The world’s most highly regarded global scientific and regulatory food agencies, including the Food & Drug Administration and The World Health Organization maintain that low- and no-calorie sweeteners are safe for consumption.
Resources on the benefits and proven safety of low- and no- calorie sweeteners:
Study Design Overview:
A single-center, open label, multiple-crossover RCT of the effect of replacing sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) with low-and no-calorie sweetened beverages (LNCBs) or water on glucose tolerance, gut microbiome diversity, and intermediate cardiometabolic outcomes over 4-weeks in at-risk overweight/obese individuals assessing 3 comparisons of clinical/public health importance:
Although there are concerns that LNCSs may induce changes in glucose tolerance through the microbiome, the STOP Sugars NOW trial does not show an effect of LNCSBs (sweetened predominantly with a blend of aspartame and ace-k) in substitution for SSBs (the “intended substitution” with caloric displacement) similar to water (the “standard of care” without caloric displacement) on either of the two primary outcomes, change in gut microbiome beta-diversity or glucose tolerance in ITT analyses.
Adherence appears to be a determinant of any effects. Completers and per protocol analyses showed that the substitution of LNCSBs for SSBS (the “intended substitution” with caloric displacement) and water for SSBs (the “standard of care” without caloric displacement) improve fasting plasma glucose and liver fat (sub-study) with water showing greater reductions.
This data is consistent with the available RCTs which have failed to show any effect on microbiome and glucose tolerance and support clinical practice guidelines recommending LNCSBs as an alternative strategy to the “standard of care” water for SSBs reduction.
READ: Published rationale, design and baseline characteristics.
A new study, “Non-Nutritive Sweetened Beverages Versus Water After a 52-week Weight Management Program: A Randomized Controlled Trial,” set out to compare the effects of non-nutritive sweetened (NNS) beverages and water on body weight. As part of the larger SWITCH study, the current study was published in the Obesity Journal, and reports results following both the 12-week active weight loss and 40-week weight maintenance phases. The results were recently presented at The Obesity Society’s Obesity Week conference.
Key findings from the 52-week and 104-week studes:
Following a description of the rationale and design of the SWITCH trial, Dr. Halford shared 52- and 104-week results, which including the following:
52-Weeks (Active Weight Loss Phase + Assisted Weight Maintenance Phase)
104-Weeks (Active Weight Loss Phase + Assisted Weight Maintenance Phase + Follow-Up)
In terms of implications, the SWITCH Trial adds to the body of data available on the effects of sweeteners. Following the trial, participants maintained a significant weight loss over one year, saw improvements in various health markers and had reduced sugar consumption. The findings suggest that both water and NNS beverages can successfully be used as aids in weight loss, with no detriment, after one year.
The stated objective of the SWEET trial is to investigate the efficacy and safety of combined and prolonged use of sweeteners and sweetness enhancers (S&SEs), as part of a healthy diet, in adults and children with overweight or obesity.
Main trial results (Including S&SEs in a healthy ad libitum sugar-reduced diet compared with excluding S&SEs):
Adults:
Children:
Sub-study results (Objective: Acute and long-term effects of acesulfame potassium+ cyclamate vs water on postprandial substrate oxidation, energy expenditure, appetite, glucose, and insulin concentrations):
Business for Impact at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business developed this whitepaper to evaluate the role low- and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCS) can play in achieving public health recommendations to reduce added sugars in the diet. This new paper increases understanding about the use, purpose, safety and benefits of LNCS in the food supply, demonstrates LNCS are a beneficial tool to help individuals achieve public health recommendations, and will help guide more effective policy decisions, better dietary guidance, and enlightened industry actions to enhance consumer health.
LNCS are commonly used in the food supply to help reduce caloric and sugar intake. This whitepaper sponsored by the Calorie Control Council examines the current state of LNCS usage, the benefits and safety of LNCS consumption, consumer perspectives regarding the utilization and labeling of sugar and LNCS, and projections for how much sugar and calories can be removed from the food supply by increasing the incorporation of LNCS into foods and beverages.
Among the key findings of this paper are:
According to the current analyses, increasing the incorporation of LNCS within permitted regulatory limits can contribute to the potential reduction of seventy billion grams of added sugar and two hundred twenty-five billion calories in the diet. Government and public health officials are urged to prioritize consumer and media education about the benefits of LNCS in mitigating the obesity crisis.
Watch the on-demand panel discussion:
Do you have questions about low-calorie sweeteners? Want to learn more about maintaining a healthy lifestyle? You asked and we listened. Our resident Registered Dietitians answered the most popular questions about low-calorie sweeteners.
