Scientists Uncover Ecosystem Disrupting Potential of Artificial Sweetener

Scitech Daily ^ | JULY 10, 2024 | UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

[Red Badger]

Sucralose, an artificial sweetener, cannot be broken down by humans or many microorganisms, leading to its presence in water systems. A study found that sucralose alters the behavior of cyanobacteria and diatoms, potentially disrupting ecosystems. More research is needed to understand its full environmental impact.

New research explores the environmental implications of sucralose, showing its potential to disrupt aquatic microbial populations and stressing the need for further research to assess its full impact. Scientific research has well established that the human body cannot break down sucralose, an artificial sweetener present in numerous zero-calorie foods and beverages. Due to its stability, sucralose can pass through wastewater treatment processes and consequently, it is found in drinking water and aquatic ecosystems.

“We can’t break down sucralose, and a lot of microorganisms can’t break it down, either, because it’s a really tough molecule that doesn’t degrade easily. So there are a lot of questions about how it is affecting the environment and whether it’s something that could impact our microbial communities,” said Tracey Schafer, an assistant research scientist for the University of Florida’s Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and the soil, water and ecosystem sciences department, part of UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

Study on Cyanobacteria and Diatoms

Schafer is a co-author of a recently published study demonstrating how sucralose affects the behavior of cyanobacteria — an aquatic photosynthetic bacteria — and diatoms, microscopic algae that account for more than 30% of the primary food production in the marine food chain.

Researchers collected soil and water from a freshwater site and a brackish water site in Marineland, Florida. Back at their St. Augustine lab, they exposed samples to different sucralose concentrations and measured photosynthesis and microbial respiration in two separate time studies: every four to six hours during a single day and every 24 hours over the course of five days.

Compared to a control group, the concentration of freshwater cyanobacteria increased when samples were exposed to sucralose, but the concentration of brackish cyanobacteria spiked and then crashed when dosed.

“There is the potential that the freshwater communities might be mistaking sucralose for a nutrient, for a sugar that they can use as food,” said Amelia Westmoreland, the study’s lead author and a scientific researcher who worked on the project while completing her undergraduate degree in chemistry.

Potential Risks and Further Research Needed

Both freshwater and brackish diatoms exposed to sucralose displayed an overall decreasing trend in population compared to a control group. The difference between dosed samples and the control group was most profound, however, in the freshwater experiments.

Sucralose’s ability to both increase and decrease microbial community populations could potentially threaten a naturally balanced ecosystem, Westmoreland said.

“Extreme examples of how this could play out are the diatom community could disappear, and the other extreme is this community could completely overtake everything else,” she said.

Both Schafer and Westmoreland said more research is needed to fully understand sucralose and its impact on aquatic environments.

“I think this study was a good first step in starting to look at how sucralose could impact our aquatic communities, and hopefully it will drive more research forward,” Schafer said.

Reference:

“Sucralose (C12H19Cl3O8) impact on microbial activity in estuarine and freshwater marsh soils” by Amelia G. Westmoreland, Tracey B. Schafer, Kendall E. Breland, Anna R. Beard and Todd Z. Osborne, 13 April 2024, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment.

DOI: 10.1007/s10661-024-12610-5

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Something on Sucralose effects on humans:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3856475/

Sucralose, A Synthetic Organochlorine Sweetener: Overview of Biological Issues

snip.... conclusions

4. Sucralose alters indigenous bacterial balance in the GIT. Sucralose (delivered as Splenda) reduced the number of indigenous bacteria in the GIT with significantly greater suppression for the generally beneficial anaerobes (e.g., lactobacilli, bifidobacteria) and with less inhibition for more detrimental bacteria (e.g., enterobacteria). Further, the numbers of total anaerobes did not return to baseline after a 3-mo recovery period (Abou-Donia et al., 2008). Alterations in the number and composition of bacteria were accompanied by elevation of fecal pH and histopathological changes in intestinal epithelial barrier. Given that alterations in gut microflora contribute to numerous medical conditions (Guarner and Malagelada, 2003; Hart et al., 2002; Turnbaugh and Gordon, 2009), further investigation of the impact of sucralose on gut microflora is warranted.

5. Numerous toxicological issues regarding long-term exposure to sucralose are unresolved. Several issues that warrant additional investigation to determine their clinical relevancy include potential damage to DNA (Sasaki et al., 2002), generation of chloropropanols during baking (Rahn and Yaylayan, 2010), and potential epigenetic alterations, particularly for the sucralose hydrolysis product 1,6-DCF which is an alkylating agent. The possibility of bioaccumulation of sucralose and/or its metabolites in the presence and absence of medications has not yet been studied. The health effects of co-administration of sucralose with the taste enhancer ADTP are not known.

[umbagi]

Yep. Dogs have owners.

Cats have Staff…

[Fresh Wind]

Any comments on stevia?

[Red Badger]

It’s probably the chlorine ions that are part of the sucralose. Essentially “BLEACH”................

[Red Badger]

From Google AI:

While the FDA considers stevia leaf extract safe for consumption and unlikely to cause side effects in most people, some people have reported negative side effects. These include:

Blood pressure

Stevia can lower blood pressure by widening blood vessels, which may help people with hypertension. However, its effect on people with low blood pressure is unknown, so people with persistent low blood pressure should consult a doctor before using stevia.

Hypoglycemia

Consuming too much stevia can cause hypoglycemia, which can lead to dizziness, confusion, and even loss of consciousness.

Gut health

A study from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev suggests that stevia consumption may upset the balance of beneficial bacteria in the gut, which could lead to gut health issues.
Other side effects
Other side effects that have been reported include nausea, bloating, dizziness, numbness, muscle pain, abdominal fullness, allergic reactions, and inflammation in the kidney and liver.