Cambridge researchers have shown how commonly used sweeteners slow the growth of certain gut bacteria. One sweetener in particular – isosteviol – when combined with the anti-depressant duloxetine significantly impaired two important gut bacteria linked to regulating blood sugar and gut health and may affect the body’s immune responses.
In research published in Molecular Systems Biology, Dr Blasche and colleagues looked at how artificial and low-calorie sweeteners affect the bacteria living in our gut, and how these effects change when sweeteners are consumed together with other common substances such as caffeine, flavourings or medicines.
Dr Blasche said: “Sweeteners are often marketed as metabolically neutral, but our study challenges this idea. We found that they can directly affect gut bacteria, particularly when mixed with other compounds such as medication and food additives. These common combinations could have unintended effects on our gut microbiome.”
Visit: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1038/s44320-026-00225-6