Substituting Sugar with Artificial Sweeteners Could Enhance Your Gut Microbiome

Using low-calorie sweeteners instead of sugar may stimulate beneficial gut bacteria and aid in weight loss maintenance. This conclusion emerges from one of the longest studies on sweeteners, suggesting these alternatives might not be as detrimental as some previous reports indicate.

Several recent analyses have cast doubt on the health benefits of various low-calorie sweeteners. Although they are widely favored by those wishing to shed pounds, research indicates they may increase hunger, elevate blood sugar, and heighten the risk of heart-related illnesses. In 2023, the World Health Organization issued recommendations against using low-calorie sweeteners for weight management.

Nonetheless, there is a deficit of extensive research on sweeteners, particularly within the framework of a healthy diet. To investigate further, Ellen Black from Maastricht University in the Netherlands monitored their effects in individuals who substituted them for sugar. She and her team enlisted 341 overweight or obese adults in Europe and provided them with a low-calorie regimen for two months, resulting in an average weight loss of 10 kilograms.

Participants then adapted to a balanced diet with less than 10% of their caloric intake from sugar. During this weight maintenance phase, 171 participants were advised to completely forgo sweeteners, while the rest were motivated to swap sugary foods and beverages for lower-calorie sweetener options. Each participant had the option to use at least 16 different sweeteners, with no limit on their usage.

After 10 months, the group utilizing low-calorie sweeteners managed an average of 1.6 kilograms more weight loss compared to the sugar group. They also exhibited a higher presence of gut bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids—beneficial compounds previously linked to blood sugar regulation, heart health support, and weight loss maintenance.

“This indicates that replacing sugar with non-caloric sweeteners in the diet may aid in weight maintenance,” says Braak. The outcomes of this study may vary from earlier research due to its extended duration and the examination of sweeteners alongside a healthy diet, she notes. Furthermore, prior studies often focused on just a few low-calorie sweeteners, many of which were not concurrently consumed.

Regarding the differences in gut bacteria, our grasp of the microbiome is still developing, according to Elan Elinav at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. Thus, it remains challenging to decipher how the changes observed in the sweetener-consuming group will influence their health. He added that it is uncertain whether these transformations stemmed from weight loss, the intake of low-calorie sweeteners, or a combination of both.