Some people prefer pickles, while others have a sweet tooth. A new study has shed light on why there are differences in how we perceive sweet foods. It turns out that those who aren’t fond of sweets may have a genetic defect in their DNA that makes it harder for them to digest sucrose.
Researchers know that genetic defects in sucrose absorption are often linked to irritable bowel syndrome. However, the authors of this new study suggested that a defect affecting the sucrase-isomaltase (SI) gene might also influence how much we enjoy sweet foods.
What Did the Scientists Discover?
To investigate this, scientists from the University of Nottingham (UK) and the University of Copenhagen (Denmark) first involved a group of laboratory mice in their research. These rodents lacked the SI gene, and the researchers observed that the animals showed a significantly lower preference for consuming sucrose.
Next, the team analyzed data from 6,000 residents of Greenland and 135,000 residents of the UK, whose health information is stored in the UK Biobank. The scientists found that the Greenlandic participants had a completely dysfunctional SI gene, meaning they were entirely unable to digest sweet foods. They consumed significantly less sugar than those with a functional SI gene.
Meanwhile, British participants with a partially functional SI gene (almost 10 percent of the cohort) showed a much lower preference for sweet foods compared to those with a fully functional SI gene.
“If you don’t like sweet foods, you might have reduced SI function, but it’s likely that other, more effective factors contribute to a decreased craving for sweets,” said Dr. Mette Andersen, a co-author of the study and an associate professor at the University of Copenhagen (Denmark), in an interview with BBC Science Focus.
The researchers also noted that excessive sugar consumption leads to obesity and diabetes. They believe this study could encourage pharmaceutical companies to develop new medications to help sweet lovers reduce their sugar intake.
The results of the study were published in the journal Gastroenterology.