The pattern, said Dr. Sen, was strikingly similar to what had been seen with the MSC-sucralose exposure findings. “The upregulation that we saw in the petri dish could now be seen in the human fat samples,” he said.
“We think that the sucralose is … allowing more glucose to enter the cell,” said Dr. Sen. “We think that we actually have figured out a mechanism.” He and his colleagues next plan to tag glucose molecules to follow what actually happens as they enter cells in the presence of sucralose.
When Dr. Sen’s patients ask whether they should switch to low-calorie sweetened beverages, he answers with an emphatic “no.” “I say, ‘It’s not going to do you any good, because it still may allow glucose to enter the cells … you’re going to come back to the same status quo’ ” in the context of obesity and insulin resistance, he said.
Dr. Sen reported that he has no relevant disclosures.
SOURCE: Sen S et al. ENDO 2018, Abstract SUN-071.