Artificial Sugar Substitute May Affect Gut Microbiota & Blood Sugar Levels

The researchers have found that artificial Sugar Substitutes that we use on a daily basis can cause diabetes, impact Gut Microbiota and our Blood Sugar levels.

Artificial Sugar Substitute Research Report2022: Since the late 1800s, non-nutritive sweeteners have asserted that they may deliver all the taste of sugar without adding any calories. 

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The conventional wisdom that these sugar replacements have no effect on humans has been called into question by researchers who presented their discoveries in the journal Cell on August 19. 

They found that some of them could modify the microbiomes of consumers, which could impact their levels of blood sugar.

Eran Elinav, senior author of the study and immunologist at the Weizmann Institute of Science and the German National Cancer Center (DKFZ), and his group found in 2014 that non-nutritive sweeteners affected mice’s microbiomes in ways that would affect their glycemic reactions. The scientists wondered if similar results applied to humans as well.

The research team meticulously screened more than 1300 individuals for those who rigorously abstain from non-nutritive sweets in their everyday lives, and they discovered a cohort of 120 individuals to address this important question. 

From these participants, six groups were formed: two served as controls, and the other four consumed aspartame, saccharin, stevia, or sucralose in levels that were much lower than the daily limits advised by the FDA.

“In participants that ingested the non-nutritive sweeteners, we were able to detect extremely distinct variations in the make-up and functioning of gut microorganisms as well as the chemicals they discharge into peripheral blood. 

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This seems to suggest that every one of these sweeteners has an impact on the bacteria in the human stomach “Elinav declares. 

“When we looked at consumers of non-nutritive sweeteners collectively, we found that 2 non-nutritive sweeteners, saccharin & sucralose, had a considerable impact on glucose tolerance in healthy individuals. 

It’s intriguing to note that variations in people’s glycemic reactions were closely tied to modifications in the microorganisms.”

In order to demonstrate causation, the researchers transferred microbiota from participants in the study to germ-free mice, which have been bred in absolutely sterile settings and do not have any microbiomes of their own.

The results, according to Elinav, “were extremely stunning.” “The recipient mice developed glycemic variations that very noticeably reflected those of the donor individual persons in all of the non-nutritive sweetener categories but in none of the controls when the microbiome of the top responder individuals was transferred into these sterile mice at a time when they were ingesting the respective non-nutritive sweeteners. 

Contrarily, such glycemic reactions were often not induced by the microbiomes of the bottom responders “Adds he. 

These results “suggest that, occasionally, microbiome changes in response to human ingestion of non-nutritive sweetener may trigger glycemic changes in consumers in a highly customized manner.”

Elinav asserts that he expects that the effects of the sweeteners will vary from person to person due to the remarkably unique makeup of our microbiome. 

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“It’s important to highlight the truth that artificial sweeteners are not as safe for humans as we formerly believed. 

Despite this, more extensive long-term research is still necessary to ascertain the clinical health consequences of any alterations they might bring about in people.”

Between now and then, according to Elinav, “We need to keep exploring for ways to satisfy our sweet tooth yearning while avoiding sugar, which is plainly most harmful to our metabolic health.” Keeping to the water appears to be the wisest course of action, in my perspective.