In one study, the artificial sweetener saccharin disrupted gut bacteria balance in four out of seven healthy participants who were not used to consuming them. Artificial sweeteners may disrupt the balance of gut bacteria in some people, which could increase the risk of disease. However, more studies are needed to confirm this effect. Since the s, debate about whether there is a link between artificial sweeteners and cancer risk has raged.
It was ignited when animal studies found an increased risk of bladder cancer in mice fed extremely high amounts of saccharin and cyclamate Since then, more than 30 human studies have found no link between artificial sweeteners and the risk of developing cancer 1 , 55 , 56 , One such study followed 9, participants for 13 years and analyzed their artificial sweetener intake. After accounting for other factors, the researchers found no link between artificial sweeteners and the risk of developing various types of cancer Furthermore, a recent review of studies published over an year period did not find a link between cancer risk and artificial sweetener consumption This topic was also evaluated by U.
Both agreed that artificial sweeteners, when consumed in recommended amounts, do not increase cancer risk 1 , One exception is cyclamate, which was banned for use in the United States after the original mouse-bladder-cancer study was published in Since then, extensive studies in animals have failed to show a cancer link.
However, cyclamate was never re-approved for use in the United States 1. Based on the current evidence, artificial sweeteners are unlikely to increase the risk of cancer in humans.
Dental cavities — also known as caries or tooth decay — occur when the bacteria in your mouth ferment sugar. Acid is produced, which can damage tooth enamel. Unlike sugars, artificial sweeteners do not react with the bacteria in your mouth. This means they do not form acids or cause tooth decay For this reason, the Food and Drug Administration FDA allows products containing sucralose to claim that they reduce tooth decay 60 , The European Food Safety Authority EFSA states that all artificial sweeteners, when consumed in place of sugar, neutralize acid and help prevent tooth decay Some artificial sweeteners may cause unpleasant symptoms, such as headaches, depression, and seizures in some individuals.
While most studies find no link between aspartame and headaches , with two noting that some people are more sensitive than others 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , For instance, people with mood disorders may be more likely to experience depressive symptoms in response to aspartame consumption However, one study reported increased brain activity in children with absence seizures 68 , 69 , Artificial sweeteners are unlikely to cause headaches, depression, or seizures.
However, some individuals could be more sensitive to these effects than others. Artificial sweeteners are generally considered safe for human consumption 1. They are carefully tested and regulated by U. For example, individuals with the rare metabolic disorder phenylketonuria PKU cannot metabolize the amino acid phenylalanine, which is found in aspartame. Other names for LCS are non-nutritive sweeteners, artificial sweeteners, sugar substitutes, and high-intensity sweeteners.
LCS are found in many beverages and foods like frozen desserts, yogurt, candies, baked goods, chewing gum, breakfast cereals, gelatins, and puddings. Because LCS are many times sweeter than table sugar, they can be used in smaller amounts to achieve the same level of sweetness as sugar.
People may use LCS in place of sugar to consume fewer calories or less sugar or to better control their blood glucose if they have diabetes or prediabetes. There are six LCS approved as food additives by the U. They are all sweeter than table sugar sucrose but contain few or no calories.
They include:. Calculations are based on a pound individual. Sugar alcohols, or polyols, are not classified as LCS but have slightly less calories than table sugar. They do not promote tooth decay or cause sharp rises in blood glucose. Examples are sorbitol, xylitol, lactitol, mannitol, erythritol, and maltitol. They are found in sugar-free candies, cookies, ice cream, beverages, and chewing gums. They are also used in toothpastes and medicines like cough syrups.
In some people, eating high quantities of certain sugar alcohols can cause loose stools or diarrhea. They are absorbed slowly and may cause extra water to be drawn into the intestines. Erythritol is an exception because it is well-tolerated in most people even when eaten in larger amounts. The health effects of LCS are inconclusive, with research showing mixed findings. Research is also looking at potential differences in effects from the various types of LCS.
The following reviews research specific to LCS beverages. Long-term observational studies show that regular consumption of LCS beverages reduces calorie intake and promotes less weight gain or weight maintenance, but other research shows no effect, and some studies even show weight gain.
When we eat sugar, it moves from the digestive system into the bloodstream, increasing our blood sugar levels. The pancreas has the job of secreting hormones such as insulin into the blood to regulate our blood sugar levels. The pancreas is like a factory that turns sugars into something our bodies can use, and the factory slows down when the sugar or sweetener does not give us much energy.
Artificial sweeteners do not increase blood sugar levels or insulin production, like real sugars do. This causes the pancreas to respond differently to the artificial sugars, because they give the pancreas nearly nothing to respond to. The consumption of artificial sweeteners can therefore lead to abnormal pancreas functioning and insulin levels, in addition to changes in other functions that affect our metabolism, which may put us at risk for related illnesses such as type 2 diabetes.
We all have microorganisms in our digestive systems that help break down the food we eat. Together, they are called the gut microbiota. The gut microbiota react differently to artificial sweeteners than to real sugar. These organisms become less able to break down real sugars the more that they are exposed to artificial sweeteners. A study conducted on mice showed that consumption of an artificial sweetener led to changes in the gut microbiota that decreased the ability of the mice to digest sugars [ 5 ].
Not being able to break down sugars is a bad thing, because this change in the microbiota can change the amount of nutrients are bodies are able to take out of the food we eat.
This means that we might not get the vitamins and minerals that we need, even when we do eat the right foods. That means that the more sweet things that you eat, the more you will have to eat in the future in order for your brain to know that something is sweet and contains the calories necessary for energy [ 4 , 1 , 3 ]. Craving calories and sugar because the brain has become tolerant to sweetness is a dangerous combination that can lead to over-eating, which can then lead to unwanted weight gain.
An important study was done with rats, showing that artificial sweeteners led the rats to eat more food. Adult rats were trained to associate one flavor with a low-calorie food that is, one sweetened with an artificial sweetener called saccharin , and one flavor with a high-calorie food. These rats ate more food after being given a pre-feed with the same flavor as the low-calorie food see Figure 2 [ 3 ].
This indicates a need for calories that the rats learned to make up for by consuming larger quantities of food. In a different study, rats fed yogurt sweetened with aspartame or saccharin artificial sugars gained more weight than rats fed yogurt with sucrose real sugar , even though the number of calories the mice ate was nearly the same for both groups [ 3 ].
EFSA has approved the health claims made about xylitol, sorbitol and sucralose , among others, in relation to oral health and controlling blood sugar levels. Dietitian Emma Carder states: "Research into sweeteners shows they're perfectly safe to eat or drink on a daily basis as part of a healthy diet. She also says they're a really useful alternative for people with diabetes who need to watch their blood sugar levels while still enjoying their favourite foods.
It's been suggested that the use of artificial sweeteners may have a stimulating effect on appetite and, therefore, may play a role in weight gain and obesity. But research into sweeteners and appetite stimulation is inconsistent.
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