Sugar Substitutes Could Disrupt Liver Detoxification

In laboratory experiments, researchers in Philadelphia (USA) have shown that sugar substitutes alter the protein that rids the liver of toxins and processes drugs.

These sugar substitutes, also called non-nutritive sweeteners, provide a sweet taste with little or no calories. Sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame-potassium, neotame, alitame, cyclamate and saccharin are synthetic sweeteners. To sweeten means to add a sugar or other food with a sweetening power. But these sweeteners could have adverse effects on the liver.

Two sweeteners in question

In their work, the researchers looked at two non-nutritive sweeteners: acesulfame-potassium and sucralose. To do this, they used liver cells and cell-free tests, which allow the study of cellular processes.

They found that acesulfame-potassium and sucralose inhibited the activity of P-glycoprotein (PGP), also known as drug resistance protein 1 (MDR1). PGP is part of a family of transporters that work together to cleanse the body of toxins, drugs and their metabolites (organic compounds produced during metabolism, editor’s note).

“Sweeteners impact PGP activity in liver cells, even at concentrations well below the maximum limits recommended by the Food and Drug Administration, through food and beverage consumption currents“, said Stephanie Olivier Van Stichelen, who leads the research team.

Gold, “the liver is an essential organ for our life. It plays a fundamental role in the general metabolism and in particular in the purification of waste (or detoxification) and in the metabolism of drugs. The liver also has a role in energy storage, digestion and hormone production.”explained Doctor Christophe de Jaeger, a doctor very involved in the physiology of senescence and gerontologist, author of the book Aging well without medication published by Éditions du Cherche Midi.

“For drugs, the liver plays a dual role: it can, and usually does, render drugs inactive, or on the contrary, transform them into active metabolites. Having a healthy liver is therefore essential for us.”, he continued.

Although the American researchers conducted their work on only two non-nutritive sweeteners, they insisted that all sugar substitutes were probably concerned.

Impact on the human body

“With approximately 40% of Americans regularly consuming non-nutritive sweeteners, it’s important to understand how they affect the body.“said Laura Danner, a doctoral candidate at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

“Many people don’t realize that these sweeteners are found in diet or sugar-free versions of yogurts and snacks, and even in non-food items like liquid medications and some cosmetics.“.

In France, sweeteners are considered food additives, increasingly used in yogurts, sodas or chewing gum. All approved additives are given an E number and must be included in the ingredient list on the product label. Above, the function of the additive in the finished product (eg sweetener) and the specific substance used are mentioned, referring either to the corresponding E number or to its full name (eg E955 or sucralose).

Although experts recommend that non-nutritive sweeteners remain below an acceptable daily intake, food manufacturers are only required to mention them in the ingredient list. Today, they don’t have to list the amount of non-nutritive sweeteners used in the product.

“The deleterious effect of sweeteners has been mentioned for many years and increasingly well documented. Unfortunately, the number of food products containing these sweeteners is constantly increasing and not easily identifiable by the consumer.”, explained Doctor Christophe de Jaeger.

The researchers insisted on the fact that the study was preliminary and the results remained to be confirmed by other clinical studies. These data suggest that non-nutritive sweeteners may also be problematic for people taking medications that use PGP as the primary detoxifying transporter. These include certain antidepressants, antibiotics, and blood pressure medications.

“If future studies confirm that non-nutritive sweeteners impair the body’s detoxification process, it will be essential to investigate potential interactions and determine safe levels of consumption for those at risk.“, Danner said. “It might also be important to note specific amounts of non-nutritive sweeteners on food labels so people can better track their intake.“.

The researchers made one final important point: since PGP is found on all of the body’s exchange surfaces and plays an essential role in maintaining systems such as the blood-brain barrier (which separates the system central nervous system of blood circulation), it will be necessary to study how the inhibition of PGP could interfere with the normal functioning of cells in other organs.

A French study published in PLOS Medicine at the end of March also pointed to the effects of sweeteners on the human body. Conducted on more than 100,000 French adults, it proved that the biggest consumers of sweeteners would have “13% higher risk of developing obesity-related cancer and 22% higher risk of breast cancer than non-consumers”.

But then, is it better to turn to sugar or its substitutes?

“The only benefit of sweeteners that was initially put forward was to reduce the amount of sugar consumed and therefore have a beneficial effect on overweight, high blood pressure or even diabetes.”, explained Christophe de Jaeger. But research is increasingly pointing to the dangers of sweeteners for the human body.

A question arises: is it better to favor sugar or its substitutes?

“The ideal is obviously not to add to our diet additional xenobiotics (sweeteners) whose toxic effect can only be discovered after many years of use. Eating sugar, but as little as possible, is probably today the best attitude in terms of health”, concluded Doctor Christophe de Jaeger.