The Short Truth about “Diet” Drinks
Can artificially sweetened drinks be helpful weight loss tools, or are they secretly sabotaging health and fitness goals? Dr. Layne Norton dissected recent research favoring “diet” products and explained association versus causation.
Most Recent Science on Artificial Sweeteners
A large cohort study from 2024 concluded that “[Artificial sweetener] consumers generally have lower quality diets.” (1) Cohorts might show correlations between risk factors, though they don’t prove a cause.
In human randomized controlled trials, which are usually more accurate, replacing sugar-sweetened drinks with diet options leads to weight loss. (2) This could be because artificial sweeteners satisfy sweet cravings, reducing the desire for other sugary fixes.
Correlation to Cause & Effect
Associations don’t guarantee a stimulus and response. An example is overweight individuals consuming more artificially sweetened products to lose weight.
A Parallel with Intermittent Fasting
To illustrate further, Dr. Norton mentioned a study linking intermittent fasting (IF) with eating disorders and higher body mass index (BMI) since the same logic applies. (3) Randomized controlled studies show that IF is unlikely to be the cause. Dr. Norton argues that those with a negative body image are just more likely to try IF as a weight-loss method.
Establishing Causation & Key Takeaway
Dr. Norton explained, “Usually, we’re looking for human randomized controlled trials. Those control variables that could influence the outcome…inherent characteristics.” They ensure constancy by ruling out certain factors. “Artificial sweeteners can be a useful tool for weight loss, but make sure you’re focusing on your overall diet quality.”
Effects on Gut & General Heath
While human meta-analyses show artificial sweeteners are beneficial for weight loss, there are still general health concerns. Recent literature describes negative impacts on blood glucose, gut bacteria, and metabolic health, though data is conflicting. (4) Similar concerns are also shared with natural, non-sugar sweeteners.
More in Research
References
- Sylvetsky, A. C., Mitchell, E. L., Grilo, M. F., Um, C. Y., Wang, Y., Hodge, R. A., Patel, A. V., & McCullough, M. L. (2024). Cross-sectional associations between consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners and diet quality among United States adults in the Cancer Prevention Study-3. [Epub ahead of print].
- Laviada-Molina, H., Molina-Segui, F., Pérez-Gaxiola, G., Cuello-García, C., Arjona-Villicaña, R., Espinosa-Marrón, A., & Martinez-porto, R. J. (2020). Effects of Nonnutritive Sweeteners on Body Weight and BMI in different clinical Contexts: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. [Epub ahead of print].
- Ganson, K. T., Cuccolo, K., Hallward, L., & Nagata, J. M. (2022). Intermittent fasting: Describing engagement and associations with eating disorder behaviors and psychopathology among Canadian adolescents and young adults. [Epub ahead of print].
- Angelin, M., Kumar, J., Vajrelu, L. K., Satheesan, C. V., & Murusean, R. (2024). Artificial Sweeteners and Their Implications in Diabetes: a review. Frontiers in Nutrition, 11, 1411. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1411
