Diet Drinks and Saccharin Linked to Higher Diabetes Risk
Long-term study reveals diet beverages and saccharin consumption may significantly increase diabetes incidence.
Consuming diet drinks and saccharin significantly increases diabetes risk, while other artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose do not show the same effect, according to a comprehensive 30-year study.
Study Details:
The recent findings come from an analysis of data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, involving 4,654 adults tracked over a median of 30 years. Presented at the NUTRITION 2025 conference, researchers specifically examined the long-term effects of different artificial sweeteners and diet beverages on diabetes risk.
Methodology:
Participants' dietary habits were assessed at three points: study onset, seven years, and twenty years. Researchers tracked artificial sweetener intake, particularly saccharin, aspartame, and sucralose, and evaluated their relationship with diabetes onset, adjusted for numerous variables including age, sex, physical activity, diet quality, waist circumference, and family diabetes history.
Key Findings:
Participants who consumed the highest amounts of diet beverages showed more than double the risk of developing diabetes compared to those with minimal intake.
Saccharin intake specifically was linked with a 2.1 times higher risk. Notably, even after adjusting for waist circumference, the increased risk associated with diet beverages and saccharin remained significant, highlighting their potential independent role in diabetes development.
Aspartame and sucralose did not exhibit significant associations with diabetes risk, suggesting differences in the metabolic effects of various sweeteners.
Implications for Practice:
For patients, these findings suggest the need for caution with diet drinks and saccharin as seemingly healthier sugar alternatives.
Healthcare providers should reconsider recommending diet beverages and saccharin-based products, focusing instead on promoting unsweetened beverages like water, tea, coffee, or limited amounts of natural fruit juices. Clinicians should also educate patients about the nuanced differences between artificial sweeteners and emphasize moderation. Future dietary guidelines may need revision to reflect the specific risks associated with saccharin and diet beverages to better support public health.