Comparison of a Daily Steviol Glycoside Beverage compared with a Sucrose Beverage for Four Weeks on Gut Microbiome in Healthy Adults

Abstract

Recent studies suggest that some non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) have deleterious effects on the human gut microbiome (HGM). The effect of steviol glycosides on the HGM has not been well studied. We aimed to evaluate the effects of stevia- versus sucrose-sweetened beverages on the HGM and fecal short-chain-fatty-acid (SCFA) profiles. Using a randomized, double blinded, parallel design study, n=59 healthy adults (female/male n=36/23, aged 31±9 years, BMI: 22.6±1.7 kg/m2) consumed 16oz of a beverage containing either 25% of the Acceptable-Daily-Intake (ADI) of stevia or 30g sucrose daily for 4 weeks followed by a 4-week washout. At weeks 0 (baseline), 4 and 8 the HGM was characterized via shotgun sequencing, fecal SCFA concentrations were measured using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and anthropometric measurements, fasting serum glucose, insulin and lipids, blood pressure, pulse and 3-day diet records were obtained. There were no significant differences in the HGM or fecal SCFA between the stevia and sucrose groups at baseline (P > 0.05). At week 4 (post-intervention) there were no significant differences in the HGM at the phylum, family, genus or species level between the stevia and sucrose groups and no significant differences in fecal SCFA. At week 4, BMI had increased by 0.3 kg/m2 (P = 0.013) in sucrose versus stevia but all other anthropometric and cardiometabolic measures and food intake did not differ significantly (P > 0.05). At week 8 (post-washout) there were no significant differences in the HGM, fecal SFCA, or any anthropometric or cardiometabolic measure between the stevia and sucrose groups (P > 0.05). Daily consumption of a beverage sweetened with 25% of the ADI of stevia for 4 weeks had no significant effects on the HGM, fecal SCFA or fasting cardiometabolic measures, compared to daily consumption of a beverage sweetened with 30g sucrose. Clinicaltrials.gov as NCT05264636

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