The FDA has classified five artificial sweeteners as safe, but studies continue on their long-term health effects. Some evidence suggests possible dangers, and side effects are still being studied. The oldest, saccharin, has undergone over 30 human studies and is deemed safe, but some believe it could pose risks. Aspartame is listed in over 6,000 foods and has been approved by multiple authorities, but private researchers suggest links to headaches, depression, and cancer. Sucralose, discovered while creating an insecticide, has no long-term studies, and its chlorine content is a concern. Acesulfame K contains the carcinogenic chemical methylene chloride, and neotame is a new variation of aspartame with a contentious safety debate.
Artificial sweeteners are completely synthetic food additives. Debate has raged for many decades about the safety and side effects of artificial sweeteners, but as of 2011, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified five as safe. This quintet—saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame K, and neotame—has received FDA “Generally Recognized As Safe” (GRAF) designation. Studies continue on the long-term health effects of all of these products, and at least some evidence points to the possibility of possible dangers.
Saccharin is the oldest artificial sweetener on the market, having undergone more than 30 human studies stating that it is safe for human consumption. The US National Toxicology Program (NTP) deemed the product not to be a potential carcinogen in 2000. The side effects of artificial sweeteners that contain saccharin may be minimal, but some people still feel that it could pose risks. Saccharin contains sulfonamides, which could lead to severe allergic reactions in those who cannot tolerate sulfonamides. Some researchers believe that saccharin might be responsible for muscle dysfunction in babies.
The FDA approved aspartame in 1981, and as of 2011 it is listed as an ingredient in more than 6,000 different foods. It has been approved as safe not only by the FDA, but also by the European Food Standards Authority (EFSA) and the European Scientific Committee for Food (ESCF). All of these authorities have stated that aspartame has no link to cancer, depression, or dementia, as detractors initially claimed.
The side effects of artificial sweeteners that contain aspartame are still being studied. Private researchers believe that some evidence shows a link between aspartame and headaches, depression, and cancer. Many of these studies were done in small groups of volunteers, but anecdotal evidence regarding side effects continues to emerge.
Sucralose was approved for general use in 1999 by the FDA, and it is found in 4,500 products. It was discovered by scientists trying to create a new, more effective insecticide, but the FDA says it poses no risk to humans. Being one of the newer products, there have been no long-term studies on sucralose. The biggest fear for researchers studying the side effects of artificial sweeteners is that sucralose contains chlorine. Possible but unproven side effects are a host of gastrointestinal ailments, skin irritation, depression, and anxiety.
A virtually unknown artificial sweetener is acesulfame K. It was approved by the FDA in 1988, but long-term studies are inconclusive regarding potential side effects. The biggest concern regarding this sweetener is that it contains the carcinogenic chemical methylene chloride. Intense exposure to methylene chloride can cause ailments ranging from cancer to headaches and general confusion. It is not known whether brief exposure to this chemical, or ingestion of small amounts, is harmful to humans.
Neotame, approved by the FDA in 2002, is a new and improved variation of aspartame. The FDA says it’s completely safe, while detractors claim it has the same risks as the sweetener from which it’s derived. The argument regarding the side effects of artificial sweeteners remains contentious, a situation that is not expected to change in the foreseeable future.
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