A recent umbrella review published in the journal Advances in Nutrition has raised doubts about the health benefits of artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) and revealed a potential link to increased health risks. Despite being marketed as a healthier alternative to sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), frequent consumption of ASBs has been found to be associated with a higher risk of obesity, all-cause mortality, hypertension, type 2 diabetes (T2D), and cardiovascular disease (CBD).
ASBs are beverages that contain artificial sweeteners like saccharin, sucralose, neotame, and advantame, which are used as replacements for conventional sugar. These sweeteners provide little to no calories, making ASBs popular among health-conscious individuals and those looking to manage their weight. The assumption has been that fewer calories, all else being equal, is better than consuming more calories.
However, recent medical research has challenged this assumption. A growing body of literature suggests that ASBs may lead to unwanted changes in the gut microbiome and increased all-cause mortality risk. Some studies have even suggested a potential link between ASB consumption and cancers and cardiovascular diseases. The conflicting findings from medical reports have been further complicated by industry-funded research, which generally concludes that ASBs are safe for consumption.
To address the contradictions in the literature, researchers conducted an umbrella review, which is a method that summarizes and evaluates the results of previous reviews and meta-analyses. The aim was to determine the credibility of the claimed health outcomes associated with ASBs and identify potential biases or inconsistencies in the research. The review also evaluated the methodologies used in previous studies to guide future research practices.
The study adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Data was collected from three publication repositories, namely PubMed, Embase, and the Web of Science, until May 25, 2022. Only systematic reviews, meta-analyses, cohort, and case-control studies were included, while cross-sectional studies were excluded due to their inherent weaknesses. Funding sources of the studies were also recorded.
The researchers used the AMSTAR-2 tool to evaluate the methodological soundness of the included studies. The tool consists of 16 items that assess the quality of systematic reviews. The average effects of each high-quality systematic review were estimated using a random-effects model and compared to a fixed-effects model. Inconsistency between studies was assessed using the I2 metric, and any bias was evaluated using Egger’s test.
Out of 7,218 publications, 68 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the statistical analysis. The findings from these studies revealed a positive association between high- and regular ASB consumption and various health outcomes, including CVD risk, CVD-associated mortality, chronic kidney disease, obesity, all-cause mortality, hypertension, T2D, and pancreatic cancer. However, the association between ASBs and CVD-associated mortality, chronic kidney disease, and pancreatic cancer was found to be weak and inconclusive after assessing the methodological quality of the studies.
Furthermore, the study highlighted that sucralose and saccharin, which are commonly used in ASBs, have a detrimental impact on the cardiovascular system. Just two weeks of daily ASB consumption impaired glucose tolerance in previously healthy individuals. Additionally, artificial sweeteners were found to stimulate immune inflammatory responses in the gut wall, based on human and animal studies.
In conclusion, this study challenges the health benefits of artificially sweetened beverages and suggests a potential link to increased health risks. The findings highlight the need for further research and caution when consuming ASBs as a healthier alternative to sugar-sweetened beverages.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it