Do you also consume artificial sweeteners? Study says the future of future generations is at risk.

News Topical, Digital Desk : Nowadays, people are increasingly using artificial sweeteners like sucralose and stevia to lose weight and prevent diabetes. Several previous studies have linked these artificial sweeteners to stomach problems, neurological issues like headaches, and metabolic risks like heart disease and diabetes.

Are their effects limited to the person who consumes them? Yes, recent research on mice has made a startling discovery: the negative effects of these "sugar-free" alternatives can even be passed on to future generations through your gut microbiome and genes.

What does this new study say?

The study, led by lead researcher Francisca Cancha Celu of the University of Chile, has been published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition. The researchers found it interesting that despite the increasing use of artificial sweeteners in society , problems like obesity and insulin resistance are not decreasing.

To understand this mystery, researchers divided 47 male and female mice into three groups:

• First group: They were given normal water to drink.
• Second and third groups: They were given water mixed with sucralose or stevia in quantities equivalent to a normal human diet.

These mice were then bred for two successive generations. It's worth noting that both generations were given only plain water to drink.

What impact did it have on the next generations?

The researchers subjected each generation to a glucose oral tolerance test, which detects insulin resistance (a warning sign of diabetes). They also took fecal samples from the mice to examine their gut microbiome and levels of short-chain fatty acids. The results were surprising:

• It was clearly observed in rats that consumption of artificial sweeteners by the mother can cause insulin resistance and metabolic diseases in the children.
• These additives had a negative impact on genes and gut bacteria, which were passed on from one generation to the next.

Sucralose and Stevia: Which is more dangerous?

According to the research, the effects of sucralose were more stable, persistent, and severe between generations. When comparing the two generations, the negative effects were strongest in the first generation and slightly reduced in the second.

• First generation (F1): The negative effects of stevia were primarily limited to the first generation. Meanwhile, male offspring (first generation) of rats fed sucralose showed a marked decrease in glucose tolerance.
• Second generation (F2): By the second generation, the effect had subsided, but male offspring of rats fed sucralose and female offspring of rats fed stevia still had higher fasting blood sugar levels.

Deep impact on gut health and genes

The study found that the fecal microbiome of mice consuming sweeteners had greater diversity, but significantly lower levels of short-chain fatty acids. This suggests that gut bacteria were producing fewer beneficial substances for the body. Worryingly, this fatty acid deficiency persisted in the next two generations.

Furthermore, sucralose consumption also affected the function of SREBP1 genes in the liver and TNF and TLR4 genes in the intestine. These changes in gut bacteria due to sucralose were profound and long-lasting.

Lead author Francesca Cancha clarifies that this study does not mean that sweets or artificial sweeteners are the sole cause of all metabolic diseases, but it does raise a big question about whether these 'sugar-free' alternatives are harming our metabolism in ways that science has not yet fully understood.

Read More: Do you also consume artificial sweeteners? Study says the future of future generations is at risk.