Asociación entre edulcorantes no nutritivos y riesgo de obesidad en estudiantes universitarios de Latinoamérica / Association between non-nutritive sweeteners and obesity risk among university students in Latin America

Background: The association between non-nutritive sweeteners and obesity is controversial. Aim: To determine whether the consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners is related to higher risk for overweight or obesity among university students in Chile, Panama, Guatemala and Peru. Material and Methods: A total of 1,224 (472 from Chile, 300 from Panama, 248 from Guatemala and 204 from Peru) male and female university students aged between 18 and 26 years participated in the study. Each student reported their food intake (frequency of weekly consumption) in a survey that contained photos of foods containing non-nutritive sweeteners adapted for each country. Anthropometry was also measured. Results: More than 80% of students consumed at least one product containing non-nutritive sweeteners. Females who ate acesulfame potassium and sucralose had a lower risk of overweight or obesity with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.5 (confidence intervals (CI) = 0.3-0.9; p = 0.003) and OR = 0.4 (IC = 0.2-0.8; p = 0.01), respectively. Conclusions: In this sample of Latinamerican university students, consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners was associated with lower risk of overweight only in females.

Changes in the Expression and Distribution of Claudins, Increased Epithelial Apoptosis, and a Mannan-Binding Lectin-Associated Immune Response Lead to Barrier Dysfunction in Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Rat Colitis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This animal study aimed to define the underlying cellular mechanisms of intestinal barrier dysfunction. METHODS: Rats were fed 4% with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) to induce experimental colitis. We analyzed the sugars in 24-hour urine output by high pressure liquid chromatography. The expression of claudins, mannan-binding lectin (MBL), and MBL-associated serine proteases 2 (MASP-2) were detected in the colonic mucosa by immunohistochemistry; and apoptotic cells in the colonic epithelium were detected by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling method assay. RESULTS: The lactulose and sucralose excretion levels in the urine of rats with DSS-induced colitis were significantly higher than those in the control rats. Mannitol excretion was lower and lactulose/mannitol ratios and sucralose/mannitol ratios were significantly increased compared with those in the control group (p<0.05). Compared with the controls, the expression of sealing claudins (claudin 3, claudin 5, and claudin 8) was significantly decreased, but that of claudin 1 was increased. The expression of pore-forming claudin 2 was upregulated and claudin 7 was downregulated in DSS-induced colitis. The epithelial apoptotic ratio was 2.8%+/-1.2% in controls and was significantly increased to 7.2%+/-1.2% in DSS-induced colitis. The expression of MBL and MASP-2 in the intestinal mucosa showed intense staining in controls, whereas there was weak staining in the rats with colitis. CONCLUSIONS: There was increased intestinal permeability in DSS-induced colitis. Changes in the expression and distribution of claudins, increased epithelial apoptosis, and the MASP-2-induced immune response impaired the intestinal epithelium and contributed to high intestinal permeability.

Comparación del crecimiento in vitro de Streptococcus mutans y Lactobacillus acidophilus con edulcorantes / In vitro comparison of the growth of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus with sweetening agents

Se realizó un estudio comparativo in vitro en el cual se analizó el crecimiento del Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) y el Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) y las variaciones del pH, en un medio mínimo con edulcorantes (xilitol, sorbitol, aspartamo, sucralosa y sacarina sódica), en concentraciones del 1, 2, 3, 4 y 5 por ciento, durante 48 horas. El tipo de análisis aplicado a esta investigación fue la prueba de H. Kruskall Walls (p menor 0.01). Se encontró que el xilitol, el sorbitol y la sacarina sódica reducen el crecimiento in vitro del S. mutans y el L. acidophilus; en cambio, la sucralosa y el aspartamo son definitivamente edulcorantes que estimulan el crecimiento de S. mutans y L. acidophilus, representando mayor potencial cariogénico. Las observaciones del pH se mantuvieron constantes con todos los edulcorantes, con un valor de 6.0