URINARY-EXCRETION OF SUCROSE AND FRUCTOSE AS A PREDICTOR OF SUCROSE INTAKE IN DIETARY INTERVENTION STUDIES

The urinary excretion of sucrose, glucose, and fructose was measured i n 9 healthy subjects consuming a common Italian diet and after 3 days of a low sucrose diet, in which the intake of sucrose was restricted b ut the other main nutrients were unmodified, After the low sucrose die t, we observed a significant drop in the average urinary excretion of sucrose, glucose, and fructose determined at four different times (8:0 0 and 10:00 a,m,; 3:00 and 10:00 p,m.), The average urinary excretion of fructose in the four urine samples was significantly correlated wit h dietary sucrose intake, We also found a significant correlation betw een the average urinary excretion of sucrose and dietary sucrose intak e, Urinary fructose can be used as a marker of sucrose intake in dieta ry intervention studies aimed at studying the effect of variation of c arbohydrate intake on specific cancers.