A Cedars-Sinai study finds artificial sweeteners, including those containing aspartame, reduce the number of microbiomes, or the good bacteria, in the lower intestine.
KNX News’ Karen Adams spoke to Dr. Ruchi Mathur, the lead author of the study, about why those microbiomes are so important.
“They're symbiotic with us. So they help the human host, they help us regulate our metabolism, they help us absorb food, they're crucial for some vitamin regulation and other aspects of human existence,” Mathur said. “And in turn, we basically give them a nice warm cozy place to live where they can get nutrition and food and thrive.”
She said that more research is needed, but it’s not looking good for artificial sweeteners. However, this doesn’t mean people have to stop using them.
“I think everything in moderation is really the key,” Mathur said.
She recommended that people consider mixing and matching their sweeteners, if they’re going to use them. However, Mathur said that for people who may have a predisposition in their family for certain types of cancer, it might be best to avoid the sweeteners altogether.
More than 140 million people in the United States use sugar substitutes to try to reduce their sugar intake or for weight management purposes.
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