Risks and benefits of nonsugar sweeteners: conflicting evidence between observational studies and randomized controlled trials.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Recommendations on the use of nonsugar sweeteners are contradictory, even if they come from official sources. The aim is to review and discuss recent findings on the potential impact of nonsugar sweeteners on human health.

Recent findings: While randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with short duration and risk factors endpoints mostly show favourable effects on body weight and cardiometabolic parameters when nonsugar sweeteners are used to replaced sugar-sweetened products, observational studies mostly show a positive association between the consumption of nonsugar sweeteners and cardiometabolic diseases. The conflicting results may be explained by the heterogenous nature of nonsugar sweeteners but also likely is a consequence of serious weaknesses of available studies.

Summary: For more evidence-based recommendations for practice and policy, scientifically sound studies with long follow-up are required.