Research suggests that a food additive found in soy milk, smoothies and ice cream could trigger type 2 diabetes.
Carrageenan, also known as E 407, is used in the food industry as an emulsifier and thickener due to its gelatinous consistency.
But researchers have warned that emulsifiers can damage the intestine, destabilize blood sugar and even cause bowel cancer.
Now, a team of scientists in Germany has investigated whether this additive, found in many popular sweets, could put people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
In it study Published in the journal BMC Medicine, 20 healthy-weight men between the ages of 27 and 31 received doses of 250 mg of carrageenan daily for two weeks, in addition to their normal diet.
The other half received a placebo.
At the end of the two-week trial, researchers took MRIs of the participants’ brains and gut to look for signs of inflammation, which is a known precursor to a host of gut diseases.
They also measured the participants’ sensitivity to insulin, the hormone responsible for helping us absorb energy from food and stabilizing blood sugar levels.
In type 2 diabetes, the body develops insensitivity to the hormone, causing blood sugar levels to reach dangerous highs and lows.
Carrageenan, also known as E 407, is used in the food industry as an emulsifier and thickening agent due to its gelatinous consistency and is often used in ice cream and smoothies.
After two weeks, the data showed that those in the carrageenan group with higher body weight had some reduction in insulin sensitivity, compared to those in the placebo group.
Signs of insulin malfunction were especially observed in the liver.
Additionally, a brain MRI revealed signs of inflammation in the hypothalamus region of the brain, responsible for sugar metabolism and appetite, in overweight participants who took the additive.
An MRI of the intestine showed an increase in the permeability of the small intestine, meaning larger, potentially harmful bacteria can reach the intestine.
The phenomenon has been linked to a variety of health conditions, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
“Our research suggests that carrageenan consumption, similar to what has been observed in animal studies, can disrupt the barrier function of the intestine,” explained Professor Robert Wagner, clinical researcher in diabetes and metabolism at Heinrich University. Heine from Düsseldorf and co-author of the study. of the investigation.
“This could have long-term health consequences and increase the risk of inflammatory diseases,” he added.
Commenting on the small change observed in insulin sensitivity, Professor Norbert Stefan admitted that the participants were probably “too healthy” to show significant metabolic effects of carrageenan.
And he added: ‘In older or overweight people, the effects could be stronger. To confirm this, more studies are necessary in these population groups.’
This is not the first time that experts have identified links between chemicals in ultra-processed foods and major diseases. .
Scientists have previously suggested that emulsifiers can “mess up” the separation between the fat layer and the water layer in the intestine, creating gaps in the intestine’s protective lining.
This is thought to increase the risk of bacterial infections in the gut, some of which are known to trigger bowel cancers.