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If you are watching your weight, you should probably avoid sugary and fatty foods. But what about the conservatives?
A recent study suggests that consumption of a preservative widely used in breads, baked goods and cheese could trigger metabolic reactions related to obesity and diabetes.
Progressive weight gain
The additive, called propionate, is actually a natural fatty acid produced in the intestine. When used as an additive in processed foods, it helps prevent mold.
But in the new study, researchers found that feeding mice at low doses of propionate gradually led to weight gain and resistance to insulin, a hormone precursor to type 2 diabetes.
And when the researchers administered a single dose of propionate to healthy adults, a release of hormones increasing blood sugar levels – and a subsequent increase in insulin – was thus caused.
None of this proves that foods containing propionate increase the risk of weight gain and diabetes, said Dr. Gokhan Hotamisligil, chief investigator, professor at the Harvard School of Public Health.
"It's not saying that this additive is 'wrong'," he said.
Instead, said Hotamisligil, his team is interested in understanding the effects – good or bad – of the different "molecules" consumed by humans in their diets.
Host of additives
"There is a dearth of scientific evidence on many things that our food contains in our bodies," he said. "Propionate is only one example."
Nevertheless, Hotamisligil added, the findings raise an important question: "Could prolonged consumption of propionate in humans contribute to obesity and diabetes?"
With respect to processed foods, the concern is usually with ingredients such as added sugar, sodium and trans fats. But there are also a host of additives that, according to the US Food and Drug Administration, are "generally recognized as safe".
Despite this "GRAS" status, however, little is known about how these food additives could affect metabolism, according to Hotamisligil.
Dr. Emily Gallagher is Assistant Professor of Endocrinology at Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine in New York.
She acknowledged that it was important to explore the potential metabolic effects of food additives.
Longer term studies are needed
"People can look at food labels and think that they are making healthy choices," said Gallagher, who did not participate in the study. "But without our knowledge, very small amounts of certain additives in foods can have harmful metabolic effects."
That said, it's too early to point to propionate, according to Gallagher.
She described these early results as "reflective", but said longer-term studies were needed to better understand the effects of the additive on health.
For the animal part of the study, the researchers administered mouse propionate in their water. Immediate effects included an increase in three hormones that cause the liver to produce glucose (sugar). Over time, chronic exposure to the additive has caused mice to gain weight and become resistant to insulin, a hormone that helps lower blood sugar levels .
The human part of the study included 14 healthy people receiving a dose of propionate or a placebo with a meal. Compared to the placebo meal, the additive caused the same hormonal response as observed in mice, as well as an increase in insulin in the blood.
Preferable to limit processed foods
It is unclear whether these effects over time could be detrimental to people's health.
Many factors, including diet in general and exercise, affect the risks of obesity and diabetes, Gallagher said.
For now, she said, the results corroborate the general view that we should limit processed foods to the benefit of whole, healthier foods.
Hotamisligil agreed. "I'm not saying that if you do not eat propionate, you will live forever," he said. "But these are the types of foods that we should be limiting anyway."
The results were published online in Translational medicine science.
Image credit: iStock
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