Cancer Blog

Artificial Sweeteners: A bitter truth?

[Adapted from http://www.cityslim.com]

Q. Dear CitySlim,

I heard artificial sweeteners are worse for health than cigarettes. I also read somewhere that you actually eat more when you use artificial sweetener because your body does not recognize it as sugar and can not send the right signal to your brain that you are full. So what are the cancer issues associated with artificial sweeteners? ~ DZ, New York, NY

A. Dear DZ,

Thank you for sending a as well documented, insightful questions. I will address each of your concerns in the order they were asked.

Firstly, Artificial sweeteners are not worse for you than cigarettes. (Cigarettes, when lit, emit more than 4,000 chemical compounds, many of which are toxic and / or carcinogenic. Forty-three known carcinogens are cigarette smoke, integrate and second hand, such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and hydrogen cyanide, to name a few. [i]) In comparison, artificial sweeteners have not been proven to be carcinogenic to humans. In fact, the use of artificial sweeteners has contributed to prevent tooth decay by replacing sugar in foods such as gum. They have also helped many diabetics to enjoy the foods that would normally have required the addition of sugar, which for them is a prohibited item.

Before continuing, let me pause here only to define what, exactly, Artificial sweeteners are. Artificial sweeteners, also called sugar substitutes, are "substances used in place of sucrose (table sugar) to sweeten foods and beverages. "[Ii] Artificial sweeteners are many times sweeter than sugar (Splenda ® or sucralose is 600 times sweeter!) The amounts and smaller are required to create the same level of sweetness. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates sweeteners artificial.

In answer to your second concern, there was speculation that people may be consuming more food than the use Artificial sweeteners versus sugar. A study published in February 2008 from Purdue University laboratory rats fed two types of yogurt: a group with regularly sweetened yogurt, sweetened with the other zero calorie sweetener, saccharin. Interestingly, rats who ate saccharin gained more weight and consumed more total calories than rats fed regular food. [Iii] However, no evidence exists to indicate that it the case in humans, whose digestive systems are much more complicated. Instead, "many human studies suggest sweeteners low calories diet sodas and other foods are beneficial for weight loss, "says dietitian Beth Hubrich Control Council calories, a spokesman for the industry with low calorie sweetener [iv]. "One of the most recent studies suggested that the use sucralose – the sugar substitute Splenda ® sold as – and increased physical activity, helped children lose weight, "she said." Whatever Regardless, make sure you watch your portions and make sure not to overeat, especially when using artificial sweeteners.

Finally, I will address the presumed link between artificial sweeteners and cancer. Concerns about artificial sweeteners and cancer began when studies during the 1970s linked saccharin, the key ingredient in "Sweet 'N Low" with the development of bladder cancer in rats laboratory. Twenty years before, in 1958, wife of Congress Delaney died of cancer, inspiring him to pass the "zero tolerance, zero risk principle "Delaney Clause. [v] This new law provides that "no additive shall be considered safe if it is found to cause cancer when ingested by man or animal, or is found, after tests which are appropriate for the safety assessment food additives, to induce cancer in humans or animals. In response to the results of the study of laboratory rats and cancer of the bladder FDA said "all food containing saccharin bear the following warning label:" The use of this product may be dangerous to your health. This product contains saccharin, which has been determined to cause cancer in laboratory animals. "However," studies Mechanistic (studies that examine how a substance works in the body) have shown that these results apply only to rats "and epidemiological studies in humans (studies of trends, causes and control of disease in certain groups of people) have shown no consistent evidence that saccharin is associated with the incidence of bladder cancer. "[vi] After fourteen years in 1991, the FDA formally withdrew its 1977 proposal to ban the use of saccharin, and in 2000 the U.S. Congress repealed the law requiring saccharin products to carry label health warning. [] Vii More information about the cancellation of saccharin is available at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/eleventh/append/appb.pdf on the Internet.

Outside of saccharin, aspartame, the main ingredient in Nutrasweet ® and Equal ® has been approved in 1981 by the FDA after numerous tests showed it does not cause cancer or other adverse effects on laboratory animals. [viii] The FDA currently supports the same position on the safety of aspartame, but because of its phenylalanine component, aspartame does not include a risk for people with phenylketonuria, a rare disease genetics. [ix] People who have this disease should avoid or limit use aspartame because of their difficulty in metabolizing phenylalanine body.

Last but not least, sucralose (also known as Splenda ® ®) was approved by the FDA as a tabletop sweetener in 1998, followed by approval as a sweetener for general use in 1999. [x] "The FDA reviewed studies of humans and animals and has determined that sucralose does not pose carcinogenic, reproductive, neurological or risk to humans. However, sucralose contains chlorine, a suspected carcinogen used in "toxic gases, disinfectants, pesticides, andplastics. The majority of studies have been performed on animals for short lengths of time. Symptoms suspected with sucralose are gastrointestinal problems (bloating, gas, diarrhea, nausea), skin irritation, wheezing, cough, runny nose, chest pain, palpitations, anxiety, anger, mood swings, depression and itchy eyes. "The only way to be sure of the safety of sucralose is to conduct more long-term studies on humans.

Beware Splenda ®, especially those of you with diabetes. Although the links with cancer is uncertain, sucralose contains both calories and carbohydrates. One cup of Splenda ® has 96 calories and 32 grams of carbohydrate, despite the label is claiming that "No Calorie Sweetener." [Xi] The Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) for sucralose was set to "5 mg / kg bw / day. To determine your ADI divide your weight in pounds by 2.2, then multiply by 50. For example if you weighted 200 pounds. Your weight is 91 kg (200 divided by 2.2) and your ADI sucralose would be 455 mg (91 x 5). "[xii]

Overall, the link between artificial sweeteners and cancer in humans has not yet been proven. Rats in the Purdue study seemed to lack the satiety when fed artificial sweeteners compared to ordinary food, but digestive mechanisms between rodents and humans vary considerably. Zero calories (and reduced calorie) sweeteners, may or may not have a similar effect in humans, it is important to monitor and control your intake of foods containing artificial sugar. Although smoking will invariably affect your health, consumption of artificial sweeteners has not been proven to cause chronic adverse effects in humans.

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[i] Martin T. About. com: Smoking Cessation. http://quitsmoking.about.com/cs/nicotineinhaler/a/cigingredients.htm

[ii] National Institute Cancer Website, U.S. National Institutes of Health. www.cancer.gov. "Artificial sweeteners and cancer: questions and answers. Http: / / www.cancer.gov / cancertopics / factsheet / Risk / artificial-sweeteners

[iii] Swithers SE, Davidson TL. A role for sweet taste: Calorie predictive relations in energy regulation by rats. Behav Neurosci. 2008 Feb; 122 (1) :161-73.

[iv] S. Boyles (Reviewed by L. Chang) Webmd.com, 2008: "Do Sweeteners in Diet Soda Increase Weight? WebMD Medical News. http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20080211/artificial-sweeteners-increase-weight

[v] Senauer B. Staff Paper, "Food Security: a growing concern. "Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, University of Minnesota. October, 1989.

[vi] National Cancer Institute Website Web, U.S. National Institutes of Health. www.cancer.gov. "Artificial sweeteners and cancer: questions and answers. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/artificial-sweeteners

[vii] The Wikipedia article: "The saccharin. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saccharin

[viii] National Cancer Institute Website, U.S. National Institutes of Health. www.cancer.gov. "Artificial sweeteners and cancer: questions and answers. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/artificial-sweeteners

[ix] National Cancer Institute Website, U.S. National Institutes of Health. www.cancer.gov. "Artificial sweeteners and cancer: questions and answers. Http: / / www.cancer.gov / cancertopics / factsheet / Risk / artificial-sweeteners

[x] National Cancer Institute Website, U.S. National Institutes of Health. www.cancer.gov. "Artificial sweeteners and cancer: questions and answers. Http: / / www.cancer.gov / cancertopics / factsheet / Risk / artificial-sweeteners

[xi] National Cancer Institute Website, U.S. National Institutes of Health. www.cancer.gov. "Artificial sweeteners and cancer: questions and answers. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/artificial-sweeteners

[xii] National Cancer Institute Website, U.S. National Institutes of Health. www.cancer.gov. "Artificial sweeteners and cancer: questions and answers. Http: / / www.cancer.gov / cancertopics / factsheet / Risk / artificial-sweeteners

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Cityslim.com is designed to offer the latest, most up-to-date diet, health, nutrition and cancer information published. As a graduate student pursuing a Master of Science Degree at the Columbia University Institute of Human Nutrition in New York City, I feel compelled to share the newest, most essential calorie- and life-saving tips & tricks, straight from some of the top names in nutrition to http://wwww.CitySlim.com!