Brussels, 28th March 2025: Contrary to what suggested by a new study from the University of Southern California, it is important to highlight that sucralose does not affect appetite.
The study by Chakravartti et al. does not provide evidence that sucralose disrupts appetite regulation or increases energy or food intake. In fact, the study results showed that the sucralose-sweetened drink has a neutral effect on appetite and hunger, like water. The reported differences in hypothalamic responses did not translate into different hunger rates when sucralose was compared with an unsweetened, non-caloric comparator like water. Similarly, sucralose had a similar effect to water on glycaemic responses, contrary to sugars which raised blood glucose and insulin levels. The different effects seen between the sucralose- and sugar-sweetened drinks are not unexpected, given sugar’s energy and carbohydrate content.
While not tested in this acute trial, numerous other studies have investigated the acute and long-term effect of sucralose on energy and food intake, as well as on body weight, and collectively confirm that low/no calorie sweeteners, including sucralose, can help reduce total caloric intake and, in turn, body weight over time, when consumed instead of sugars (Grotz et al, 2017; Higgins and Mattes, 2019; Laviada-Molina et al, 2020; Rogers and Appleton, 2021; McGlynn et al, 2022).
As part of an overall healthy diet and lifestyle, sucralose can be used to further public health objectives on sugar intake reduction and ultimately assist in weight and diabetes management, as well as with dental health.
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