Sweeteners under fire include aspartame – found in many diet drinks
Also saccharin, found in Sweet’N Low and sucralose, found in Splenda
All three sweeteners made it more difficult for mice to process sugar
Known as glucose intolerance, this raises risk of diabetes and obesity
‘Massive, unsupervised consumption of artificial sweeteners must change’
Low-calorie artificial sweeteners found in diet drinks actually ‘raise the risk of diabetes and obesity’
Millions rely on them to help them stay thin. But low-calorie artificial sweeteners actually raise the risk of obesity, researchers fear.
The popular sugar alternatives found in diet drinks and in sachets in cafes and restaurants may also increase the odds of diabetes.
The sweeteners under the microscope are saccharin, which is found in Sweet’N Low, sucralose, which is found in Splenda, and aspartame, which is found in many diet drinks.
The Israeli researchers that ‘today’s massive, unsupervised consumption’ of artificial sweeteners needs to be reassessed.
The warning at a time when growing concern about the damage done by sugar is likely to mean more people are switching to artificial alternatives.
British experts urged caution, saying that much of the work was done in mice. But they also said that water is the healthiest drink.
The researchers, from the Weizmann Institute of Science, first showed that all three sweeteners made it more difficult for mice to process sugar.
This is known as glucose intolerance and is important because it raises risk of developing diabetes and obesity.
In a study of almost 400 people, the researchers linked artificial sweetener with being fatter and glucose intolerance.
And, worryingly, volunteers who didn’t normally eat or drink artificially-sweetened foods began to become glucose intolerant after just four days of consumption.
The numbers affected were small – just four out of seven men and women in the trial – but the research overall was judged significant enough to be published in Nature one of the world’s most prestigious scientific journals.
Other experiments suggested the sweeteners do the damage by altering type of bacteria in the gut.
While this might seem odd, some of the bugs that live naturally in our digestive system are very good at breaking down food.
If they thrive on artificial sweeteners, this could lead to more energy being extracted from food and more fat being stored – raising the odds of obesity.
Lead researcher Professor Eran Elinav, said: ‘Our relationship with our own individual mix of gut bacteria is a huge factor in determining how the food we eat affects us.
‘Especially intriguing is the link between use of artificial sweeteners – through the bacteria in our guts – to a tendency to develop the very disorders they were designed to prevent.
‘This calls for reassessment of today’s massive, unsupervised consumption of these substances.’
The professor has stopped using artificial sweeteners. He has also removed sugar from his diet – but says it is too early to make health recommendations based on his study.
Dr Katarina Kos, a diabetes expert from the University of Exeter, said that larger-scale human studies are ‘urgently required’.
She added: ‘Meanwhile, these findings support the widespread understanding that water is the healthiest drink option and that we should avoid sweet and sweetened drinks.
‘Water is the best drink to control our blood sugar.’
Others urged caution – and pointed out that most of the work was done on mice.
Catherine Collins, chief dietician at St George’s Hospital in London, said: ‘If you are a human trying to lose weight, you need to lose calories from your diet.
‘Low-calorie sweeteners help you reduce your calorie intake and it’s a good lifestyle move for those wanting to lose weight.’
Brian Ratcliffe, professor of nutrition at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, said that most of the experiments related to saccharin – which is rarely found in diet fizzy drinks.
He said: ‘There seems no reason to suggest that swopping to a diet version of your favourite fizzy drink is unwise.’
Gavin Partington, of the British Soft Drinks Association, said research contradicts ‘the overwhelming body of scientific evidence’.
He said: ‘More than 40 studies have concluded that the use of low-calorie sweeteners do not lead to either an increased risk of obesity or diabetes.
‘Decades of clinical research show that low-calorie sweeteners, such as those in diet drinks, have been found to aid weight control when part of an overall healthy diet and assist with diabetes management.’
The International Sweeteners Association, which represents manufacturers including the maker of Splenda, also strongly rejected the research.
Source: Daily Mail
