Khaberni - A recent study revealed the effects of artificial sweeteners on the health of mice, clarifying their impacts on the heart and brain and metabolism over the long term.
The study, conducted by CIC biomaGUNE and Biogipuzkoa HRI, found that prolonged consumption of aspartame, one of the most common artificial sweeteners, can harm various bodily functions despite its role in reducing fat accumulation.
The study focused on the effects of aspartame at low doses equivalent to one-sixth of the maximum recommended daily intake for human consumption, over the course of a full year in mice.
Aspartame is widely used in low-fat sweets, soft drinks, baked goods, and chewing gum, and is known for its sweetness, which exceeds that of sucrose by two hundred times. Despite previous studies on its short-term effects, its long-term metabolic and behavioral impacts are still not precisely known.
The results indicated that the sweetener reduced fat accumulation by 20%, but it was accompanied by a slight enlargement of the heart muscle and a decrease in cognitive performance, raising questions about its long-term effects on the heart and brain.
Researchers clarified that "the doses used in the study are very low compared to the globally recommended maximum, yet they showed significant results that call for a reconsideration of the current guidelines for consuming aspartame".
The research team noted that this study, which followed the mice for a full year, revealed effects previously undescribed due to the long duration of the experiment and its complexity, and included precise data analysis, such as functional imaging with MRI, molecular imaging using PET and spectrum analysis of the brain and liver, cognitive tests, and measurements of temperature, food, and drink intake.
This study is part of a series of research aimed at monitoring the impact of dietary modifications on organ functions in health and disease, focusing on the physiological effects of aspartame on the heart and brain, lipid levels, and body weight, to compare them with other types of sugars and sweeteners.
It concludes that "prolonged consumption of artificial sweeteners, even at low doses, may negatively affect organ functions, necessitating a thorough review of current consumption guidelines".
