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A team of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators has found a possible mechanism explaining why use of the sugar substitute aspartame might not promote weight loss. In their report published online in Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism, the researchers show how the aspartame breakdown product phenylalanine interferes with the action of an enzyme previously shown to prevent metabolic syndrome -- a group of symptoms associated with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. They also showed that mice receiving aspartame in their drinking water gained more weight and developed other symptoms of metabolic syndrome than animals fed similar diets lacking aspartame.
"Sugar substitutes like aspartame are designed to promote weight loss and decrease the incidence of metabolic syndrome, but a number of clinical and epidemiologic studies have suggested that these products don't work very well and may actually make things worse," says Richard Hodin, MD, of the MGH Department of Surgery, the study's senior author. "We found that aspartame blocks a gut enzyme called intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) that we previously showed can prevent obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome; so we think that aspartame might not work because, even as it is substituting for sugar, it blocks the beneficial aspects of IAP."
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 27 2016, @07:39AM
I heard this claim about weight and aspartame a few years ago. So I tested it on myself.
In my test on myself I did find if I drunk 1 glass with an artificial sugar I would be *very* hungry within 2-3 hours. Distractedly so. If I conducted the same test with HFC it was not as bad. Usually within norms of being normally hungry for other food. Sugar actually let me last longer with less food.
Now my test is a non scientific study. To properly do it I would need more conditions. Blind study, consistent food consumption and exercise. Also at least 200-300 people in the study preferably at least 1000. Also would probably need to repeat the test for different nationalities and genomes.
I personally am moving towards a 'no junk' diet. That means no junk food. No substitutes (ie diet coke vs coke). If I drink a cola I try to find one with sugar and not HFC. Those cost more though. I limit my intake to 1-2 servings or so a week. So mostly fruits and veggies and smaller portions of meat. Water, milk, coffee, and tea are about the only 4 things that do not contain massive adulteration of sugar. Lost about 5 pounds within 2 weeks. It is coming off much more slowly now after the initial loss.
It was not a result I expected either. Overall the stuff seems 'safe'. However, long term effects are in the kinda unknown category as I do not think people want to go against the industries that make them. Sort of like cigarettes were years ago. Short term there is little wrong with them. Long term was finally studied and showed massive negative issues. I afraid we may find that out about our food supply and these extra ingredients. However, it needs to be properly studied and we have to be willing to accept that we may be doing terrible things to ourselves.