What are the dangers of artificial sweeteners?

A large study among French adults, the results of which were published in The BMJ, shows a potential direct link between increased consumption of artificial sweeteners and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke.

Artificial sweeteners are found in thousands of products worldwide, especially in over-processed foods such as artificially sweetened beverages, some snacks and low-calorie prepared foods.

Researchers from the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research (Inserm) and their colleagues used data from 103,388 participants (mean age 42; 80 percent female) in the NutriNet-Santé study, launched in France in 2009 to examine the relationship between diet and health.

Artificial sweeteners from all food sources (beverages, table sweeteners, dairy products, etc.) were included in the analysis.

They were consumed by 37% of participants, with an average consumption of 42.46 mg per day, equivalent to about one individual packet of sweetener or 100 ml of diet soda.

Among participants who consumed artificial sweeteners, the average consumption for the lowest and highest consumer categories was 7.46 and 77.62 mg/day, respectively.

Compared with those who did not consume artificial sweeteners, higher category consumers tended to be younger, had a higher body mass index, smoked more frequently, were less physically active, and were on a weight loss diet. 

An average of 1,502 cardiovascular events occurred during the nine years of follow-up. These included heart attack, angina, transient ischemic attack and stroke.

The researchers found that overall consumption of artificial sweeteners was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (an absolute rate of 346 per 100,000 person-years in high-consumers and 314 per 100,000 person-years in non-consumers).

Artificial sweeteners were more strongly linked to risk of cerebrovascular disease (absolute rates of 195 and 150 per 100,000 person-years for high-consumers and nonconsumers, respectively).

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