The Study
Consumption of Artificial Sweetener Acesulfame Potassium Increases Preterm Risk and Uterine Contraction with Calcium Influx increased via Myosin Light Chain kinase - myosin Light Chain 20 related Signaling Pathway.
This study found that women who drank more diet soda with this sweetener seemed to have babies earlier, but it didn’t prove the sweetener caused it — maybe those women had other things going on. So we can only say it’s a possible link, not a sure cause.
Analysis score
Maximum 72 for a cohort study.
Where the score came from
Scientists looked at a sweetener called Ace K, found in diet drinks, and saw that in animals, it made uterine muscles contract more and caused inflammation. In 613 pregnant women, those who ate more of it were more likely to have babies early.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 540 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1The link is observed but the actual risk increase is not stated, and animal doses are much higher than human exposure.
- 2613 pregnant women studied; higher Ace K intake linked to higher chance of early delivery.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Molecular nutrition & food research
Year
2022
Authors
Yi-Fen Chiang, Hsin-Yuan Chen, Yu-Han Lai, Mohamed Ali, Y. Chen, S. Hsia
Related Content
Claims (4)
Scientists test artificial sweeteners on animals using way more than humans would ever eat, then say it’s safe for people by dividing that huge dose by 100—but that doesn’t match how much people actually consume.
If pregnant women eat or drink more of the artificial sweetener Acesulfame Potassium, they might be more likely to have their baby too early.
Studies on animals suggest that if they’re given a lot of Acesulfame Potassium over a long time, their uteruses contract more strongly and the proteins that control those contractions change in some way.
Eating or being exposed to the artificial sweetener Acesulfame Potassium might cause the body to release more inflammatory signals in animals, which could affect the uterus in a way that leads to inflammation.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.