Acesulfame K and sucralose block a liver detox protein in lab tests
What it found
In human liver and kidney cells and in cell-free lab tests, acesulfame potassium and sucralose blocked P-glycoprotein, a protein that pumps drugs and toxins out of cells.
The blocking happened at levels expected in the blood after one sweetened drink.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Detox protein levels rise
In human liver cells, combined acesulfame potassium and sucralose increased levels of the gene and protein for P-glycoprotein, a pump that removes drugs and toxins from cells. This happened at concentrations recorded in human tissue after one diet drink.
Pump blocked in cells
In human liver and kidney cells, acesulfame potassium and sucralose blocked the pump from removing a test substance. Blocking was seen at concentrations as low as 300 nM for acesulfame potassium and 750 nM for sucralose, within expected blood levels after one sweetened drink.
Pump activity stimulated
In cell-free tests with human P-glycoprotein, both sweeteners made the pump use more energy, showing they are moved by it. This suggests they compete with other substances for the same spot on the pump.
Binding in computer models
Computer docking showed sucralose binds in the same pocket as verapamil, a known pump inhibitor. Acesulfame potassium bound in several places, including the same pocket, and made contacts with key parts of the protein.
What the authors conclude
“Using a combination of human hepatic- and kidney-origin cells, cell-free biochemical assays, and molecular docking, we have demonstrated that sucralose and acesulfame potassium act as competitive inhibitors of P-glycoprotein at concentrations as low as levels found in human plasma after drinking one non-nutritive sweetener (NNS)-sweetened beverage.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that consuming acesulfame potassium and sucralose within recommended levels may pose risks for people taking medications that are removed by P-glycoprotein.
- They say future work must find out how these sweeteners affect the absorption and clearance of common P-glycoprotein drugs in the intestine, blood-brain barrier, and placenta.
- They advise that clinical studies will show whether these sweeteners add risks for patients prescribed such drugs.
How it was done
The authors wanted to know whether these sweeteners affect the body's detoxification systems. Earlier work from their lab found that sucralose and acesulfame potassium changed liver detoxification in mice.
They treated human liver cancer cells (HepG2) and human embryonic kidney cells (HEK-293) with acesulfame potassium and sucralose, alone and combined, for 24 to 72 hours. They also ran cell-free tests with human P-glycoprotein and computer docking studies to see how the sweeteners bind the protein.
What it can’t tell you
- These are lab tests in cells and cell-free systems, not studies in people. They cannot show what happens in a person who eats or drinks these sweeteners.
- The study did not test how the sweeteners affect the removal of actual medicines. So it cannot show whether they change drug levels in the body.
- The liver cells used came from a cancer cell line, not healthy liver tissue. Results might differ in healthy human liver.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by American Heart Association-American Stroke Association (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- Medical College of Wisconsin, USA; University of Bordeaux, France
The paper
- Title
- Non-Nutritive Sweeteners Acesulfame Potassium and Sucralose Are Competitive Inhibitors of the Human P-glycoprotein/Multidrug Resistance Protein 1 (PGP/MDR1)
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Danner L, Malard F, Valdes R, Olivier-Van Stichelen S (2023). Non-Nutritive Sweeteners Acesulfame Potassium and Sucralose Are Competitive Inhibitors of the Human P-glycoprotein/Multidrug Resistance Protein 1 (PGP/MDR1). Nutrients. doi:10.3390/nu15051118Free full textPubMed 36904118DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error