Daily consumption of artificial sweeteners in dietary supplements
Artificial sweeteners are used instead of sucrose (sugar) to sweeten foods and beverages. They are ubiquitous in the dietary supplement industry. These sweeteners are many times sweeter than sugar, yet have few or no calories. They are also perfectly suited to masking ingredients such as sulfur-containing amino acids. Therefore, it's not surprising why artificial sweeteners are found in virtually every dietary supplement.
Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame K, and saccharin have been controversial for years due to their potentially harmful side effects. All of these sweeteners are generally considered "safe." However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been closely monitoring these substances and their side effects for some time .
The side effects of artificial sweeteners range from headaches and migraines to thymus contractions, liver and kidney failure, and mood swings. Furthermore, a study on the effects of artificial sweeteners on atherosclerosis found that daily consumption of beverages containing artificial sweeteners was associated with a 35 percent higher risk of metabolic syndrome and a 67 percent higher risk of type 2 diabetes . Atherosclerosis occurs when plaque builds up on the walls of the arteries . This can lead to stroke, heart attack , and ultimately death.
Swithers, S.E. (2013, September). Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism: TEM
This is precisely where we at Duma Nutrition see the problem, as nutritional supplements are an integral part of athletes' diets. We believe that they should be free of artificial sweeteners, thus ensuring safe daily use.
Glucose intolerance due to artificial sweeteners
Israeli researchers have now discovered in the first large-scale human study that glucose tolerance, i.e. the body's ability to regulate blood sugar levels , decreases after consuming the sugar substitutes saccharin and sucralose .
Although the amounts of sweeteners consumed were significantly below the recommended maximum daily intake , the research team observed changes in the microbiome. Saccharin passes very slowly from the intestine into the blood, while sucralose is excreted almost unchanged, thus both substances are in particularly intensive contact with the microbiome. Participants who were given saccharin and sucralose were ultimately able to Sugar worse digest, and showed significantly elevated blood sugar curves in a glucose tolerance test . Impaired glucose tolerance is a risk factor for obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Intestinal flora
Saccharin, sucralose and aspartame affect intestinal bacteria
A 2021 study showed in a laboratory test that saccharin, sucralose, and aspartame can have a negative effect on intestinal bacteria . Once the bacteria Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis absorbed the sweeteners in the intestine , they changed and were then able to penetrate the intestinal wall. Bacteria can cause significant damage when they leave the intestine. For example, if E. faecalis penetrates the intestinal wall and enters the bloodstream, it accumulates in the lymph nodes, liver, and spleen and can cause various infections. In a model experiment, even small amounts of the tested sweeteners were sufficient to alter the concentration of intestinal bacteria . According to the researchers, at physiological concentrations of up to 100 micrograms, they can alter the intestinal flora and increase the likelihood of infections — a level that can easily be achieved through daily diet .
