“Despite the addition of these non-caloric artificial sweeteners to our everyday diets, there has still been a drastic rise in obesity and diabetes,” said lead researcher Dr. Brian Hoffmann, an assistant professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin and Marquette University. The new study, referred to as “the largest examination to date that tracks biochemical changes in the body,” used a method called unbiased high-throughput metabolomics. Aspartame is sold under brand names such as Equal® and NutraSweet®, acesulfame potassium is sold as Sunett® and Sweet One®. Both are among the six artificial sweeteners approved by the FDA and can typically be found in soda, ice creams, candies, chewing gum, dental hygiene products, dairy products, breakfast cereals, and other processed foods.
Aspartam (E-951) inside
During study, it was observed the sweeteners changed the way the body processed fat and received energy while acesulfame potassium appeared to accumulate in the blood, with high concentrations having a negative effect on the cells. The researchers stated that it is difficult to answer whether artificial sweeteners may be worse than sugar. Sweeteners simply trick the body but fail to provide the energy it requires. In the mice, researchers found that the body burned away muscles in order to gain that required energy. Sweeteners could actually contribute to health problems like type 2 diabetes. “Most of these sweeteners were approved well before we had the technology to perform studies like my lab is doing. So they weren’t able to look as in-depth at some of the potential effects being caused,” Dr. Hoffmann said.
