Effects of Consuming Artificial Sweeteners and Sugar on Cerebral and Physiological Responses

Acute Effects of Artificial Sweeteners and Sugar on the Brain Dynamics to Food Image Viewing. An Exploratory, Monocentric, Randomized Controlled Trial in Healthy Young Men

This study aims at investigating the acute influence of artificially sweetened beverages consumption (as compared with sugar-sweetened beverages and water consumption) on brain responses to the viewing of food images, on physiological responses (gut-derived hormones and lipid metabolites) and on the food intake behavior.

This study is made on a randomized controlled crossover design including three conditions (water, sugar, artificial sweeteners). Measurements will be performed in fasting and fed conditions. The test-meal will comprise either an artificially or sugar-sweetened beverage or water (control). The spatio-temporal brain dynamics to the viewing of food pictures will be assessed by means of electroencephalography (EEG) recordings and electrical neuroimaging analyses. Venous blood and urine will be collected. Blood pressure, cardiac frequency and bio-impedance measurements will be performed. Food intake behavior will be assessed by means of questionnaires and a free-choice buffet. Each tested condition (water, sugar, artificial sweeteners) will be preceded by a run-in period during which the participants' diet will be controlled (2-day isoenergetic diet).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy
• Caucasian
• Right-handed
• Weak to normal physical activity (< 3hours per week)
• Normal-weight (19<BMI<25 kg/m2)
• Regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (>33cl per week)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Consumption of artificially sweetened beverages exceeding 33cl per week
• Diabetes
• Cardiovascular, kidney, hepatic and/or psychological disorders
• Blood pressure at rest > 140/90mmHg
• Body weight < 50kg
• Hemoglobin < 13.5g/dl
• Ferritin < 50microg/l
• Drug consumption
• Alcohol consumption (>10g/day)
• Smoking
• Any particular diet (e.g. vegetarianism), food allergy and/or intolerance
• Body weight gain or loss of >3kg during the last 3 months