Every guy with a sweet tooth should check his blood pressure before having another high-fructose feast. Consuming large quantities of fructose sugar—found in many foods and soft drinks—increases blood pressure in men, according to a new study, reported on by HealthNews. This is the first study to link high fructose consumption to higher blood pressure.

Researchers observed a 5 percent blood pressure increase in male study participants after they followed a high fructose diet for two weeks. The study’s author, Richard Johnson, MD, at the University of Colorado at Denver, also noted that a gout medication called allopurinol helped counteract the increase.

The reason for lower blood pressure? The medication decreases the amount of uric acid in the body, which is responsible for risk factors associated with diabetes and heart disease. But Johnson cautioned that more studies would be needed to confirm that gout medication could be used as treatment.

His immediate suggestion? “Reduce your sugar intake. This data would suggest that too much sugar and high-fructose corn syrup may not be a good thing.”

What else can you do? Learn how to lower your blood pressure here.