Low-calorie sweetener consumption in children has increased dramatically due to its widespread use to reduce obesity by replacing high-sugar diets, which have been linked to impaired brain function. But what about low-calorie sugar substitutes? A recent study has discovered that consuming popular low-calorie sweeteners : saccharin, acesulfame potassium, and stevia early in life may impact brain and gut health.
The study used FDA-approved levels of sweeteners and object recognition, spatial recognition tests in adolescent rat models grouped to receive water mixed with sweeteners or plain water. Rats that consumed sweeteners for a month Were less likely to remember an object or the path through the maze than those that drank plain water Showed altered intestinal glucose-transporting mechanism, and glucose regulation Showed changes in hippocampal-dependent memory in rats and…
