Editor’s note: This article has been reprinted. First published December 6, 2016.
The appeal of artificial sweeteners, which have zero calories and a sweet taste, is strong enough to reach 141.18 million Americans.1 But there have been concerns from the beginning about the serious downsides of consuming synthetic compounds that contain high levels of fructose (200 times that of sugar in the case of aspartame).
One of the most terrifying things, especially for those who consume artificial sweeteners, sugar-free and diet products for weight loss, is their tendency to promote weight gain. Researchers wrote in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine:2
“Intuitively, people choose non-calorie artificial sweeteners over sugar to lose or maintain weight.
Perhaps thanks to the diet beverage industry’s successful marketing efforts, the weight-conscious public often thinks of artificial sweeteners as ‘health foods.’ But do artificial sweeteners actually help you lose weight?
Surprisingly, epidemiological data suggest the opposite. “Several large prospective cohort studies have found a positive correlation between artificial sweetener use and weight gain.”
Its reputation as a weight loss supplement has been solid from the beginning, but it has been known for years to have the opposite effect. A team of researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has uncovered a potential reason why artificial sweeteners like aspartame prevent weight loss rather than promote it.3
Aspartame promotes obesity by blocking intestinal enzyme activity
A study on mice found that animals fed drinking water containing aspartame gained weight and developed symptoms of metabolic syndrome, while mice fed the artificial sweetener did not. Researchers also found that phenylalanine, a breakdown product of aspartame, blocks the activity of an intestinal enzyme called alkaline phosphatase (IAP).
Previous studies have shown that feeding IAP to mice prevents the development of metabolic syndrome and reduces symptoms in people with the condition.4 Study author Dr. Richard Hodin, MGH surgeon, said in a press release:5
“We discovered that aspartame blocks an enzyme in the gut called intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP), which has previously been shown to protect against obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. A beneficial aspect of IAP.”
The mice in the study were fed a regular or high-fat diet plus water or an amount of aspartame equivalent to that found in two to three cans of soda. Rats in the high-fat group who drank water containing aspartame gained more weight than rats who ate the same diet without aspartame in the water.
Additionally, all mice that ate aspartame had higher blood sugar levels (an indicator of glucose intolerance) and higher levels of the inflammatory protein TNF-alpha. This suggests systemic inflammation. Given that aspartame inhibits IAPs, researchers have suggested that its use may be counterproductive.
Artificial Sweeteners Linked to Weight Gain Since the 1980s
Artificial sweeteners are still considered weight loss aids in 2016, even though their interference with weight loss has been documented since at least the 1980s. Then the San Antonio Heart Study of nearly 4,000 adults found that drinkers of artificially sweetened beverages consistently had a higher body mass index (BMI) than non-drinkers.6
A study of nearly 78,700 women in the early 1980s found that artificial sweetener use increased with relative body weight and that users were significantly more likely to gain weight than women who did not use artificial sweeteners.7
Such associations have continued to grow over the past several decades. Artificially sweetened beverages, including diet soda, are one of the main culprits, with consumption leading to a “surprising” increase in waist circumference in older adults, according to one study.8
A study published in PLOS One found that regular consumption of artificially sweetened soft drinks was associated with several metabolic syndrome disorders, including:9
- abdominal obesity
- insulin resistance
- Impaired glucose intolerance
- Abnormal increase in fat in the blood
- high blood pressure
Studies have shown that drinking diet soda with aspartame every day increases your risk of type 2 diabetes by 67% (regardless of whether you gain weight) and your risk of metabolic syndrome by 36%.
According to a report published in the journal Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism, one way artificial sweeteners increase the risk of weight gain, obesity, and other related problems such as type 2 diabetes is by causing “metabolic disorders.” That’s it.10
“… (A) accumulating evidence suggests that people who frequently consume these sugar substitutes may be at increased risk of excessive weight gain, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
… (C) Consuming foods and beverages that taste good but are empty or low in calories disrupts learned responses that normally contribute to glucose and energy homeostasis.
Because of this interference, frequent consumption of high-intensity sweeteners may have counterintuitive effects that lead to metabolic disorders.”
The soda industry promises to cut calories for a slow start.
The soda industry has pledged to reduce the calories Americans consume from beverages by 20 percent over the next decade, but it’s getting off to a slow start.11 According to a beverage industry report, this calorie intake decreased by only 0.2% in 2015.
In addition to introducing smaller package sizes and reformulating products, a key strategy toward this goal is to promote artificially sweetened diet drinks, while consumption of low- and no-calorie sodas fell by nearly 6% last year.
Americans are growing increasingly wary of artificial sweeteners, and the soda industry is becoming increasingly desperate to hold on to its once-loyal customers. One ongoing strategy to appear like you care about your health is to promote diet drinks as healthy alternatives.
In 2013, they launched an advertising campaign encouraging people to unite to fight obesity, and soon after launched another campaign promoting aspartame in diet sodas.
According to the advertisement, aspartame is “a safe, high-quality alternative to sugar.” Apparently they didn’t review the hundreds of studies showing the harmful effects of this artificial sweetener or the dangers of consuming diet soda in general.
In one study, people who drank diet soda had a 70% larger waist circumference over 10 years compared to people who didn’t drink diet soda. People who drank two or more diet sodas a day had a 500% larger waist size.
A study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that people who drink diet drinks end up making up for the “saving” calories by eating more foods high in sugar, sodium, and unhealthy fats. It happened.12
Obese adults had the highest daily calorie intake from unhealthy foods associated with diet drinks. Researcher Ruopeng An, Ph.D., former professor of kinesiology and community health at the University of Illinois, commented:13
“People who consume diet drinks may feel justified in eating more, so they may reach for a muffin or a bag of potato chips. Or perhaps they may feel like they need to eat more of these high-calorie foods to feel satisfied.”
Check out the infographic below to learn more about the harmful effects of diet soda as it relates to aspartame and weight gain.
Beyond Weight Gain—The Problem with Aspartame
Aspartame is composed of aspartic acid and phenylalanine. However, phenylalanine has been synthetically modified to have a methyl group that provides most of its sweetness. Phenylalanine methyl bonds, called methyl esters, are so weak that the methyl group of phenylalanine can easily break apart to form methanol.
When aspartame is in liquid form, it breaks down into methyl alcohol or methanol, which then converts into formaldehyde, which is the root of the aspartame problem.
Notoriously biased, industry-funded studies attempt to support the safety of aspartame, but 92% of independently funded studies found that aspartame causes side effects, including depression and headaches.14 Additionally, one study found that when aspartame was administered to rats, methanol was detectable even 24 hours later, which may cause oxidative stress in the brain.15
Conclusion? Avoid Artificial Sweeteners If You’re Trying to Lose Weight
There are many reasons to avoid artificial sweeteners (including their link to cancer), but the most compelling one for those trying to lose weight is the simple fact that artificial sweeteners have the potential to interfere with this process.
When you get cravings for sweets, resist the urge to eat artificially sweetened foods or drinks and instead eat foods that are naturally sour. Sour foods, such as fermented vegetables or water with lemon or lime juice, can help reduce your cravings for sweets.
If that doesn’t appeal to you, try a cup of organic black coffee, which binds to opioid receptors. This receptor occupies the opioid receptors and essentially blocks addiction to other opioid-releasing foods.16,17
It’s also a good idea to address your cravings on an emotional level. Turbo tapping, a version of EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), is especially suited to eliminating sweet cravings and can be done almost anywhere whenever cravings arise.
