Metabolic Effects of Selected Conventional and Alternative Sweeteners: A Narrative Review

Fabienne Teysseire holds a B.Sc. (2016) and M.Sc. (2019) in Pharmacy from the University of Basel, Switzerland. She obtained her Ph.D. in Clinical and Metabolic Research from St. Clara Research Ltd. in 2023. The main focus of her research was the investigation of the effects of caloric and non-caloric sweeteners on human metabolism, including their effects on gastrointestinal hormones, glycemic control, appetite, gastric emptying, and gut-brain interaction. She is now working at a global pharmaceutical company.

Valentine Bordier obtained her B.Sc. (2014) and M.Sc. (2017) in Food Science from ETH Zurich, and her Ph.D. in Clinical Research, with focus on Nutritional Sciences, from the University of Basel, Switzerland, in 2023. She is now a Postdoctoral Researcher at St. Clara Research Ltd., Basel, Switzerland. Her research interests include metabolism, alternative sweeteners, nutrition, obesity, glycemic control, and satiation.

Christoph Beglinger graduated in medicine from the University of Berne, Switzerland, in 1977. Following graduation, he undertook a medical thesis at the same institution. After two years of clinical work, he received a post-doctoral fellowship at the Center for Ulcer Research and Education at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), USA. In 1985 he became Board-Certified in Internal Medicine, and in 1987 Board-Certified in Gastroenterology. He was appointed Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Basel, Switzerland, in 1988 and became Associate Professor in 1994. In 1999 he was named full Professor for Gastroenterology and was elected as chairman of the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the University Hospital in Basel, Switzerland. He retired from the University Hospital in 2015 and became head of the department of clinical research of the St. Claraspital, a University-affiliated hospital, a position he held until the end of 2017. Since 2018 he is the Head of the Ethical Committee of Northwestern and Central Switzerland (EKNZ).

Bettina Wölnerhanssen completed her medical studies at the University of Basel (Switzerland) in 2001, where she also wrote her doctoral thesis. After graduating, she spent six months as a research assistant at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in Philadelphia. She then focused on specializing as a surgeon and obtained her board certification in 2010. From then on, she devoted herself exclusively to clinical research, particularly in the field of metabolic surgery and nutrition research, initially at the Department of Biomedicine at the University of Basel and since 2016 at St. Clara Research AG - the clinical research department of St. Clara Hospital in Basel. Currently, Bettina Wölnerhanssen's research focuses on exploring the mechanisms contributing to obesity and investigating therapeutic interventions, both surgical and dietary, to combat the obesity epidemic. Investigating the metabolic effects of sugar alcohols is one of her special areas of expertise. The significance of her research is underscored by her publications in prestigious scientific journals, active participation in numerous national and international research collaborations, and successful acquisition of external funding. Bettina Wölnerhanssen is regularly invited to share her expertise and actively collaborates with the media to educate and raise awareness about the mechanisms and therapeutic options related to obesity, sugar consumption, and sugar substitutes.

Anne Christin Meyer-Gerspach graduated in nutritional science from the Technical University of Munich, Germany, in 2009. She obtained her PhD from the University Basel, Switzerland, in 2012. A grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation enabled her to carry out a postdoctoral research project at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium (Translational Research Centre for Gastrointestinal Disorders, Prof. Jan Tack), in 2015 and 2016. In 2016, Anne Christin Meyer-Gerspach moved to St. Clara Research Ltd/St. Clara Hospital in Basel for a position as academic scientist where she later took up a Co-Head position in the Metabolic Research Group. Anne Christin Meyer-Gerspach's research focuses on nutritional physiology and nutritional medicine, specifically exploring the gastrointestinal physiology of satiety regulation, including the interaction between the gut and the brain. Her research aims to investigate the underlying mechanisms contributing to the development of obesity and associated metabolic disorders, particularly type 2 diabetes mellitus. The importance of Anne Christin Meyer-Gerspach's field of research is underscored by her extensive publication activity in renowned peer-reviewed journals and involvement in numerous national and international research collaborations. Additionally, she has successfully secured third-party funding from both public institutions and private foundations.