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Publication
The cardiometabolic impact of rebaudioside a exposure during the reproductive stage
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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Since foods rich in refined sugars promote obesity, the use of non-caloric sweeteners has gained popularity, and their consumption by pregnant women has increased. Stevia (a non-caloric sweetener) consumption was considered safe for humans by the European Food Safety Authority in a dose of up to 4 mg/kg body weight/day. However, the World Health Organization recommended in 2023 the restraint of these sweeteners at any life stage, highlighting the need for research on pregnant women and early stages of development. So, we aimed to study the effects of chronic consumption of the main sweetener compound of stevia (Rebaudioside A) during the reproductive stage. Female rats were treated with Rebaudioside A (4 mg steviol equivalents/kg body weight/day) in the drinking water from 4 weeks before mating until weaning. Food and water consumption, blood glucose and lipids, as well as heart structure, function and mitochondrial function, were assessed. Rebaudioside A decreased heart size, cardiomyocyte area and fibrosis without repercussions on cardiac or mitochondrial function. Both fasting blood glucose and cholesterol decreased. This work suggests that stevia consumption at this dose may be safe for females during the reproductive stage. However, more studies are mandatory to explore the effects of stevia consumption on offspring’s health.
Description
Keywords
Rebaudioside A Pregnancy Lactation Cardiometabolism
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Bracchi, I., Morais, J., Coelho, J. A., Ferreira, A. F., Alves, I., Mendes, C., Correia, B., Gonçalves, A., Guimarães, J. T., Falcão-Pires, I., Keating, E., & Negrão, R. (2024). The Cardiometabolic Impact of Rebaudioside A Exposure during the Reproductive Stage. Biology, 13(3), 163. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology13030163
Publisher
MDPI