Researchers in France have found a link between the use of artificial sweeteners and an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and have warned that they should not be considered a ‘healthy alternative’ to sugar.
Multiple previous studies have found links between added sugars and CVDs, making food corporations shift to artificial sweeteners in daily-use foods and beverages worldwide.
Recent studies have been conflicted on the role of non-natural added sweeteners. The data from non-human experimental studies is simply not enough to form a generalizable conclusion, and observational studies have only focused on artificially sweetened drinks.
Conversely, this recent large-scale prospective cohort study led by experts from the Sorbonne Paris Nord University found conclusive evidence of a link between artificial sweeteners and an increased risk of CVDs.
The study involved around 103,000 French adults at an average age of 42, comprising nearly 80 percent women. The participants recorded everything they ate or drank every day, including the brands of the products, in a diet diary. Additionally, at least 37 percent of the participants consumed artificial sweeteners regularly.
The researchers examined their intake of sweeteners from all dietary sources, including drinks, tabletop sweeteners, and dairy products, and compared it with their risk of CVDs. The study was carried out over a decade and the researchers found that the use of artificial sweeteners was linked to a nine percent increased risk of CVDs, according to the participants’ regular medical follow-ups.
The sweetener aspartame was found to be associated with a 17 percent increased risk of cerebrovascular events, and acesulfame potassium and sucralose were noted to have a role in an increased risk of coronary heart disease.
The study was published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) in which the researchers detailed,
Our results indicate that these food additives, consumed daily by millions of people and present in thousands of foods and beverages, should not be considered a healthy and safe alternative to sugar, in line with the current position of several health agencies.
On account of it being an observational study, the possibility of additional factors affecting its results cannot be disregarded. Nonetheless, it was conducted using high-quality dietary records on a large scale, and the findings line up with other similar studies. The researchers also mentioned that further research is needed to reach more conclusive results.