Overweight men consuming carrageenan showed increased blood inflammation and reduced insulin effectiveness in the liver. Are food additives silently harming us?
Carrageenan (E 407) is a food additive commonly used in the food industry to thicken and emulsify a variety of products. However, research has shown that carrageenan may cause health issues in animals, including ulcers, elevated blood sugar, and chronic inflammatory bowel disease.
Researchers at DZD have investigated how carrageenan affects sugar metabolism and the human gut. They found evidence of increased permeability in the small intestine, likely due to intestinal inflammation(1✔ ✔Trusted Source
Carrageenan and insulin resistance in humans: a randomised double-blind cross-over trial
).
While the effects of carrageenan on a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes remain unclear, its potential health risks cannot be ignored.
Carrageenan on Intestinal Barrier Function and Gut Inflammation
In the study, young, healthy men with a BMI of less than 30 kg/m² (average BMI 24.5 kg/m²) were given either carrageenan in addition to their normal diet, in an amount roughly equivalent to two to three times the daily dose consumed in the USA, or a placebo.
Both groups were observed over two weeks. The results showed an increase in the permeability of the small intestine, most likely due to inflammation of the gut.
“Our investigation suggests that the consumption of carrageenan, similar to what has been observed in animal studies, can impair the barrier function of the intestine,” explains Prof. Robert Wagner. “This could have long-term health consequences and increase the risk of inflammatory diseases.”
Effect of Carrageenan on Insulin Sensitivity
The primary endpoint of the study was insulin sensitivity—the effectiveness of the blood sugar-lowering hormone insulin—which decreases early on before the onset of type 2 diabetes.
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Although the insulin action was not significantly altered by carrageenan in the 20 study participants, the data indicated that participants with higher body weight experienced a reduction in insulin effectiveness, especially in the liver, with increased consumption of carrageenan.
Furthermore, more overweight men tended to increase the inflammatory markers in the blood and show signs of inflammation in the hypothalamus—the brain region responsible for sugar metabolism and appetite—under higher carrageenan intake.
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“Our subjects were, on average, probably still too healthy to show significant metabolic effects from carrageenan,” says Prof. Norbert Stefan.
“However, in older or overweight individuals, the effects could be stronger. To confirm this, further studies in these population groups are necessary.”
The researchers emphasize the importance of further investigations into the effects of carrageenan on the human body.
“Given the widespread use of carrageenan in foods, potential health risks should be taken seriously,” concludes Prof. Wagner. “It’s important that we understand how food additives can affect our health to make informed recommendations to the public.”
Reference:
- Carrageenan and insulin resistance in humans: a randomised double-blind cross-over trial – (https:bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-024-03771-8)
Source-Eurekalert
