Stevia Extract Lowers Appetite Sensation without Increasing Food Intake

by | Jan 13, 2020 | Blood Sugar, Sweeteners, Weight Control

Written by Angeline A. De Leon, Staff Writer. Study shows that short-term intake of stevia lowered postprandial glucose levels compared to sugar and had no effect on appetite and food intake.

Stevia - SweetenersInterest in the dietary use of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS), sugar substitutes including aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, and stevia, has increased starkly over the last several years. While NNS have garnered huge popularity among the general public as a lower calorie alternative to sugar, research findings remain mixed. For example, NNS have been linked to weight gain and diabetes 1, as well as changes in gut microbiota 2. Meta-analyses from human and animal studies also suggest that sweeteners may actually increase appetite and energy intake and lead to energy compensation following ingestion 3. Given the diversity in the metabolic profiles of different NNS 4, the effects of NNS consumption on glucose response are considerably variable 1. For stevia extract, a sugar substitute derived from the leaves of the Brazilian stevia plant 5, research is particularly still limited. While stevia has been associated with lower postprandial glucose levels and an improvement in glucose tolerance 6,7, an increase in appetite and food intake with no significant effect on subjective satiety levels has also been reported 7,8. To better elucidate the impact of stevia on human metabolism, a 2019 study 9 published in Nutrients investigated the effects of stevia consumption on glucose levels, appetite, and food intake.

A total of 30 participants (mean age = 26.1 years) were enrolled in a three-arm, single-blind, randomized control trial. After a standardized breakfast and assessment of anthropometric measures, subjects received one of three different preloads (300 mL of water mixed with citric acid, 60 g of sugar, or 1 g of stevia). Three hours following the assigned preload, subjects were given an ad libitum pizza lunch. Each of the three test days were separated by a 4-5 day washout period, and on each test day, subjects were asked to fill out a one-day diet diary three times throughout the day. Prior to preload and lunch and at 30-minute intervals until 120 minutes after lunch, blood glucose samples were collected. Subjects also completed a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) assessing hunger, desire to eat (DTE), and subjective fullness/satiety.

No significant between-group differences were observed in relation to postprandial glucose levels, energy intake at lunch, or general daily energy intake. However, on the VAS, there was a significant effect of preload on hunger scores in the first half hour after preload (F(1.6, 45.2) = 4.35, p = 0.027) such that hunger scores were lower following intake of stevia preload vs. water preload (p < 0.05).  A significant effect of preload on DTE was also detected after preload intake (F (2.58) = 14.15, p < 0.0001) such that DTE scores were lower following stevia intake vs. water intake (p < 0.05).

Study findings suggest that ingestion of stevia was associated with lower subjective feelings of hunger and DTE before meal time, without any apparent impact on energy intake. In terms of satiety, sugar and stevia appeared to have comparable effects; however, no significant differences in postprandial glucose levels were detected among the three interventions after adjusting for sugar preload and calorie content. Researchers conclude that although stevia may have a neutral effect on food intake, it may be beneficial in effectively lowering appetite sensation.  A notable weakness of the study is its limited ecological validity due to the fact that the eating habits of participants were studied in a laboratory setting rather than in the context of their day-to-day home life. A better understanding of the longer-term effects of stevia intake on appetite and glucose response is warranted, preferably in a real-world setting and particularly for diabetic and overweight populations.

Source: Farhat G, Berset V, Moore L. Effects of stevia extract on postprandial glucose response, satiety, and energy intake: a three-arm crossover trial. Nutrients. 2019; 11: 3036. DOI: 10.3390/nu11123036.

Click here to read the full text study.

Posted January 13, 2020.

Angeline A. De Leon, MA, graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010, completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a concentration in neuroscience. She received her master’s degree from The Ohio State University in 2013, where she studied clinical neuroscience within an integrative health program. Her specialized area of research involves the complementary use of neuroimaging and neuropsychology-based methodologies to examine how lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and meditation, can influence brain plasticity and enhance overall connectivity.

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