Scientists from the University of Southern California have found that artificial sweetening Sucralose increases the activity of the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that regulates the appetite and body weight. The results of the research were published in the Nature Metabolism magazine.
During the experiment, 75 participants were offered two types of drinks, water and sukralosa with ordinary sugar. Sucralosis is an artificial sweetener that is 400-600 times sweeter than sugar (table sugar). It is widely used in food production.
Before drinking the beverages, volunteers gone functional magnetic resonance tomography (FMRI), given blood samples and report how much hunger they feel. The results showed that Sucraloz increases hunger and activity in a hypothalamus, a key role in controlling the behavior of eating. This influence was especially emphasized in obese people.
According to scientists, Sucrutose "confuses the brain", providing sweetness without the expected energy value. Researchers also confirmed that the use of sugar has led to the level of hormones in the blood, including the insulin and peptide 1 (GLP-1). Sucralosis did not have such an impact.
"The body uses these hormones to tell the brain to create calories and reduce hunger," said Kathleen Alanna Page, the co-organizer of the endocrinology and diabetes department of the Second California University.
