Fructose boosts blood pressure, studies find

"America's sweet tooth may be contributing to the ever-increasing number of people with high blood pressure. Two new studies link fructose, the kind of sugar in soft drinks and many sweetened foods, to high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. "It raises the possibility that fructose may have a role in the pathogenesis of hypertension," said Dr. Richard J. Johnson, professor and head of the division of renal diseases and hypertension at the University of Colorado and a co-author of one of the studies. Both were scheduled to be presented this week at an American Heart Association conference in Chicago on blood pressure research. "It shows that if you ingest a certain amount of fructose, you can raise blood pressure" to the level of hypertension, Johnson said" - HealthDay