Popular Artificial Sweetener May Increase Insulin Levels, Research Shows

By: George Citroner

A new study suggests that a widely used sugar substitute, found in diet drinks, chewing gum, and low-sugar yogurt, may elevate insulin levels, potentially increasing long-term risk of heart problems.

“Artificial sweeteners have penetrated almost all kinds of food, so we have to know the long-term health impact,” stated senior author Yihai Cao, who studies chronic diseases related to blood vessel disorders at Karolinska Institute in Sweden.

Aspartame ‘Tricks’ the Body

The study, recently published in the Cell Press journal Cell Metabolism, found that aspartame triggers increased insulin levels in mice, which in turn contributes to atherosclerosis, the buildup of fatty plaque in the arteries. This buildup can lead to higher levels of inflammation, a known contributing factor that increases the risk of heart attacks and stroke over time.

The research was inspired by a can of diet soda, according to Cao.

Mice were fed food containing 0.15 percent aspartame every day for 12 weeks, an amount that corresponds to people drinking about three cans of diet soda each day. Compared to mice without a sweetener-infused diet, aspartame-fed mice developed larger and more fatty plaques in their arteries and exhibited higher levels of inflammation.

Researchers found a surge in insulin levels after aspartame entered the mice’s system.

Aspartame, 200 times sweeter than sugar, “tricks” the body into releasing insulin by activating the sweet taste receptors in the mouth and gut, signaling to the pancreas to prepare for incoming sugar even though no actual calories or glucose are present, leading to a small insulin spike despite the lack of blood sugar increase. Essentially, the body reacts to the sweetness as if it were real sugar, even though it isn’t.

High insulin levels in the mice led to fatty plaque buildup in their arteries, suggesting that insulin may be the connection between aspartame and heart problems, the researchers said.

The study identified an immune signal called CX3CL1 that is activated when insulin gets released and is associated with inflammation in blood vessels.

“Because blood flow through the artery is strong and robust, most chemicals would be quickly washed away as the heart pumps,” Cao said. “Surprisingly, not CX3CL1. It stays glued to the surface of the inner lining of blood vessels. There, it acts like a bait, catching immune cells as they pass by.” These trapped immune cells can contribute to inflammation and the development or worsening of plaque.

When researchers eliminated CX3CL1 receptors from one of the immune cells in aspartame-fed mice, the harmful plaque buildup didn’t occur. According to Cao, these results point to CX3CL1’s role in aspartame’s effects on the arteries. This also suggests that targeting the CX3CL1 interaction could be a potential treatment for heart disease, according to the study.

“One of my students was sipping on this sugar-free drink, and I said, ‘Why don’t you look into that?’” Cao said.

According to Chris Mohr, dietitian and exercise physiologist, artificial sweeteners are generally considered safe based on long-term data. While some studies raise concerns, including this new one, they haven’t been strong enough to change that view, he added. However, he points out that artificial sweeteners may still affect gut bacteria, appetite, and insulin response due to the body reacting to sweetness even without real sugar, potentially influencing metabolism in unknown ways.

          (TheEpochTimes.com)