Effect of sucralose on the blood content of thyroid hormones

Abstract

Sugar substitutes are among the most widely used food additives. Increasing number of scientific research on their adverse effect on various body functions has been appearing lately. The objective of this research is to study the effect of sucralose, a sugar substitute, on the thyroid functional state. Involved in the research were 30 women, aged 19-28, estimating themselves healthy. The blood content of free and general triiodothyronine, free and general thyroxine, as well as of thyrotropic hormone were determined. Thereafter, the women were taking sucralose for a month daily in a dose of 15 mg/kg, the blood content of the hormones mentioned above having been tested again. Reliable 2.0, 1.58, and 1.46 times decrease in the blood content of free and general triiodothyronine, and general thyroxine, respectively, as well as reliable 4.41 times increase in the blood content of thyrotropic hormone (Р < 0.001) were found. Our findings on the sucralose-induced decrease in the level of thyroid hormones confirmed the results of other researchers regarding sucralose as biologically inert compound that should be kept in mind when evaluating its effect on the patients with endocrine pathology.