Can the gut differentiate between real and fake sugar?

Taste buds are not only found on the tongue, but also in the digestive tract.

A recent study has discovered specific cells in the intestine that can distinguish between natural sugars and artificial sweeteners.

In the microscopic image below of the lining of the small intestine of a mouse, the sweet-sensing cells are shown in green.

These cells are similar to the taste buds on the tongue or the cones in the retina of the eye and can transmit signals to the brain within milliseconds.

Although it is difficult for human taste buds to distinguish between real sugar and fake sugar, these intestinal cells can sense trace amounts of sugar and sweeteners. After they come into contact with different types of sugar, they can release different neurotransmitters to different cells in the vagus nerve. Finally, the intestines can judge "who is sugar" and "who is sweetener".

Although fake sugar can fool the tongue, it may not fool the intestines. Although you eat sweets and consume a lot of fake sugar without calories, the intestines know it is fake, so it has to send a signal to the brain: More, more!

After drinking a cup of milk tea, can you feel the sugar detection information fed back by your intestines?

Borhóquez Lab/Duke University