Artificial sweeteners directly linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease

Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame potassium and sucralose "should not be considered healthy and safe alternatives to sugar," the researchers believe. A large study of French adults, published Sept. 7 in The BMJ, found a link between higher consumption of artificial sweeteners and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke. potential direct association. Every day, millions of people around the world consume these artificial sweeteners, and they are widely used in thousands of foods and beverages around the world. The findings suggest that these artificial sweeteners should not be considered a healthy and safe alternative to sugar, in line with the current position of several health agencies. Artificial sweeteners are widely used as no- or low-calorie substitutes for sugar. They represent a $7.2bn (£5.9bn; €7bn) global market and are present in thousands of products around the world. They are especially common in ultra-processed foods, such as artificially sweetened beverages, some snacks, and low-calorie ready-to-eat meals. Several studies have linked consumption of artificial sweeteners or artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) to weight gain, high blood pressure and inflammation. However, findings remain inconclusive regarding the role of artificial sweeteners in the etiology of various diseases, including cardiovascular disease (CVD). Additionally, several observational studies have used ASB consumption as a proxy to explore CVD risk, but none have measured overall dietary intake of artificial sweeteners. To investigate this further, a research team from the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research (Inserm) and colleagues used the web-based NutriNet-Santé study to examine 103,388 participants (average age 42; 80% women). ) were analyzed. This ongoing study was launched in France in 2009 to investigate the relationship between nutrition and health. Dietary intake and consumption of artificial sweeteners were assessed by repeated 24-hour dietary records. A wide range of potential health, lifestyle and sociodemographic factors were considered. Artificial sweeteners from all dietary sources (beverages, dairy, tabletop sweeteners, etc.) and by type (aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium) were included in the analysis. A total of 37% of participants consumed artificial sweeteners, with an average intake of 42.46 mg/day. This is equivalent to about one packet of tabletop sweetener or 100 ml (3.4 oz) diet soda. Among participants who consumed artificial sweeteners, the mean intake for the lower and higher consumption categories was 7.46 and 77.62 mg/day, respectively. Compared to participants who did not consume artificial sweeteners, consumers who consumed more sweeteners tended to be younger, were less physically active, had higher body mass index (BMI), were more likely to smoke, and followed weight loss diets. They also had lower total energy intakes, as well as lower intakes of alcohol, carbohydrates, saturated and polyunsaturated fats, fiber, fruits and vegetables, sodium, red and processed meats, dairy products, and no added sugar The intake of beverages was also higher. However, the researchers accounted for these differences in their analysis. During a mean follow-up period of 9 years, 1,502 cardiovascular events occurred. They include heart attack, angioplasty (a surgery to widen a blocked or narrowed artery in the heart), angina, transient ischemic attack, and stroke. The scientists found that total intake of artificial sweeteners was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (absolute rates averaged 346 cases per 100,000 people per year among higher consumers and 100,000 cases per 100,000 people among non-consumers). an average of 314 cases per year). Aspartame intake was associated with an increased risk of cerebrovascular events (average 186 and 151 per 100,000 per Potassium and sucralose were associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease (acesulfame potassium: 167 and 164 per 100,000 people per year; sucralose: 271 and 161 per 100,000 people per year).