July 19, 2023- Sweet lovers who do not want or cannot take sugar often turn to artificial sweeteners to sweeten their food or drinks, but a couple of months ago the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that this is not It is useful if your goal is to avoid gaining weight because non-sugar sweeteners, such as saccharin or stevia, do not help with weight control as previously thought.
Now, a review of the main scientific evidence on artificial sweeteners has shown that these products not only do not provide health benefits in this context, but also have “negative effects on the cardiometabolic system.” The review has been coordinated by Dr. Francisco Gómez Delgado and Dr. Pablo Pérez Martínez, members of the Spanish Arteriosclerosis Society (SEA) and the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (SEMI), who have published their conclusions in Current Opinion in Cardiology under the title ‘Artificial sweeteners and cardiovascular risk’.
The study includes the most recent evidence on the subject and it analyzes how the consumption of artificial sweeteners affects the development of obesity and the appearance of cardiometabolic risk factors such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, and even suffering from cardiovascular events.
Negative impact of artificial sweeteners on metabolism
Artificial sweeteners were considered a good alternative to reduce caloric intake in people who are overweight or obese, but the study has concluded that their consumption favors “a weight gain derived from different mechanisms at the neuroendocrine level related to satiety and that are activated abnormally after being consumed”.
“The consumption of artificial sweeteners negatively interferes with our metabolism, especially glucose metabolism, increasing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus”
For this reason, the researchers exclude “the benefit that these sweeteners may have on weight control” and emphasize that “they cannot be an alternative to other healthier nutritional measures such as the consumption of products of vegetable origin, the reduction of food consumption processed and carrying out regular physical activity”.
As the document reveals, the intake of these substances causes significant disruptions in the endocrine system that interfere with metabolism and prevent its proper functioning. Specifically, it points out that the consumption of artificial sweeteners increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus by between 18% and 24%, and up to 44% that of developing metabolic syndrome. It also causes alterations in the regulation of the mechanisms of the feeling of satiety, alterations in the intestinal microbiota and an increase in insulin secretion. This set of factors constitutes a perfect scenario for the development of diabetes.
“There is sufficient evidence that allows us to establish that the consumption of artificial sweeteners negatively interferes with our metabolism, especially glucose metabolism, increasing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus”, stated Dr. Francisco Gómez Delgado. , main author of this work.
“We need more solid evidence to take a clear position on the consumption of this type of sweetener and its detrimental effect on health. Meanwhile, the ideal would be to limit your consumption or even avoid adding artificial sweeteners to coffee or infusions”, concludes Dr. Pérez Martínez. These specialists highlight the importance of regulating its presence in our diet and the need to adapt current legislation to minimize its impact on our health.
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