Sugar is part of everyone's life, but due to the high risk of sugar-related disease, the rise of artificial sugar alternatives became a thing in every household.
Non-nutritive sweeteners or so-called artificial sweeteners and sugar replacements claim to give the same sweetness to every food without the risk of sugar calories. Contrary to the general assumption, these artificial sweetening powders are not inert. According to the controlled trial done by the Weizmann Institute of Science, they have an impact on the human body.
The research states that the sugar substitute has a diverse effect on glucose metabolism and the digestive microbiome.
The "sweeteners" can also influence trillions of microorganisms present in one's digestive system and controls the blood sugar levels by reducing the microbiomes of human consumers. Furthermore, the results vary in different individuals, because of different bodily aspects.
The Sugary Study on Alternative Sweeteners
Weizmann Institute's study in 2014 unleashed that certain artificial sweeteners can lead to changes in sugar metabolism that primarily, they are supposed to halt.
A team of research workers led by the Weizmann Department of Immunology, Professor Eran Elinav, screened 1,400 potential volunteers in the first trial; they chose 120 individuals who avoided foods and drinks with artificial sweeteners.
Six groups of participants were formed. The volunteers in four groups were given sachets containing one of the following non-nutritive sweeteners: sucralose, stevia, saccharin, or aspartame, each amount smaller than the recommended daily intake. The last two groups were controlled.
After two weeks of ingesting all the given sweeteners, the researchers found out that all sweeteners reduced the composition and function of the microbiome and small molecules that digestive microbes emit into human blood - each "sugar" in its own way.
They added that saccharin and sucralose alter glucose tolerance aggressively - the actual metabolism of glucose in the recipients. Such changes can lead to metabolic ailments. In contrast, there is no modification in the glucose tolerance or microbiome found in the remaining two control groups.
Professor Elinav said that the "findings reinforce the view of the microbiome as a hub." It sends signals from the human body systems and also from an individual's food intake, medications, environment and lifestyle as external factors.
To validate the changes in the microbiome, the researchers transplanted the digestive microbes from more than 40 participants into germ-free mice that never had any artificial sweeteners. The transplants collected were composed of "primary responders" (who showed a massive change in glucose level) and several "lower responders" (those with the smallest change in glucose level).
Amazingly, the mice recipients appeared to have the same glucose tolerance patterns as the human participants. Those mice who received microbiomes from the primary responders had noticeable changes in microbiomes, compared to the 'low responders' mice.
In a follow-up examination, they identified how the different "sugars" affect a large number of certain kinds of digestive microorganisms, their role and the tiny molecules they secrete into the human's bloodstream.
The Research Conclusion
Elinav said that based on their experience, it showed that the artificial sweeteners "may impair glucose responses by reducing microbiome," adding that "this variability was expected, due to the unique makeup of each person's microbiome."
He also mentioned that the health effect of the modification of artificial sweeteners on humans is yet to be told. He added that the research will continue.
He clarified that the result of their study didn't show that people should patronize sugar, because there are earlier studies about the harm sugar can do to human health, compared to artificial sweeteners.
The study was led by the principal investigator from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Dr. Gotham Suez and Yotam Cohen both graduate students at Elinav's, in partnership with professor Eran Segal from Weizmann.
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