ARE DIET DRINKS FATTENING?: A new study adds to the growing body of evidence that artificial sweeteners may add, rather than trim weight.
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You know those no-guilt diet drinks you chug by the gallon, and the fake sugar you dump in your coffee to stay trim? Bad news: a new study suggests that artificial sweeteners may actually make it harder to control your weight.
Psychologists at Purdue University's Ingestive Behavior Research Center report that nine rats given yogurt sweetened with no-cal saccharin ended up eating more and gaining more weight and body fat than eight fellow rodents given yogurt containing plain old glucose (a simple sugar with about 15 calories per teaspoon, the same as table sugar).
Study authors Susan Swithers and Terry Davidson speculate the reason is that the faux sweetener messes with the brain, fooling it into revving up the body's metabolism in anticipation of a never-to-come calorie load.
Typically, they say, the taste buds, sensing something sweet, signal the brain to prep the digestive system to gear up for a caloric onslaught; when the expected sugar jolt (extra calories) fails to materialize, the body gets rattled and has trouble bouncing back and regulating appetite when other food is available. As a result, rats eat more or expend less energy than they would have had they had the real thing.
"The data clearly indicate that consuming a food sweetened with no-calorie saccharin can lead to greater body-weight gain and adiposity [fat] than would consuming the same food sweetened with a higher-calorie sugar," the authors write in the journal Behavioral Neuroscience. They say that other artificial sweeteners—aspartame, sucralose and acesulfame—could have a similar effect.
The researchers note that the findings gibe with other emerging evidence—including a study published last month in the American Heart Association's journal, Circulation—that shows people who down diet drinks are at a higher risk for obesity and metabolic syndrome (a medley of medical problems such as abdominal fat, high blood pressure and insulin resistance that puts people at risk for heart disease and diabetes).
They acknowledge, however, that more research is needed. After all, just because this counterintuitive effect may occur in rats does not necessarily mean it also happens in humans. Still, let it serve as a warning to anyone who may have a false sense of security that artificial sweeteners are all it takes to be fit and healthy.
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28 Comments
Add Commentof course these findings doesn't surprise me. how can anyone with the sense to spare believe that artificial sweetners could ever lead to losing weight, when the brain and the body both require glucose to operate within any parameters of efficiency..? like saying water is bad for you and then creating an artifical water that looks like water, and seems to taste like water, but isn't water. when will people start to recognise the importance of thinking for themselves and stop being duped by advertisers telling you how you should eat when all they are thinking about has nothing at all to do with your health but with your wallets and purses..?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis is the second time this week I've seen the word "jive" misused in place of the word "jibe" which is obviously the word that was intended: "The researchers note that the findings jive with other emerging evidence" -- "jive" is an old slang word for something false, or also possibly something "hip" or "funky" - maybe that's some pretty funky evidence you've got going there, I dunno.. Please have someone proofread your articles!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe usual unreliable , unscientific clinical research. How about the following test: did these "researchers" try to test their hypothesis by feeding their rats yogurt with a mixture of glucose and saccharin? It seems like a reasonable next step doesn't it? Oh, the rush to publish.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI have never trusted artificial sweeteners (or artificial just about anythings, for that matter). Biology is SO much more complicated than our simple minds (yes, even food-science chemists arent God) can fathom. Please consider the plea for a return--for all of us--to a nature-centered, God-connected life.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWe are TRIBAL PEOPLE born FROM the EARTH trying to live WITHOUT a TRIBE and APART FROM the EARTH. It is both arrogant and foolish to think that we 'jars of clay' can come up with a better model for living than God.
Not that I have an opinion or anything&
Did this study have a sponsor or funding from an industry source? If so, it ought to be disclosed.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSounds like they've done some extremely thorough research. Why not include a third study group using sucralose instead of saccarin? Why not tell us if each rat received equal amounts of daily calories per ounce? There might be something to this study, but it's like reading a book with half of the pages torn out. Kudos to the scientific community for feeding the national media rats another tainted block of cheese.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHmm...so they proved that rats eat more if you make food sweeter. Brilliant!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt seems that human beings create those so-called artificial products which ,in most cases,would bring us more complicated problems later. There is a Chinese old saying goes like this "get caught in one's own trap".
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWow. Thats all I can say. Someone who is very intelligant must have wrote this, maybe from a personal experiance?? I Dont know you tell me?!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisDo you really believe these no-cal drinks have no effect on your body? Your body doesn't care about "nutrition labels" and it doesn't count calories. The fact is your drinking soda and I would rather eat natural sugar than some chemical created in a lab that tests for no calories.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMSG and Aspartame -- A Personal Story, TV health reporter Dick Allgire (vegetarian) healed of migraines and panic attacks: Murray 2008.02.12
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thishttp://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.htm
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1520
brief aspartame research review: Rich Murray 2008.02.12
http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.htm
Sunday, February 10, 2008
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1516
____________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1513
metabolic syndrome is tied to diet soda, PL Lutsey, LM Steffen,
J Stevens, Circulation 2008.01.22: role of formaldehyde and
formic acid from methanol in wines, liquors, or aspartame?:
Murray 2008.02.07
"But the one-third who ate the most fried food increased their risk
by 25 percent, compared with the one-third who ate the least, and
surprisingly, the risk of developing metabolic syndrome was 34
percent higher among those who drank one can of diet soda a day
compared with those who drank none.
"This is interesting," said Lyn M. Steffen, an associate professor of
epidemiology at the University of Minnesota and a co-author of the
paper, which was posted online in the journal Circulation on Jan. 22.
"Why is it happening? Is it some kind of chemical in the diet soda,
or something about the behavior of diet soda drinkers?""
"The diet soda association was not hypothesized
and deserves further study."
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1511
vinyl acetate, ethyl alcohol, or aspartame in womb increases later
cancers in adults with lifetime exposure in many studies, M Soffritti
et al, Ramazzini Foundation, Basic Clin. Pharm. Toxicol. 2008 Feb.:
Rich Murray 2008.02.07
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1495
folic acid prevents neurotoxicity from formic acid, made by body
from methanol impurity in alcohol drinks [also 11 % of aspartame],
BM Kapur, PL Carlen, DC Lehotay, AC Vandenbroucke,
Y Adamchik, U. of Toronto, 2007 Dec., Alcoholism Cl. Exp. Res.:
Murray 2007.11.27
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1490
details on 6 epidemiological studies since 2004 on diet soda (mainly
aspartame) correlations, as well as 14 other mainstream studies
on aspartame toxicity since summer 2005: Murray 2007.11.27
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1340
aspartame groups and books:
updated research review of 2004.07.16: Murray 2006.05.11
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1453
Souring on fake sugar (aspartame), Jennifer Couzin,
Science 2007.07.06: 4 page letter to FDA from 12 eminent
USA toxicologists re two Ramazzini Foundation cancer studies
2007.06.25: Murray 2007.07.18
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1426
ASDA (unit of Wal-Mart Stores WMT.N) and Marks & Spencer
will join Tesco and also Sainsbury to ban and limit aspartame,
MSG, artificial flavors dyes preservatives additives, trans fats, salt
"nasties" to protect kids from ADHD: leading UK media:
Murray 2007.05.15
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNMmessage/1451
Artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose) and coloring agents
will be banned from use in newly-born and baby foods,
the European Parliament decided: Latvia ban in schools 2006:
Murray 2007.07.12
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1469
highly toxic formaldehyde, the cause of alcohol hangovers, is
made by the body from 100 mg doses of methanol from
dark wines and liquors, dimethyl dicarbonate, and aspartame:
Murray 2007.08.31
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1455
FEMA slow to safety test Katrina toxic trailers, Charles Babington,
Associated Press -- 1 ppm formaldehyde in air is about half the
daily dose from 3 cans aspartame diet soda and ten times the
1999 EPA alarm level for drinking water: Murray 2007.07.23
"Of course, everyone chooses, as a natural priority, to enjoy
peace, joy, and love by helping to find, quickly share, and positively
act upon evidence about healthy and safe food, drink, and
environment."
Rich Murray, MA Room For All rmforall@comcast.net
505-501-2298 1943 Otowi Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505
http://RMForAll.blogspot.com new primary archive
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/messages
group with 119 members, 1,520 posts in a public archive
correct way to send testimony
and evidence to Hawaii House Health Committee
re aspartame ban hearing 2 pm EST Wed. Feb. 13:
Murray 2008.02.12
http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.htm
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1518
bias, omissions, incuriosity = opportunity, aspartame safety
evaluation, Magnuson BA, Burdock GA, Williams GM, 7 more,
2007 Sept, Ajinomoto funded 98 pages html [ $ 32 pdf ]:
Murray 2007.09.15
http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.htm
Saturday, September 15, 2007
I think this is another case of hurry up and wait. These are really just preliminary findings and plenty of research is probably still required. The article even says there are no concrete conclusions to be drawn.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAs for calls to a nature-centric, god-connected life, I'm curious to know how god comes into it. Further to that, which god would be the particular one, or should a pantheon be chosen? It's true that, in general, natural products seem to outperform artificial products, at least as far as nutrition is concerned, but there's no need to bring a god into the picture.
Ayurvedic "medicine" says that the taste of "sweetness" (except honey) increases the kapha dosha - ie, it can make you gain weight more easily whether it has calories or not. Maybe there's something to that?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this> Do you really believe these no-cal drinks have no
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this> effect on your body? Your body doesn't care about
> "nutrition labels" and it doesn't count calories.
> The fact is your drinking soda and I would rather
> r eat natural sugar than some chemical created in a
> lab that tests for no calories.
me too!
i am a strong 'bitter' taster, and find the noticeable chemical tang of sweeteners (especially aspartine) nasty, so i have been spared a diet soda habit. and it saves me from a lot of processed food, e.g. baked beans.
i work hard so i allow myself a sugar ration, but most of it goes on chocolate.
and donuts.
mmmmm donuts [homer drooling smiley goes here]
THE MICE ARE CONSUMING THE FAKE STUFF WHEN HUNGRY - thats gotta be a problem. Only an idiot would actually consume one of these products when hungry, or an unaware mouse. when you are hungry you should eat food. but if you need a caffeine boost, a diet soda is probably the way to go. Do we really need to consume 60g of sugar when all we want is a caffeine boost?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI find this article inconclusive. At the end, they state that the rats eat more as a result of eating fake sugar, "or expend less energy". Which is it? What causes the weight gain, the fact that the rats end up eating more, or that they burn less calories. There is a huge difference. I would like to know what the causes of the decline in energy expenditure.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIf you read the complete study at http://www.apa.org/journals/releases/bne-feb08-swithers.pdf
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisyou will see that it contains one fatal flaw. The amount of artifical sweetner that they used made the artifically sweetened yogart five times sweeter than the one sweetened with sugar.
In effect, they taught the rats that the sweeter something tastes, the fewer calories that it has. The results they got were exactly what one would expect in this case.
When you read the study in that light, you will see that it does not apply in any way to items like artifically sweetened soft drinks or any other human food that is artifically sweetened to the same level it would be if it were sweetened with sugar.
If you look at their previous studies, you can see that they approached this study looking to support and extend their previous work. My guess is that they made this decision about oversweetening the yogart upfront, knowing what the likely outcome would be if they only artifically sweetened the yogart to the same level as the one sweetened with sugar. I'm not at all inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt on this one.
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Edited by itsme2333 at 02/21/2008 3:41 AM
I think this is all nonsense. the study is son unreliable the government needs to get a refund back from the researchers and put it towards better use in research.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI first heard of the study results on ABC nightly news about a week ago or so and couldn't believe it. I have also read articles on this form other sites that gave more detail on the journal article
The study used saccharin sweetened yogurt fed to rats compared to rats fed sugar (sucrose) sweetened yogurt and also a group of of rats fed yogurt sweetened with glucose. The study results indicated that the rats fed the saccharin sweetened yogurt gained significant weight and also became fat around the stomach area. What only some articles report is that the glucose group of rats also gain some weight and fat, but not as much as the saccharin group of rats.
Considering glucose is the human bodies natural sugar and and that the glucose and saccharin fed rats both gained weight in comparison to the sucrose group does not indicate that the artificial sweetner is to blame for the weight gain, but is an indication of the natural workings of the human body.
While the main part of the conclusion is completely wrong,, and using saccharin wrong since almost no product uses saccharin today, but uses aspartame, asceulfame potassium, sucralose, xylitol, manitol, or natural sweenters like fruit juices, the study is flawed. It does however indicate one reason why the jump and push of low fat (which boost sugars to enhance flavor) and low carb diets for some do not work or cause weight gain.
Maybe, results are biased? Simple explanation: obesed people try to control calories intake and prefer diet drinks? As result, it looks like people who down diet drinks are at a higher risk for obesity and metabolic syndrome.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt sounds like part of the greater PR battleground between the pro- and (in this case) anti- Aspartame camps (see http://www.thatdanny.com/2008/06/25/is-aspartame-safe-an-unbiased-review-of-aspartame-information/ ).
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe problem is that whenever research surfaces to support one or the other, it is embraced by the relevant camp as yet more proof.
That's confusing to the public, because what we need is for all of these papers to be evaluated scientifically in the cold light of day.
So next time you see a large person gobbling down 3 big Mac’s and a diet coke, let them know that it’s the diet coke that’s making them obese. Personally I have always avoided sweeteners, I cannot pallet the taste, and I can taste the smallest quantities of any type of A.S. I have never had a weight problem and drink plenty of high sugar drinks. If you have got children give them natural sugars like sucrose or fructose, billions of people have lived on them long before A.S. came into existence. In fact now I think about it, the more A.S's are been used in the west the more obese people are becoming.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisDo you think there could be some link between A.S's and diabetis?
I THINK THAT SUPERMARKETS ARE TRYING TO LULL US INTO A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY, THEN THEY WILL UNLEASH THEIR SECRET WEAPON:DOUGHNUT GOO!!!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thiswell I have a project regarding this issue. I dont have anything to say. I just need this facts to create a story board. I need more proof aabout this issue. If anyone who do know more about this, tell me please ASAP.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI thinks its a funding process, continuous if you do , it will result increase weight.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this<a href="http://www.weightgain.org/">Weight gain</a>
I find this article very interesting but it came to my mind, what happens with artificial sweetener like Stevia? Stevia seems to be a better option that all the other artificial sweeteners mainly because of its mechanism of action in the digestion. I dont think it has to do with wheter you believe that magically there are drinks or food that are nutritious to your body but dont have calories, i think its important to evaluate whats the best option, when it comes to a weightloss program....
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI found this article to be very interesting but it came to my mind, what happens with artificial sweetener like Stevia? Stevia seems to be a better option that all the other artificial sweeteners mainly because of its mechanism of action in the digestion. I dont think it has to do with wheter you believe that magically there are drinks or food that are nutritious to your body but dont have calories, i think its important to evaluate whats the best option, when it comes to a weightloss program....
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFitness can be achieved anywhere, so don’t stress about not getting to the gym. The good thing is that you are contemplating getting into shape, the next step is to take some action. In is as little as 20 minutes per day you can perform total body workouts with little to no equipment that will help improve your ability to function.
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