Aspartame is an artificial sweetener present in the composition of “diet”, “light” and “zero sugar” products, including sodas and even chewing gum. Its use has become popular due to its promise to reduce calories, replace sugar, and reduce the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. However, a study in rats shows that even at low doses, the compound can harm heart and brain health.
By adding small portions of aspartame to the diet of male mice, scientists at the Biomaterials Cooperative Research Center in Spain arrived at alarming results. The study was published on December 12 in the scientific journal Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy.
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The researchers gave the animals an amount equivalent to one-sixth of the daily intake considered safe for humans by the World Health Organization (WHO). In other words, even in small portions, aspartame harms important parts of the body’s functioning.
“The study demonstrates that prolonged exposure to artificial sweeteners can negatively impact organ function, even at low doses, suggesting that current consumption guidelines should be critically reexamined,” the researchers point out in the article.
The sweetener affects the heart and brain
During the experiment, the mice received doses every fortnight. Compared to the reference group which did not receive the same treatment, the animals which consumed the sweetener lost on average 10 to 20% of body fat. On the other hand, signs of cardiac and brain decline have also been identified.
Regarding cardiovascular health, rats showed lower heart pumping efficiency and small structural and functional changes, indicating alterations in organ performance and cardiac stress.
Ingestion also affected the absorption of glucose, an important fuel for brain function. There was a peak at the beginning, but there was a steep drop off at the end of the study.
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener approximately 200 times sweeter than sugar.
Without the energy needed for brain function, the rats had more difficulty in memory and learning tasks, in addition to moving more slowly and taking longer to escape the mazes involved in the experiment. The results suggest possible cognitive decline after aspartame consumption.
Compared to previous studies, the cognitive changes were considered mild, but the researchers still emphasize the need to reassess safe levels of aspartame for humans, especially for children and adolescents.
“Until the neurological aftereffects of aspartame are better understood, children and adolescents should probably avoid aspartame as much as possible, particularly as a regular component of the diet,” the scientists advise.
While it still doesn’t provide a definitive answer on how much of the sweetener is safe to consume, the new research adds to the evidence that aspartame is not as healthy a substitute. “The safety limits for humans need to be reassessed,” say the researchers.
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