According to latest research, a chemical formed when we digest sucralose, a widely used sweetener, is “genotoxic”.
After analysing a popular sweetener, researchers have found that the chemical formed when humans digest sucralose is “genotoxic”, meaning it breaks up DNA.
Sucralose is a widely used sweetener sold under the trade name Splenda®. Previous work by the same research team discovered that several fat-soluble compounds are produced in the gut after sucralose ingestion. One of these compounds is sucralose-6-acetate.
“Our new work establishes that sucralose-6-acetate is genotoxic,” stated Susan Schiffman, Corresponding Author of the study and an Adjunct Professor in the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“We also found that trace amounts of sucralose-6-acetate can be found in off-the-shelf sucralose, even before it is consumed and metabolised.
Putting the findings into context, Schiffman explained that the European Food Safety Authority has a threshold of toxicological concern for all genotoxic substances of 0.15 micrograms per person per day. However, Schiffman highlighted that results of the study found the trace amounts of sucralose-6-acetate in a single, daily sucralose-sweetened drink exceed that threshold.
“And that’s not even accounting for the amount of sucralose-6-acetate produced as metabolites after people consume sucralose,” continued Schiffman.
To carry out the study, the researchers conducted a series of in vitro experiments exposing human blood cells to sucralose-6-acetate and monitoring for markers of genotoxicity.
“In short, we found that sucralose-6-acetate is genotoxic, and that it effectively broke up DNA in cells that were exposed to the chemical,” said Schiffman.
In addition, the researchers also conducted in vitro tests that exposed human gut tissues to sucralose-6-acetate.
Schiffman continued: “When we exposed sucralose and sucralose-6-acetate to gut epithelial tissues the tissue that lines your gut wall) we found that both chemicals cause ‘leaky gut.’ Basically, they make the wall of the gut more permeable. The chemicals damage the ‘tight junctions,’ or interfaces, where cells in the gut wall connect to each other.”
Schiffman explained that a “leaky gut is problematic” as it means that what would normally be flushed out of the body in faeces is instead leaking out of the gut and being absorbed into the bloodstream.”
When looking into the genetic activity of the gut cells to see how they responded to the presence of sucralose-6-acetate, the researchers found that gut cells exposed to sucralose-6-acetate had increased activity in genes related to oxidative stress, inflammation and carcinogenicity.
“This work raises a host of concerns about the potential health effects associated with sucralose and its metabolites. It’s time to revisit the safety and regulatory status of sucralose, because the evidence is mounting that it carries significant risks.
“If nothing else, I encourage people to avoid products containing sucralose. It’s something you should not be eating,” concluded Schiffman.
Splenda has been contacted by New Food for a comment,
DNA-damaging chemical found in common sweetener - New Food
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