In a new study, researchers find FDA-approved artificial sweeteners and sport supplements are toxic to digestive gut microbes.
The study is done by researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) in Israel and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.
It shows the toxicity of six artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose, saccharine, neotame, advantame, and acesulfame potassium-k) and 10 sport supplements containing these artificial sweeteners.
The team found that the bacteria in the digestive system became toxic when exposed to concentrations of only 1 mg./ml. of the artificial sweeteners.
This is further evidence that the consumption of artificial sweeteners harms gut microbial activity and may 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 shown as emerging environmental pollutants and can be found in drinking and surface water, and groundwater aquifers.
The team suggests that 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, it can potentially be used for detecting artificial sweeteners in the environment.
The new paper is published in Molecules.
Copyright © 2018 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
Source: Molecules.
