The proliferation of ostensible carcinogenic potential of artificial sugar was blamed with the irresponsible and poorly-inform media (Weihrauch and Diehl 1461). However, negative news reports concerning artificial sweeteners, more often, lacked proper investigation and solid scientific proof (Weihrauch and Diehl 1461). Amidst the alleged carcinogenic potential of artificial sugars, valid studies which can directly connect cancer risk to any artificial sweetener are non-available (Weihrauch and Diehl 1463).
Further, no single artificial sugar was applied in a particular food product; most artificial sweeteners were used in combination for the enhancement of taste quality (Weihrauch and Diehl 1463). Hence, the implications of epidemiological studies done on humans were based on the synergetic effects of artificial sweeteners and not on specific artificial sugar. It could hardly point out then which artificial sweetener can possibly cause cancer in humans (Weihrauch and Diehl 1463). Similarly, around 375 million of Europeans yearly consume 2000 tonnes of aspartame (Lean and Hankey 755).
In line with this, the European Committee on Food reviewed 500 researches concerning aspartame and cancer development in 2002 and found that subjects with 40 milligram per kilogram daily intake of aspartame have survived normally (Lean and Hankey 755). Most epidemiological researches were implemented from 1965 to 1986 to more than three hundred patients of bladder cancer (Weihrauch and Diehl 1463). However, none of those subjects had incurred elevated cancer risk after artificial sugar consumption (Weihrauch and Diehl 1463).
Conversely, a study conducted in the United Kingdom to more than eight hundred patients of bladder cancer revealed an increased cancer risk on non-smoking subjects but was insignificant for the case of smokers (Weihrauch and Diehl 1463). In 1994, the most recent study was reported wherein more than five thousand subjects with bladder cancer were assessed for increased cancer risk with respect to several factors like coffee consumption, familial cancer history, cystolithiasis, urinary tract infection, and smoking.
Based on this study, consumption of more than 1680 milligrams of artificial sugar daily and taking more than fifty cups of coffee for a week, triggered cancer risk elevation (Weihrauch and Diehl 1463). Meanwhile, in 2002, Raben, Vasilaras, Moller, and Astrup (728) reported that as compared with the artificial sweetener group of overweight subjects, the sucrose group had an increased in intake and consumption of energy. In addition, the blood pressure of the latter has relatively increased as the former had a blood pressure decreased (Raben, Vasilaras, Moller, and Astrup 728).
It was also noted by short-period studies that artificial sweeteners generally caused an increased appetite by means of cephalic stimulation like sight, smell, and taste of food (Raben, Vasilaras, Moller, and Astrup 728). Conclusion A number of studies have reported that saccharin, over high doses, caused bladder cancer in rats (Weihrauch and Diehl 1464). Also, over 1680 milligram consumption of artificial sweeteners has increased, by 1. 3, the bladder cancer risk in human subjects (Weihrauch and Diehl 1464).
However, the exact agent for this increased risk can hardly be identified as mixtures of artificial sweeteners are typically employed in the food product manufacture (Weihrauch and Diehl 1464). Furthermore, it has been reported that artificial sweeteners boost appetite which may contradict with their “no calorie” or “low calorie” advertisement claim; increasing appetite propels an individual to crave for more foods.
Since the absolute truth on the physiological effects of artificial sweeteners has not yet proven by great number of studies, let us just be guided by the adage “too much of something is a poison” in our choices of foods and drinks.
Works Cited
Hein, Morris, Best, Leo R. , Pattison, Scott, and Arena, Susan. “Chemistry in Action, How Sweet It is? ” Introduction to General, Organic, and Biochemistry, 8th ed. Massachusetts: John Wiley and Sons, 2005. Lean, Michael E. J. and Hankey, Catherine R. “Aspartame and its Effect on Health. ” British Medical Journal 329 (2004): 755-756.