{"id":841661,"date":"2025-04-17T21:12:08","date_gmt":"2025-04-18T02:12:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/17\/sugar-free-isnt-risk-free-how-aspartame-triggers-insulin-spikes-and-heart-risks\/"},"modified":"2025-04-17T21:12:08","modified_gmt":"2025-04-18T02:12:08","slug":"sugar-free-isnt-risk-free-how-aspartame-triggers-insulin-spikes-and-heart-risks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/17\/sugar-free-isnt-risk-free-how-aspartame-triggers-insulin-spikes-and-heart-risks\/","title":{"rendered":"Sugar-Free Isn\u2019t Risk-Free: How Aspartame Triggers Insulin Spikes and Heart Risks"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"Sugar<\/a>
Artificial sweeteners might not be the guilt-free indulgence we think they are. Researchers found that aspartame causes insulin spikes, leading to fatty plaque buildup in arteries and increasing the risk of heart disease.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Artificial sweeteners are everywhere, marketed as a healthier alternative to sugar, but new research suggests they may not be so harmless.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A team of scientists discovered that aspartame, a common sugar substitute, triggers an insulin<\/div>\n

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, crucial for regulating blood glucose levels. It helps cells in the body absorb glucose from the bloodstream and convert it into energy or store it for future use. Insulin production and action are essential for maintaining stable blood sugar levels. In people with diabetes, the body either does not produce enough insulin (Type 1 diabetes) or cannot effectively use the insulin it does produce (Type 2 diabetes), leading to elevated levels of glucose in the blood. This can cause various health complications over time, including heart disease, kidney damage, and nerve dysfunction. Insulin therapy, where insulin is administered through injections or an insulin pump, is a common treatment for managing diabetes, particularly Type 1. The discovery of insulin in 1921 by Frederick Banting and Charles Best was a landmark in medical science, transforming diabetes from a fatal disease to a manageable condition.<\/div>\n

” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]” tabindex=”0″ role=”link”>insulin<\/span> surge that contributes to arterial plaque buildup, inflammation, and potentially life-threatening cardiovascular issues.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Hidden Impact of Artificial Sweeteners<\/h4>\n

Artificial sweeteners, found in everything from diet soda to zero-sugar ice cream, are often marketed as a guilt-free way to enjoy sweetness. However, new research set to be published today (February 19) in Cell Metabolism<\/em> suggests that aspartame, one of the most widely used sugar substitutes, may have negative effects on vascular health.<\/p>\n

A team of cardiovascular experts and clinicians discovered that aspartame increases insulin levels in animals, which in turn contributes to atherosclerosis \u2014 the buildup of fatty plaque in the arteries. Over time, this process can lead to increased inflammation and a higher risk of heart attacks and strokes.<\/p>\n

The study was sparked by a casual observation during a project meeting. \u201cOne of my students was sipping on this sugar-free drink, and I said, \u2018Why don\u2019t you look into that?\u2019\u201d recalls senior author Yihai Cao, who studies chronic diseases related to blood vessel disorders at Karolinska Institute in Sweden.<\/p>\n

While past research has associated artificial sweeteners with an increased risk of conditions like cardiovascular disease<\/div>\n

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) encompasses a range of disorders affecting the heart and blood vessels, including coronary artery disease, heart attack, stroke, and hypertension. These conditions are primarily driven by atherosclerosis, a process where plaque builds up in the arterial walls, leading to narrowed or blocked arteries. Risk factors include smoking, unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, obesity, and genetic predisposition. CVD remains a leading cause of global mortality, emphasizing the importance of lifestyle changes, medical interventions, and preventive measures in managing and reducing the risk of heart-related illnesses.<\/div>\n

” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]” tabindex=”0″ role=”link”>cardiovascular disease<\/span> and diabetes, the biological mechanisms behind these effects were not well understood \u2014 until now.<\/p>\n

\"Mice<\/a>
Aspartame-fed mice (right) developed larger and more plaques (red) in their arteries (pink) compared to mice that never consumed the sweetener. Credit: Wu et al., Cell Metabolism<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Testing Aspartame\u2019s Effects on Cardiovascular Health<\/h4>\n

For this study, the researchers fed mice daily doses of food containing 0.15% aspartame for 12 weeks\u2014an amount that corresponds to consuming about three cans of diet soda each day for humans. Compared to mice without a sweetener-infused diet, aspartame-fed mice developed larger and more fatty plaques in their arteries and exhibited higher levels of inflammation, both of which are hallmarks of compromised cardiovascular health.<\/p>\n

When the team analyzed the mice\u2019s blood, they found a surge in insulin levels after aspartame entered their system. The team noted that this wasn\u2019t a surprising result, given that our mouths, intestines, and other tissues are lined with sweetness-detecting receptors that help guide insulin release. But aspartame, 200 times sweeter than sugar, seemed to trick the receptors into releasing more insulin.<\/p>\n

\"Damaged<\/a>
Compared to mice that never consumed the sweetener (left), aspartame-fed mice (right) showed damaged smooth muscle (red) and an increased presence of immune cells (green) in their arteries, indicating early signs of cardiovascular trouble. Credit: Wu et al., Cell Metabolism<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Role of CX3CL1 in Arterial Inflammation<\/h4>\n

The researchers then demonstrated that the mice\u2019s elevated insulin levels fueled the growth of fatty plaques in the mice\u2019s arteries, suggesting that insulin may be the key link between aspartame and cardiovascular health. Next, they investigated how exactly elevated insulin levels lead to arterial plaque buildup and identified an immune signal called CX3CL1 that is especially active under insulin stimulation.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause blood flow through the artery is strong and robust, most chemicals would be quickly washed away as the heart pumps,\u201d says Cao. \u201cSurprisingly, not CX3CL1. It stays glued to the surface of the inner lining of blood vessels. There, it acts like a bait, catching immune cells as they pass by.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blocking CX3CL1 to Prevent Harmful Effects<\/h4>\n

Many of these trapped immune cells are known to stoke blood vessel inflammation. However, when researchers eliminated CX3CL1 receptors from one of the immune cells in aspartame-fed mice, the harmful plaque buildup didn\u2019t occur. These results point to CX3CL1\u2019s role in aspartame\u2019s effects on the arteries, says Cao.<\/p>\n

Looking ahead, Cao and his team plan to verify their findings in humans. Cao also foresees CX3CL1 as a potential target for chronic conditions beyond cardiovascular disease, given that blood vessel inflammation is involved in stroke, arthritis, and diabetes.<\/p>\n

\u201cArtificial sweeteners have penetrated almost all kinds of food, so we have to know the long-term health impact,\u201d says Cao.<\/p>\n

Reference: \u201cSweetener aspartame aggravates atherosclerosis through insulin-triggered inflammation\u201d by Weijie Wu, Wenhai Sui, Sizhe Chen, Ziheng Guo, Xu Jing, Xiaolu Wang, Qun Wang, Xinshuang Yu, Wenjing Xiong, Jiansong Ji, Libo Yang, Yuan Zhang, Wenjing Jiang, Guohua Yu, Shuzhen Liu, Wei Tao, Chen Zhao, Yun Zhang, Yuguo Chen, Cheng Zhang and Yihai Cao, 19 February 2025, Cell Metabolism<\/i>.
\nDOI: 10.1016\/j.cmet.2025.01.006<\/a><\/p>\n

This work was supported by funding from the Swedish Cancer Foundation, the Strategic Research Areas\u2013Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Foundation, the Karolinska Institute Foundation, the NOVO Nordisk Foundation, the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Research Council, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Hong Kong Centre for Cerebro-Cardiovascular Health Engineering, the Horizon Europe grant-PERSEUS, Key R&D Program of Shandong Province, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and State Key R&D Program of China.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Cell Press
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Artificial sweeteners might not be the guilt-free indulgence we think they are. Researchers found that aspartame causes insulin spikes, leading to fatty plaque buildup in arteries and increasing the risk of heart disease. Artificial sweeteners are everywhere, marketed as a healthier alternative to sugar, but new research suggests they may not be so harmless. A<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":841662,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[688,143268],"tags":[5703,143267],"class_list":["post-841661","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-isnt","category-sugar-free","tag-isnt","tag-sugar-free"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/841661","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=841661"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/841661\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/841662"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=841661"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=841661"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=841661"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}