Roughly 169 million Americans incorporate artificial sweeteners into their regular diet. Despite the perception of these sweeteners being a healthier choice, the World Health Organization has recently warned that these sugar substitutes raise the risk of severe health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even mortality.
The announcement has sparked debates among experts who stress the importance of robust research in forming public health recommendations.
WHO Guidelines Reflect Minimal Risks
The WHO updated a 2019 review of 283 studies, including randomized controlled trials and observational studies.
Analysis of the RCTs, considered the gold standard in research, revealed that the consumption of non-sugar sweeteners had a limited effect on weight loss and calorie reduction when compared to natural sugar. Importantly, the RCTs also showed no significant changes in markers for diabetes, such as glucose or insulin levels, blood pressure, total cholesterol, or any evidence indicating increased risk of all-cause mortality or cancer….