Low calorie sweeteners linked to diabetes in new study

A recent study has highlighted potential adverse health effects.

Researchers from the University of South Australia have found that artificial sweeteners taken to lose weight may be contributing to type 2 diabetes.mmA recently published review reveals that people who use low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) are more likely to gain weight, the exact opposite of what consumers expect.T

study has been published in Current Atherosclerosis Reports.

This is despite controlled clinical trials showing that artificial sweeteners do lead to weight loss.

Prof Clifton says a US study of 5158 adults over a seven-year period found that those who consumed large quantities of artificial sweeteners gained more weight than non-users.

"Consumers of artificial sweeteners do not reduce their overall intake of sugar. They use both sugar and low-calorie sweeteners and may psychologically feel they can indulge in their favourite foods.

"Artificial sweeteners also change the gut bacteria which may lead to weight gain and risk of type 2 diabetes," he says.

Artificially sweetened beverages (ASB) are also linked with increased risks of death and cardiovascular disease, and strokes and dementia among older people, but it is not clear why.

Prof Clifton cites 13 studies which investigated the effects of ASB intake on the risk of type 2 diabetes, all of which found either no link or a positive one. One study found that substituting ASB for sugar-sweetened beverages or fruit juices was associated with a 5-7 per cent lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

"A better option than low-calorie sweeteners is to stick to a healthy diet, which includes plenty of whole grains, dairy, seafood, legumes, vegetables and fruits and plain water," Prof Clifton says.

For further reference log on to: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11883-019-0814-6.pdf