When saccharin, the first artificial sweetener, was discovered in 1879, it was considered a boon for people with diabetes. That’s because it could sweeten foods without triggering a spike in blood sugar, as an organization devoted to saccharin’s research and history notes. Since that time, a torrent of artificial sweeteners has flooded the market, with promises about not only diabetes management but also weight loss. The idea, of course, is that artificial sweeteners’ lack of calories and carbs allows people to enjoy sweet flavors without a high metabolic price tag. (Sounds like the ultimate example of “have your cake and eat it too,” no?)
As of 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved six types of artificial sweeteners:
Saccharin (Sweet’N Low, Sweet Twin, Necta Sweet)Aspartame (Nutrasweet, Sugar Twin, Equal)Acesulfame potassium, or Ace-K (Sweet One, Sunett)Sucralose (Splenda)Neotame (Newtame)Advantame
Each has its own unique advantages and drawbacks, and numerous studies have examined the safety and efficacy of each for weight loss. Still, faux sweeteners have been plagued by accusations of everything from causing cancer to making you pack on excess pounds rather than shed them.
Wondering whether reaching for a little pink or blue packet could really lead to weight loss? Here’s what science and experts have to say.
Research on Artificial Sweeteners and Weight
Given the controversial interplay between artificial sweeteners and weight loss, it’s not surprising that studies on their relationship abound. Unfortunately, the conclusions aren’t perfectly clear-cut.
One review published in Frontiers in Nutrition, for example, contended that the majority of clinical studies report no significant or beneficial effects of artificial sweeteners on body weight (though the authors noted that long-term studies on humans are scarce). Similarly, a systematic review published in The BMJ found no evidence of any effect by non-sugar sweeteners on overweight or obese adults or children trying to lose weight. And in a real bombshell, an analysis of 37 studies published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal revealed that people who…