Stevia Article Series

Stevia Side Effects -
The Facts: Part 2

Thursday, 11 January 2013

Steviol glycosides affect insulin and glucose?

In vitro (in artificial environments) studies have shown that steviol glycosides can stimulate insulin secretion from the pancreas.
(Jeppesen et al., 1996, 2000, 2003), (Costa et al., 2003a), (Abudula et al., 2004), (Xiao and Hermansen, 2005), (Xiao et al., 2005), (Chen et al., 2006a, 2006b, 2006c), (Nakamura et al., 2003), (Yamamoto et al., 1985)

In vivo (in the body) studies in animals have shown that some purified preparations of steviol glycosides have a lowering effect of blood glucose levels.
(Suanarunsawat and Chaiyabutr, 1997), (Jeppesen et al., 2003), (Dyrskog et al., 2005a), (Dyrskog et al., 2005b), (Chen et al., 2005), (Chang et al., 2005)

A more recent study in mice showed that those given stevia had 21% lower cholesterol levels and 18% lower blood sugar levels.
(Geeraert B., 2009)

However, human studies have shown conflicting results;

Daily doses (below 1500 mg) of steviol glycosides did not affect glucose metabolism in subjects with type-2 diabetes, whereas 1g of steviol glycosides/day in healthy subjects was shown to increase glucose tolerance. 12 subjects with type-2 diabetes showed some decrease in glucose levels and an increase in the insulinogenic index. The study’s authors concluded that stevioside may potentiate insulin secretion in these subjects.
(Jeppesen et al., 2006b), (Alvarez et al., 1981), (Gregersen et al., 2001; 2004)

Stevioside (97% stevioside, 2.7% steviolbioside, and 0.3% rebaudioside A) taken in doses of 250 mg 3 times per day for a total of 3 days to 9 healthy males had no effect on plasma glucose or insulin levels. A 2008 study concluded that use of steviol glycosides did not alter glucose homeostasis in persons with type-2 diabetes.
(Maki et al., 2008a), (Temme et al., 2004)

Our conclusion: Steviol glycosides are well-tolerated by those with normal glucose metabolism or type-2 diabetes although results showing whether cholesterol levels are actually lowered are inconclusive.

Steviol glycosides can promote tooth decay?

Based on a study in rats to determine whether a diet of 0.5% stevioside or 0.5% rebaudioside A for five weeks caused dental caries (tooth decay) It was established that neither compound exhibited a potential for increasing the risk of such decay.
(Das S, Das AK, Murphy RA, et al., 1992)

Because steviol glycosides do not contain fermentable carbohydrates, they do not add to the production of acids by oral bacteria which would otherwise have a destructive effect of teeth. stevia extract.
(Gupta, Prakash, Gupta, Goyal, 2012)

Our conclusion: The use of steviol glycosides does not increase the risk of tooth decay unlike sugars with fermentable carbohydrates, such as sucralose.