Saccharin and liver inflammation in mice
What it found
In mice given saccharin in drinking water for six months, the liver showed more signs of inflammation and the gut bacteria and their products changed.
This was an animal study, not a study in people.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Liver inflammation signs
In the liver of saccharin-treated mice, two genes linked to inflammation, iNOS and TNF-α, were found at higher levels than in control mice. This suggests saccharin consumption is linked to an inflammatory response in the liver.
Gut bacteria changes
After three and six months, the amounts of several gut bacterial groups differed between the saccharin and control mice. Some groups increased, such as Corynebacterium and Turicibacter, while others decreased, such as Ruminococcus and Dorea.
Bacterial genes for inflammation
The gut bacteria in saccharin-treated mice had more genes for making substances that can trigger inflammation, including lipopolysaccharide (LPS), flagella, fimbriae and bacterial toxins. These were significantly increased after six months.
Gut metabolite changes
Saccharin changed the mix of chemicals produced by gut bacteria. For example, a protective compound called equol decreased, while other related compounds increased. Several anti-inflammatory substances also decreased, and a pro-inflammatory one increased.
Body weight
After six months, there was no significant difference in body weight gain between the control and saccharin groups.
What the authors conclude
“Our results revealed that 6-month saccharin administration in drinking water induced elevated inflammation in mouse liver, which could be functionally associated with saccharin-induced gut microbiome perturbations, exemplified by the alteration of inflammation-related bacterial pathways and metabolites ( Figure 6 ).”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that six-month saccharin administration in drinking water induced elevated inflammation in mouse liver, which could be functionally associated with saccharin-induced gut microbiome perturbations.
- They state that their results highlight the role of disrupted gut microbiome in eliciting systemic adverse response in the host.
- They suggest that this study provides novel insights regarding the toxicity assessment of food additives, such as artificial sweeteners, in view of their effects on gut microbial homeostasis.
How it was done
The authors wanted to find out whether saccharin could disturb the gut bacteria and their metabolic functions in a way that leads to inflammation in the host.
Twenty male mice were split into two groups of ten. One group drank water with saccharin at a level equal to the human daily limit for six months, while the other group drank plain water. The researchers then measured inflammatory markers in the liver and used gene sequencing and metabolomics to look at gut bacteria and their products.
What it can’t tell you
- This was a study in mice, so it cannot show what happens in people.
- The study cannot prove that saccharin causes liver inflammation in humans, only that it was linked to changes in mice.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by NIEHS NIH HHS (from the PubMed record).
- Authors work at
- University of Georgia, United States; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States
The paper
- Title
- Saccharin induced liver inflammation in mice by altering the gut microbiota and its metabolic functions
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Bian X, Tu P, Chi L, Gao B, Ru H, Lu K (2017). Saccharin induced liver inflammation in mice by altering the gut microbiota and its metabolic functions. Food and chemical toxicology. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2017.04.045Free full textPubMed 28472674DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error