Overconsumption of sucralose, an artificial sweetener common in processed foods, can compromise the immune system’s response to fight infections and cancer, according to a new study done in the UK with mice.
Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute in London believe that, if the effects are similar in humans, sucralose could be used therapeutically to treat patients with autoimmune diseases, who suffer from uncontrolled activation of T cells.
The discovery was published in Nature magazine on Thursday (3/15), in a pre-print paper, which means it still needs to be peer-reviewed by scientists who weren’t involved in the study.
Sucralose is an artificial sweetener that is approximately 600 times sweeter than sugar. Its long-term effects on the human body are not yet fully known.
Tests done with mice showed that animals fed high doses of sucralose were less able to activate T cells, an important component of the immune system, to fight infections or cancer, for example. No other immune cells were harmed.
Mice were fed the sweetener at levels equivalent to the daily intake considered acceptable by food safety authorities.
The researchers note that the study results do not suggest that people cut back on sucralose, as the amount used in the tests is unlikely to be achieved by an individual consuming foods and beverages with the product.
“We don’t want people to understand that sucralose is harmful if consumed during a normal balanced diet. It would be very difficult to get the doses that we use in mice without medical intervention”, says the co-author of the research, Fabio Zani.
positive effect
The study authors hope that the discovery can be used in further research into the treatment of patients with autoimmune diseases who suffer from uncontrolled activation of T cells. Therapeutic doses of sucralose, much higher than normal, could help to mitigate the response of these cells.
The survey showed that mice with autoimmune disease that received a high-dose sucralose diet were able to mitigate the harmful effects of T cells.
“If these early findings hold up in humans, they could one day offer a way to limit some of the harmful effects of autoimmune conditions,” suggests lead author Karen Vousden.
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