A study from Frontiers in Nutrition, cited by News-Medical, shows that two common sweeteners may affect the body in several ways.
Researchers examined sucralose and stevia in an experiment involving mice.
Among other things, they measured how the body processes sugar.
Some of the mice’s offspring had greater difficulty regulating blood sugar, which may be an early sign of metabolic problems.
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Changes were also found in gut bacteria. At the same time, there were lower levels of substances that normally help the body function optimally.
Different effects
The results showed that the two sweeteners affect the body differently. Sucralose caused more pronounced and longer-lasting changes than stevia.
In mice given sucralose, researchers observed changes in genes related to inflammation and metabolism. These changes were also seen in their offspring.
Stevia had a milder effect, and the impact was not passed on to the next generation to the same extent.
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Effects over time
Only the first generation of mice was given the sweeteners, yet the effects were still observed in their offspring. This suggests that the impact may be transmitted.
However, the researchers emphasize that the results cannot be directly applied to humans. The study shows associations, not definitive causation.
Common sweeteners may affect the body and potentially have implications across generations, although the consequences are not yet fully understood.
Sources: News-Medical and Frontiers in Nutrition.
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