Artificial Sweeteners and Weight Loss: New Study Links Sugar Substitutes to Weight Gain
Marketed as an aid for those looking to reduce their calorie and sugar intake, artificial sweeteners are instead linked to weight gain, according to a recent study.
A report published by the Canadian Medical Association Journal on Monday, July 17, suggests that not only did sugar substitutes fail to help people lose weight, regular users also had a higher risk of weight gain and obesity.
Researchers and analysts studied 37 previous reports on the effect of artificial sweeteners and how they affected people looking to lose weight. All in all, the reports covered 400,000 cases spanning ten years.
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Among these studies are seven randomized controlled trials, which lent a lot of weight to the conclusions the researchers arrived at. Their findings are not really encouraging for people who consume sugar substitutes on a regular basis. The conclusion points out that these users are more in risk of weight gain, obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
These results suggest that it's not just calories that play a part in weight gain and weight-related health issues, as noted by Meghan Azad, author of the study and an assistant professor of pediatrics and child health at the University of Manitoba. "I think there's an assumption that when there are zero calories, there is zero harm," Azad said.
"This research has made me appreciate that there's more to it than calories alone," the Canada-based expert added, as quoted by Time.
While this study may help prove that artificial sweeteners are not a guarantee to losing weight, more research is needed to see if it sugar substitutes are directly related to weight gain, or if other factors come into play.
People who rely on aspartame or other sweeteners may just eat more processed food in general, which may lead to obesity and heart-related issues.
Other theories have come up that sugar substitutes could be disturbing the balance of gut bacteria and interfering with the absorption of nutrients as a result. Some experts are also exploring if sweeteners are sabotaging the body's sugar metabolism in some way, as well.
"More research is definitely needed. You need a long-term study," the study's author noted.
