A sugar substitute will not lead to the development of diabetes in healthy adults

For those trying to live a healthy lifestyle, the choice between sugar and artificial sweeteners such as saccharin can be difficult. A new study led by researchers at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Ohio State University College of Medicine found that sugar substitute saccharin does not lead to the development of diabetes in healthy adults as previous studies have suggested .

The findings of the study are published in the journal Microbiome.

Not that the findings of previous studies are wrong, they did not have enough control over things like basic health conditions, diet choices and lifestyle habits. By studying the artificial sweetener saccharin in healthy adults, we have found its effects and found no change in gut microbes or their metabolic profiles, as previously suggested. “

George Kyriazis, Associate Professor of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, Ohio State Lead Author and Study

Kyriazis collaborated with researchers at Ohio State College of Food, Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, Ohio State College of Arts and Sciences, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in California and the Translational Research Institute for Metabolism and Diabetes at Advent-Health in Florida.

Non-caloric artificial sweeteners are often used in place of dietary sugar, and saccharin is one of six artificial sweeteners approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

The use of artificial sweeteners has skyrocketed in the past decade due to a growing awareness of the negative health consequences associated with eating too much sugar, study authors noted.

“Previous studies elsewhere have suggested that eating artificial sweeteners is associated with metabolic syndrome, weight gain, obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. These findings have raised concerns that consumption may continue. to poor public health outcomes, and lack of well-being Intervention studies have brought the controversy under control, “said first study author Joan Serrano, a researcher in the Ohio State department of biological chemistry and physiology.

A total of 46 healthy adults aged 18–45 with body mass indexes of 25 or less completed the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Participants took capsules that contained the highest appropriate daily dose of saccharin, or lactisole (a sweet flavor receptor inhibitor, or saccharin with lactisole or placebo daily for two weeks.The appropriate daily dose of saccharin is 400 milligrams per day, that is far more than the average consumer would eat.

The study excluded people with medical or chronic illnesses or taking medications that could affect metabolic activity, such as diabetes, bariatric surgery, inflammatory bowel disease or a history of malabsorption and pregnancy or nursing.

Researchers also tested for 10 weeks the effect of even higher doses of saccharin in mice that do not have sweet taste receptors with the same results: the artificial sweeteners did not affect glucose tolerance, or caused significant changes gut microbiota or obvious adverse health effects.

“Sugar, on the other hand, is well documented to contribute to obesity, heart disease and diabetes,” Kyriazis said. “So when we get the choice, artificial sweeteners like saccharin are the clear winner based on all the scientific information we currently have.”

A future study will examine each FDA-approved sweetener on its own to examine for any differences in how they are metabolized. Researchers will study these products over a longer period of time to make sure they are safe for everyday use.