The Cardiometabolic Impact of Rebaudioside A Exposure during the Reproductive Stage
by
, , , , , , , , , and
Isabella Bracchi
1,2,3,†
,
Juliana Morais
2,3,4,†
,
João Almeida Coelho
4,5,
Ana Filipa Ferreira
4,5,
Inês Alves
4,5,
Cláudia Mendes
4,5,
Beatriz Correia
4,6,
Alexandre Gonçalves
4,5,
João Tiago Guimarães
1,7,8,
Inês Falcão-Pires
4,5,*,
Elisa Keating
1,9
and
Rita Negrão
1,9,* 1
Unit of Biochemistry, Department Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
2
CINTESIS, Center for Health Technology and Services Research, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
3
Department of Functional Sciences, School of Health, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
4
Department of Surgery and Physiology, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
5
UniC@RISE, Unidade de Investigação e Desenvolvimento Cardiovascular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
6
Nutrition & Metabolism, NOVA Medical School|FCM, NOVA University Lisbon, 1169-056 Lisbon, Portugal
7
Clinical Pathology, São João University Hospital Center, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
8
EPIUnit, Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
9
CINTESIS@RISE, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Biology 2024, 13(3), 163; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology13030163
Submission received: 30 December 2023
/
Revised: 3 February 2024
/
Accepted: 20 February 2024
/
Published: 2 March 2024
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mitochondria: The Diseases' Cause and Cure)
Simple Summary
Since foods rich in refined sugars promote obesity, the use of non-caloric sweeteners has gained popularity, and their consumption by pregnant women has increased. Stevia (a non-caloric sweetener) consumption was considered safe for humans by the European Food Safety Authority in a dose of up to 4 mg/kg body weight/day. However, the World Health Organization recommended in 2023 the restraint of these sweeteners at any life stage, highlighting the need for research on pregnant women and early stages of development. So, we aimed to study the effects of chronic consumption of the main sweetener compound of stevia (Rebaudioside A) during the reproductive stage. Female rats were treated with Rebaudioside A (4 mg steviol equivalents/kg body weight/day) in the drinking water from 4 weeks before mating until weaning. Food and water consumption, blood glucose and lipids, as well as heart structure, function and mitochondrial function, were assessed. Rebaudioside A decreased heart size, cardiomyocyte area and fibrosis without repercussions on cardiac or mitochondrial function. Both fasting blood glucose and cholesterol decreased. This work suggests that stevia consumption at this dose may be safe for females during the reproductive stage. However, more studies are mandatory to explore the effects of stevia consumption on offspring’s health.
Abstract
The consumption of non-sugar sweeteners (NSS) has increased during pregnancy. The European Food Safety Agency suggested that steviol glycosides, such as Rebaudioside A (RebA), the major sweetener component of stevia, are safe for humans up to a dose of 4 mg/kg body weight/day. However, the World Health Organization recommended in 2023 the restraint of using NSS, including stevia, at any life stage, highlighting the need to study NSS safety in early periods of development. We aimed to study the mitochondrial and cardiometabolic effects of long-term RebA consumption during the reproductive stage of the life cycle. Female rats were exposed to RebA (4 mg steviol equivalents/kg body weight/day) in the drinking water from 4 weeks before mating until weaning. Morphometry, food and water consumption, glucose and lipid homeostasis, heart structure, function, and mitochondrial function were assessed. RebA showed an atrophic effect in the heart, decreasing cardiomyocyte cross-sectional area and myocardial fibrosis without repercussions on cardiac function. Mitochondrial and myofilamentary functions were not altered. Glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity were not affected, but fasting glycemia and total plasma cholesterol decreased. This work suggests that this RebA dose is safe for female consumption during the reproductive stage, from a cardiometabolic perspective. However, studies on the effects of RebA exposure on the offspring are mandatory.
Keywords:
rebaudioside A; pregnancy; lactation; cardiometabolism
