Effects of different sweeteners on incretin hormone secretion, gastric emptying, intragastric distribution and postprandial glycemia in healthy humans

Abstract

The global rises in the prevalence of obesity and diabetes mellitus led to an increase of sweeteners consumption. Peptides called incretins, such as glucagon‐like peptide 1 (GLP‐1) and glucose‐dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) are able to regulate appetite, blood glucose (BG) and gastric emptying (GE) whereas the effects of sweeteners on this release are not well established.ObjectiveDetermine the effects of addition of sucrose, sorbitol, sucralose or stevia on a standard liquid test meal, on GE and intragastric distribution (ID), as well as on BG, plasma insulin, GIP and GLP‐1 in humans.DesignTen male healthy volunteers were studied on 4 separate occasions. Fifteen grams of each substance was added to the test meal one each occasion. GE and ID were determined by scintigraphy, BG, plasma insulin and incretins were determined at fasting until 120 min after the meal ingestion by a glucometer and specifics immunoassay kits.Results and conclusionsGE and ID are not different among meals prepared with sucrose or sweeteners. The addition of sucrose or stevia caused significant increases of BG. The addition of sucrose, sucralose and stevia caused significant increases of insulin. Plasma GLP‐1 was similarly increased after all meals eaten. Sucrose or sucralose led to increase of GIP concentration relative to fasting. This can explain the increase in plasma insulin after ingestion of test meal added sucralose.