Sugar substitutes

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2024: Cancer, DNA destruction. WHO warned of the dangers of soft drinks with sugar substitutes

Regular consumption of sugar-free soft drinks in the long term can result in health problems, including the development of certain types of malignancies. This is stated in the study, the results of which TAdviser got acquainted with in early August 2024.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults and children reduce their daily consumption of free sugars to less than 10% of their total energy consumption. Further reduction to less than 5% or about 25 grams (6 teaspoons) per day will provide additional health benefits. Against this background, many people around the world choose dietary soft drinks, which taste similar to ordinary ones, but are sugar-free. Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, saccharin and sucralose may be used instead.

However, research suggests that people who regularly consume dietary soft drinks are more likely to develop certain metabolic diseases, including diabetes and heart disease. WHO notes that based on the available evidence for human cancer (namely hepatocellular carcinoma, a type of liver cancer), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified aspartame as possibly a human carcinogenic sweetener.

However, biologist Tracy Schafer from the University of Florida claims that the human body is not able to break down sucralose. Some studies also suggest that artificial sweeteners have effects on the intestinal microflora and even provoke DNA damage inside cells. Consumption of dietary soft drinks has also been linked to liver disease and tooth erosion.^[1]

2023

WHO recognizes Coca-Cola sweetener as cancer-causing carcinogen

On July 14, 2023, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the Joint Committee of Experts on Food Additives (OCEPD) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) released the results of a study according to which the sweetener from Coca-Cola is recognized as a carcinogen causing the development of malignancies. Read more here.

WHO - Sugar substitutes increase stroke risk by 19%

On May 15, 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the results of a study on the consumption of sugar substitutes. Experts came to the conclusion that artificial sweeteners can harm health, increasing, among other things, the risk of stroke and death.

It is said that the use of sugar substitutes in order to control body weight is inappropriate. Scientists, conducting a systematic review of the available data, found that the use of artificial sweeteners instead of sugar does not provide any advantages in the long term in terms of reducing fat deposits in adults or children.

Artificial sweeteners can harm health, increasing the risk of stroke and death, among other things

The authors of the report emphasize that daily artificial sweeteners are consumed by millions of people around the world - in products such as diet soda. Among the most common substances are named acesulfame K, aspartame, advants, cyclamates, neotame, saccharin, sucralose, stevia and stevia derivatives. However, the accumulated data show that sugar substitutes increase the risk of stroke by 19%, the development of cardiovascular diseases - by 32%, manifestations of hypertension - by 13%. However, there is no association between the use of artificial sweeteners and malignant formations.

In general, as noted in the study, people who want to reduce their consumption of free sugars need to consider alternative options, for example, eating more fruits or, if possible, excluding sugary foods and drinks from the diet. However, this recommendation does not apply to persons with diabetes mellitus. In addition, we are not talking about artificial sweeteners in medicines and personal hygiene products, such as toothpaste, skin creams, etc.^[2]

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