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Government diabetes study hits a speed bump

pill bottleThe National Institutes for Health has announced the partial suspension of a diabetes treatment study which was focusing on aggressive measures to reduce blood sugar levels. An article in The Wall Street Journal indicates that the aggressive strategy being used apparently resulted in a small increase in the number of patient deaths as compared to a moderate treatment approach being used on other patients who were involved in the study. The increase was merely three deaths per 1000 patients, yet researchers are unable to correlate the exact reasons for the increase in deaths and therefore the more aggressive portion of the testing has been terminated.

The study did not focus on specific treatments. Rather, researchers were attempting to determine the importance of differing treatment strategies. John Buse, president for medicine and science at the American Diabetes Association stated, "We were basically trying to see if we should have a full-court press on blood sugar or just try to do a reasonable job." The study, which is named Accord, involves providing diabetic patients with various drugs in an effort to reduce blood sugar levels and is also seeking to isolate particularly beneficial bio-markers for monitoring diabetic patient health.

Continue reading Government diabetes study hits a speed bump

Pepsi funds HFCS study, says it, sugar are equal: but still might switch to sugar?

When I was writing about Jones Soda Co. (NASDAQ:JSDA) and their announced switch to sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup as sweetener, I didn't read all the way to the end of the Wall Street Journal [subscription required] story. I should have, though, as it's really the big news.

PepsiCo, Inc. (NYSE:PEP) funded a study on high fructose corn syrup, which indicates that sugar and high fructose corn syrup have nearly the same effect on the body, and found no difference in the way the two substances contribute to weight gain. (The study is being written up for submission to a journal by researchers at UC Davis.) Pepsi is promoting this study heavily and said in response to Jones' move, "To say cane sugar is healthier than HFCS just isn't true. Marketing a myth for a competitive advantage is irresponsible and short-sighted."

But. But! Pepsi is working on some versions of its most popular sodas, including Sierra Mist and Pepsi itself, that contain sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup -- along with the removal of some preservatives and artificial colors. This news, reported by Beverage Digest magazine, seems at cross purposes with Pepsi's spokesman's claim.

If Pepsi is so sure high fructose corn syrup is safe -- and so interested in making sure consumers believe it -- why would it even dream of converting? Something tells me we haven't heard the end of Pepsi's evaluation of HFCS.

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Last updated: November 11, 2009: 06:42 PM

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