Aspartame is a common sweetener found in diet beverages and low-calorie desserts, yet has recently been classified by the World Health Organization as possibly carcinogenic to humans – joining other potentially carcinogenic substances like aloe vera extract, some varieties of pickled vegetables and tobacco smoke in that category.
But including aspartame in this group does not indicate consumers need to stop using this sugar substitute. IARC made their determination based on limited evidence linking aspartame to liver cancer in some studies involving rats and mice; however, these data are insufficient to indicate other forms of cancers.
An observational study of 100,000 adults in France published last year concluded that those consuming larger amounts of artificial sweeteners like aspartame had an increased risk of cancer. This followup research from Italy’s Ramazzini Institute back in early 2000s had linked cancers in mice and rats to aspartame use.
Experts note that IARC’s classification of aspartame will likely prompt more research. Yet it could create fear around no- and low-calorie sweeteners among the over 540 million people worldwide living with diabetes or managing their weight.
At IARC’s decision is based on limited evidence available publicly for review, not all of which is reviewed publicly by others such as FDA or EFSA. They both discredited its findings due to significant methodological problems found in some of its studies cited by them.
