Results from animal studies that indicated sucralose could modify the absorption of glucose in the intestine were not observed when the sweetener was fed to humans, according to findings published in the British Journal of Nutrition.Researchers from the University of Adelaide and the Royal Adelaide Hospital also report that consumption of the sweetener did not affect levels of a hormone linked to hunger - glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1).
Previous studies with animals have suggested that sweeteners may interact with glucose and enhance the absorption of glucose in the gut via GLUT2 expression.
Indeed, scientists from the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH) recently reported that a synergistic effect between sucralose and glucose may trigger the release of the appetite-suppressing hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), and therefore promote a feeling of fullness (Diabetes Care, 2010, Vol. 32, pp. 2184-2186).
In order to study such links in humans, the Adelaide-based researchers recruited ten health subjects with an average age of 27 and an average BMI of 23.4 kg/m2 and randomly assigned them to receive either sucralose (provided by Tate & Lyle) or a saline solution in combination with a solution containing both glucose and “its non-metabolised analogue, 3-O-methylglucose (3-OMG)” via a catheter directly into the intestine.
Results showed no differences in levels of blood glucose, GLP-1, or 3-OMG between the sucralose and control groups.
The findings are inline with a review by NIH scientists, which failed to find a link between intakes of artificial sweeteners and metabolic changes in children (International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, doi: 10.3109/17477160903497027).
The overall safety of sucralose was re-assessed and supported by an expert panel, made up of scientists from Rutgers University, New York Medical College, Harvard School of Public Health, Columbia University, and Duke University.
Sucralose is reportedly used as an ingredient in over 4,000 products worldwide, according to Tate & Lyle.
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