A common artificial sweetener found in soft drinks, chewing gum and ice cream can damage the gut, research has shown.
Tests have found that neotame, one of the new generation of artificial sweeteners, has the potential to trigger irritable bowel syndrome or even sepsis.
Experts said it adds to growing evidence that consuming high levels of such ingredients (usually found in “diet” and “sugar-free” foods and drinks) can cause serious health problems.
Sweeteners are sugar substitutes that mimic the taste of sugar but have a negligible effect on energy intake.
As such, its use has exploded as a “healthier” and less caloric way to consume sweets.
Sweeteners (pictured) are sugar substitutes that mimic the taste of sugar but have a negligible effect on energy intake.
But recent studies have suggested that products like sucralose and aspartame are not without risks.
Neotame is a relatively new sweetener on the global market with limited data on its effects on gut health.
But now research from Anglia Ruskin University has found that it has the potential to cause illness in “good bacteria”.
Tests on cells also found that it was able to break down the barrier that is part of the intestinal wall, putting people at risk of serious health problems.
Ultimately, these changes could lead to metabolic and inflammatory diseases such as irritable bowel, sepsis or insulin resistance, often precursors to type 2 diabetes.
Dr Havovi Chichger, lead author of the study, said: “There is now growing awareness of the health impacts of sweeteners such as saccharin, sucralose and aspartame, and our own previous work demonstrates the problems they can cause in the wall of the intestine and damage to the “good bacteria” that form in our intestine.
‘This can lead to a number of potential health problems, such as diarrhoea, intestinal inflammation and even infections such as septicemia, if the bacteria were to enter the bloodstream.
‘Therefore, it is important to also study sweeteners that have been introduced more recently.
“And our new research shows that neotame causes similar problems, including gut bacteria disease.”
Published in the journal Frontiers of Nutrition, the researchers say it is vital that more studies be done.
Dr Chichger added: ‘It is vital to understand the impact of these pathogenic changes that occur in the gut microbiota.
“Our findings also demonstrate the need to better understand common food additives and the molecular mechanisms underlying potential negative health impacts.”