Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
RT, February 21. - Aspartame, one of the most common sugar substitutes, could cause a significant risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases, due to a molecular trigger recently detected in the lining of the arteries, the scientific publisher Press Cell reported this Wednesday.
Although it has been suggested that artificial sweeteners have harmful effects on health, particularly if consumed frequently, the molecular mechanisms involved were unknown.
Now, in a study published in the journal Cell Metabolism, it was reported that aspartame triggers spikes in insulin, the hormone that controls blood glucose, which leads to the accumulation of fatty plaques in the arteries (atherosclerosis). This finding suggests that insulin may be an important link between aspartame and cardiovascular health.
To achieve this result, the researchers gave mice daily doses of food containing 0.15% aspartame, the equivalent of a person drinking three cans of diet soda a day, for 12 weeks.
An unexpected discovery
After demonstrating that high levels of insulin led to the growth of fatty plaques in the arteries of rodents that consumed the sweetener, it was decided to examine the underlying mechanisms. The scientists discovered that a signaling molecule, known as CX3CL1, became more active as insulin levels increased.
Researcher Yihai Cao explained that compared to most chemicals, which are quickly removed when the heart pumps blood, CX3CL1 attaches to "the surface of the inner lining of blood vessels, where it acts as bait and traps immune cells in their path."
When the CX3CL1 receptors were removed from the rodents' immune cells, the dangerous buildup of fatty plaques in the arteries was stopped, showing that this molecule is important in the effects of this sweetener.
"Artificial sweeteners have penetrated almost all kinds of foods, so we need to know their long-term impact on health," Cao said. The researchers plan to carry out more research to verify their findings in humans. (Text and Photo: RT)
