Artificial sweeteners may alter metabolism across generations, study finds

Key Points:

• New research from Chilean scientists suggests that artificial sweeteners like sucralose and stevia may cause metabolic changes that persist across multiple generations of mice, even when later generations do not consume the sweeteners.
• The study found alterations in gut bacteria, gene activity related to inflammation and metabolism, and reduced beneficial short-chain fatty acids, with sucralose showing stronger and longer-lasting effects than stevia.
• While the findings cannot be directly applied to humans, experts emphasize the need for caution and moderation in artificial sweetener consumption, particularly for pregnant individuals, due to potential multigenerational impacts.
• The International Sweeteners Association maintains that current safety evaluations support the use of these sweeteners within acceptable daily intake levels, but acknowledges that animal study results have limited relevance to human health.
• Researchers call for more studies to understand the long-term biological effects of artificial sweeteners, especially given the rising consumption and persistent rates of obesity and metabolic disorders.