Stay Calm: What the New Aspartame Study Really Means

Depending on where you browse online, artificial sweeteners are either a healthier alternative to sugar or a toxic ingredient designed to harm your health. And with a new study making the rounds, both sides are fired up once again.

Before you swear off (or double down on) diet sodas, let’s break down the facts so you can make an informed decision—without falling for misleading headlines.

The Study Making Headlines

A recent study has led to alarming claims that aspartame can cause atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). However, a closer look at the research reveals significant limitations that make these conclusions less applicable to humans than they seem at first glance.

The Two Big Flaws in the Study

Flaw #1: The Dose Makes the Poison

Reading the study summary, you might think that drinking any diet soda puts you at risk. But here’s the catch: the amount of aspartame used in the study was equivalent to consuming 12 to 15 diet sodas per day.

Most studies examining artificial sweeteners use such high doses that they don’t reflect real-world consumption. While this particular study’s dose isn’t entirely unrealistic, drinking over a dozen diet sodas daily is far from typical.

Flaw #2: Humans and Animals Don’t Process Aspartame the Same Way

The study was conducted on mice and monkeys, which can provide insights into human health—but only if their biological responses closely mirror ours. In this case, they don’t.

In animals, aspartame appeared to increase insulin secretion, leading to inflammatory responses that could accelerate arterial plaque buildup. This raised concerns about a possible link between aspartame and heart disease. However, human studies paint a different picture.

A large-scale review of 26 research papers concluded that low-calorie sweeteners do not significantly impact blood sugar or insulin levels in humans. This means that, unlike sugar, these sweeteners don’t trigger the same metabolic responses, making them a viable alternative for people managing glucose levels.

The Bottom Line

If you experience digestive discomfort from artificial sweeteners, you might choose to avoid them. But as of now, there is no strong evidence linking aspartame to heart disease in humans.

So, enjoy your diet soda (in moderation) if you like it. The science doesn’t support the fear-driven headlines—but staying informed is always the best choice.