All those non-caloric packages of saccharin, aspartame, or neotame
(lots of different trade names – Splenda, Equal, etc) you may have been putting
in your coffee have been found to make changes in your intestinal bacteria - changes that can actually move you
towards diabetes. The same is true
for sugar free colas and other diet drinks. Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel
started working with mice, and showed that the artificial sweeteners induced
glucose intolerance – which occurs when the body cannot cope with the amount of
sugar in the diet. They found that
the gut bacteria, known as the gut microbiome, were involved – reacting to the
sweeteners even though the body does not recognize these substances as
food. The artificial sweeteners
changed the composition of bacteria in the microbiome, and induced glucose
intolerance. The new microbial
functions are known to infer a propensity to obesity and diabetes.
The researchers then enlisted a group of human volunteers
who did not generally use artificially sweetened food or drink, and had them
consume them for a week. Many, but
not all of the volunteers began to develop glucose intolerance after a
week. The composition of their gut
microbiome explained the differences.
The researchers found two different populations of gut bacteria – one
that induced glucose intolerance when exposed to artificial sweeteners and one
that had no effect either way.
They believed that certain bacteria in the guts of those who developed
glucose intolerance reacted to the chemical sweeteners by secreting substances
that provoked an inflammatory response similar to sugar overdose, promoting
changes in the body’s ability to utilize sugar.
Here’s how Dr. Elinav of the Weizmann Institute summarized
his findings: “Our relationship
with our own individual mix of gut bacteria is a huge factor in determining how
the food we eat affects us.
Especially intriguing is the link between use of artificial sweeteners –
through the bacteria in our guts – to a tendency to develop the very disorders
they were designed to prevent; this calls for reassessment of today’s massive,
unsupervised consumption of these substances.”
What is a person to do with this new information if s/he
uses artificial sweeteners? Here
are some answers I found on the internet:
add cinnamon to your coffee, or a little unsweetened cocoa. Try milk, cream, Almond Milk or
unsweetened coconut milk. Many
people use Stevia - from the leaf of a tropical plant. Only a drop is needed,
though some find it has a bitter aftertaste. Not enough research has been done to tell if Stevia can
alter the microbiome. I have used
xylitol and concentrated pomegranate juice to sweeten cocoa. Xylitol is a sugar made from hardwood
trees, corncobs or other plants, with 33% fewer calories than sucrose per
gram. It has dental health
properties, as it increases saliva production and is not metabolized by mouth
bacteria. Bacteria are unable to
produce as much acid in the presence of xylitol, so that the teeth are less
damaged by acid and plaque. Many
toothpastes are sweetened with xylitol.
This would be my recommendation for people who want sweeteners in their
coffee or tea – carry a little home made packet of xylitol. Chew xylitol gum
during the day as well if you have problems with cavities (talk to your dentist
first!). You can get xylitol at
the Palace Market, the Bolinas People’s store, and most natural food
stores. A xylitol gum called Spry is
also available at markets and on the internet. If your passion is diet soft drinks, try
substituting plain carbonated water with slices of lemons and oranges.
Good luck – it takes time to change a habit, but it can be
done.
Sadja Greenwood, MD, MPH back issues on this blog
