Artificial sweeteners are associated with long -term weight gain and increased risk of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, according to a new study published in Canadian Medical Association Journal.
The consumption of artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, succral and stevia, is generalized and growing, but emerging data indicate that artificial or non -nutritious sweeteners can have negative effects on metabolism, intestinal bacteria and appetite, although evidenceIt is conflictive.
To better understand if the consumption of artificial sweeteners is linked to long -term negative effects on weight and heart disease, researchers from the center of George & AMP;Fay Yee for health innovation of the University of Manitoba, in Canada, conducted a systematic review of 37 studies that followed more than 400,000 people for an average of 10 years.
Only seven of these studies were random controlled trials (the gold standard in clinical research), with the participation of 1,003 people in average for an average of six months.The essays did not show a consistent effect of artificial sweeteners on weight loss and longer observational studies showed a link between the consumption of artificial sweeteners and relatively greater risks of weight gain and obesity, arterial hypertension, diabetes, heart disease andOther health problems.
without scientific data
"Despite the fact that millions of people consume artificial sweeteners routinely, relatively few patients have been included in the clinical trials of these products," says Ryan Zarychanski, assistant professor at the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba."We find that clinical trial data does not clearly support the planned benefits of artificial sweeteners for weight control," he emphasizes.
"Caution is justified until the effects of long -term artificial sweeteners in health are fully characterized," says the main author, Meghan Azad, assistant professor at the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba.His team at the Manitoba Children's Hospital Research Institute is conducting a new study to understand how the consumption of artificial sweeteners by pregnant women can influence weight gain, metabolism and intestinal bacteria in their babies.
"Given the generalized and growing use of artificial sweeteners and the current epidemic of obesity and related diseases, more research is needed to determine the long -term risks and the benefits of these products," says Azad.
