Artificial Sweeteners Won't Save You From Sugar's Downsides

NEW YORK, NY — A growing number of people are switching from regular soda to diet drinks flavored with Splenda, stevia or aspartame, hoping the change will shrink their waistlines and curb the health costs of consuming real sugar. Intuitively, though, many realize that the promise of artificial sweeteners as a healthy alternative is too good to be true — and the bulk of scientific research on fake sugars offers little solace.

A new paper published Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that studies of artificial sweeteners show no benefits from making the switch, and the sugar alternatives may cause problems on their own.

A total of seven studies the researchers examined were randomized controlled trials, the most rigorous method, and showed no consistent effects of abandoning sugar for the fake stuff. (For more national stories, subscribe to the Across America Patch and receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

"Despite the fact that millions of individuals routinely consume artificial sweeteners, relatively few patients have been included in clinical trials of these products," said Ryan Zarychanski, assistant professor of health science at University of Manitoba and co-author of the study.

An additional 30 longitudinal studies tracked consumers of artificial sweeteners for an average of 10 years, and these studies found that fake sugars were tied to a higher risk of weight gain, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and other issues.

This doesn't necessarily mean that artificial sweeteners themselves are causing these health conditions, because many other factors could be at play. However, it does suggest that embracing artificial sweeteners is not likely to protect you from the downsides of sugar.

The University of Manitoba researchers who worked on the study noted that they'd like to see more evidence on the effects of artificial sweeteners.

"Caution is warranted until the long-term health effects of artificial sweeteners are fully characterized," said leader author of the study Meghan Azad, also an assistant professor. "Given the widespread and increasing use of artificial sweeteners, and the current epidemic of obesity and related diseases, more research is needed to determine the long-term risks and benefits of these products."

Azad is currently working at the Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba on a new study of artificial sweeteners and their effects on children and pregnant women.

Read the full study here>>

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