Meta-analysisindependent cross-checkabstract checked I-SOD-107 standard review

Sucralose trials show no clear gut or blood-sugar effect

Effect of Sucralose Consumption on Gut Microbiota: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Overview

Wulandari DT et al.. Int J Mol Sci 2026 · PMID 42794802 · DOI 10.3390/ijms27188377

A 2026 meta-analysis of 10 small trials found no significant effect of sucralose on gut bacteria diversity, fasting glucose or insulin resistance.

Does the study support the specific claim? No · Methodological quality: moderate

Study explained simply

What did the researchers want to find out?: Pool trials on sucralose and gut bacteria.
How was the study done?: Meta-analysis of randomised trials.
How many people, animals or samples were studied?: Ten small trials.
What was actually found?: No significant changes in diversity or blood sugar.
How large was the observed effect?: Shannon SMD -0.00; fasting glucose SMD -0.04.
What do the results mean in everyday life?: Short-term sucralose use did not clearly disturb gut bacteria.
What are the study's limitations?: Small, short, imprecise trials.
What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?: Limits the claim.
Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?: Applicable.
What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?: Cannot exclude long-term or individual effects.

Authors: Wulandari DT et al.
Journal: Int J Mol Sci
Year: 2026
Identifier: PMID 42794802 DOI 10.3390/ijms27188377
Verification: verified – PubMed efetch 2026-10-26 + Crossref 2026-10-26
Retracted: no
Corrections: none
Extent checked: abstract only
Conflicts of interest and funding: Polish ministry and university funding; authors declare no conflicts (PubMed record)

Does sucralose alter gut microbiota, SCFA and metabolic parameters in healthy adults?

Study design: Meta-analysis – Systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs (PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, May 2026); RoB 2; REML random effects
Population: Healthy adults
Country: International
Period: Searched May 2026
Sample size: 10 RCTs (8-61 participants each); 7 in meta-analysis
Inclusion and exclusion criteria: RCTs of sucralose in healthy adults

Results: Shannon index SMD -0.00 (-1.16 to 1.15); fasting glucose SMD -0.04 (-0.63 to 0.56; I2 69.6%); HOMA-IR SMD -0.13 (-0.36 to 0.10); butyrate numerically lower, not significant.
Absolute risks: not applicable
Authors' conclusion: Short-term RCTs did not demonstrate significant effects of sucralose on microbiota or metabolic outcomes.

Very wide CIs: absence of evidence of an effect, not evidence of absence.

Limits C-SOD-07 for sucralose: pooled short-term RCTs show no consistent microbiome or glucose effect.

Suez 2022 (I-SOD-03) found impaired glycaemic responses with sucralose.

Applicable.

Weakens but does not exclude the hypothesis for sucralose.

Multidimensional assessment
Multidimensional assessment
Authenticity of the source	verified
Methodological quality	moderate
Risk of bias	some concerns
Precision of results	low
Directness	direct
Reproducibility	not replicated
Consistency with the overall evidence	inconsistent
Regional transferability	high
Adequacy of the interpretation (by the archive)	not applicable

Longer trials with inert comparators.