Orange Juice or Fructose Intake Does Not Induce Oxidative and Inflammatory Response

Abstract

Background We have previously shown that 300 kcal from glucose intake induces a significant increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and nuclear factor κ-B (NFκB) binding in the circulating mononuclear cells (MNC) in healthy normal subjects.

Hypothesis We have now hypothesized that the intake of 300 Calories as (1.) orange juice or (2.) fructose, the other major carbohydrate in orange juice, would induce a significantly smaller response than that of glucose.

Investigation Four groups (8 subjects each) of normal weight subjects were given a 300 Calories drink of glucose (75g), or fructose (75g) or orange juice or water sweetened with saccharin (control group) to drink and blood samples collected. There was a significant increase in ROS generation by MNC (by 130±18%, P< 0.001) and PMN (by 95±22%, P< 0.01) and in NFκB binding in MNC by 82±16% (P<0.01) over the baseline after 2 hours of glucose intake. These changes were absent following fructose, orange juice or water intake. There was a significantly lower ROS generation and NFκB binding following orange juice, fructose and water when compared with glucose (P<0.001 for all). Furthermore, incubation of MNC, in vitro, with 50mM of the flavonoids hesperetin or naringenin reduced ROS generation by 52±7% and 77±8 % (P<0.01), respectively, while fructose or ascorbic acid did not cause any change.

Conclusion Caloric intake in the form of orange juice or fructose does not induce either oxidative or inflammatory stress, possibly due to its flavonoids content, and might, therefore, represent a potentially safe energy source.