This idea is plausible, considering that your flavor preferences can be trained with repeated exposure For example, reducing salt or fat for several weeks has been shown to lead to a preference for lower levels of these nutrients 14 , While this is not proven specifically in regards to artificial sweeteners, the hypothesis seems plausible. The more sweet foods you eat, the more you may want them.
The strong sweetness of artificial sweeteners may cause you to become dependent on sweet flavor. This could increase your desire for sweet foods in general. Several observational studies on artificial sweeteners found that artificially sweetened drinks are linked to weight gain rather than weight loss However, a recent review of nine observational studies noted that artificial sweeteners were associated with a slightly higher BMI — but not with increased body weight or fat mass Nonetheless, the effects of artificial sweeteners on body weight have also been studied in numerous controlled trials, which provide stronger evidence.
Many clinical studies have concluded that artificial sweeteners are favorable for weight control 18 , 19 , 20 , In one large, month study in children aged 4—11, those drinking 8. Another review of 15 clinical trials found that replacing sugary drinks with artificially sweetened versions can result in modest weight loss of about 1.
Two other reviews led to similar findings 22 , Some observational studies link artificial sweeteners to weight gain, but evidence is mixed.
Some observational studies link artificial sweeteners to an increased risk of metabolic conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and metabolic syndrome. Though observational studies cannot prove cause and effect, the results are sometimes quite staggering. This is supported by one study on the effects of artificial sweeteners on both mice and humans.
It associated the sweeteners with glucose intolerance and a disruption in gut bacteria Whether artificial sweeteners cause problems by disrupting your gut bacteria needs to be studied further, but it appears that there may be some cause for concern. Artificial sweeteners have been tied to an increased risk of metabolic problems. However, more studies are needed before any strong conclusions can be reached.
Consuming artificial sweeteners does not appear to cause weight gain — at least not in the short term. In fact, replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners may be helpful in reducing body weight — though only slightly at best. However, if you experience cravings, poor blood sugar control , or other health problems, avoiding artificial sweeteners may be one of many things to consider. Reasons why this may happen are not entirely clear, but a team of researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital decided to investigate why aspartame does not promote weight loss.
Their research — published in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism. The researchers were led by Dr. One of the breakdown products of aspartame is phenylalanine, an inhibitor of a gut enzyme called intestinal alkaline phosphatase IAP that has been shown to prevent metabolic syndrome in mice.
Metabolic syndrome is a generic name given to a group symptoms associated with type 2 diabetes , cardiovascular disease, and obesity. Hodin and team had conducted previous research where they fed IAP to mice that were on a high-fat diet. They found that IAP can prevent the onset of metabolic syndrome, as well as reduce the symptoms in animals that already had the condition. Based on this known relationship between IAP, phenylalanine, and aspartame, researchers hypothesized that consuming aspartame may promote metabolic syndrome because of its inhibition of IAP.
For the study , researchers added aspartame to diet and regular soda, before measuring IAP activity in mice. The scientists used four groups of mice. Two groups were put on a normal diet, with one group receiving drinking water with aspartame and the other just plain water. The other two groups were put on a high-fat diet, with one group getting plain water and the other getting water with aspartame. The group that was on a high-fat diet received aspartame in doses the equivalent to almost two cans of diet soda.
Hodin and team found that IAP activity was reduced when it was added to a drink containing aspartame, but IAP levels remained the same when IAP was added to a drink containing sugar. They found this reduced IAP levels. Researchers also injected saline solution in bowel segments, but IAP activity remained the same.
At the end of the week period, there was no significant difference between the weights of the two groups that were fed a regular diet. The changes they saw in the rat bodies also appeared to set them up for developing chronic weight and sugar-processing problems, namely, diabetes and obesity.
Those same mechanisms could be at work when humans drink fake sugar, though more research is needed to know for sure. Brian Hoffmann, a biomedical engineer who studies high-sugar and high-sweetener diets at the joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Medical College of Wisconsin and Marquette University, first presented his rat research at the Experimental Biology conference.
But the International Sweeteners Association was quick to point out that his study didn't examine people. The research to date on artificial sweeteners like aspartame has been conflicting and confusing. Some studies have suggested that zero-calorie sweeteners can help people lose weight , but even that research points out that reduced calorie beverages won't dampen your appetite. French scientists discovered a link between artificially sweetened beverages and higher rates of type 2 diabetes in , but they were not positive the artificial sweeteners were actually causing the diabetes.
Potential problems with artificial sweeteners don't stop at the digestive tract. One small study of a dozen women at the University of California San Diego found that while artificial sweeteners taste sweet, they don't satisfy our brains in the same way as sugar. Researchers who asked people to sip sugar water or sucralose Splenda-sweetened water noticed that only those who swallowed sugar activated the region of the brain associated with food rewards.
That suggests zero calorie drinks may not satisfy the mind's craving for something sweet. Other studies in fruit flies have suggested that when we eat or drink artificial sweeteners, we are likely tricking our bodies into thinking we're starving. This could potentially make people eat more, too that said, humans aren't fruit flies, so more evidence is needed. While research on artificial sweeteners is still evolving, evidence about regular sugary beverages is more definitely damning.
Sugary drinks are associated with a whole host of deadly health problems , and many nutrition experts still suggest that if you're drinking regular soda or sugary teas, switching to diet beverages can be a good strategy, at least temporarily, to curb sugar consumption. This story was originally published on May 2, It has been updated with the latest research. For you. World globe An icon of the world globe, indicating different international options.
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