Dr. Layne Norton

And so if we look at the meta-analyses, they just don't support like any kind of insulin response.

And what I would say is

okay, if you're getting a significant insulin response, why don't we have people just passing out left and right who are having diet sodas from hypoglycemia?

Because if you're having increased insulin with no glucose coming in, your blood sugar is going to drop.

Or the other explanation is, well, maybe if there is an increase in insulin, there must also be a corresponding increase in glucagon to offset that, which means all that stuff is going to be washed out since those two counteract each other.

But again, there's no real data suggesting it increases insulin.

And then the other thing that gets tossed around is the gut microbiome, which I am interested in.

Most of the studies show no effect, but sucralose in particular does appear to have an impact on the gut microbiome.

I have Suzanne Defkota came out of the same lab that I did my PhD in, and she's a microbiome expert.

I've talked to a few other experts and looked at the research data.

And my take was pretty similar to their take, which was, hey, we know the gut microbiome changes.

We don't really – we only have a rough idea of what a good, bad, or neutral change is.

And like, for example, in one of the studies looking at sucralose –

They actually saw an increase in the proportion of a bacteria, and I'll probably butcher the name, Blocadia coccoitis, I want to say it is, something like that.

You know how these Latin names are.

But that species of bacteria is actually associated with better insulin sensitivity, less fat mass, and better overall blood glucose regulation.

And so, okay, well, I can kind of make the argument that maybe sucralose is a positive effect on overall health based on that.

Now, I don't know, and I'm not ready to say anything like that.

My point being is we don't really know.

Now, if you're worried, use something different than sucralose.