A recent study by the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center revealed that artificial sweeteners may not be the most suitable choice for cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy.
Sucralose is a famous synthetic sweetener for individuals who are cutting down calories or managing blood sugar levels.
According to a research published in the journal Cancer Discovery, the study revealed that individuals suffering from melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer who ate increased levels of sucralose experienced a more severe response to immunotherapy than people with diets lower in the artificial sweetener.
Lead author and Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Immunology at Pitt and UPMC Hillman, Abby Overacre, stated:
"It's easy to say, 'Stop drinking diet soda,' but when patients are being treated for cancer, they are already dealing with enough, so asking them to drastically alter their diet may not be realistic."
"We need to meet patients where they are. That's why it's so exciting that arginine supplementation could be a simple approach to counteract the negative effects of sucralose on immunotherapy," Overacre added.
Senior author Diwakar Davar, M.D., associate professor of medicine at Pitt and a medical oncologist and hematologist at UPMC Hillman, partnering in the research, used mouse models to display that the negative impacts of sucralose are caused by an imbalance of gut bacteria.
Sucralose altered the gut microbiome in mice, increasing bacteria that degrade arginine, a major amino acid for T cell function, minimising the effectiveness of immunotherapy and leading to bigger tumours.
Supplementing with citrulline and arginine restored treatment response. In nearly 132 cancer patients on anti-PD1 therapy, increased sucralose intake was associated with minimised effectiveness across different kinds of cancers.
Researchers further plan clinical trials on citrulline supplements, aiming to study the effects of other synthetic sweeteners such as saccharin, stevia, and more on immunity.
