Is aspartame, the artificial sweetener, really that bad?

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Recently in May 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) advised not to use non-sugar sweeteners for weight control in newly released guideline.

The new guideline on non-sugar sweeteners (NSS), which recommends against the use of NSS to control body weight or reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).

The recommendation is based on the findings of a systematic review of the available evidence which suggests that use of NSS does not confer any long-term benefit in reducing body fat in adults or children. Results of the review also suggest that there may be potential undesirable effects from long-term use of NSS, such as an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and mortality in adults.

WHO may call aspartame sweetener a possible carcinogen

The latest according to sources cited by Reuters, the World Health Organization is planning to declare aspartame, an artificial sweetener found in diet sodas, soft drinks, and other reduced-sugar gums and condiments, to be a possible carcinogen.

WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) will publicly announce its decision July 14, Reuters reported.

Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, saccharin and sucralose, among others, were already declared to be ineffective at helping users with long-term weight control.

WHO’s expected announcement on July 14 could potentially put cancer into that category — for aspartame specifically — calling the sweetener “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” according to sources cited by Reuters. Fortune also cited a leaked report that contained WHO’s decision.

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Studies on aspartame

After reviewing thousands of studies, the WHO and IARC believe there’s evidence to suggest that high consumption of aspartame (the zero-calorie sweetener in diet soda, and low-sugar candy, chewing gum, soft drinks, and ultra-processed snack foods) could increase the risk of breast and obesity-related cancers. Of course, the news has drummed up concern from both the general public (who, for better or worse, has come to lean on artificial sweeteners as the “healthier” alternative sugar) and Big Food and Big Soda (for having to reformulate their recipes and find alternative sweeteners).

There is existing evidence that raises questions about the potential impact of aspartame on cancer risk. A study in France involving about 100,000 adults last year suggested those who consumed larger amounts of artificial sweeteners including aspartame had a slightly higher cancer risk. A study from the Ramazzini Institute in Italy in the early 2000s reported that some cancers in mice and rats were linked to aspartame.

Conclusion

Artificial sweeteners aren’t all bad. They have helped diabetic and obese populations cut a significant portion of calories from sugar, which is a win. This does not mean that this was a bad decision. The concern is that this headline will encourage consumers to revert to actual sugar, which is the wrong message and perhaps even more dangerous.