Low calorie sweeteners: Evidence remains lacking for effects on human gut function

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Gastroenterology
• Nutrition Science

Background:

• Nutrient-induced gut-brain signaling is crucial for regulating human food intake.
• Dietary sugars contribute significantly to caloric excess, yet mechanisms of sweet tastants in the gut remain unclear.
• The comparative effects of natural sugars versus low-calorie sweeteners are poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of sweet taste receptors in the human gut.
• To compare the physiological and appetitive effects of natural sugars and low-calorie sweeteners in the gut-brain axis.
• To elucidate the mechanisms of sweet taste signaling in the human gut.

Main Methods:

• Human studies investigating gut endocrine cell responses.
• Analysis of gastric motility, gut hormone release, and appetitive responses.
• Comparison of effects between caloric sugars and low-calorie sweeteners.

Main Results:

• Human studies consistently show that activating gut sweet taste receptors with low-calorie sweeteners does not replicate sugar-induced effects.
• No significant effects on gastric motility, gut hormones, or appetitive responses were observed with low-calorie sweeteners.
• Caloric sugars elicit distinct physiological and appetitive responses compared to low-calorie sweeteners.

Conclusions:

• Sweet taste receptors in the human gut may not function identically to oral taste receptors.
• Low-calorie sweeteners do not appear to activate the same gut-brain signaling pathways as caloric sugars.
• Further research is needed to understand the nuances of sweet taste perception and its impact on food intake regulation.