According to a new study published in Cell Metabolism, Aspartame, one of the most widely used sugar substitutes, may have negative effects on the cardiovascular system.  

Researchers administered aspartame to mice over a 12-week period along with food in doses equivalent to human consumption of three cans of carbonated diet soda per day. They noticed that the rodents on such a diet developed larger and more fatty atherosclerotic plaques in their arteries compared to the control group. 

After analyzing the animals’ blood, they discovered a sharp increase in insulin levels after aspartame entered their bodies. Elevated insulin levels in the mice were also shown to cause an increase in atherosclerotic plaques. The researchers identified an immune signal (CX3CL1) that becomes particularly active just under the influence of insulin. When they removed CX3CL1 receptors from immune cells of one kind, the harmful plaque accumulation did not occur. 

The next step is to see if similar mechanisms occur in humans.