Recent research published in Frontiers in Nutrition has found that neotame, a newer artificial sweetener, can damage the human gut by altering healthy bacteria and harming the epithelial barrier, potentially causing severe health issues like irritable bowel syndrome and sepsis. This study extends previous findings on artificial sweeteners, underscoring the need for further research into their safety and health impacts. Credit: SciTechDaily.com Neotame, a new artificial sweetener, harms gut health by damaging bacteria and epithelial cells, raising risks for diseases like sepsis and irritable bowel syndrome.
New research has discovered that neotame, one of the new generation of artificial sweeteners, is capable of damaging the human intestine and causing illness.
The study is the first to show that neotame can cause previously healthy gut bacteria to become diseased and invade the gut wall – potentially leading to health issues including irritable bowel syndrome and sepsis – and also cause a breakdown of the epithelial barrier, which forms part of the gut wall.
The research, which was published today (April 24) in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition and was carried out at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), demonstrates that neotame can damage the intestinal epithelium directly, by causing the death of epithelial cells, and indirectly, by damaging bacteria commonly found in the gut.
The in vitro study identified a range of pathogenic responses following exposure of E. coli ( Escherichia coli ) and E. faecalis ( Enterococcus faecalis ) to neotame, which is found in drinks, foods, and chewing gums, including biofilm formation and […]
Study Finds Artificial Sweetener Can Cause Healthy Gut Bacteria To Become Diseased
