Effects of Sucralose Ingestion versus Sucralose Taste on Metabolic Responses to an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test in Participants with Normal Weight and Obesity: A Randomized Crossover Trial

Abstract

Here, we tested the hypothesis that sucralose differentially affects metabolic responses to labeled oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) in participants with normal weight and obesity. Participants (10 with normal weight and 11 with obesity) without diabetes underwent three dual-tracer OGTTs preceded, in a randomized order, by consuming sucralose or water, or by tasting and expectorating sucralose (e.g., sham-fed; sweetness control). Indices of β-cell function and insulin sensitivity (S I ) were estimated using oral minimal models of glucose, insulin, and C-peptide kinetics. Compared with water, sucralose ingested (but not sham-fed) resulted in a 30 ± 10% increased glucose area under the curve in both weight groups. In contrast, the insulin response to sucralose ingestion differed depending on the presence of obesity: decreased within 20-40 min of the OGTT in normal-weight participants but increased within 90-120 min in participants with obesity. Sham-fed sucralose similarly decreased insulin concentrations within 60 min of the OGTT in both weight groups. Sucralose ingested (but not sham-fed) increased S I in normal-weight participants by 52 ± 20% but did not affect S I in participants with obesity. Sucralose did not affect glucose rates of appearance or β-cell function in either weight group. Our data underscore a physiological role for taste perception in postprandial glucose responses, suggesting sweeteners should be consumed in moderation.

Experimental increase of blood glucose alters resting state EEG measures of excitation–inhibition balance

“…However, we cannot rule out the the interactions of glucose consumption with metabolic state, homeostatic regulation or other perceptual processes that might alter brain state on the same time scale as blood glucose clearance. Indeed, glucose clearance rates have been shown to be modulated by consumption of a non‐caloric sweetened beverage, suggesting that hormone release is signalled, at least in part, by perceptual processes (Nichol et al., 2019; Pepino et al., 2013). Owing to the high subject burden, we did not include a sweetness control to isolate a potential role of gustatory perception experimentally.…”

Acute glycemic and insulinemic effects of low-energy sweeteners: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

“…The systematic searches retrieved a total of 5,105 potentially relevant papers after removal of duplicates (Figure 1). After exclusion of those that did not meet the predefined inclusion criteria, 26 papers remained that were included in the quantitative synthesis (meta-analysis) (33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(41)(49)(50)(51)(52)(53)(54)(55)(56)(57)(58)(59)(60)(61)(62)(63)(64)(65). The 26 included papers reported on 34 trials (experiments) with information on PPG responses (yielding 55 comparisons) and 29 trials with information on PPI responses (yielding 50 comparisons).…”

Fat and Carbohydrate Interact to Potentiate Food Reward in Healthy Weight but Not in Overweight or Obesity

“…Processed foods are also characterized by unique nutritional characteristics not previously encountered in our evolutionary past [ 7 ]. Artificial sweeteners, for example, provide sweet taste unaccompanied by energy, a decoupling proposed to dysregulate metabolism [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Moreover, processed foods tend to be more energy-dense and this is associated with a worsened ability to estimate expected satiety [ 12 ].…”