A sugar substitute is any food additive that provides a sugary taste but has very little associated calories or food energy. Some sugar substitutes like stevia are natural, while others are synthetic, termed “artificial sweeteners.”
In the United States, six artificial sweeteners have been approved for use: aspartame, sucralose, neotame, acesulfame potassium (Ace-K), saccharin, and advantame. All have been deemed “Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS)” by the FDA
When they first emerged on the market they held great promise… The ability to eat sweet foods and drinks without getting the associated calories was an awesome idea, but does it come with a price?
There has always been some speculation that artificial sweeteners had some “non-beneficial” effects, but nobody could quite lay a finger on it …until a study was done that was published in the International Journal called NATURE.
This study has shown that the ingestion of artificial sweeteners leads to GLUCOSE INTOLERANCE… this is an inability of the body to utilize glucose/energy appropriately, and it shifts the body into fat storing mode. Glucose intolerance is actually a step towards the development of diabetes! The sweeteners do this by altering the composition of the tiny bugs (bacteria) in the intestines. [I will write much more about the gut bacteria in a later post]
In this well thought out study, mice and humans consumed the FDA’s maximum acceptable daily intake of either saccharin, sucralose, or aspartame. Others were given glucose, sucrose, or plain water. They were monitored by continuous glucose measurements and daily glucose tolerance tests. Stevia was not included in this study.
After just 1 week, about 60% of the human subjects taking the artificial sweetener had already developed significantly worsened glucose intolerance, and pronounced changes in their gut bacteria composition!
Even more interesting- the investigators transplanted stool from the affected mice into the intestines of normal mice… this changed the intestinal bacteria composition, and the originally healthy mice developed glucose intolerance even though they were eating healthy food!
Further studies on the mice showed that the artificial sweeteners actually had a MUCH STRONGER ability to induce insulin resistance (and potentially diabetes) than even glucose itself! This effect was seen even in lean/skinny mice… that is mind-blowing!
Treatment with certain antibiotics took away the negative effects by killing off the offending bacteria (note that certain antibiotics could make the situation worse by killing off the GOOD bacteria).
The Bottom Line:
- The use of artificial sweeteners in humans and mice leads to the development of INSULIN RESISTANCE, which keeps the body in FAT STORING mode and can lead to obesity and diabetes.
- This occurs due to a change in the bacterial composition of the intestines
- Even if artificial sweeteners help to reduce calories, they may actually worsen obesity
- Think twice before reaching for an artificial sweetener or a diet drink…especially if the aim is to cut calories or lose weight
- Please note that it is not everybody who will respond to artificial sweeteners in this negative way; based on the study results there are still 3 out of 7 people whose bodies appeared to be unaffected by the sweeteners. There is however no way of knowing who will be affected, and who is “protected”
To your success!
-Dr. Hevi
Study Title- Artificial sweeteners induce glucose intolerance by altering the gut microbiota-Jotham Suez et.al
Link to scientific study; https://www.nature.com/articles/nature13793