Could artificial sweeteners promote diabetes and obesity?

For those who are diabetic or dieting, you may think artificial sweeteners are your best friend.

They allow you to get the taste of sugar from foods and beverages without the elevated blood sugar levels or calories. But a new study suggests this may not be the case; artificial sweeteners could actually promote obesity and diabetes.

The research team, including Eran Elinav of the Department of Immunology at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, recently published their findings in the journal Nature.

Discovered more than a century ago, artificial sweeteners are now found in an abundance of foods and drinks labeled "diet" or "sugar-free," including chewing gum, soft drinks, ice cream and yoghurt.

Because artificial sweeteners are low calorie and do not contain carbohydrates like sugar (meaning they are less likely to increase blood sugar levels), they are often recommended to help with weight loss or to treat or prevent metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes.

However, Elinav and colleagues note that, although some studies support such recommendations, others have indicated that artificial sweeteners actually increase weight gain and raise the risk of metabolic disorders.

For example, a study from Washington University School of Medicine reported by Medical News Today last year claimed the artificial sweetener sucralose is linked to increased glucose and insulin levels.

"Despite these controversial data, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved six NAS (non-caloric artificial sweetener) products for use in the US," the researchers note. These are saccharin, sucralose, aspartame, advantame, neotame and acesulfame potassium.