On the surface, zero-sugar drinks (such as zero-calorie sodas, flavored sparkling waters, energy drinks, and juices) might seem like a foolproof way to reduce both your calorie and sugar intake—however, it’s not so cut and dried. While these beverages are often marketed as healthier alternatives, their artificial ingredients can do more harm than good for your overall health. New research indicates that zero-calorie, zero-sugar drinks could be making you eat more and gain weight.
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Researchers say zero-calorie, zero-sugar substitutes do more harm than good.
Artificial sweeteners don’t contain sugar or a ton of calories. So, in a way, they can be used as a loophole for weight management and low-calorie diets. However, a new study published in the journal Nature Metabolism found that consuming sucralose (a zero-calorie sugar substitute) can actually trick your brain into thinking it's hungry and, consequently, lead to weight gain. Sucralose is sold under the brand names Splenda and SucraPlus.
"Sucralose activates the area in the brain that regulates hunger, and that activation, in turn, is linked to greater ratings of hunger," said Katie Page, MD, lead study author and director of USC’s Diabetes and Obesity Research Institute.
Speaking with CNN, David Katz, MD, a preventive and lifestyle medicine expert not involved in the study, called the research "state of the art." He said the study shows that "non-caloric sweeteners, and sucralose specifically, interfere with normal appetite regulation in ways that could have adverse effects on weight control and health."
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Drinks with sucralose were linked to weight gain and poor decision-making.
For the study, researchers used three beverages: regular tap water, water with 2.5 ounces of table sugar (equivalent to the amount found in a 16-ounce soda), and water with sucralose. The beverages were administered to a group of 75 participants over the course of three visits. Researchers took blood samples and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) brain scans (a map tracking blow flood in the brain) at the beginning and end of each session. Participants also rated their hunger level.
The water with sucralose resulted in a 17 percent increase in appetite. What’s more, the fMRI brain scans showed increased activity in the regions of the brain that are responsible for motivation.
"Sucralose appears to affect your decision-making skills," said Page, per CNN. "For example, we found increased brain connectivity between the hypothalamus and the anterior cingulate cortex, which controls the risks and rewards of a decision."
Additionally, Page said there was "no signal at all" between sucralose and the hormones that communicate to the brain whether you’re hungry or full. "There’s a sweetness signal, but there’s no hormone signal telling you you’re full. Sucralose doesn’t have an effect on those hormones."
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The takeaway:
Despite being marketed as a "zero-calorie, zero-sugar substitute," artificial sweeteners aren’t good for you. As highlighted here, drinks laced with sucralose can contribute to overeating, weight gain, and even poor decision-making skills.
"I’m an endocrinologist so I see patients for diabetes and obesity," Page told CNN. "I would never say drink or eat more sugar."
"Instead, I tell my patients to not rely on non-caloric sweeteners as a substitute for sugar and try to reduce the overall intake of dietary sweeteners in general," she said.
