Glucose Toxicity: a case report

Toxicity to glucose is not a normal state, however, it has been reported that after certain individuals ingest sugar, they produce excess tumor necrosis factor. An other wise healthy 47 year old male developed a severe sensitivity to foods containing sugar over a 12 year period. After eating certain foods containing sugars he would develop angst, pain in his extremities, fever, etc. Onset was gradual and he has had to eliminate various foods over the years until today he is restricted to eating only certain foods without exception. In a controlled challenge with glucose, tumor necrosis factor was found to be elevated in his serum. Because mannose is known to block induction of tumor necrosis factor by macrophages, a regimen of mannose either prior to and/or post development of symptoms minimized these responses. A precise understanding of these events awaits further study.