Various pieces of evidence demonstrate the negative impact of artificial sweeteners on human health and the gut microbiota. For example, acesulfame potassium and sucralose destroy the structure and function of the gut microbiota and intestinal mucosa [Nettleton et al., Physol. Behav. 2016].
Artificial sweeteners also have bacteriostatic effects and influence the composition of the gut microbiota [Wang et al., Plos One 2018]. This could contribute to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases [Azad et al., CMAJ 2017], suggesting that these chemical substitutes should be excluded from our diet [Suez et al., Nature 2014].
