Eliminating sugar from the diet may have negative effects on gut health and metabolic function, according to an animal study presented on June 14 at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago.
Researchers from an institute founded by Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences compared a sucrose-free low-fat diet to a sucrose-containing low-fat control diet in two groups of mice over 16 weeks. The study evaluated glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, circulating metabolic hormones, the gut microbiome, and inflammation in both the colon and liver.
The results showed that mice fed a sucrose-free diet developed impaired glucose control, insulin resistance, gut microbial imbalance, intestinal inflammation, and fatty liver changes. These outcomes occurred despite no significant differences in body weight between the two groups.
"The findings suggest that complete removal of sucrose from a low-fat diet may negatively affect gut microbiota and metabolic health," Ahmad said. "The study highlights the importance of maintaining balanced dietary carbohydrates to support gut and immune homeostasis."
Until now, researchers had limited information about how restrictive diets eliminating sugar might impact overall health when combined with low fat intake, Ahmad said. "This research may influence future dietary recommendations by emphasizing the importance of maintaining a healthy gut microbiome rather than focusing only on sugar restriction. In the long term, these findings could help improve strategies for preventing and managing metabolic disorders, fatty liver disease and chronic inflammatory conditions."
"Studies such as this reflect our institute's commitment to advancing evidence-based scientific discoveries that improve public health outcomes and deepen our understanding of metabolic disease," said Faisal Hamed Al-Refaei, MD, Acting Director General of Dasman Diabetes Institute.
