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Splenda Alters Gut Microflora and Increases Intestinal P-Glycoprotein and
Cytochrome P-450 in Male Rats
Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health
2008, 71: 1415–1429
Mohamed B. Abou-Donia, Eman M. El-Masry, Ali A. Abdel-Rahman, Roger E.
McLendon, and Susan S. Schiffman
Authors are from the Departments of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Pathology,
and Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center
FROM ABSTRACT:
Splenda is comprised of the high-potency artificial sweetener sucralose and the
fillers maltodextrin and glucose.
Splenda was administered by orally at 100, 300, 500, or 1000 mg/kg to male
Sprague-Dawley rats for 12-wk, during which fecal samples were collected weekly
for bacterial analysis and measurement of fecal pH.
After 12-wks, half of the animals from each treatment group were sacrificed to
determine the intestinal expression of the membrane efflux transporter P-
glycoprotein (P-gp) and the cytochrome P-450 (CYP) metabolism system by
Western blot.
The remaining animals were allowed to recover for an additional 12-wks, and
further assessments of fecal microflora, fecal pH, and expression of P-gp and CYP
were determined.
At the end of the 12-wks treatment period, the numbers of total anaerobes,
bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, Bacteroides, clostridia, and total aerobic bacteria were
significantly decreased.
Splenda also increased fecal pH and enhanced the expression of P-gp by 2.43-fold
[143%], CYP3A4 by 2.51-fold [151%], and CYP2D1 by 3.49-fold [249%].
Following the 12-wk recovery period, the total anaerobes and bifidobacteria
remained significantly depressed, and the pH values, P-gp, and CYP 450 isozymes
remained elevated.
These changes occurred at Splenda dosages that contained sucralose at 1.1–11
mg/kg (the US FDA Acceptable Daily Intake for sucralose is 5 mg/kg).
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Evidence indicates that a 12-wk administration of Splenda exerted numerous
adverse effects, including:
1) Reduction in beneficial fecal microflora
2) Increased fecal pH
3) Enhanced expression levels of proteins which are known to limit the
bioavailability of orally administered drugs and nutrients.
THESE AUTHORS ALSO NOTE:
The artificial high-potency sweetening compound sucralose is a chlorinated
disaccharide.
“Sucralose is ubiquitous in the world food supply as an ingredient in over
4000 products, including tabletop sweeteners and sugar substitutes (e.g., Splenda),
baked goods, beverages such as soft drinks, coffee and tea, breakfast cereals,
chewing gum, desserts, and pharmaceutical products.”
“Because sucralose is approximately 600 times sweeter than sucrose by
weight sucralose formulations such as Splenda utilize fillers including maltodextrin
and glucose for volume.”
Sucralose is a chlorinated hydrocarbon, an organochlorine molecule with
appreciable lipid solubility. [Very Important]
Adverse consequences from the elevated presence of sucralose have been
reported in animal models, which included gastrointestinal tract DNA damage.
Unabsorbed sucralose in the gut may affect the intestinal microbial milieu.
Gut microflora carry out many important functions, including:
1) Fermentation of dietary carbohydrates,
2) Salvage of energy as short-chain fatty acids
3) Production of vitamins
4) Maintenance of normal immune system functioning
5) Gastrointestinal tract mobility
6) Inhibition of pathogens
7) Metabolism of drugs
The Splenda used in this study was purchased from the supermarket.
The dosage levels of sucralose given “were selected because they span the
range of values below and above the accepted daily intake for sucralose of 5
mg/kg/d established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).”
The following results were documented:
1) The lowest Splenda dose showed a significant increase in body weight gain
during and after Splenda supplementation.
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2) “The number of total anaerobes and aerobic bacteria began to decrease
immediately after the beginning of oral administration of Splenda. By the end of the
12-wk dosing period, at the lowest dose (100 mg/kg/d) of Splenda, the number of
total anaerobes was reduced by 49.8% relative to control.”
3) “Higher doses of Splenda (300, 500, and 1000 mg/kg/d) produced significant
reduction in the number of total anaerobes and other anaerobic bacteria, ranging
from 47.4 to 79.7% of control.”
4) “Higher doses of Splenda (300, 500, or 1000 mg/kg/d) resulted in significant
reduction of the numbers of total aerobes, which ranged from 51.2 to 67.8%
compared to control groups.”
5) “Relative to control, at the end of 12-wks of Splenda treatment at dosages of
100, 300, 500, or 1000 mg/kg/d, there were significant increases in pH values.”
6) “At the end of the 12-wk treatment with Splenda, numerous alterations were
observed that did not occur in control animals, including lymphocytic infiltrates into
epithelium, epithelial scarring, mild depletion of goblet cells, glandular
disorganization, and focally dilated vessels stuffed with intravascular lymphocytes.”
DISCUSSION
This study showed that intake of Splenda for 12-wks exerted several adverse
effects on the intestines of rats, including a significant decrease in beneficial
intestinal bacteria, elevated fecal pH, histopathological changes in the colon,
increased body weight, and enhanced intestinal expression of proteins that inhibit
absorption of drugs and nutrients.
“The intake of Splenda by rats significantly reduced the number of indigenous
intestinal bacteria resident in the gut, with the greatest suppression for the
generally beneficial anaerobes (e.g., bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, and Bacteroides).”
“Disruption in the number and state of balance of intestinal microflora may
potentially interfere with many essential gut functions, including nutrient
metabolism, normal immune system functioning, gastrointestinal mobility, inhibition
of pathogens, vitamin synthesis (B group and K), and metabolism of drugs.”
“The reduction in intestinal bacteria in this study was accompanied by an
increase in fecal pH that typically occurs when there is a decrease in the production
of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) by colonic bacteria. SCFA decrease luminal pH and
hence provide antagonistic properties against intestinal pathogens and invading
organisms. Suppression of bacteria, alterations in microbial composition, and
reduction in SCFA in the gut might have clinical significance for humans in the
management of many medical conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome,
inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and cancer, in which
gut flora play an important role.”
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Splenda increased the expression of the intestinal proteins “at levels that
have been associated with reduced bioavailability of drugs and chemicals.” The
magnitudes of these increases “are greater than or comparable to those shown to
reduce the bioavailability of many drugs.”
“The present finding of increased expression of [intestinal] proteins by
Splenda at the low dosages used in this experiment is clinically important with
regard to potential drug interactions.”
Splenda suppresses beneficial bacteria and directly interferes with the
bioavailability of drugs and nutrients at doses that are approved by the FDA for use
in the food supply.
KEY POINTS FROM DAN MURPHY
1) “Splenda is comprised of the high-potency artificial sweetener sucralose and
the fillers maltodextrin and glucose.”
2) The US FDA Acceptable Daily Intake for sucralose is 5 mg/kg body weight.
3) In this study, a 12-wk administration of Splenda to mice in human dose
equivalents exerted numerous adverse effects, including:
A)) Reduction in beneficial fecal microflora
B)) Increased fecal pH
C)) Enhanced expression genes which reduce the absorption of orally
administered drugs.
4) The artificial high-potency sweetening compound sucralose is a chlorinated
disaccharide.
5) “Sucralose is ubiquitous in the world food supply as an ingredient in over
4000 products, including tabletop sweeteners and sugar substitutes (e.g., Splenda),
baked goods, beverages such as soft drinks, coffee and tea, breakfast cereals,
chewing gum, desserts, and pharmaceutical products.”
6) Sucralose is a chlorinated hydrocarbon, an organochlorine molecule.
7) Adverse consequences from the elevated presence of sucralose have been
reported in animal models, which included gastrointestinal tract DNA damage.
8) Unabsorbed sucralose in the gut affects the intestinal microbial milieu.
Gut microflora carry out many important functions, including:
A)) Fermentation of dietary carbohydrates,
B)) Salvage of energy as short-chain fatty acids
C)) Production of vitamins
D)) Maintenance of normal immune system functioning
E)) Gastrointestinal tract mobility
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F)) Inhibition of pathogens
G)) Metabolism of drugs
9) The lowest Splenda dose showed a significant increase in body weight gain
during and after Splenda supplementation. [Very Ironic]
10) “At the end of the 12-wk treatment with Splenda, numerous alterations were
observed that did not occur in control animals, including lymphocytic infiltrates into
epithelium, epithelial scarring, mild depletion of goblet cells, glandular
disorganization, and focally dilated vessels stuffed with intravascular lymphocytes.”
11) The intake of Splenda for 12-wks exerted several adverse effects on the
intestines of these rats, including a significant decrease in beneficial intestinal
bacteria, elevated fecal pH, histopathological changes in the colon, and increased
body weight.
12) “Disruption in the number and state of balance of intestinal microflora may
potentially interfere with many essential gut functions, including nutrient
metabolism, normal immune system functioning, gastrointestinal mobility, inhibition
of pathogens, vitamin synthesis (B group and K), and metabolism of drugs.”
13) Sucralose ingestion “might have clinical significance for humans in the
management of many medical conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome,
inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and cancer, in which
gut flora play an important role.”
14) Splenda suppresses beneficial bacteria and directly interferes with the
bioavailability of drugs and nutrients at doses that are approved by the FDA for use
in the food supply.
