Effects of Non-Nutritive Sweeteners on Energy Intake, Body Weight and Postprandial Glycemia in Healthy and with Altered Glycemic Response Rats

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) consumption on energy intake, body weight and postprandial glycemia in healthy and with altered glycemic response rats. Animals on normal diet (ND) or high-fat diet (HFD) were divided to receive NNS (sucralose, aspartame, stevia, rebaudioside A) or nutritive sweeteners (glucose, sucrose) for 8 weeks. The NNS were administered at doses equivalent to the human acceptable daily intake (ADI). A test using rapidly digestible starch was performed before and after treatments to estimate glycemic response. No effects of NNS consumption were observed on energy intake or body weight. Sucrose provoked an increased fluid consumption, however, energy intake, and weight gain were not altered. In ND, no effects of NNS on glycemic response were observed. In HFD, the glycemic response was increased after sucralose and stevia when only the final tolerance test was considered, however, after including the baseline test, these results were no longer significant compared to glucose. These findings provide further evidence suggesting that at the recommended doses, NNS do not alter feeding behavior, body weight or glycemic tolerance in healthy and with altered glycemic rats.

Sucralose or rebaudioside A at recommended doses did not alter the gut microbiota composition in rats under two dietary conditions

“…Our microbiota results are in line with the absence of effects of NNS on glycemic response, body weight, or energy intake in healthy rats and with glucose intolerance reported in our previous research [16]. On the contrary, other studies in male rodents have shown GM alterations.…”

“…(2021) [16]. For the secondary outcome, each animal was isolated for handling, and fresh fecal samples in duplicate were collected.…”

Natural Sweetener Glycyrrhetinic Acid Monoglucuronide Improves Glucose Homeostasis in Healthy Mice

“…Additionally, a study by Suez et al showed that lean 10 week old C57Bl/6 mice, exposed to a 10% commercial sweetener (saccharin, sucralose, or aspartame dissolved in drinking water) for 11 weeks, developed noticeable glucose intolerance . They also found that the 10 week old mice with high-fat diets had impaired glucose tolerance only after 5 weeks of pure saccharin (2 mL of 0.1 mg/mL solution per day for each mouse) intake, whereas some studies displayed that certain sweeteners (e.g., stevia and rebaudioside A) did not affect glucose homeostasis. , …”

“…5 They also found that the 10 week old mice with high-fat diets had impaired glucose tolerance only after 5 weeks of pure saccharin (2 mL of 0.1 mg/mL solution per day for each mouse) intake, whereas some studies displayed that certain sweeteners (e.g., stevia and rebaudioside A) did not affect glucose homeostasis. 6,7 Increasing evidence demonstrated that both long-term and short-term consumption of sweeteners altered the gut microbial composition and metabolism, and sweeteners modulated body health via gut microbes. 8,9 For instance, 3 month consumption of 15 mg/kg/day saccharin decreased Anaerostipes and Ruminococcus abundance, increased Sporosarcina, Jeotgalicoccus, Akkermansia, Oscillospira, and Corynebacterium abundance, and caused liver inflammation in mice.…”