Metabolic and feeding behavior alterations provoked by prenatal exposure to aspartame

•Prenatal exposure to aspartame can lead to higher sweet consumption in adulthood.•Prenatal exposure to aspartame can alter lipid profile in adulthood.•Prenatal exposure to aspartame can alter plasma glucose levels in adulthood. The use of artificial sweeteners has increased together with the epidem...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Appetite 2015-04, Vol.87, p.168-174
Main Authors: von Poser Toigo, E., Huffell, A.P., Mota, C.S., Bertolini, D., Pettenuzzo, L.F., Dalmaz, C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Artificial sweeteners
Aspartame
Aspartame - adverse effects
Blood Glucose - metabolism
Cholesterol, HDL - blood
Cholesterol, LDL - blood
Feeding Behavior
Female
Gestation
Male
Metabolism
Models, Animal
Non-Nutritive Sweeteners - adverse effects
Obesity
Pregnancy
Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects - pathology
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Triglycerides - blood
Weight Gain
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Summary:•Prenatal exposure to aspartame can lead to higher sweet consumption in adulthood.•Prenatal exposure to aspartame can alter lipid profile in adulthood.•Prenatal exposure to aspartame can alter plasma glucose levels in adulthood. The use of artificial sweeteners has increased together with the epidemic growth of obesity. In addition to their widespread use in sodas, artificial sweeteners are added to nearly 6000 other products sold in the US, including baby foods, frozen dinners and even yogurts. It has been suggested that the use of nonnutritive sweeteners can lead to body weight gain and an altered metabolic profile. However, very few studies have evaluated the effects of maternal consumption of artificial non-caloric sweeteners on body weight, feeding behavior or the metabolism of offspring in adult life. In this study, we found that animals exposed to aspartame during the prenatal period presented a higher consumption of sweet foods during adulthood and a greater susceptibility to alterations in metabolic parameters, such as increased glucose, LDL and triglycerides. These effects were observed in both males and females, although they were more pronounced in males. Despite the preliminary nature of this study, and the need for further confirmation of these effects, our data suggest that the consumption of sweeteners during gestation may have deleterious long-term effects and should be used with caution.
ISSN:0195-6663
1095-8304
DOI:10.1016/j.appet.2014.12.213