Aspartame: see Coke Zero sweetener risks – 06/29/2023 – Equilíbrio

A report by the Reuters agency indicated that aspartame, the sweetener used in sugar-free soft drinks like Coca-Cola, will be listed as a carcinogen by the research arm of the WHO (World Health Organization). The product must be declared “possibly carcinogenic to humans”.

The information raised doubts about the health risks of the product in the short and long term.

According to the agency, the indication will be made in July by the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer), which studies the disease in the international organization.

Non-nutritive artificial sweeteners have been targeted by the WHO since May, when the agency indicated that they should not be used for weight loss and maintenance. The guideline included aspartame.

According to experts consulted by the Sheet at the time, it is not necessary to stop using the products, which are mainly indicated for people with diabetes. Doctors pointed out that this type of recommendation is directed mainly at governments, which should review consumption in programs that target public health.

They consider, however, that it is important to consult a professional in the area, such as a nutritionist, to receive personalized guidance.

Roberto Raduan, an endocrinologist at BP (A Beneficência Portuguesa de São Paulo), told the report that discussions about the toxicity of sweeteners have been going on for decades, but there is still no scientific consensus on the potential benefits or harms of these compounds.

The expert says that users should consume substances within limits considered safe.

According to the FDA (American food and drug regulatory agency), the daily recommendation varies according to the compound. The limit for aspartame, a possible target of the new recommendation, is 50 mg/kg per day. Saccharin intake, on the other hand, is up to 15mg/kg. The limit for sucralose is even lower, at 5 mg/kg.

In the previous recommendation, the WHO indicated that the use of sweeteners may be related to the development of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular problems and certain types of cancer in adults. However, it also classified the scientific evidence related to this risk as “low to moderate”.

In 2016, Indian researchers questioned whether artificial sweeteners used as sugar substitutes were really healthy, in addition to assessing whether they could be considered safe for diabetics.

Published in the Indian Journal Pharmacology, the study considered several agents, including aspartame.

The authors concluded that pregnant and lactating women, children, diabetics, patients with migraine and epilepsy represent “a population susceptible to the adverse effects of products containing non-nutritive sweeteners and should use these products with the utmost care.”

For people without these conditions, use remained inconclusive.

Another work that links the use of sweeteners with the risk of cancer states that artificial products (especially aspartame and acesulfame-K), used in many food and beverage brands around the world, were associated with increased chances of developing the disease.

The work was published in PLoS in 2022 and considered results from 102,865 adults followed for 7.8 years.