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> Obviously if someone just eats more to compensate there's no net gain I remember a study that showed people who consumed NSS would end-up on their own accord

> Obviously if someone just eats more to compensate there's no net gain I remember a study that showed people who consumed NSS would end-up on their own accord, eating additionally the same amount of calories as they were "avoiding" in their beverages. Ie. 2 cans of soda roughly 350cal, 2 cans diet soda -> eat another 350cal that day without actually planning on it. I think the hypothesized reason is that many of these 0-cal sweeteners still cause a release of insulin which then drops your blood sugar, which then makes you crave carbs more. I personally try to consume sweetners with no insulin effect for this reason (eg. Stevia) whenever I do use one. FWIW I have a similar gut reaction to this headline. How can there be completely no benefit to not adding 30-60g of sugar to my bloodstream every day? If the sweetners are combined with a controlled diet, I would still think they have benefits. I don't feel my blood pressure rise or my mood shift when I have a little NSS, which is the opposite of consuming straight sugar for me, I can feel it.

xp84 3y ago
> people who consumed NSS would end-up on their own accord, eating additionally (Note: this comment is not disagreeing with the parent) In my opinion, studies like these (and especially the pop "science" articles that package them into clickbait) are flawed because: 1. They summarize and basically take a mean across an entire population (see quote above for an example), which means a wide spectrum of behavior patterns are being reduced to "people do xxxxx" which is obviously not universally true. Some people will do something, and others won't. This study assumes you're not in control enough or smart enough to NOT do that unproductive behavior when trying to lose weight. I know it's a cliché that everyone assumes they're smarter than normal people, but, surely some are, right? 2. The "People will just xxxxxx" line -- that basically crosses right into psychology, which... some people would say is the least objective 'science.' I mean, people can go right ahead and convince themselves that switching to literal sugar will be a positive effect on the body. I'll just keep drinking diet soda, which has also eliminated tooth decay as a serious concern in my life since I switched.
irthomasthomas 3y ago
You already hit on it. Insulin is the fat storage hormone. It triggers your fat cells to expand by absorbing sugars from the blood. But NNSs aren't absorbed by fat cells, so they stay in your blood longer, keeping your liver working longer, pumping out insulin. This results in diminishing insulin response over time.
- amanaplanacanal 3y ago
  I’ve heard this theory before, but have never seen any actual science done. If you have a pointer to any, I would love to see it!
  - irthomasthomas 3y ago
    Here's one that tested sugar+sweetener, note the decrease in insulin clearance when sweeteners are consumed, vs just sugar: sucralose ingestion caused 1) a greater incremental increase in peak plasma glucose concentrations (4.2 ± 0.2 vs. 4.8 ± 0.3 mmol/L; P = 0.03), 2) a 20 ± 8% greater incremental increase in insulin area under the curve (AUC) (P < 0.03), 3) a 22 ± 7% greater peak insulin secretion rate (P < 0.02), 4) a 7 ± 4% decrease in insulin clearance (P = 0.04), and 5) a 23 ± 20% decrease in SI (P = 0.01). https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/36/9/2530/37872/Sucralose-Affects-Glycemic-and-Hormonal-Responses https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/36/9/2530/37872/Su...
    - amanaplanacanal 3y ago
      Thank you!

xp84 3y ago

> people who consumed NSS would end-up on their own accord, eating additionally (Note: this comment is not disagreeing with the parent) In my opinion, studies like these (and especially the pop "science" articles that package them into clickbait) are flawed because: 1. They summarize and basically take a mean across an entire population (see quote above for an example), which means a wide spectrum of behavior patterns are being reduced to "people do xxxxx" which is obviously not universally true. Some people will do something, and others won't. This study assumes you're not in control enough or smart enough to NOT do that unproductive behavior when trying to lose weight. I know it's a cliché that everyone assumes they're smarter than normal people, but, surely some are, right? 2. The "People will just xxxxxx" line -- that basically crosses right into psychology, which... some people would say is the least objective 'science.' I mean, people can go right ahead and convince themselves that switching to literal sugar will be a positive effect on the body. I'll just keep drinking diet soda, which has also eliminated tooth decay as a serious concern in my life since I switched.

irthomasthomas 3y ago

You already hit on it. Insulin is the fat storage hormone. It triggers your fat cells to expand by absorbing sugars from the blood. But NNSs aren't absorbed by fat cells, so they stay in your blood longer, keeping your liver working longer, pumping out insulin. This results in diminishing insulin response over time.

amanaplanacanal 3y ago
I’ve heard this theory before, but have never seen any actual science done. If you have a pointer to any, I would love to see it!
- irthomasthomas 3y ago
  Here's one that tested sugar+sweetener, note the decrease in insulin clearance when sweeteners are consumed, vs just sugar: sucralose ingestion caused 1) a greater incremental increase in peak plasma glucose concentrations (4.2 ± 0.2 vs. 4.8 ± 0.3 mmol/L; P = 0.03), 2) a 20 ± 8% greater incremental increase in insulin area under the curve (AUC) (P < 0.03), 3) a 22 ± 7% greater peak insulin secretion rate (P < 0.02), 4) a 7 ± 4% decrease in insulin clearance (P = 0.04), and 5) a 23 ± 20% decrease in SI (P = 0.01). https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/36/9/2530/37872/Sucralose-Affects-Glycemic-and-Hormonal-Responses https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/36/9/2530/37872/Su...
  - amanaplanacanal 3y ago
    Thank you!