Sweeteners facilitate weight loss and are safe for microbiota
Accused of disrupting microbiota and metabolic health, sweeteners are the subject of new data. A large-scale European study has recently shed light on their real impact on weight and the gut microbiota.
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About this article
Can low-calorie sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, or acesulfame be part of a diet for managing overweight or obesity? This topic is controversial.
Contradictory scientific data
While some studies have raised concerns that have led the WHO to advise against their use for weight loss and health improvement1, several long-term clinical trials suggest that these additives are at worst harmless and at best beneficial in these areas.
The same problem applies to microbiota: some studies suggest they have adverse effects on certain aspects of the gut microbiota linked to glycemic response, while others show the opposite, and still others show that it is mainly sugary drinks that impact microbiota and metabolites associated with diabetes risk.
29% The market share of calorie-free or low-calorie beverages in Europe.³
17.7% The reduction in added sugar content in beverages in Europe since 2015.³
A real-world study settles the matter
To try shed some light on the matter, a team of researchers recruited 341 overweight or obese individuals (average BMI of 31; 70% women, average age 47) living in Denmark, Greece, Spain, and the Netherlands. Their goal was to test the real effect of replacing sugar with sweeteners after weight loss.
The volunteers first followed a low-calorie diet for two months, then those who lost more than 5% of their body weight (277 people) adopted a healthy, balanced diet without quantity restrictions for the following 10 months.
Half of them consumed sweetened products instead of sugar-rich products (the “sweeteners” group); the other half received conventional sweetened products amounting to less than 10% of their total energy intake, in accordance with WHO recommendations (the “sugar” group).
The researchers analyzed changes in body weight and cardiometabolic markers in all participants, as well as the microbiota composition of a sample of 137 individuals from both groups.
Better weight maintenance and enriched microbiota
Published in Nature Metabolism2, the results show that participants lost an average of 10 kg on the low-calorie diet and that, in both groups, this loss was generally maintained during the 10 months of ad libitum dieting.
Interestingly, the sweeteners group achieved better results, maintaining an additional weight loss of 1.6 kg on average compared to the sugar group, demonstrating the benefits of sweeteners for those seeking to maintain weight loss.
The microbiota of the sweeteners group was also richer in bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids ( (sidenote: Short chain fatty acids (SCFA) Short chain fatty acids (SCFA) are a source of energy (fuel) for an individual’s cells. They interact with the immune system and are involved in communication between the intestine and the brain. Silva YP, Bernardi A, Frozza RL. The Role of Short-Chain Fatty Acids From Gut Microbiota in Gut-Brain Communication. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020;11:25. ) ) and methane, which is associated with increased energy expenditure, greater satiety, and improved metabolic health. This is evidence that, contrary to what is commonly stated, sweeteners do not damage microbiota and may even lead to potentially beneficial changes.
There was a temporary improvement in certain cardiometabolic health markers, particularly cholesterol, although this improvement receded after 12 months. There was no deterioration in these markers.
Conclusion
This high-quality study (multicenter, long-term, real-world conditions, etc.) provides evidence that the prolonged use of sweeteners as part of a healthy, low-sugar diet can contribute to weight loss without adverse effects on cardiometabolic parameters or the gut microbiota.
Now you know!
