An elderly couple on train asked me whether artificial sweeteners can cause cancer. The fact is that there is no proven data to say that, "yes they cause cancer".
The doubts were raised when animals(rats) were fed with these seeteners in large quantities and they were found to have cancer.
No study in human beings has established this relation. Inspite of all this, can I categorically say that they do not cause cancer. The available evidence may not be all that correct and tomorrow some other evidence may come up. So the right think to say would be that, as of today I cannot say that they cause cancer but in an individual with increased risk it may potentiate.
Cancer is a multifactorial disease and therefore it is difficult to gather evidence and say this is harmful.
Long back I had heard a saying, "Everything under the sun is poison, only the quantity, quality and the person who takes it makes the difference."
Living a diciplined life and consuming things in moderation is a best way to keep most of the diseases away.
For those who arer interested in the FDA reply the following links will help
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/artificial-sweeteners
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/tpaspart.html
http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/eleventh/append/appb.pdf
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