- Study suggests artificial sweeteners could lead to depression
- The results are preliminary and experts suggest more data is needed.
- READ MORE: I am a dentist. This is why people should NOT give up sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners and ultra-processed foods can lead to depression, study suggests.
Researchers from Harvard University and Mass General Brigham Hospital in Massachusetts evaluated the diets of more than 30,000 middle-aged white women. Around 7,000 people have been clinically diagnosed with depression.
Researchers have suggested that eating ultra-processed foods, such as snacks, sauces and ready-to-eat meals, could be the cause of depression. Additionally, artificial sweeteners like aspartame – which the World Health Organization (WHO) has deemed a possible carcinogen – were associated with higher levels.
However, experts have cautioned that there is not enough evidence to establish a direct link between these foods and depression.
Aspartame, an artificial sweetener found in drinks like Diet Coke, has been deemed a possible carcinogen by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The search letter, published in JAMA Wednesday, covered more than 31,000 women aged 42 to 62. The researchers asked them to fill out questionnaires about their eating habits every four years. It is unclear how long they have been evaluated.
Researchers used two definitions of depression: strict and broad. Strict depression meant that patients reported that they had been diagnosed with this illness by a doctor and used antidepressants regularly. In contrast, generalized depression meant that patients had a clinical diagnosis and/or were taking antidepressants.
Of the 31,712 participants, 2,122 had strict depression, while 4,820 had broad depression.
Researchers have suggested that ultra-processed foods may lead to a greater risk of depression, although they are not sure why.
However, artificial sweeteners and artificially sweetened drinks were directly associated with a higher risk of depression by activating certain compounds in the brain. The researchers did not go into detail about this process.
Dr Duane Mellor, a dietitian at Aston University in the UK, said: “Researchers think this could be due to compounds reaching the brain. This research provides no evidence to support this hypothesis, and it could be that people with depression chose sweeter drinks, rather than being causal.
Other researchers said that while the results are promising, more research is needed.
“This study provides insight into the potential role of artificial sweeteners in mental and physical health, but this needs to be confirmed by further research beyond observational data alone,” said Dr. Sharmali Edwin Thanarajah, a neurologist in Germany.
The study adds to a growing body of research suggesting that processed foods could have adverse health effects.
A 2022 study published in the journal Neurology found that a 10 percent increase in consumption of ultra-processed foods could increase the risk of dementia.
In addition, a large cohort study in France suggested that the same increase in consumption of ultra-processed foods led to an increased risk of breast cancer.
A global comparison study published in Obesity Reviews showed that an increase in per capita sales of ultra-processed foods and drinks was associated with a higher body mass index (BMI).
And two studies carried out by researchers from Spain And France found an association between consumption of ultra-processed foods and an increased risk of premature death.
The researchers said their main limitation was that the study was done only on women, most of whom were white, and therefore the population was limited.
Additionally, those who consumed more ultra-processed foods had higher BMI, smoking rates, and rates of diabetes and hypertension. They were also less likely to exercise regularly. This means that these participants could have developed depression due to a multitude of other factors.