title: [Artificial sweeteners--are they potentially carcinogenic?].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Artificial sweeteners have rapidly evolved over the last 20 years and are added to a broad variety of food, drinks, drugs, and hygiene products. Since their introduction, especially mass media have reported about potential cancer risks, which has attributed to undermine the people's sense of security. It can be assumed that every citizen of the western countries is using artificial sweeteners--knowingly or not. A cancer-inducing activity of one of these substances would mean a health risk to an entire population.
  
  
  METHODS
  This article gives an overview about the most important publications dealing with the cancerogenic potential of artificial sweeteners.
authors.affiliation: Klinik I für Innere Medizin, Universität zu Köln. martin.weihrauch@uni-koeln.de
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Weihrauch
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Diehl
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bohlen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001218:Aspartame / Q000009:adverse effects; D002253:Carbonated Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015197:Carcinogenicity Tests; D002273:Carcinogens; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003494:Cyclamates / Q000009:adverse effects; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D006801:Humans; D051381:Rats; D012306:Risk; D012439:Saccharin / Q000009:adverse effects; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D003494:Cyclamates; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D012439:Saccharin; D001218:Aspartame
vernacular_title: Künstliche Süssstoffe--Haben sie ein kanzerogenes Potential?