Aspartame Resource Center: Aspartame Research Library

Diabetes Care

Because aspartame tastes just like sugar, with none of the bitter aftertaste or off-notes associated with other low calorie sweeteners, its introduction was particularly important for people with diabetes. Aspartame is made from two amino acids, and is therefore metabolized normally by diabetic patients. Because it contains no sugars, aspartame has no effect on blood glucose levels.

Response to single dose of aspartame or saccharin by NIDDM patients

Horwitz DL1, McLane M, Kobe P.
Diabetes Care. 1988 Mar;11(3):230-4.

This study showed that neither a beverage sweetened with aspartame, a beverage sweetened with saccharin nor an unsweetened beverage increased blood glucose levels either in non-insulin dependent diabetes patients or in normal individuals. In each case, blood glucose levels declined following ingestion of the test beverages.

Click here to read the abstract of the paper.

Glucose tolerance, blood lipid, insulin and glucagon concentration after single or continuous administration of aspartame in diabetics.

G Okuno, F Kawakami, H Tako, T Kashihara, S Shibamoto, T Yamazaki, K Yamamoto, M Saeki.
Diabetes Research & Clinical Practice. 1986 Apr; 2(1): 23-7.

This controlled study measured blood glucose levels in people with diabetes following ingestion of 500mg of aspartame as a single dose, and 125 mg daily for two weeks. The results showed that aspartame does not increase blood glucose levels.

Click here to read the abstract of the paper.

Aspartame use by persons with diabetes mellitus.

JK Nehrling, P Kobe, MP McLane, RE Olson, S Kamath, DL Horwitz.
Diabetes Care. 1985 Sep-Oct; 8(5): 415-7.

This randomized, double blind study with 62 volunteers showed that intake of 2.7grams of aspartame (the equivalent to the amount found in about 5 liters of soft drinks sweetened with aspartame alone) every day for eighteen weeks produced no changes in blood sugar levels.

Click here to read the abstract of the paper.

Administration of aspartame in non-insulin-dependent diabetics.

SB Stern, SJ Bleicher, A Flores, G Gombos, D Recitas, J Shu.
J Toxicol Environ Health. 1976 Nov; 2(2): 429-39.

In this study, 43 non-insulin dependent diabetes patients consumed either 1.8grams of aspartame (the equivalent to the amount found in over 3 liters of soft drinks sweetened with aspartame alone) or a placebo every day for 90 days. No symptoms were found that could be traced to either the placebo or the aspartame.

Click here to read the abstract of the paper.