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Problems With Sugar Substitutes

The safety of artificial sweeteners always seems to be in dispute. It can be difficult to determine which information sources are reputable and which are not. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the sale of artificial sweeteners. The FDA reviews all safety studies and publishes its findings periodically. This article presents a general overview of the FDA's position on some of the more popular sweeteners available today.

  1. Saccharin Controversies

    • Saccharin was discovered in 1879. It was in use long before the FDA began to regulate the safety of food additives. In the 1970s, the FDA began studying saccharin to ensure that it was safe for human consumption. Early studies indicated that saccharin could cause bladder cancer in rats, but later analysis of those studies cast those findings into doubt. However, a Canadian study in 1977 showed that there most likely is a link between saccharin and bladder cancer in rats. Then a late 1970s study performed by the FDA and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) found "suggestive evidence" that people who had six or more servings of saccharin each day had an increased risk of developing bladder cancer. People who consumed less saccharin had no greater risk than the general population.

    Expert Insight on Saccharin

    • Due to saccharin's popularity, Congress did not allow the FDA to ban it. Instead, they proposed further studies. Also, Congress mandated that saccharin products carry a warning label to notify consumers that it causes cancer in laboratory animals. Today, the FDA, the American Medical Association, the American Dietetic Association, the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute all say that moderate saccharin use is not harmful.

    Aspartame Controversies

    • Some of aspartame's trade names are NutraSweet and Equal. There are many reports linking aspartame to conditions like headaches, fatigue and problems with vision. Still other reports link aspartame to Alzheimer's, birth defects and seizures. The FDA says that, even after many studies, there are no proven links between aspartame and any of these conditions.

    Expert Insight on Aspartame

    • The FDA and the American Medical Association say that aspartame is completely safe for human consumption. Those who have a rare genetic condition known as phenylketonoria may suffer some negative effects from the consumption of aspartame, so the FDA mandates that products containing aspartame notify consumers that they contain phenylalanine (the amino acid in aspartame that poses the risk to those with phenylketonoria).

    Other Types of Artificial Sweeteners

    • Acesulfame Potassium (marketed as Sunett) was approved by the FDA in 1988. The FDA says that over 90 studies confirm that it is safe. Sucralose (marketed as Splenda) was approved in 1998. The FDA reviewed over 110 studies performed over 20 years before approving it. Stevia, a sweetener derived from a South American shrub, may be sold as a "dietary supplement" but not as a sweetener. The FDA says that it has not been provided "with adequate evidence that the substance is safe."

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