Artificial sweeteners and diet sodas (which contain artificial sweeteners) may seem like the lesser of two evils for diabetics monitoring their sugar levels, but a new study shows that those pastel pink, yellow and blue packets may actually lead to type 2 diabetes.
An Israeli study published in the journal Nature found that artificial sweeteners altered bacteria in the intestines, leading to glucose intolerance and raised blood sugar.
Researchers studied noncaloric aspartame, saccharin and sucralose first on mice. The mice treated with the sugar substitutes experienced higher blood sugar levels compared to the mice that received water or water with regular sugar.
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A similar study conducted with approximately 400 humans found that those who were long-term users of artificial sweeteners were more likely to impaired glucose processing and higher fasting blood sugar levels than those who didn’t typically use artificial sweeteners.
Like many of us, the team behind the study found the results eye opening. “We were surprised, given the massive consumption and use of artificial sweeteners and their general regard as being safe,” said the study’s co-author Eran Segal, a professor of computer science and applied mathematics at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel.
READ: Artificial Sweeteners: Good Or Bad For Your Weight?
More research must be conducted and the research team cautions that diabetics should not make sweeping changes to their diet based on this preliminary information. “We must stress that by no means are we saying sugary drinks are healthy and should be brought back as a healthy part of our nutrition,” said lead author Dr. Eran Elinav of the Weizmann Institute’s Immunology Department.
Instead of going back to regular soft drinks, the better alternative is water.
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