table <\/a>in the paper provides a detailed summary of the studies. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThere were limitations and confounding factors<\/strong> common in most of the studies including <\/p>\n\n\n\nlack of proper control groups,<\/li> use of LNCS doses in the animal studies that were far greater than the equivalent current acceptable daily intakes (ADIs) for humans <\/li> and the lack of relevance in applying results of animal studies to humans. Most of the bacteria present in mice do not exist in the human gut.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nOf the three human trials, none\naccounted for habitual dietary intake. Therefore, any changes found in the gut microbiome\nwere not necessarily due to the LNCS itself but could be related to dietary\ndifferences between the LNCS and non-LNCS groups. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition, the chemical structures and metabolism of LNCS preclude any effect they could have on the human microbiome. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aspartame<\/em> is a methyl ester of a dipeptide that is rapidly hydrolyzed into two amino acids and methanol, which are absorbed in the small intestine. So neither aspartame nor its metabolites ever reach the colon for direct interaction with the microbiome. <\/li>Although most of the sucralose <\/em>consumed is not absorbed it is also not digested, so it is not a substrate for gut microbiome. <\/li>Saccharin<\/em> and acesulfame K<\/em> are not metabolized in the small intestine but are rapidly absorbed and excreted unchanged in the urine. So these LNCS do not come in contact with the colon microbiome to have any effect. <\/li>Steviol glycosides,<\/em> including stevioside and rebaudioside A, pass unabsorbed through the GI tract and enter the colon intact. In the colon, the microbiome removes the sugar portion attached to the steviol backbone and use it for energy. But as total daily intake of steviol glycosides is very low it should not have a significant influence on the microbiome. The steviol backbone that remains after the sugar is removed is not a substrate for the intestinal microbiome and is absorbed from the colon virtually intact. While the gut microbiome actively acts on steviol glycosides, recent research showed that steviol glycosides, at levels comparable to the ADI, did not affect the gut microbiome. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nFinally, because LNCS are so\nintensely sweet, the milligram amounts consumed will always be low and well\nbelow the levels necessary to produce a significant impact on the gut\nmicrobiome. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conclusions and Applications for Practice<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe authors of the review paper conclude that studies of LNCS to date do not establish any clear evidence of any adverse effect on the gut microbiome in amounts relevant to human use. They also assert that studies evaluating the relationship between food additive and ingredient consumption and the microbiome need to be conducted in animals or humans at relevant intakes and be carefully controlled to account for the confounding factors, including the habitual diet. Safety has been well-documented over decades for acesulfame K, aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, and steviol glycosides, indicating that these low or no-calorie sweeteners as a group, or individually, do not pose any safety concerns at their currently approved levels. Therefore, nutrition and health professionals can feel confident in recommending LNCS to patients, clients and consumers as an option for sweetening foods and beverages without the addition of sugar or calories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lobach AR, Roberts A, Rowland IR. Assessing the in vivo data on low\/no-calorie sweeteners and the gut microbiota. Food Chem Toxicol<\/em>. 2019;124(December 2018):385-399. doi:10.1016\/j.fct.2018.12.005<\/li> Suez J, Korem T, Zeevi D, et al. Artificial sweeteners induce glucose intolerance by altering the gut microbiota. Nature<\/em>. 2014;514(7521):181-186. doi:10.1038\/nature13793 <\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n <\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n Neva Cochran, MS, RDN, LD <\/em><\/strong>is a registered dietitian nutritionist based in Dallas. She serves as a nutrition communications consultant to a variety of food and nutrition organizations, including the Calorie Control Council. She is passionate about promoting fact-based food and nutrition information to help people enjoy nutritious eating. Follow her on Twitter @<\/a> NevaRDLD <\/a>and check out her blog at www.NevaCochranRD.com<\/a>.<\/em> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"— Neva Cochran, MS, RDN, LD Posted: January 23, 2019 Over the last five years, the potential impact of low and no calorie sweeteners (LNCS) on the microbiome has been a subject of debate. A new comprehensive review, \u201cAssessing the in vivo data on low\/no-calorie sweeteners and the gut microbiota,\u201d published in the journal, Food […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16606,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,178,169,1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Low- and No-Calorie Sweeteners and the Gut Microbiota: A Scientific Review\ufeff - Calorie Control Council<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n