In an effort to reduce sugar consumption to prevent diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular
diseases, “sugar-free” or “no added sugar” products that substitute sugar with non-nutritive
sweeteners (NNSs) (eg, Splenda, Sweet’N Low, and Stevia) have become increasingly
popular. The use of these products during pregnancy has also increased, with approximately
30% of pregnant women reporting intentional NNS consumption. In clinical studies with
nonpregnant participants and animal models, NNSs were shown to alter gut hormonal
secretion, glucose absorption, appetite, kidney function, in vitro insulin secretion,
adipogenesis, and microbiome dysbiosis of gut bacteria. In pregnant animal models,
NNS consumption has been associated with altered sweet taste preference later in life
and metabolic dysregulations in the offspring (eg, elevated body mass index, increased
risk of obesity, microbiome dysbiosis, and abnormal liver function tests). Despite
the accumulating evidence, no specific guidelines for NNS consumption are available
for pregnant women. Furthermore, there are limited clinical studies on the effects
of NNS consumption during pregnancy and postpartum and long-term outcomes in the offspring.
Key words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: April 07, 2020
Accepted:
March 26,
2020
Received in revised form:
March 25,
2020
Received:
January 24,
2020
Footnotes
The authors report no conflict of interest.
Each author has indicated that he/she has met the journal’s requirements for authorship.
Identification
Copyright
© 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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