TY - JOUR
T1 - A novel urinary biomarker approach reveals widespread exposure to multiple low-calorie sweeteners in adults
T2 - LCS exposure in adults via a biomarker approach
AU - Logue, Caomhan
AU - Dowey, L
AU - Verhagen, Hans
AU - Strain, J J
AU - O'Mahony, Maeve
AU - Kapsokefalou, Maria
AU - Athanasatou, Adelais
AU - Gallagher, Alison M
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) on behalf of the American Society for Nutrition 2020.
Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/9/1
Y1 - 2020/9/1
N2 - Background: Observational investigations into the health impacts of low-calorie sweeteners (LCSs) in humans fail to adequately identify or fully characterize LCS consumption. Objectives: We aimed to utilize a novel biomarker approach to investigate exposure to 5 LCSs and to test whether reported low-calorie sweetened beverage (LCSB) consumption effectively identifies exposure to LCSs in adults. Methods: In this cross-sectional analysis, 2 population studies were conducted in adults. Urinary excretions of 5 LCSs, namely acesulfame-K, saccharin, cyclamate, sucralose, and steviol glycosides, were simultaneously determined using LC tandem-MS. In Study 1, previously collected 24-h urine samples (n = 357) were analyzed. In Study 2, previously collected 24-h urine samples (n = 79) were analyzed to compare urinary excretions of LCSs with self-reported LCSB consumption for identifying LCS exposure. Exposure to LCSs was characterized using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were performed to assess associations between age-groups and LCS excretion, and to assess the proportion of individuals identified as LCS consumers using biomarker data or reported LCSB consumption. Results: A total of 341 adults (45% men) and 79 adults (39% men) were included in the final analysis of Studies 1 and 2, respectively. In Study 1, >96% of samples contained ≥1 LCS and almost 60% contained ≥3 LCSs. A greater proportion of younger adults (<40 y old) excreted ≥3 LCSs than older adults (>40 y old) (P < 0.001). In Study 2, a much higher prevalence of LCS consumption was observed using biomarker data (92%) than reported LCSB consumption (6%) (P < 0.001). Conclusions: This work indicates widespread exposure to LCSs, suggesting that population-based research to date into LCS exposure and health may be flawed. Therefore, a urinary biomarker approach offers considerable potential for more robust investigations in this area.
AB - Background: Observational investigations into the health impacts of low-calorie sweeteners (LCSs) in humans fail to adequately identify or fully characterize LCS consumption. Objectives: We aimed to utilize a novel biomarker approach to investigate exposure to 5 LCSs and to test whether reported low-calorie sweetened beverage (LCSB) consumption effectively identifies exposure to LCSs in adults. Methods: In this cross-sectional analysis, 2 population studies were conducted in adults. Urinary excretions of 5 LCSs, namely acesulfame-K, saccharin, cyclamate, sucralose, and steviol glycosides, were simultaneously determined using LC tandem-MS. In Study 1, previously collected 24-h urine samples (n = 357) were analyzed. In Study 2, previously collected 24-h urine samples (n = 79) were analyzed to compare urinary excretions of LCSs with self-reported LCSB consumption for identifying LCS exposure. Exposure to LCSs was characterized using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were performed to assess associations between age-groups and LCS excretion, and to assess the proportion of individuals identified as LCS consumers using biomarker data or reported LCSB consumption. Results: A total of 341 adults (45% men) and 79 adults (39% men) were included in the final analysis of Studies 1 and 2, respectively. In Study 1, >96% of samples contained ≥1 LCS and almost 60% contained ≥3 LCSs. A greater proportion of younger adults (<40 y old) excreted ≥3 LCSs than older adults (>40 y old) (P < 0.001). In Study 2, a much higher prevalence of LCS consumption was observed using biomarker data (92%) than reported LCSB consumption (6%) (P < 0.001). Conclusions: This work indicates widespread exposure to LCSs, suggesting that population-based research to date into LCS exposure and health may be flawed. Therefore, a urinary biomarker approach offers considerable potential for more robust investigations in this area.
KW - Low-calorie sweeteners
KW - non-nutritive sweeteners
KW - Biomarkers
KW - acesulfame-k
KW - saccharin
KW - cyclamates
KW - steviol glycosides
KW - steviol glucuronide
KW - sucralose
UR - https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/publications/a-novel-urinary-biomarker-approach-reveals-widespread-exposure-to
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85090148581&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/jn/nxaa184
DO - 10.1093/jn/nxaa184
M3 - Article
C2 - 32678445
VL - 150
SP - 2435
EP - 2441
JO - Journal of Nutrition
JF - Journal of Nutrition
SN - 0022-3166
IS - 9
ER -