This review explores the health effects of artificial sweetener consumption in humans.

Transcription

1 1 English 2010 April 1, 2013 Literature Review This review explores the health effects of artificial sweetener consumption in humans. There has been great controversy ever since the emergence of artificial sweeteners on the market. Currently, thousands of food and drink products contain one of the five FDA-approved artificial sweeteners: aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, acesulfame K, and neotame. All have controversy to their use due to their long-term health risks. The FDA should not be declaring these chemical Nikole Eyre 4/13/13 4:03 PM Deleted: There are currently Nikole Eyre 4/13/13 4:03 PM Deleted: containing compounds as safe for consumption. There is not enough evidence to suggest the complete safety of these products in humans. Conversely, substantial evidence shows regular consumption poses enormous risks to humans. This review lists and analyzes specific examples supporting my claim from peer-reviewed journals like The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and Diabetes Care; a peer-reviewed medical website, MedicineNet; and Brunner & Suddarth s Textbook of Medical- Deleted: there is Deleted: that Deleted: analyses Surgical Nursing. The greatest source that supports my claim is an unbiased one: the peer-reviewed article Artificial Sweeteners by the registered dietician, Betty Kovacs, on MedicineNet.com. The author reviews the history and FDA regulations on the five artificial sweeteners: saccharin, Formatted: Font:Not Italic sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame K, and neotame. She equally presents the pros and cons of each sweetener, and mentions many scientific studies to support them. At the end of the article, Kovacs addresses some of the potential negative consequences of these artificial sweeteners, indicating their current controversial usage by the consumer. In reference to potential weight gain from artificial sweetener consumption, Kovacs states, The possible cause of this could be that artificial sugar actually increases sugar cravings. The theory is that our bodies sense the Nikole Eyre 4/13/13 4:05 PM Comment [1]: Interesting.

2 2 sweetness of the food and expect the calories. When you consume the artificial sweetener without the calories, your body continues to crave the calories so you end up eating more calories later on (Kovacs11). This argument goes even beyond the typical concern of cancer development. It s a strong point, because weight gain long-term can lead to heart disease, stroke, Nikole Eyre 4/13/13 4:05 PM Deleted:, p. and diabetes (the very thing artificial sweeteners claim to help manage). My source, Intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and weight gain: A systematic review, is a mega-study that compares many studies concerning weight gain from diet soda consumption. Nikole Eyre 4/13/13 4:06 PM Comment [2]: Italicize journal titles, but put article titles in quotation marks. While it doesn t really address the dangers of artificial sweeteners and their chemical properties, it does investigate theories why diet soda drinkers may still be overweight. The authors, Malik, Schultz and Hu, state, Evaluation of the consumption of diet soda, energy intake, and weight is complex, because, for some, the consumption of calorie-reduced beverages could serve as justification for consumption of excess calories from other food sources (Malik10). This source backs up my claim that people shouldn t feel they have a healthier diet, because they drink diet Nikole Eyre 4/13/13 4:06 PM Deleted:, p. soda. Many more dietary factors must be implemented. The claim also supports the information Kovacs says in Artificial Sweeteners about the negative consequences of artificial sweeteners on weight gain and management. Along with the enigma of artificial sweeteners and metabolism of fat, there is the Comment [3]: A good comparison here. question of diabetes and blood glucose management. Do artificial sweeteners help manage blood glucose levels? The answer is yes and no. In Is Aspartame Really Safer in Reducing the Risk of Hypoglycemia During Exercise in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes?, the authors Fernland, Deleted: is: Brassard and Poirier state, In addition to physical activity and healthy food choices, low-calorie sweetening agents, such as aspartame, are a recommended alternative to sugar for patients with

3 3 type 2 diabetes in order to obtain a better control of carbohydrate intake and blood glucose levels (paragraph 1). The authors go on to describe their study of the effects on post-exercise blood glucose levels of three meals differing in carbohydrate content (each sweetened with Comment [4]: Don t you abbreviate this para.? sucrose, fructose, or aspartame). In conclusion they state, considering that all sweetened meals (sucrose, fructose, and aspartame) in our study had the same taste, we can speculate that aspartame might have enhanced the cephalic phase of insulin secretion evoked by the recognition of the sweet taste, sight, smell, and expectation of food and could have potentiated the drop in glucose levels during exercise (paragraph 4). This demonstrates how artificial sweeteners could negatively impact the body s own chemical regulation and metabolism based upon the intense Nikole Eyre 4/13/13 4:08 PM Comment [5]: I had to read this sentence twice! sweet-tasting stimulus artificial sweeteners provide. For people without diabetes, those not worried about blood sugar levels, there s still the concern of potential carcinogenic effects from long-term usage of artificial sweetening agents. In his article Soft drinks, aspartame, and the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Dagfinn Aune describes in detail a study done by scientists Schernhammer et al. over several decades, monitoring subjects for long-term health effects of their diet soda consumption practices. He summarizes, Schernhammer et al. found that among men greater intake of diet sodas ( 1 serving/d) was associated with an increased risk of non-hodgkin lymphoma (NHL; RR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.72) and multiple myeloma (RR: 2.02; 95% CI: 1.20, 3.40) compared with no intake (Aune, p. 1249). So with the negative impact on diabetes management and cancer risk, what should people with diabetes do to manage glucose levels and still enjoy their diet? In the 2008 Brunner & Suddarth s Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing chapter Assessment and Management of Patients With Diabetes Mellitus, the authors say current recommendations are that 50%-60% Nikole Eyre 4/13/13 4:09 PM Deleted:, Nikole Eyre 4/13/13 4:09 PM Deleted: author s

4 4 of calories should be derived from carbohydrates, 20%-30% from fat, and the remaining 10% to 20% from protein (p. 1385). Healthcare professionals should teach patients with diabetes how to properly read food labels and add total grams of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in planning meals. This system allows for great freedom and variety in food choices. Simple sugars can still be added in moderation, as the authors state, Foods high in carbohydrates, such as sucrose, are not eliminated from the diet but should be eaten in moderation (up to 10% of total calories), because they are typically high in fat and lack vitamins, minerals, and fiber (p. 1385). Essentially, moderation and balance are key to diabetes management. People can and should have an enjoyable dietary life without the usage of artificial sweeteners. Substantial evidence shows it promotes weight gain, which only increases risks for terminal and chronic illness like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Despite claims to manage diabetes, they actually introduce more problems and can impede vital weight-loss from occurring. One of the greatest reasons they re so controversial is their cancer-causing potential. With moderation in eating habits and a balanced diet, individuals can live less at-risk lives than they would if regularly consuming artificially sweetened products. The FDA should better inform people before encouraging, or even allowing, the use of artificial sweeteners. These products should not be considered safe for consumption. Comment [6]: I m glad you settled on a clear claim. Comment [7]: Excellent work, Brad.

5 5 Works Cited Deleted: References Aune, Dagfinn. "Soft Drinks, Aspartame, and the Risk of Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 96 (2012): Web. Ferland, A., Brassard, P., and Poirier, P. (2007). Is aspartame really safer in reducing the risk of hypoglycemia during exercise in patients with type 2 diabetes? Diabetes Care, Nikole Eyre 4/13/13 4:11 PM Comment [8]: You re using APA, not MLA, in this citation. 30(7):e59. Kovacs, Betty, MS, RD. "Artificial Sweeteners: Side Effects, Cancer Risk, Weight Gain and Pros and Cons of Sugar Substitutes by MedicineNet.com." (n.d.): n. pag. MedicineNet. Web. 5 Mar Malik, Vasanti S., Matthias B. Schulze, and Frank B. Hu. "Intake of Sugar-sweetened Beverages and Weight Gain: A Systemic Review." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 84.August (2006): Print. Smeltzer, Susanne C. "Assessment and Management of Patients With Diabetes Mellitus." Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott-Raven, Print.