Gut Microbiome Community

The question asks about the effects of artificial sweeteners on the gut microbiome. Here's a breakdown of the current understanding:

The human gut microbiome is a complex ecosystem containing over 1500 species of bacteria distributed across more than 50 phyla.[1] The composition of the gut microbiota varies between individuals and can be categorized as either eubiosis, a healthy microbiota with a balance of beneficial bacterial species, or dysbiosis, a microbial imbalance that can lead to pathological outcomes.[1] The gut microbiome is essential for the proper functioning of the host organism, aiding in protection against pathogens, digestion, metabolism, and the immune system.[1]

Effects of Diet on Gut Microbiome Community

The History of NNS

Diet is a crucial factor in shaping the gut microbiota, influencing it in both beneficial and harmful ways by modifying bacterial species and adjusting the metabolites produced in the gut.[1] Different diets have distinct impacts on the gut microbiota. For example, vegetarian diets may be related to changing microbiota species, resulting in the dominance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes.[1]

Artificial sweeteners are associated with a variety of changes depending on the area of the intestine. Significantly, the effects of these substances on the gut microbiome differ in the small bowel compared to the large bowel.[3]

Interactions Between NNS and Gut Microbiome

Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) are used as sugar substitutes, mimicking the sweet taste of sugar but having a negligible impact on energy intake.[2] The use of NNS as sweetening agents and food additives is relatively novel to the human diet.[2] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved several NNS for human consumption, including acesulfame K, advantame, aspartame, sucralose, neotame, and saccharin.[2]

Possible Mechanisms for Interactions Between Gut Microbiome and NNS

• Acesulfame K (Ace-K): Some studies suggest that acesulfame K consumption has few effects on gut microbiota and their metabolism in mice.[2] However, other studies have found that consuming acesulfame K can perturb the gut microbiota.[2]
• Aspartame: While there is a huge quantity of information with regard to aspartame safety in humans, few of those studies focused on the effects of aspartame intake on the composition of gut microbiota.[2] In rats, aspartame consumption increased the fasting glucose concentrations and altered the microbial composition.[2]
• Sucralose: The administration of sucralose in mice produced modifications in the intestinal microbiota at 14 different taxonomic levels, including changes in the synthesis and regulation of amino acids.[2]
• Saccharin: Studies indicate that the consumption of saccharin might perturb the gut microbiota.[2] In mice fed saccharin, Akkermansia muciniphila, a commensal bacterium that exhibits probiotic properties, was underrepresented.[2]
• Neotame: Neither neotame nor advantame has been evaluated in animals or in humans because only trace amounts are needed to sweeten foods.[2]
• Stevia: Within nutritive sweeteners, only stevia extracts may affect gut microbiota composition.[2]

Conclusions and Future Perspectives

Further studies are needed to elucidate whether the changes observed in the intestinal microbiota in animals are present in humans and to study the effects of sweeteners for which evidence is not available so far.[2]

Recommendations

Several mechanisms may explain the interactions between NNS and the gut microbiome. These include direct interactions with taste receptors, effects on the gut epithelium, and direct effects on gut microbes.[4]

The effects of NNS on the gut microbiota have not been completely elucidated.[2]

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