Engy › Who's who in longevity › Robert Lustig
At a glance
- Robert Lustig is an American paediatric endocrinologist and professor emeritus of paediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), specialising in neuroendocrinology and childhood obesity.
- He became world-famous with the lecture ‘Sugar: The Bitter Truth’ (2009), viewed millions of times on YouTube. In it he argues that fructose from added sugars burdens the liver and metabolism.
- In a study of children with obesity (2016), several metabolic markers improved within nine days when added sugar was replaced by starch at equal calorie intake.
- He wrote Fat Chance (2012), The Hacking of the American Mind (2017) and Metabolical (2021), and co-founded the Institute for Responsible Nutrition.
- Some researchers think he overstates the specific role of fructose; his core message to limit added sugar and ultra-processed food is widely shared.
- For longevity, his work matters because metabolic health is a foundation of healthy ageing.
- Takeaway: start with soft drinks, juices and sweets; that is often the quickest way to cut added sugar.
Recent
- Article Robert Lustig avisa: los refrescos sin azúcar no son inocuos, el problema es lo que añaden
- Interview Robert Lustig, neuroendocrinólogo: “La fibra de los alimentos tiene seis efectos beneficiosos para el metabolismo y la microbiota”
- Podcast E208 - Dr. Robert Lustig: What Modern Food Is Doing to Your Sense of Self