Study Reveals Surprising Impact of Sweeteners on Gut Bacteria

WHO:

Science Daily - Researchers from the University of Cambridge's Medical Research Council (MRC) Toxicology Unit conducted the study.

News-Medical - Dr. Sonja Blasche is the lead author of the study, and Professor Kiran Patil is the senior author.

WHAT:

Science Daily - The study tested 39 sweeteners and found that many can directly change the growth of gut bacteria.

News-Medical - The combination of isosteviol and the antidepressant duloxetine significantly impaired two important gut bacteria linked to regulating blood sugar and gut health.

News-Medical - The researchers identified over 100 interactions where sweeteners behaved differently when combined with other substances.

News-Medical - In 2023, over 4.2 million patients in the US were prescribed duloxetine.

WHERE:

News-Medical - The research was conducted at the University of Cambridge.

WHEN:

News-Medical - The research was published in the journal Molecular Systems Biology.

WHY:

News-Medical - The study aims to understand the real-world health impacts of sweeteners on gut bacteria, particularly when combined with other substances.

HOW:

Science Daily - The researchers grew 25 gut bacterial species in the lab and exposed them to 39 common sweeteners to measure bacterial growth.

News-Medical - The study assessed the effects of sweeteners in combination with common compounds such as caffeine, flavorings, and medications.

News-Medical - The researchers created a synthetic community of bacteria to mimic the human gut and tested it against various sweetener and drug combinations.

(UPDATED July 17, 2026 10:33 UTC)

Researchers from the University of Cambridge's Medical Research Council have conducted a study revealing that many sweeteners can directly alter the growth of gut bacteria. The study, led by Dr. Sonja Blasche and senior author Professor Kiran Patil, found that the combination of isosteviol and the antidepressant duloxetine significantly impaired two key gut bacteria associated with blood sugar regulation and gut health. By growing 25 gut bacterial species and exposing them to 39 common sweeteners, the researchers identified over 100 interactions where sweeteners behaved differently when combined with other substances, aiming to understand the real-world health impacts of these sweeteners.