Low-cal sweeteners can change gut bacteria especially if youre on a popular antidepressant

That guilt-free treat may not be as innocent as it seems. A new study suggests that alternative sweeteners commonly found in sugar-free and low-calorie foods and beverages may interfere with the growth of bacteria that help keep the gut healthy.But the effects aren’t always straightforward.Researchers found more than 100 cases where these ingredients behaved differently when combined with other substances — including one widely used antidepressant.That could be significant, given the gut microbiome’s far-reaching influence throughout the body. The complex community of bacteria and other microorganisms living in your intestines plays a key role in digestion, immunity, metabolism and even mental health.When the makeup of that ecosystem changes, the effects can be wide-reaching.

Research has linked an imbalance in the gut microbiome to a higher risk of several chronic conditions, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, depression and even some cancers.To investigate how increasingly popular sugar alternatives might affect these microscopic organisms, scientists at the University of Cambridge grew 25 different bacterial species in a lab.The cultures included microbes considered beneficial, neutral or potentially harmful to the gut.The team then exposed the bacteria to 39 natural and artificial sweeteners and tracked how quickly the organisms multiplied.They found that about three-quarters of the sweeteners affected the growth of at least one bacterial species.

Several slowed down or completely stopped the growth of bacteria linked to a healthy digestive system.“Sweeteners are often marketed as metabolically neutral, but our study challenges this idea,” Dr.Sonja Blasche, a lead author of the study, said in a press release.Blasche and her colleagues then took the experiment a step further, pairing the sweeteners with other substances, including caffeine, vanilla extract and eight commonly used drugs.After all, these sugar alternatives are rarely consume...