Artificial sweeteners can kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria and have the potential to replace antibiotics in some cases

Sugar substitutes found in many supermarket foods have been shown to kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria
that cause pneumonia and sepsis.
Three artificial sweeteners used in products such as diet drinks, yogurt and desserts significantly prevented the growth
of priority multidrug-resistant pathogens.

These additives not only disable the bacteria that cause several serious infections, but also reduce bacterial resistance to commonly used antibiotics, which means fewer
antibiotics are needed.

The findings, published in the journal Molecular Medicine, could lead the fight
against superbugs.

Dr Ronan McCarthy, a biological scientist at Brunel University in London, said: "All diets and sugar-free foods contain artificial sweeteners
.
We've found that sweeteners you add to your coffee or 'sugar-free' soda can kill very dangerous bacteria, making them easier to treat
.
This is very exciting because it typically takes billions of dollars and decades to develop a new antibiotic drug, and we have found a compound that not only fights pathogenic bacteria, but also reverses its resistance to existing antibiotics
.
”

Antibiotics have revolutionized treatments for bacterial infections, saving millions of lives
.
But the bacteria's ability to survive and adapt like mice means that once a new antibiotic is put into use, drug-resistant "superbugs" will emerge
.
This cycle occurs naturally, but overuse of antibiotics and incorrect handling of antibiotics make it worse
.

Dr McCarthy from Brunel's Centre for Inflammatory Research and Translational Medicine said: "This creates a dangerous situation where the 'post-antibiotic era' is becoming a reality
.
It threatens every aspect of healthcare, from cancer treatment to dental work
.
”

The researchers found that the sweeteners saccharin, cyclamate and acesulfame-K (known as Ace-K) suppressed two "priority pathogens"
that the World Health Organization deemed most urgently needed for new antibiotic treatment.

Used in yogurt, diet drinks and desserts, Ace-K can completely stop the growth
of the main pathogens Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Both viruses are very dangerous
for critically ill patients or people with compromised immune systems, such as chemotherapy patients.

Targeting Ace-K, which is 200 times sweeter than sugar, the team found that it prevented pathogens from forming protective biofilms that normally help pathogens stay in the body, leading to chronic infections and developing antibiotic resistance
.
When used with antibiotics, Ace-K increases their lethality, meaning that treating patients may require lower doses of antibiotics
.

The team, which is currently conducting further preclinical tests, says all three sweeteners could potentially offer new therapies for multidrug-resistant infections and potentially replace antibiotics
in some cases.

"With this work," Dr.
McCarthy said, "we found a potential weapon that could be used against superbugs
.
" ”