High-intensity sweetener consumption and gut microbiome content and predicted gene function in a cross-sectional study of adults in the United States.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate gut microbiome in relation to recent high-intensity sweetener consumption in healthy adults.


METHODS
Thirty-one adults completed a four-day food record and provided a fecal sample on the fifth day. Bacterial community in the samples was analyzed using multitag pyrosequencing. Across consumers and nonconsumers of aspartame and acesulfame-K, bacterial abundance was compared using nonparametric statistics, and bacterial diversity was compared using UniFrac analysis. Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt) was used to predict mean relative abundance of gene function.


RESULTS
There were seven aspartame consumers and seven acesulfame-K consumers. Three individuals overlapped groups, consuming both sweeteners. There were no differences in median bacterial abundance (class or order) across consumers and nonconsumers of either sweetener. Overall bacterial diversity was different across nonconsumers and consumers of aspartame (P < .01) and acesulfame-K (P = .03). Mean predicted gene abundance did not differ across consumers and nonconsumers of aspartame or acesulfame-K.


CONCLUSIONS
Bacterial abundance profiles and predicted gene function were not associated with recent dietary high-intensity sweetener consumption. However, bacterial diversity differed across consumers and nonconsumers. Given the increasing consumption of sweeteners and the role that the microbiome may have in chronic disease outcomes, work in further studies is warranted.
Department of Global and Community Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA; Microbiome Analysis Center, George Mason University, Manassas, VA. Electronic address: cfranken@gmu.edu.
Cara L
CL
Frankenfeld
Microbiome Analysis Center, George Mason University, Manassas, VA; Department of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA.
Masoumeh
M
Sikaroodi
Department of Global and Community Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA.
Evan
E
Lamb
Department of Global and Community Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA.
Sarah
S
Shoemaker
Microbiome Analysis Center, George Mason University, Manassas, VA; Department of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA.
Patrick M
PM
Gillevet
D001218:Aspartame / Q000494:pharmacology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015930:Diet Records; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D002149:Energy Intake; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013843:Thiazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D014481:United States
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D013843:Thiazines; C006362:acetosulfame; D001218:Aspartame
Diet; Microbiota; Sweetening agents