Artificial sweeteners induce glucose intolerance by altering the gut microbiota

Nature. 2014 Oct 9;514(7521):181-6. doi: 10.1038/nature13793. Epub 2014 Sep 17.

Abstract

Non-caloric artificial sweeteners (NAS) are among the most widely used food additives worldwide, regularly consumed by lean and obese individuals alike. NAS consumption is considered safe and beneficial owing to their low caloric content, yet supporting scientific data remain sparse and controversial. Here we demonstrate that consumption of commonly used NAS formulations drives the development of glucose intolerance through induction of compositional and functional alterations to the intestinal microbiota. These NAS-mediated deleterious metabolic effects are abrogated by antibiotic treatment, and are fully transferrable to germ-free mice upon faecal transplantation of microbiota configurations from NAS-consuming mice, or of microbiota anaerobically incubated in the presence of NAS. We identify NAS-altered microbial metabolic pathways that are linked to host susceptibility to metabolic disease, and demonstrate similar NAS-induced dysbiosis and glucose intolerance in healthy human subjects. Collectively, our results link NAS consumption, dysbiosis and metabolic abnormalities, thereby calling for a reassessment of massive NAS usage.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Aspartame / adverse effects
  • Body Weight / drug effects
  • Diet, High-Fat
  • Dietary Fats / pharmacology
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Tract / drug effects*
  • Gastrointestinal Tract / microbiology*
  • Germ-Free Life
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Glucose Intolerance / chemically induced*
  • Glucose Intolerance / metabolism
  • Glucose Intolerance / microbiology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Metabolic Syndrome / chemically induced
  • Metabolic Syndrome / metabolism
  • Metabolic Syndrome / microbiology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Microbiota / drug effects*
  • Saccharin / administration & dosage
  • Saccharin / adverse effects
  • Sucrose / adverse effects
  • Sucrose / analogs & derivatives
  • Sweetening Agents / adverse effects*
  • Waist-Hip Ratio

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Dietary Fats
  • Sweetening Agents
  • Sucrose
  • trichlorosucrose
  • Saccharin
  • Glucose
  • Aspartame