Sweeteners May Increase Risk of Diabetes, Study Shows

27 May 2016

27 May 2016 --- A new study has suggested that artificial sweeteners used in diet drinks and foods could increase a person's risk of Type 2 diabetes, as people who consume aspartame may have poorer glucose management.

Sweeteners, such as saccharin, aspartame and sucralose, are widespread in western diets. Artificial sweeteners are used to aid weight loss because they're not digested. They are often used in diet drinks and other foods to cut calories or prevent tooth decay.

However, new research has found that these sugar replacements could raise the risk of a person being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. This is because the sweet alternatives, noticeably aspartame, cause changes in gut bacteria, which can lead to glucose intolerance.

Jennifer Kuk, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Health, York University in Toronto, said: “Our study shows individuals with obesity who consume artificial sweeteners, particularly aspartame, may have worse glucose management than those who don't take sugar substitutes.”

Normally, weight loss is associated with several improvements in health.

But the study, which is published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism, suggests the bacteria in the gut may be able to break down artificial sweeteners – resulting in damage to health.

Kuk notes: “We didn't find this adverse effect in those consuming saccharin or natural sugars.”

In the study, data from 2,856 US adults from the Third National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES III) was used. Individuals reported their diet over the past 24 hours and were categorized as consumers of artificial sweeteners (aspartame or saccharin), or high or low consumers of natural sugars (sugar or fructose). Diabetes risk was measured as the ability to manage blood sugars using an oral glucose tolerance test.

Kuk said: “The results of the current study illustrate that aspartame consumption is associated with augmented obesity-related deteriorations in glucose tolerance and fasting glucose.”

“Thus, more research is needed to better understand the weight-management benefits of artificial sweetener consumption over natural sugars against the potential increased diabetes risk, particularly for those with obesity.”

Individuals consuming artificial sweeteners – aspartame or saccharin – had a slightly higher BMI (28 vs. 27) and were more likely to be female.

Previous research in mice has found saccharin consumption induces changes in gut bacteria that result in the development of glucose intolerance.

Currently there are many new sugar substitutes that are used in foods. The researchers state that further investigation is needed to determine if there are any health effects of using these sweeteners.

“We will need to do future studies to determine whether any potentially negative health effects of artificial sweeteners outweigh the benefits for obesity reduction,” Kuk concluded.