Some People In Greenland Absorb Sugar Differently, Research Finds

A new study has found that 2% to 3% of Greenland’s population has a genetic variation that allows them to absorb sugar differently from most of us. 

Findings have shown that those with the genetic variant enjoy lower BMI, weight, fat percentage, and cholesterol levels. They are healthier than others—to the extent they have less belly fat and can develop a six-pack more easily.

“It is amazing and surprising that a genetic variation has such a profoundly beneficial effect,” said Anders Albrechtsen, a biology professor at the University of Copenhagen. 

The study, which was published in the Gastroenterology journal, determined that people with the genetic abnormality experience sucrase-isomaltase deficiency, which means they have a special way of metabolizing sugar in their intestines. Instead of absorbing it through their bloodstream like most humans, the sugar travels directly to their intestines.

“Here, gut bacteria convert the sugar into a short-chain fatty acid called acetate, which in previous studies has been shown to reduce appetite, increase metabolism, and boost the immune system,” explained Mette K Andersen, an assistant professor at the Center for Metabolism Research at the University of Copenhagen. 

According to Futurity, the researchers posit that the variation present in Greenland is due to a diet that differs greatly from the rest of the globe. Albrechtsen said he attributes the peculiar genetic variant to Greenlanders not consuming much sugar in their normal diet. 

“For the most part, they have eaten meat and fat from fish, whales, seals, and reindeer. A single blackberry may have crept in here and there, but their diet has minimal sugar content,” he added. 

Despite the genetic variation seemingly having tons of benefits for adult Greenlanders, it turns out the abnormality has caused problems in children. Younger people with the variant experience diarrhea, abdominal pain, and bloating whenever they consume sugar. 

“Our guess is that as they age, their gut bacteria gradually get used to sugar and learn how to convert it into energy,” said Torben Hansen, a professor at the University of Copenhagen’s Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research. 

The team hopes that going forward, their findings can be used to develop new drugs that could be used to treat illnesses stemming from cardiovascular disease and obesity.

“If you can develop a drug that inhibits the sucrase-isomaltase gene, then in principle, we might all be able to have equally strong profiles,” remarked Hansen.

[via Futurity, cover image via Chernetskaya | Dreamstime.com]