Artificial Sweeteners: What They Don’t Tell You

Artificial sweeteners are common in many products, but what impact do they have on your health? At the Marc Bony Chiropractic Center, we explore the truth behind these additives and their effects on the body.

Artificial sweeteners: what they don’t tell you

The advertising you see on television and in other media about sweeteners is for commercial marketing purposes, not out of concern for consumer health. Look at what research says about the most common sweeteners:

Animal research has shown that all artificial sweeteners currently approved and considered safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the relevant authorities in Europe cause damage to DNA and interfere with the normal and healthy activity of gut bacteria.
The artificial sweeteners analyzed in the study presented here are aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, neotame, advantame, and potassium acesulfame, also known as acesulfame-K.
Saccharin caused the most severe and extensive damage, exhibiting both cytotoxic and genotoxic effects, meaning it is toxic to cells and damages the genetic information within them (which can cause mutations).
Aspartame and potassium acesulfame were found to cause DNA damage. Additionally, neotame was found to cause metabolic disorders and elevated concentrations of various fatty acids, as well as lipids and cholesterol.
Another recent study has shown that artificial sweeteners damage vascular function and cause cellular changes that may be significant during the onset and progression of diabetes and obesity.

The animal study,¹^,2,3,4,5 published in the journal Molecules, found that all artificial sweeteners currently approved and considered safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cause damage to DNA and interfere with the normal and healthy activity of gut bacteria.

Some of the artificial sweeteners included in this study and their results are:

The saccharin caused the most severe and extensive damage, exhibiting both cytotoxic and genotoxic effects, meaning it is toxic to cells and damages the genetic information within them (which can cause mutations).
The sucralose caused: Destruction of gut bacteria. Alteration of glucose, insulin, which could elevate the risk of diabetes. Lower number of red blood cells. Increased male infertility. At higher doses, it causes brain injuries. Calcified and larger kidneys. Risk of spontaneous abortions. Possible interactions with medications.
It was found that neotame caused a metabolic disturbance in mice and elevated concentrations of various fatty acids, as well as lipids and cholesterol. Additionally, various genes decreased due to this sweetener.
It was discovered that aspartame and potassium acesulfame – the latter is commonly found in sports supplements – cause DNA damage.

Artificial sweeteners are linked to weight gain and health problems

Research published over the last 3 decades has also convincingly shown that artificial sweeteners stimulate appetite, increase carbohydrate cravings, and produce various metabolic dysfunctions that promote fat storage and weight gain.

In 1986, a study¹⁷ that examined nearly 78,700 women over 1 year found that those who used artificial sweeteners were significantly more likely to gain weight compared to those who did not, regardless of their initial weight.

According to the researchers, the results “could not be explained by differences in dietary consumption patterns. The data do not support the hypothesis that long-term use of artificial sweeteners may help with weight loss or prevent weight gain.”

In 2010, an important scientific review ¹⁹ published in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine summarized the epidemiological and experimental evidence available on the effects of artificial sweeteners on weight and explained these effects in terms of the neurobiology related to the food reward system.

Considering what we now know about the gut microbiome and its influence on health and disease, it is becoming increasingly easy to glimpse how and why artificial sweeteners can wreak havoc on your health.

The vast majority of packaged products contain one or more of these sweeteners. Keep that in mind.

Substitutes for artificial sweeteners

Two of the best substitutes for sugar are from the plant kingdom: Stevia and Lo Han Guo (also spelled as Luo Han Kuo). Stevia, a very sweet herb derived from the South American stevia plant, is sold as a supplement. It is completely safe in its natural form and can be used to sweeten most foods and beverages.

A third alternative is the use of pure glucose. You can buy pure glucose (dextrose). Unlike fructose, glucose can be used directly by every cell in your body and is a much safer alternative.

Sources and references of the studies