Dangers in Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners are synthetic substitutes for normal sugars like sucrose. They are designed to produce a sweet taste on the tongue but not act on the body in the same manner. Because these chemicals are very potent, only a small amount of them is needed in food or crystalline additives to add sweetness. People with diabetes or those interested in avoiding weight gain associated with sugar have been using artificial sweeteners for years, despite research that shows clear dangers posed by the substances.

Saccharin, one of the traditional artificial sweeteners, has been proven to cause bladder cancers in rats since the 1970s. The FDA allowed saccharin to still be used in sweeteners, but required a warning label that warned of saccharin’s possibly dangerous effects. This warning of possible carcinogenic effects continued through the 1990s until further studies were produced showing that the rats–which had been getting cancer for decades of tests–got their tumors through a biological mechanism unique to their species. In other words, humans could not get the same type of bladder cancers that the rats could. The warning label was repealed, and today saccharin is still used as a common sweetener, despite its proven carcinogenic properties.

Possibly even more infamous than saccharin is aspartame, the ingredient found in both NutraSweet and Equal. Aspartame was approved in the early 1980s to be used as a sweetener, but by the 1990s a whirlwind of debate had sprung up regarding the compounds carcinogenic properties. First tests were conducted that found a link between aspartame and brain cancers, especially in the elderly. Then another series of tests showed that rats developed lymphomas and leukemia when fed large amounts of aspartame. Due to ongoing research and additional examinations intended to cast doubt on the findings, no regulations or warning labels are associated with the chemical.

Sucralose, known more commonly under the commercial name Splenda, is a chlorinated compound that can cause damage because of the chlorine agent used to treat the derivative. This chlorine-based chemical has been associated with pesticides that used a compound with a similar molecular structure. Tests have show that sucralose may cause thymus gland damage, renal mineralization, and toxic absorption in the digestive tract, just to name a few effects. Because there have been no long-term tests conducted, there is not enough direct evidence to warrant a change in current regulation, but considering the result of preliminary tests it is surprising sucralose received approval to be used as a sweetener in the first place.

When dealing with artificial sweeteners–well, it’s best not to deal with them. Natural sugars and sucrose, when consumed in small amounts, are not harmful. For those suffering from diabetes, it should be noted that “artificial sugar” does not mean such chemicals will have no effect on insulin levels. Most sweeteners contain calories that affect blood sugar as well.