that changes the way people absorb sugar - turning the sweetener into a superfood.

Lucky carriers have lower BMI (body mass index), fewer harmful blood fats - and are much fitter.

The discovery opens the door to combating cardiovascular disease, the world's number one killer, with drugs that mimic the mutation's activity.

Colorful houses on the rocks in Ilulissat, western Greenland. Summer landscape
Ilulissat, western Greenland (Desizned/Shutterstock)

Lead author Professor Anders Albrechtsen hailed the breakthrough as every couch potato's dream.

He said: "Imagine being able to swap out broccoli for sweets, Ben & Jerry's or some other sugary treat and achieve the same benefits.

"This is fact not fantasy for about two to three percent of the Greenlandic population."

The University of Copenhagen team analyzed data from 6,551 adults. Results were confirmed in dietary experiments on mice.

Prof Albrechtsen said: "Adult Greenlanders with the genetic variation have lower BMI, weight, fat percentage, cholesterol levels and are generally significantly healthier.

"They have less belly fat and might find it easier to get a six-pack. It is amazing and surprising that a genetic variation has such a profoundly beneficial effect."

Eating too much sugar has been linked with obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, liver disease, dementia and even some cancers.

But consuming copious amounts is healthy - at least for some Greenlanders.

For them it boosts gut bacteria thanks to a uniquely nourishing diet of fish, whales, seals - and reindeer.

The mutation causes 'sucrase-isomaltase deficiency' - which changes metabolism, explained the researchers.

Sugar heads directly into the intestine instead of being absorbed in the bloodstream.

via GIPHY

First author Dr. Mette Andersen said: "Here, gut bacteria converts the sugar into acetate.

"In previous studies, the short chain fatty acid has been shown to reduce appetite, increase metabolism and boost the immune system. That is most likely the mechanism happening here."

The widespread genetic variation is through a diet that has stood out from the rest of the world for thousands of years.

Prof Albrechtsen said: "It is probably due to Greenlanders not having had very much sugar in their diet.

"For the most part, they have eaten meat and fat from fish, whales, seals and reindeer.

"A single crowberry may have crept in here and there, but their diet has had minimal sugar content."

The mutation appears frequently as there has never been a need to absorb sugar rapidly in the bloodstream. But it causes problems in children.

Co-author Prof Torben Hansen said: "Younger carriers of the variation experience negative consequences due to their different type of sugar absorption.

"For them consuming sugar causes diarrhea, abdominal pain and bloating.

"Our guess is as they age, their gut bacteria gradually get used to sugar and learn how to convert it into energy."

Tests on lab rodents showed the dramatic affect of the variant.

They put on only half as much weight after genetic engineering prevented them absorbing sugar - compared to peers given the same food feasts.

The researchers hope it will open the door to better drugs to treat cardiovascular disease and obesity.

Added Prof Torben: "We can see the genetic variation provides a better balance of fat in the bloodstream, which results in lower weight and consequently, fewer cardiovascular diseases.

"If you can develop a drug that inhibits the sucrase-isomaltase gene, then in principle, we might all be able to have equally strong health profiles."

The study is in Gastroenterology.

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