Indian Study Finds Artificial Sweetener Sucralose Does Not Increase Diabetes Risk
Groundbreaking Research Challenges Previous Beliefs
Key Findings:
- 179 Indians with type 2 diabetes participated in a 12-week randomized controlled study.
- Sucralose, a non-nutritive sweetener, was found to have no effect on blood sugar levels.
- The World Health Organization has not recommended discontinuing the use of artificial sweeteners for people with diabetes.
A recent study conducted by the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF) in Chennai, India, has shed new light on the effects of artificial sweeteners on diabetes.
The study, led by Dr. Mohan V. Mohan, a senior diabetologist and chairman of the MDRF, examined the effects of replacing sucrose (table sugar) with sucralose, an artificial sweetener, on blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
The findings, which were published in the journal Diabetes Care, showed that sucralose had no significant effect on blood sugar levels compared to sucrose. This suggests that sucralose may be a safe alternative to sugar for people with diabetes.
The study's findings challenge previous research that had suggested that artificial sweeteners may increase the risk of diabetes. A meta-analysis published in JAMA Internal Medicine in 2017 found that higher intake of non-sugar sweeteners (NSS) was associated with a 23% increase in the risk of type 2 diabetes.
However, the MDRF study is the first to examine the effects of sucralose specifically on people with type 2 diabetes. The study's findings suggest that sucralose may not have the same adverse effects on blood sugar levels as other artificial sweeteners.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has not recommended discontinuing the use of artificial sweeteners for people with diabetes. However, the WHO has advised that people with diabetes should limit their overall intake of sugar, including both natural and artificial sweeteners.
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