Artificial
sweeteners have toxic effects on gut microbes
American Associates, Ben-Gurion
University of the Negev
FDA-approved artificial sweeteners
and sport supplements were found to be toxic to digestive gut microbes,
according to a new paper published in Molecules by researchers
at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) in Israel and Nanyang Technological
University in Singapore.
The collaborative study indicated
relative toxicity of six artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose,
saccharine, neotame, advantame, and acesulfame potassium-k) and 10 sport
supplements containing these artificial sweeteners.
The bacteria found in the digestive system became toxic when exposed to concentrations of only one mg./ml. of the artificial sweeteners.
The bacteria found in the digestive system became toxic when exposed to concentrations of only one mg./ml. of the artificial sweeteners.
"We modified bioluminescent E. coli bacteria, which luminesce when they detect toxicants and act as a sensing model representative of the complex microbial system," says Prof. Ariel Kushmaro, John A. Ungar Chair in Biotechnology in the Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering, and member of the Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology and the National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev.
"This is further evidence that consumption of artificial sweeteners adversely affects gut microbial activity which can cause a wide range of health issues."
Artificial sweeteners are used in
countless food products and soft drinks with reduced sugar content. Many people
consume this added ingredient without their knowledge.
Moreover, artificial sweeteners have been identified as emerging environmental pollutants, and can be found in drinking and surface water, and groundwater aquifers.
Moreover, artificial sweeteners have been identified as emerging environmental pollutants, and can be found in drinking and surface water, and groundwater aquifers.
"The results of this study
might help in understanding the relative toxicity of artificial sweeteners and
the potential of negative effects on the gut microbial community as well as the
environment.
Furthermore, the tested bioluminescent
bacterial panel can potentially be used for detecting artificial sweeteners in
the environment," says Prof. Kushmaro.
