Sucralose, a sweetener more commonly known as Splenda for retail purposes, becomes “genotoxic” when digested.
That’s the finding of a new study released by North Carolina State University.
Once sucralose becomes genotoxic, it can cause what’s known as “leaky gut” and damage human DNA.
“A leaky gut is problematic, because it means that things that would normally be flushed out of the body in feces are instead leaking out of the gut and being absorbed into the bloodstream,” wrote Susan Schiffman, one of the study’s corresponding authors.
Leaky gut syndrome occurs when the lining of the intestines is “worn down and becomes permeable,” according to WebMD, which lists symptoms of leaky gut as a burning sensation, painful digestion, diarrhea, gas and bloating.
Currently, the FDA still lists sucralose as a safe substitute for sugar, calling it 600 times sweeter.
“To determine the safety of sucralose, the FDA reviewed more than 110 studies designed to identify possible toxic effects, including studies on the reproductive and nervous systems, carcinogenicity, and metabolism,” the FDA wrote on its website. “The FDA also reviewed human clinical trials to address metabolism and effects on patients with diabetes.”
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