June 1, 2023 – A recent study reveals health concerns concerning the sugar substitute sucralose so alarming that researchers are demanding people stop eating it and the federal government regulate it more.
Sucralose is sold under the brand name Splenda and can also be used as an ingredient in packaged foods and beverages.
The results were published this week in Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B. The researchers conducted a series of laboratory experiments by which human blood cells and intestinal tissue were exposed to sucralose-6-acetate. The results construct on previous research linking sucralose to intestinal problems.
The researchers found that sucralose breaks down DNA, thereby putting people prone to disease. They also linked sucralose to Leaky Gut Syndromewhich implies that the intestinal lining becomes worn out and permeable. Symptoms include a burning sensation, painful digestion, diarrhea, flatulence and bloating.
When a substance damages DNA, it known as genotoxic. Researchers have found that consuming sucralose causes the body to supply a substance called sucralose-6-acetate, which the brand new study says is genotoxic. The researchers also found traces of sucralose-6-acetate in commercially available products which can be so high that they might exceed the security levels currently permitted in Europe.
“It is time to review the safety and regulatory status of sucralose because there is growing evidence that it poses significant risks. If nothing else helps, I advise people to avoid products containing sucralose,” said researcher Susan Schiffman, PhD, associate professor of biomedical engineering at North Carolina State University, in a opinion“This is something you shouldn’t eat.”
The FDA says sucralose is secure since it is 600 times sweeter than table sugar and is utilized in “baked goods, beverages, chewing gum, gelatin and frozen dairy desserts.”
“To determine the safety of sucralose, the FDA reviewed more than 110 studies designed to identify potential toxic effects, including reproductive and nervous system, carcinogenicity, and metabolism studies,” the agency said. explained on their website. “The FDA also reviewed human clinical trials to examine metabolism and effects on patients with diabetes.”