Caloric excess via added sugars

Caloric excess via added sugars" is not a molecular target, receptor, enzyme, or protein. Instead, it refers to the physiological state or dietary pattern in which an individual consumes more calories than needed for energy balance specifically through foods and beverages containing high levels of added sugars such as sucrose or high-fructose corn syrup. Added sugars are defined as those incorporated into foods during processing or preparation rather than naturally occurring in whole foods like fruit or milk. Excessive consumption of added sugars is strongly associated with increased risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), metabolic syndrome, and chronic inflammation. Mechanistically, this occurs through several pathways: - Added sugars provide energy but displace nutrient-dense foods in the diet; they can deplete body stores of nutrients required for their metabolism and impair mitochondrial function leading to reduced cellular energy production. - High intakes—especially fructose—promote hepatic lipid synthesis (de novo lipogenesis), increase circulating triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, induce insulin resistance, stimulate appetite via hormonal dysregulation, promote visceral adiposity, elevate blood pressure, and drive inflammatory signaling pathways. There are no drugs that directly interact with "caloric excess via added sugars," nor is it a biomarker itself; however, its effects can be monitored by measuring related biomarkers such as fasting triglycerides or hepatic fat content. Because this entry does not refer to a discrete molecule/receptor but rather a dietary exposure/state with pathophysiological consequences mediated by multiple biological systems—including metabolic enzymes (e.g., those involved in fructose metabolism), hormone receptors (insulin/leptin receptors), transporters (GLUT family), transcription factors regulating lipid synthesis—it should not be considered a therapeutic target per se. In summary: This term describes an important public health issue but does not correspond to any single molecular entity suitable for structured drug-target information extraction.

Other names

Excess caloric intake from added sugarsAdded sugar overconsumptionHigh added sugar intake