Acesulfame potassium and early puberty in girls and rats
What it found
In a study of 884 girls aged 6 to 12, those who consumed more acesulfame potassium were more likely to develop central precocious puberty.
Rat and cell studies found the sweetener sped up puberty onset and raised a brain hormone linked to it.
What they found
Studies in people
Early puberty in girls
Girls who consumed more than the median amount of acesulfame potassium were more likely to develop central precocious puberty than girls who consumed none. The authors adjusted for other factors that could explain the difference.
Animal and lab studies
Puberty onset in rats
Rats given acesulfame potassium from before birth through weaning reached puberty sooner. Their brains also showed higher levels of a hormone called GnRH, which triggers puberty.
Brain injection in rats
Injecting acesulfame potassium directly into the brains of rats also brought on puberty earlier.
Brain cells in the lab
In N44 hypothalamic neuron cells, acesulfame potassium increased the production of reactive oxygen species. This switched on a protein called PKA and raised GnRH expression.
What the authors conclude
“These findings suggest that prepubertal girls should consume soft drinks or food products containing AceK more cautiously.”
Also in their conclusions
- They suggest that prepubertal girls should consume soft drinks or food products containing AceK more cautiously.
How it was done
The number of children with early puberty and the use of nonnutritive sweeteners are both rising quickly around the world. The authors say it was not clear whether these sweeteners affect early puberty.
They followed 884 girls aged 6 to 12 in the Taiwan Pubertal Longitudinal Study from 2018 to 2022, with data on how much acesulfame potassium they consumed and whether they developed central precocious puberty. They also gave the sweetener to rats from before birth through weaning, injected it into the brains of rats, and treated N44 hypothalamic neuron cells with it.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- The study in girls followed them over time, so it can show a link between acesulfame potassium and early puberty, not that the sweetener caused it.
- The rat and cell results cannot show what happens in people.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Yang Ching Chen reports financial support was provided by the National Science and Technology Council.
- Authors work at
- National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan; Taipei Medical University, Taiwan; Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taiwan
The paper
- Title
- Consumption of the nonnutritive sweetener acesulfame potassium increases central precocious puberty risk
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Wu HT, Chiang CC, Wang CT, Chen YH, Hsu SY, Chen YC (2024). Consumption of the nonnutritive sweetener acesulfame potassium increases central precocious puberty risk. Journal of hazardous materials. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132529PubMed 37738850DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error