Artificial Sweeteners: Artificial sweeteners are in many fun treats and said to not contain any sugar or calories but are they really good for you? New research suggests that artificial sweeteners are likely to increase your risk for depression. A new study conducted by Dr. Andrew Chan, vice chair of gastroenterology at Masachusetts General hospital as well as professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, elicits that among large consumers of ultra-processed food, the risk of depression might rise as much as 50% especially when the food are artificially sweetened.
What causes artificial sweeteners and processed foods to be bad? Hydrogenation , a chemical manufacturing process, significantly increases the amount of trans fat found in processed food. In addition, researchers have frequently found links between trans fat and an increased heart disease risk. A study conducted by Chan and his colleagues looked at “ultra processed food” including artificial sweeteners, processed meats, snacks, beverages, sauces, ready-to–eat meals, and even grain food. These food often contain additives such as dyes, stabilizers and emulsifiers, examples are fast food, cookies and chips and even morning cereals. Chan, with his study mainly focusing on the link between artificial sweeteners and depression, set up his study with 32,000 middle-aged women who took part in the Nurses’ Health Study II between 2003 and 2017. All the participants in the study were judged to be depression-free before the trials began. Of the participants, 95 % were white women between the ages of 42-62 years. Study Findings following the conclusion of the study, a little over 2,100 women were diagnosed with depression. In spite of the fact that the study found a large link between processed foods and depression it however did not prove cause and effect. Only artificial sweetener content in the food and beverages was associated with the higher risk for depression. Chan states that “The more servings processed food eaten per day, the greater the risk of depression.” The study also states that cutting your intake of processed foods by at least 3 servings per day over four years would likely lower your risk of depression.
Although a clear link is found between artificial sweeteners and depression, the precise reason as to what causes it remains unclear. Chan however states that “ultra-processed food has been linked to chronic inflammation” which leads to “multiple potential adverse health effects, including depression.” In addition, ultra-processed food is known to disrupt your gut microbiome and this has been linked to mood disorder since our gut has been called our “second brain” through the connection between the gut and the brain by way of the vagus nerve.
Advice: The advice Chan gives is “wherever possible, individuals may wish to limit their intake of such foods (ultra-processed/processed foods)” given the potential relation “between ultra-processed food and multiple adverse health conditions.” He also adds that this lifestyle change could potentially have many important benefits, especially for those struggling with mental health. Important Notes: As said by Connie Diekman, a St. Louis-based nutrition consultant and former president of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, poor diet and an imbalance in nutrients can affect brain health. A poor diet can cause depression as well as other numerous mental/physical health problems. She goes on to state that “many factors play a role, especially in women…the role of hormones, juggling family…and many other factors..as well as the role of nutrition.” She says that it is difficult to determine the specific role that ultra-processed foods and artificial sweeteners play in mental health but rather as a coalescence of many different factors.
Concluding her statement she states that “If foods with limited nutritional quality replace more nutrient-rich foods, the problem is likely the poor diet quality versus the single food.” She advises that since we may not always find out why something happened, we should focus on meeting our nutrient needs first. These findings were published by JAMA Network Open, Sept. 20, 2023.
Sources: “Could Artificial Sweeteners in Processed Food Raise Depression Risk?”, Alan Mozes Healthday Reporter, 21 Sept. 2023, www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-09-20/could-artificial-sweetener s-in-processed-food-raise-depression-risk. Andrew Chan, MD, MPH, vice chair, gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, and professor, medicine, clinical and translational epidemiology unit, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Connie Diekman, RD, MEd, LD, food and nutrition consultant, St. Louis, Mo., and former president, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; JAMA Network Open , Sept. 20, 2023
