Low-Calorie Sweeteners, For The Most Part, Heighten Fat Production, A New Study Says

A new study indicates that high consumption of low-calorie sweeteners could increase the fat formation, especially for people who are obese. These include artificial sweetener referred to as sucralose. 

The study was presented at ENDO 2017, which is the 99th annual meeting of the Endocrine Society held in Orlando, Fl. It was led by Dr. Sabyasachi Sen from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and other colleagues. The scientists examined the effects of sucralose on stem cells grown from fat tissue and on abdominal fat samples.

Professor Sen said that many health-conscious people would like to eat low-calorie sweeteners as an alternative to sugar. On the other hand, the scientific proofs show that these sweeteners stimulate metabolic dysfunction, as noted by New Atlas. The dysregulation of metabolism may heighten the fat production.

In the study, the scientists applied sucralose, which is up to 650 times sweeter than sugar, to stem cells grown from human fat tissue. The stem cells with artificial sweetener were subjected for 12 days to a dose of 0.2 millimolar. This dose is likened to the blood concentration of people who drink about four cans of diet soda each day, according to Medical News Today.

The team found that the stem cells had an increase in the expression of genes indicating fat production and inflammation. Furthermore, there was an increase in the accumulation of fat droplets in stem cells, particularly when subjected to a high level of sucralose with a dose of 4 millimolar.

The scientists also took biopsies of abdominal fat from eight individuals, in which four were obese and the other four with the healthy weight. All of them consumed low-calorie sweeteners, particularly the sucralose and aspartame.

The researchers discovered that those who consumed low-calorie sweeteners had an increase of transmission of glucose into cells and genes that heighten fat production. They also found that the effects of low-calorie sweeteners were strongly linked among those who were obese.

Professor Sen concluded that in their study, they believe that low-calorie sweeteners could increase fat formation by allowing more glucose to enter the cells. This elevates inflammation that could be more harmful in people who are obese.