Sweeteners: consuming them could increase the risk of cancer

They are on our plates and often in our drinks. Sweeteners, also called “substitute sugars” are consumed daily by millions of people. Their usefulness? Lower the calorie count of a product while maintaining the sweet taste. But their consumption would ultimately not be so beneficial for health. A recent study carried out by researchers from Inserm, INRAE, Cnam and Paris-Sorbonne University establishes a correlation between the consumption of sweeteners and an increased risk of cancers in an article published in the journal PLOS Medicine.

To learn more about the impact of these sweeteners, such as aspartame or acesulfame-K, the researchers studied data from 102,865 adults participating in the study. NutriNet-Health. Followed since 2009, these participants completed a questionnaire allowing them to be followed during these twelve years.

High risk of breast cancer and obesity-related cancers

Medical history, physical activity, lifestyle, eating habits, age, family history of cancer… All the necessary data was processed in order to assess the participants’ exposure to sweeteners. The researchers came to this conclusion: “The scientists found that, compared to nonconsumers, people who consumed the most sweeteners, in particular aspartame and acesulfame-K, had a higher risk of developing cancer, all types of cancer combined”. Among these cancers, higher risks were observed for breast cancers and those related to obesity.

While doubts loomed over the benefit of sweeteners in food and drink, scientists are firm: “These findings do not support the use of sweeteners as safe alternatives to sugar and provide new insights to address controversies over their potential adverse health effects. They also provide important data for their ongoing reassessment by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and other public health agencies around the world. concludes Dr. Mathilde Touvier, Director of Research at Inserm and coordinator of the study.