Turku sugar studies XIII. Effect of the diet on certain clinico-chemical values of serum.

Pooled and individual serum samples of subjects on long-term sucrose, xylitol and fructose diets were analyzed for Ca, Mg, K, Na inorganic phosphate, bilirubin, ascorbate, alkaline and acid phosphatase, amylase, transaminases, lactate dehydrogenase, and amino acids. Most serum samples were obtained from the last phases of the two-year dietary regimen. Significant differences between the three experimental groups were not found with regard to any of the compounds or enzymes studied. Almost significant differences were observed for amylase which was lower in the xylitol and the fructose groups than in the sucrose group, all these values being within the normal range. The results indicate that xylitol and fructose do not induce significant changes in liver function tests, nor in serum level of electrolytes, ascorbate or serum enzymes when their oral administration takes place in the same scale as that of sucrose.