The damage done

A tale of two months

1. LIVER

A key marker for determining liver health is an enzyme called ALT. Gameau’s went from 20 at the start of the experiment (20 below the safe level) to 60 (20 above).

2. TRIGLYCERIDES

Triglyceride levels show how much fat is in the bloodstream. Gameau’s results revealed that his liver filled with fat, which was being pumped into his blood. This is how many scientists have linked sugar to metabolic disease. At the start of the experiment, Gameau’s triglyceride reading was a healthy 0.08, but it jumped to 1.5, which is regarded as the risk point.

3. CHOLESTEROL

High levels of triglycerides are a new marker for potential heart disease. Cholesterol interacts with triglycerides, forming the dangerous small, dense LDL (low-density lipoprotein) particles that can clog and block our arteries.

4. WEIGHT

Gameau’s weight went from 76kg to 84.5kg, a total gain of 8.5kg and an increase in total body fat of 7%, without eating any junk food.

5. WAIST MEASUREMENT

“This was one of the more alarming results of my experiment,” says Gameau. “I put on 10cm of fat around my waist. This fat is the dangerous type of fat called visceral fat that can cramp the organs and lead to many diseases.”

6. CALORIE COUNT

Gameau considers this “the biggest shock” of the experiment. He ate the same number of calories during the 60 days as on his previous diet, but the big difference was the source of the calories. Before embarking on the project, he ate roughly 2300 calories a day, with 50% from fat, 26% from carbohydrates and 24% from protein. During the experiment, he still ate roughly 2300 calories a day, but 60% came from carbohydrates, 18% from fat and 22% from protein, meaning he virtually swapped healthy fats for sugar-laden products. New research suggests that the calories from sugar, and fructose in particular, behave differently from other calories.