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Consumption of a Beverage Containing Aspartame and Acesulfame K for Two Weeks Does Not Adversely Influence Glucose Metabolism in Adult Males and Females: A Randomized Crossover Study.
Kim, Y, Keogh, JB, Clifton, PM
International journal of environmental research and public health. 2020;17(23)
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Artificial sweeteners gained popularity in the past decade, especially in the food industry. Up until recently, people generally considered it a better option to decrease sugar consumption and reduce obesity and Type 2 Diabetes. This randomised crossover study looked at the adverse effects of two commonly used artificial sweeteners on normal-weight subjects, overweight and obese subjects. A total of 39 healthy subjects without Type 2 Diabetes participated in this study. For two weeks, participants consumed 0.6 litres of a commercially branded soft drink containing acesulfame K and aspartame to assess the effects of the ingredients on glucose homeostasis. During the two-week treatment period, the healthy subjects did not show any significant detrimental impact of artificially sweetened beverages on glucose, insulin and insulin sensitivity. However, the study population was small, and the study was conducted only for a relatively short period. Therefore, further, longer-term robust studies are required to estimate the significance of the detrimental effect of artificially sweetened beverages on glucose homeostasis. Nevertheless, this study can help healthcare practitioners understand the short-term impact of artificial sweeteners, keeping in mind that further research is needed to investigate the effects.
Abstract
There is an association between the consumption of artificial sweeteners and Type 2 diabetes in cohort studies, but intervention studies do not show a clear elevation of blood glucose after the use of artificial sweeteners. The objective of this study was to examine whether two commonly used artificial sweeteners had an adverse effect on glucose control in normal-weight subjects, and in overweight and obese subjects when consumed for 2 weeks. In the study, 39 healthy subjects (body-mass index, kg/m2) (18-45) without Type 2 diabetes with an age of 18-75 years were randomly assigned to 0.6 L/day of an artificially sweetened soft drink containing acesulfame K (950) and aspartame (951) or 0.6 L/day of mineral water for 2 weeks each in a crossover study. There was a 4 week washout period with no drinks consumed. Glucose levels were read by a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) during each 2 week period. A 75 g oral glucose-tolerance test (OGTT) was performed at the beginning and end of each intervention period. Blood samples were collected at baseline, and 1 and 2 h for glucose and insulin. A 2 week intake of artificially sweetened beverage (ASB) did not alter concentrations of fasting glucose and fasting insulin, the area under the curve (AUC) for OGTT glucose and insulin, the incremental area under the curve (iAUC) for OGTT glucose and insulin, the homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and the Matsuda index compared with the baseline and with the changes after a 2 week intake of mineral water. Continuous 2 week glucose concentrations were not significantly different after a 2 week intake of ASB compared with a 2 week intake of mineral water. This study found no harmful effect of the artificially sweetened soft drink containing acesulfame K (950) and aspartame (951) on glucose control when consumed for 2 weeks by people without Type 2 diabetes.
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Emollient use alters skin barrier and microbes in infants at risk for developing atopic dermatitis.
Glatz, M, Jo, JH, Kennedy, EA, Polley, EC, Segre, JA, Simpson, EL, Kong, HH
PloS one. 2018;13(2):e0192443
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Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a type of eczema common in babies and young children. Poor function of the skin barrier is thought to lead to changes in the composition of bacteria found on the skin. This small study investigated the effects of daily use of an emollient, Cetaphil Moisturising Cream, on the barrier function and bacterial communities on the skin of infants at risk of developing AD. After 6 months, the emollient group had a lower skin pH than the control group. The group using the emollient had more diverse skin bacterial communities than the control group. The proportion of Streptococcus salivarius was higher in the emollient versus control groups. The authors concluded that lower skin pH and increased skin bacterial diversity after long-term emollient use may reduce inflammation and lower the risk of infants developing AD.
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emollients are a mainstay of treatment in atopic dermatitis (AD), a disease distinguished by skin bacterial dysbiosis. However, changes in skin microbiota when emollients are used as a potential AD preventative measure in infants remain incompletely characterized. RESULTS We compared skin barrier parameters, AD development, and bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences of cheek, dorsal and volar forearm samples from 6-month-old infants with a family history of atopy randomized to receive emollients (n = 11) or no emollients (controls, n = 12). The emollient group had a lower skin pH than the control group. The number of bacterial taxa in the emollient group was higher than in the control group at all sites. The Streptococcus salivarius proportion was higher in the emollient versus control groups at all sites. S. salivarius proportion appeared higher in infants without AD compared to infants with AD. A decrease in S. salivarius abundance was further identified in a separate larger population of older children demonstrating an inverse correlation between AD severity at sampling sites and S. salivarius proportions. CONCLUSIONS The decreased skin pH and the increased proportion of S. salivarius after long-term emollient use in infants at risk for developing AD may contribute to the preventative effects of emollients in high-risk infants.
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Influence of acute consumption of caffeine vs. placebo over Bia-derived measurements of body composition: a randomized, double-blind, crossover design.
Williamson, CM, Nickerson, BS, Bechke, EE, McLester, CN, Kliszczewicz, BM
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2018;15:7
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Bioelectrical analysis (BIA) is a commonly used method to assess body fat percentage and water values, by running a small electrical current through the body. Prior to testing using BIA, it is necessary to avoid exercise, fasting and caffeine consumption for accurate results. Caffeine’s role as a diuretic is well understood, however, its impact on measures of body water values when consumed prior to BIA testing has not been examined. The main aim of this study was to determine if the consumption of caffeine prior to BIA testing influences the cellular fluid balance and body fat percentage. Participants in the trial were measured on three separate occasions. The first visit worked as a control whilst the second and third visit were conducted using a double blind randomised crossover method. The total number of participants included in the trial were 20 physically active males who were habitual coffee drinkers. Participants were given either 200mg of caffeine or 200mg dextrose (control). The BIA measurements were taken at seven different time points after the preliminary measurements, separated by 15-min. The authors concluded that caffeine consumption in habitual users just prior to testing produced no significant changes in the BIA measurements. Therefore, the pre-testing guidelines for caffeine consumption may not be necessary in habitual caffeine consumers.
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is often used to estimate total body water (TBW), intracellular body water (ICW), extracellular body water (ECW), and body fat percentage (BF%). A common restriction for BIA analysis is abstinence from caffeine 12-h prior to testing. However, research has yet to determine whether the consumption of caffeine influences BIA testing results. The purpose of this study was to determine if the consumption of caffeine influences BIA-derived BF% and body water values in habitual caffeine users. METHODS Twenty apparently healthy males (26.6 ± 4.1 years) identified as habitual caffeine consumers (≥ one 95 mg serving per day ≥ four days per week) participated in this study. Participants came to the lab on three occasions, the first visit serving as the control (CON) with no supplementation. The remaining two visits were performed in a randomized double-blind, cross-over fashion. Participants consumed 200 mg of dextrose (PLA) or caffeine (CAF) in capsule form. During each visit, seven multi-frequency BIA measurements were conducted before (PRE) and after (15-min, 30-min, 45-min, 60-min, 75-min, 90-min) consumption. RESULTS Repeated measures ANOVA revealed BF% for CAF was lower than the CON and PLA conditions at PRE and 15-min (p < 0.001, p = 0.004), but not statistically significant for the remaining time points (i.e., 30-, 45-, 60-, 75-, and 90-min). However, the effect size (ES) of the BF% differences were trivial. The CON, PLA, and CAF conditions had higher PRE ICW values than their associated post time points (i.e., 15-, 30-, 45-, 60-, 75-, and 90-min). Similar to BF%, ES of the mean differences for ICW were trivial. No other differences were observed. CONCLUSION Caffeine consumption in habitual users produced trivial changes in TBW, ECW, ICW, or BF%. Therefore, the pre-testing guidelines for caffeine consumption may not be necessary in habitual caffeine consumers.