Mice study links sucrose-free diet to gut and metabolic problems
Research presented at ENDO 2026 found mice on a sucrose-free low-fat diet had worse metabolic and inflammatory markers than controls.
By Priya Raghavan · Science Reporter
3 min read
Research in mice presented at ENDO 2026 found that removing sucrose from a low-fat diet was linked to poorer blood sugar control, inflammation and changes tied to fatty liver disease. The Endocrine Society said the findings point to a need to consider gut health and overall dietary balance, rather than focusing only on cutting sugar.
The work came from researchers at the Dasman Diabetes Institute in Kuwait and was presented Saturday at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Chicago. The study tested a sucrose-free low-fat diet against a low-fat control diet that included sucrose, a common form of sugar.
What the researchers tested
According to the Endocrine Society, the researchers fed mice the two diets for 16 weeks. They then assessed glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, metabolic hormones in circulation, gut bacteria, and inflammation in the colon and liver.
The mice on the sucrose-free diet did not gain more weight than the control animals, according to the Endocrine Society. Even with similar body weights, the sucrose-free group showed worse glucose control, insulin resistance, disrupted gut microbes, intestinal inflammation and liver changes associated with fatty liver disease.
Rasheed Ahmad, principal scientist and head of the Immunology & Microbiology Department at the Dasman Diabetes Institute, said the results suggest that fully removing sucrose from a low-fat diet may disturb gut health and contribute to inflammation and metabolic dysfunction. Ahmad said the study supports balanced nutrition over an approach centered only on eliminating sugar.
Gut bacteria in focus
The Endocrine Society said little had been known about the possible effects of highly restrictive low-fat diets that remove sugar entirely. The researchers said their mouse data suggest that balanced dietary carbohydrates may help support gut and immune stability.
Ahmad said the findings may shape future dietary guidance by drawing more attention to the gut microbiome. He said the work could eventually inform efforts to prevent and manage metabolic disorders, fatty liver disease and chronic inflammatory conditions.
The study does not report human trial results. Its findings come from mice, and the Endocrine Society described the work as research presented at a scientific meeting.
Faisal Hamed Al-Refaei, acting director general of the Dasman Diabetes Institute, said the study reflects the institute’s focus on evidence-based research aimed at improving public health and understanding metabolic disease. The Dasman Diabetes Institute was founded by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, according to the Endocrine Society.
The researchers’ conclusion was narrow: in this mouse experiment, a low-fat diet without sucrose produced worse gut and metabolic markers than a comparable low-fat diet containing sucrose. The Endocrine Society said the results argue for looking at diet quality and gut microbiome health alongside sugar reduction.
This story draws on original reporting from ScienceDaily.