Popular artificial sweetener may RAISE risk of falling sick trends now
The popular artificial sweetener Splenda may crash the immune system response, leaving the body more prone to infections.
Researchers at the UK Francis Crick Institute found in a study of mice that a super-strength dose of sucralose reduced levels of T-cells, which is a crucial part of how the body fights illness.
While this may initially seem like a bad thing, researchers are excited by the findings.
But, these cells are also responsible for destroying the pancreas in type 1 diabetes patients and dysfunction of them has also been linked to rheumatoid arthritis. Finding ways to stop them could lead to a cure for both diseases.
The study comes amid growing - but still inconclusive - research showing artificial sweeteners may be harmful.
In a study of mice, researchers found that the sweetener sucralose could reduce immune function. They hope this can help treat auto-immune diseases in the future (file photo)
Sucralose, which is most commonly sold as Splenda, features in many low or no sugar products. Diet Pepsi is one notable example (file photo)
'We're hoping to piece together a bigger picture of the effects of diet on health and disease so one day we can advise on diets best suited to individual patients or find elements doctors can exploit for treatment,' Professor Karen Vousden, senior author of the study said.
Co-first author Dr Fabio Zani, from the same lab, said: 'We do not want people to take away the message sucralose is harmful if consumed in the course of a normal balanced diet.
'The doses we used in mice would be very hard to achieve without medical intervention. The impact on the immune system we observed seems reversible.
'We believe it may be worth studying if sucralose could be used to ameliorate conditions such as autoimmunity - especially in combinational therapies.'
Autoimmune diseases are when the body's built-in defense system accidentally attacks, instead of protecting, the body.
Also in this category are Chron's disease, lupus and vitiligo, among others.
The sweetener is featured in many low- or no-sugar products, including Diet Pepsi, Quaker Oatmeal and Zero Sugar Gatorade.
More Americans than ever are using artificial sweeteners as the public becomes aware of the risks linked to excess sugar use.
A 2020 report found that artificial sweetener use has surged in the US since the turn of the
