More harm than good? Artificial sweeteners’ health risks spotlighted in new research

19 Dec 2019 --- Artificial sweeteners may be doing more harm than good, according to research conducted at the University of South Australia (UniSA). A new review reveals that people who use low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) are more likely to gain weight and may be at higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes (T2D). While the association with weight gain is not surprising to the researchers, LCS’s association with T2D is a novel discovery with confounding findings, requiring further research to confirm its validity. The study notes that the global LCS market is a billion-dollar industry, as the sector scrambles to respond to consumers’ demands for healthy and sugar-reducing sweeteners.

The researchers systematically reviewed numerous studies, clinical trials and chronic clinical studies regarding artificial and natural sweeteners, such as sucrose, glucose and stevia. Overall, they found that non-nutritive sugar (NNS) consumption did not have a clear effect on the incidence of T2D or on glycaemic control, despite there being some evidence revealing that artificial sweeteners can change gut bacteria and thus kickstart the development of T2D. The researchers encourage further studies on sweetener consumption to be conducted to draw a firm conclusion about the role of NNS consumption on glycaemic control.

Professor Clifton warns that artificial sweetener intake does not reduce overall sugar.“It is common clinical practice to recommend the use of artificially sweetened drinks in place of full sugar ones. Therefore, it is important to know if this is safe,” UniSA’s Professor of Nutrition Peter Clifton, tells NutritionInsight. “This is particularly significant due to the 200 percent increase in LCS usage among children and 54 percent increase among adults in the past 20 years.”

A psychological issue
While artificial sweeteners may be lower in calories and sugar, consuming them does not reduce overall intake of sugar. “It is a psychological issue. People feel they have permission to indulge in their favorite foods because they use artificial sweeteners in their tea and coffee,” Professor Clifton flags. Meanwhile, more research is required to establish to what extent LCS are equally harmful as standard sugar and what dangers they may present. Currently, however, they are not more likely to make people gain weight, he notes.

Diet and purchasing behavior play a key role in weight management and disease prevention. Professor Clifton regards a healthy diet, including plenty of whole grains, dairy, seafood, legumes, vegetables and fruits and plain water, as a better preventative measure than low-calorie sweeteners. “Health practitioners need to modify their advice to people wanting to lose weight to cover all aspects of their diet, not just soft drinks and added sweeteners,” he maintains.

More awareness of sugar and their alternatives is needed for consumers to make healthy purchasing choices.The sweet buzz
A recently published data analysis from the International Stevia Council (ISC) on the attitudes and perceptions around stevia found that discussion of the sweetener doubled the online social conversation in English- and Spanish-speaking countries. The focus has shifted away from recipes and taste and is now more in conjunction with weight loss assistance, as well as diabetes and blood sugar management, the ISC states.

Results of a French study issued in September has associated soft drink consumption, including both sugar- and artificially-sweetened drinks, with an increased risk of overall death. The study found that consuming two or more glasses of soda daily increased the risk of early death from all causes. 

In related developments, an American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy statement calls for the amount of no- or low-calorie sweeteners to be listed on product labels to help families and researchers better educate themselves on regular consumption and any possible health effects.

By Anni Schleicher