Sweeteners are not good for you
Plus panda mating, bacteria that lower blood cholesterol. and a big announcement
Hello, hello!
How are you? A lot has happened both in science and in my tiny corner of the world since my last newsletter, so I’ll get right to it.
First up, my big announcement. My second book which highlights the hidden superbug pandemic threatening our future is out. When The Drugs Don’t Work: The Hidden Pandemic that Could End Modern Medicine will change how you view medicine.
Though superbugs pass under the radar, they’re a greater threat than COVID-19, and failing to act, will cause more death and damage globally in our lifetime than cancer. But there’s also hope. Like other scientists I’m an optimistic person by nature.
Please do the needful and get the book here.
And outside of India, it is available on Kindle here.
(If you like it, please leave a rating and a review. Also let me know by email, comments, or social media.)
This is my second popular science book after COVID-19: Separating Fact From Fiction (thank you all for the love for that one! Truly honored and humbled).
I learned a lot from writing that book and hopefully this one is even better than my first. ;-)
Will there be a third book? Should there be? Let me know.
In any case, next week around 16,000 scientists and doctors will converge at the leading international meeting on infectious diseases to discuss the clear and present danger of superbugs. I’ll be there in Barcelona too and will share dispatches with you from the frontlines.
Sweeteners are not good for you
After twenty years, I've decided to give up on diet drinks with artificial sweeteners. I wrote about my experience and the evolving science in my science column for Hindustan Times. Here’s the upshot —
Cutting sugar from our diets is sound health advice, and many of us used artificial sweeteners as a seemingly healthier alternative. However, recent guidelines from WHO in 2022 raise concerns about these sweeteners.
Two decades ago, I swapped sugar for artificial sweeteners in my beverages, believing that their lack of calories made them a safer option. These sweeteners, including artificial ones like aspartame and natural ones like stevia, have found their way into a vast array of products, from diet sodas to toothpaste, thanks to their promise of sweetness without the calories of sugar.
Recent scientific studies have prompted a reevaluation of this choice. The WHO's 2022 guidelines drew on over 280 studies, including randomized controlled trials and observational studies, revealing a complicated picture of the health impacts of artificial sweeteners. While they may offer short-term benefits such as reduced calorie intake and slight weight loss, long-term use has been associated with increased risks of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and even early death.
The precise reasons behind these health risks remain under investigation but may involve artificial sweeteners altering our hunger signals, taste preferences, or even the balance of gut bacteria, impacting our weight and overall health.
Significant research contributing to this shift in perspective includes a 2022 study published in Cell, which explores artificial sweeteners' effects on the human microbiome and glucose tolerance. This research highlights how substances like saccharin and sucralose can negatively impact glucose responses, with individual reactions varying based on gut microbes.
Further evidence comes from a 2023 study in iScience, showing significant alterations in microbial diversity and composition in the small intestine due to non-sugar sweeteners, underscoring their potential to disrupt our body's microbial balance.
Now, a study published in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, involving over 200,000 participants tracked for about ten years, links the consumption of more than two liters per week of sodas with artificial sweeteners to an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, a type of irregular heartbeat.
The WHO hasn't specified a consumption limit for artificial sweeteners in their guidelines, though they suggest people who use them frequently might consider cutting back. (These guidelines do not apply to sugar alcohols, certain medications, dental products, or for people with diabetes).
For now, I'm opting for unsweetened beverages like tea and sparkling water.
Microbes help pandas mate
Researchers are trying to unearth why some giant pandas fail to mate naturally, which hinders efforts at saving these cute, endangered animals. They think the gut microbiome of pandas might be involved. The study finds significant differences in the gut bacteria between pandas that could mate naturally and those that could not, with the former group having a higher abundance of Clostridium linked to better digestive health in pandas. Interestingly, while these microbial differences were pronounced, the hormone levels and behavior patterns did not differ significantly between the two groups of panda. This points to the gut microbiome as a potentially crucial factor in the reproductive capabilities of these animals.
However, usual caveats on correlation not equaling causation apply. The study's focus on fecal samples means it overlooks other physiological or environmental factors that also likely impact reproductive success.
Can bacteria help lower cholesterol?
This is huge! Scientists looked at over 1,400 people and found that certain gut bacteria were linked to lower cholesterol levels. Specifically, bacteria from the Oscillibacter genus might help reduce cholesterol through natural processes. This hints at a new way to manage cholesterol levels. Here’s the link to the research paper.
If there’s interest in a deeper dive, please let me know. I can certainly cover this in a future newsletter.
That’s all for now. Here’s a photo from Portugal, where I was vacationing last week.
Take care,
Anirban