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Abstract
This study investigated the effect of high fructose intakes in the rat diet on serum glucose, insulin, triglycerides, and ghrelin over the course of four weeks. We also examined expression of the ghrelin receptor, GHSR-1, in the rat arcuate nucleus. No significant differences were found in body weight, food intake, serum triglycerides, or ghrelin during the four week period. Serum glucose was consistently higher in the fructose-fed group opposed to the dextrose group and the difference was significant at week 1 (p=.047), week 2 (p=.009), and week 4 (p=.009) measures. Serum insulin levels were also consistently greater in the fructose-fed group, but were only significant on the week 2 measurement (p=.0515, one way ANOVA) indicating the development of insulin resistance within a week of fructose feeding. Ghrelin receptor expression in the arcuate nucleus was significantly greater in rats fed a dextrose diet, opposed to the fructose-fed group (p=.0262). This may indicate an alteration in ghrelin receptor expression with high fructose intakes.