Non-nutritive sweeteners in the human diet are thought to be inert. A recent study in mice found an impact on the gut microbiota.
In diets, usually, sugar is eliminated, then choosing the use of sweeteners . One way to keep fit or encourage weight loss. Here are the substances that sweeten a coffee, in the end then have effects on our body. Sweeteners used in diets are thought to be harmless, but a recent study done in mice shows that they affect gut microbiota and blood sugar.
The trillions of microbes that inhabit our gut are altered by the sweeteners we use. In fact, a person’s blood sugar levels change . However, the effects of sweeteners vary from person to person. It had already been reported that some non-nutritive sweeteners in mice could change the metabolism of sugar, rather than prevent it.
A new study recently looked at nearly 1,400 potential participants. Of these, 120 were selected who did not consume artificially sweetened foods or drinks. The participants were divided into six groups. Then four of the groups were given sachets of common non-nutritive sweeteners. These had lower amounts than the daily intake. The products that were chosen were the most common ones such as saccharin, sucralose, aspartame or stevia.
The result was the discovery that two weeks of consuming all four sweeteners altered the gut microbiota. Each type of sweetener has altered and modified it in its own way. Furthermore, saccharin and sucralose significantly altered the proper metabolism of glucose. This can lead to metabolic disease. No changes were reported in the two remaining groups.
These findings reinforce the view of the microbiome as a hub that integrates signals from human body systems and external factors such as the food we eat, the medications we take, our lifestyle and physical environment. Our study has shown that non-nutritive sweeteners can impair glucose responses by altering our microbiome, and they do so in a highly personalized way – that is, by affecting each person in a unique way. Indeed, this variability was predictable, due to the unique composition of each person’s microbiome.
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Eran Elinav, professor in the Weizmann Department of Systems Immunology
- Sweeteners can alter the gut microbiota, according to a new study (ohga.it)
