Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2023 Dec 20;14(1):10.
doi: 10.3390/life14010010.

The Effects of Artificial Sweeteners on Intestinal Nutrient-Sensing Receptors: Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde?

Edit Posta  1 , Istvan Fekete  2 , Eva Gyarmati  1   3 , László Stündl  2 , Eva Zold  4 , Zsolt Barta  1
Affiliations
Review

The Effects of Artificial Sweeteners on Intestinal Nutrient-Sensing Receptors: Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde?

Edit Posta et al. Life (Basel). .

Abstract

The consumption of artificial and low-calorie sweeteners (ASs, LCSs) is an important component of the Western diet. ASs play a role in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome, dysbiosis, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), and various inflammatory conditions. Intestinal nutrient-sensing receptors act as a crosstalk between dietary components, the gut microbiota, and the regulation of immune, endocrinological, and neurological responses. This narrative review aimed to summarize the possible effects of ASs and LCSs on intestinal nutrient-sensing receptors and their related functions. Based on the findings of various studies, long-term AS consumption has effects on the gut microbiota and intestinal nutrient-sensing receptors in modulating incretin hormones, antimicrobial peptides, and cytokine secretion. These effects contribute to the regulation of glucose metabolism, ion transport, gut permeability, and inflammation and modulate the gut-brain, and gut-kidney axes. Based on the conflicting findings of several in vitro, in vivo, and randomized and controlled studies, artificial sweeteners may have a role in the pathogenesis of IBDs, functional bowel diseases, metabolic syndrome, and cancers via the modulation of nutrient-sensing receptors. Further studies are needed to explore the exact mechanisms underlying their effects to decide the risk/benefit ratio of sugar intake reduction via AS and LCS consumption.

Keywords: IBD; artificial sweeteners; gastrointestinal; incretin; microbiome; nutrient-sensing receptor.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic signaling pathway of nutrient sensing, G−protein coupled receptors. Ligands (grey triangle) bind to nutrient−sensing receptors and coupled G−proteins to activate PLCβ2. IP3 is activated by PLCβ2 and binds to IP3 receptors to cause intracellular Ca2+ release (red arrow), which drives the opening of the TRPM5 cation channel and Na+ influx (dark yellow arrow). These changes lead to increased incretin and cytokine secretion by enteroendocrine cells. These molecules could have an influence on the gene and protein expressions, various cytokine and hormone secretion, and modified cell proliferation of target cells.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Schematic figure about our review stages.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Scheithauer T.P.M., Rampanelli E., Nieuwdorp M., Vallance B.A., Verchere C.B., van Raalte D.H., Herrema H. Gut Microbiota as a Trigger for Metabolic Inflammation in Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes. Front. Immunol. 2020;11:571731. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.571731. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Shon W.J., Jung M.H., Kim Y., Kang G.H., Choi E.Y., Shin D.M. Sugar-sweetened beverages exacerbate high-fat diet-induced inflammatory bowel disease by altering the gut microbiome. J. Nutr. Biochem. 2023;113:109254. doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2022.109254. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Sylvetsky A.C., Welsh J.A., Brown R.J., Vos M.B. Low-calorie sweetener consumption is increasing in the United States. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2012;96:640–646. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.112.034751. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Sylvetsky A.C. Trends in the consumption of low-calorie sweeteners. Physiol. Behav. 2016;164:446–450. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.03.030. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Ruiz-Ojeda F.J., Plaza-Diaz J., Saez-Lara M.J., Gil A. Effects of Sweeteners on the Gut Microbiota: A Review of Experimental Studies and Clinical Trials. Adv. Nutr. 2019;10:S31–S48. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmy037. - DOI - PMC - PubMed