Sweetener aspartame aggravates atherosclerosis through insulin-triggered inflammation

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Conflicts of Interest

Identified Weaknesses

Rating Explanation

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Paper Summary

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Aspartame and Atherosclerosis: A Mouse Tale (With Monkey Business)

This study, primarily conducted on mice, suggests that aspartame consumption may exacerbate atherosclerosis through an insulin-dependent mechanism involving the CX3CL1-CX3CR1 signaling pathway. The results were partially validated in monkeys, but with inconsistencies in blood glucose responses. Further research is needed to confirm these findings in humans and explore the effects of other artificial sweeteners.

Possible Conflicts of Interest

None identified.

Identified Weaknesses

Mouse model

The study heavily relies on a mouse model of atherosclerosis (ApoE-/- mice fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet), which may not fully reflect the complexity of human atherosclerosis. Direct translation of these findings to humans requires further investigation.

Limited scope of sweeteners

While the study investigates the effect of aspartame, it doesn't explore other non-nutritive sweeteners. Different sweeteners have varied structures and metabolic effects, limiting the generalizability of these findings to all ASWs.

Inconsistent findings across species

The monkey experiment shows inconsistent blood glucose responses compared to mice, raising questions about the translatability of findings across species and the underlying metabolic differences.

Focus on a single pathway

The study primarily focuses on the CX3CL1-CX3CR1 axis, potentially overlooking other contributing factors or mechanisms involved in ASW-induced atherosclerosis.

Rating Explanation

This is a well-conducted study with interesting findings regarding aspartame's effect on insulin and atherosclerosis. However, the heavy reliance on a mouse model and the lack of investigation into other sweeteners limit its translatability and generalizability, warranting a rating of 3.

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