Sugar-free diets may disrupt the gut microbiome, animal study indicates

Article excerpt

An animal study presented at the Endocrine Society's annual meeting suggests that eliminating sugar from your diet may harm the gut microbiome, a finding that complicates the widely accepted wisdom that sugar-free eating is universally beneficial. Researchers discovered disruptions to microbial communities in subjects on sugar-free diets, though the study stopped short of establishing whether these changes are harmful to human health or simply represent microbial shifts. The research adds nuance to ongoing debates about dietary sugar, which has long been linked to obesity, diabetes, and other health problems. The findings could reshape how nutritionists and doctors counsel patients about sugar restriction.