Zero‑Calorie Sweeteners May Cause Multi‑Generational Gut Changes in Mice

Researchers studying the widely used zero‑calorie sweeteners sucralose and stevia found that both altered the gut microbiome of mice, lowered levels of beneficial bacterial metabolites, and changed the expression of genes linked to metabolism and inflammation. Importantly, some of these microbiome shifts and gene‑activity changes were observed in subsequent generations of mice that had never been exposed to the sweeteners themselves. The study indicates that the biological impact of these sweeteners can persist beyond the individual consumer and may influence the health of future generations.