Can artificial sweeteners affect fertility?
Author: Dr Elena Kontogianni
Diet drinks may reduce a woman’s chance of getting pregnant during IVF, a new study suggests. Would-be mothers who drunk many “diet” sodas with artificial sweeteners or put sugar substitutes in hot drinks produced poorer eggs and embryos according to the researchers.
524 women were asked about their dietary habits. Over two years, the researchers looked at 5,548 egg cells taken from the women undergoing fertility treatment. They also looked at how the egg did after it was impregnated with sperm to form an embryo on days 2 and 3 after conception.
While it is widely believed taking artificial sweeteners is healthier than taking sugar, both options raised the risk of an embryo being found to have at least one deformity.
The findings were presented at American Society of Reproductive Medicine congress.
In conclusion, researchers led by Gabriela Halpern of the Fertility Medical Group based in Brazil wrote: ‘The general population believes that artificial sweeteners are healthier than regular sugar, and is not aware of the dangers hidden behind the promise of reduced calorie food and beverages.
‘Patients should be advised about the adverse effect of sugar and mainly artificial sweeteners on the success of assisted reproduction.’
Although it is an interesting study, no causation can be drawn from the limited data provided. Those women could have other factors like obesity or issues with PCOS affecting their fertility.
Image credit: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/17/women-who-regularly-consume-soft-drinks-may-be-reducing-their-ch/
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