A large-scale study suggested Thursday that artificial sweetener could increase the risk of cancer, but experts not involved in the research said it was not enough proof to change current health advice.
It's not unusual for millions of people to consume sweetened products like diet soda in order to avoid weight gain from sugar, but how healthy these replacements are has long been a topic of debate.
The data of more than 100,000 people in France who self- reported their diet, lifestyle and medical history in intervals between 2009 and 2021, as part of the NutriNet-Sante study was analyzed to assess the cancer risk of sweeteners.
They compared consumption to the rate of cancer and adjusted for other variables.
The study found that people who consumed the largest amount of sweeteners had a 13 percent increased risk of cancer.
The study said that the risk of cancer was higher with the use of aspartame and acesulfame potassium in soft drinks.
Almost 80 percent of participants were women and 37 percent used artificial sweeteners.
Soft drinks made up more than half of the artificial sweeteners consumed.
The study found that there were higher risks for breast cancer and obese-related cancers.
We cannot completely exclude biases linked to the lifestyle of consumers, so we need further research to confirm the results of the study.
The US National Cancer Institute and Cancer Research UK both say that sweeteners do not cause cancer, and they have been authorized for use by the European Food Safety Authority.
The relationship between artificial sweetener consumption and cancer risk is a controversial one, going back to the 1970s when cyclamate was banned for being linked to bladder cancer in rats.
The study was well-designed and had an impressive sample size, according to Brown, who was not involved in the study.
He didn't believe the current study provided enough evidence for Britain's National Health Service to change its advice.
Michael Jones of The Institute of Cancer Research, London said that the link reported in the study was not proof that artificial sweeteners cause cancer.
He said the findings could suggest that cancer risk may be raised in the type of person who uses artificial sweetener.
The findings of Thursday's study do not mean that consumers should rush back to drinks that are high in sugar.
Brown said that some sweeteners have health benefits.
If the right sweetener is used, artificial sweeteners are still a useful tool that can help reduce weight gain.
Agence France-Presse
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