Not so sweet

Although some use artificial sweeteners as a sugar substitute to stimulate weight-loss, an ongoing 10-year study is being led by the University of Manitoba’s George & Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation to observe the probability of artificial sweeteners prompting the opposite effect. “Despite the fact that millions of individuals routinely consume artificial sweeteners,” explains Dr. Ryan Zarychanski, an Assistant Professor at the University of Manitoba, “relatively few patients have been included in clinical trials of these products. We found that data from the clinical trials do not clearly support the intended benefits of artificial sweeteners for weight management.” Until artificial sweeteners can prove to be directly associated with weight-loss, doctors suggest to consume these alternatives with caution as they could have an influence on the increasing obesity rates and heart disease.