When piglets are separated from their mothers too early, they often get sick and don’t grow well. Researchers tested whether two types of artificial sweeteners—sucralose and neotame—could help these young pigs feel better and grow faster. In a study with 288 piglets, both sweeteners improved growth and reduced stomach problems compared to piglets that didn’t receive them. The sweeteners seemed to work by making food taste better and helping the piglets’ digestive systems stay stronger. These findings suggest that sweeteners could be a natural alternative to antibiotics for keeping young farm animals healthy.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether two artificial sweeteners (sucralose and neotame) could help young piglets grow better, have fewer stomach problems, and develop stronger digestive systems after being weaned from their mothers.
  • Who participated: 288 young piglets that were about 3 weeks old and weighed about 13-14 pounds at the start. The piglets were divided into four groups: one control group and three groups receiving different supplements including the two sweeteners and an antibiotic comparison.
  • Key finding: Piglets that received either sweetener ate more food and grew slightly faster in the first week, and both groups had significantly fewer cases of diarrhea compared to the control group. The sweetener sucralose also improved the structure of the piglets’ intestines.
  • What it means for you: If you raise pigs or care about sustainable farming, this suggests artificial sweeteners could replace antibiotics to keep young pigs healthy—though more research in other animals and settings is needed before widespread use.

The Research Details

Researchers divided 288 young piglets into four equal groups. One group received normal feed (the control), while the other three groups received the same feed with added supplements: sucralose (a sweetener), neotame (another sweetener), or carbadox (an antibiotic used for comparison). The piglets were housed in pens with six piglets per pen, and researchers carefully tracked their weight, food intake, health, and digestive system development over four weeks.

The researchers measured several important things: how much the piglets grew each day, how much they ate, how often they got diarrhea, the health of their intestinal lining under a microscope, and special proteins in their blood that show how their bodies were working. They also analyzed blood samples to understand how the sweeteners changed the piglets’ metabolism—basically how their bodies process nutrients and energy.

This type of study is considered very reliable because researchers randomly assigned piglets to groups and carefully controlled all the conditions, making it easier to prove that the sweeteners caused the improvements rather than other factors.

This research matters because early weaning of piglets is standard practice in modern farming to increase productivity, but it causes real stress and health problems. Antibiotics have traditionally been used to prevent these problems, but many countries are restricting antibiotic use due to concerns about antibiotic resistance. Finding natural alternatives like sweeteners could help farmers keep animals healthy without relying on antibiotics.

This study has several strengths: it used a large number of animals (288), randomly assigned them to groups, carefully controlled the conditions, and measured multiple health outcomes. The researchers also used advanced laboratory techniques to understand how the sweeteners affected the piglets’ body chemistry. However, this study was done only in pigs, so results may not apply to other animals or humans. The study also didn’t test very high doses of the sweeteners, so we don’t know if more would be better or harmful.

What the Results Show

Both sweeteners improved how much the piglets ate during the first phase of the study. Piglets receiving sucralose tended to gain weight slightly faster in the first week (though this wasn’t quite statistically significant), while piglets receiving neotame showed similar trends. More importantly, both sweeteners significantly reduced diarrhea—one of the biggest health problems in newly weaned piglets—during the first phase and throughout the entire study period.

When researchers examined the piglets’ intestines under a microscope on day 14, they found that sucralose improved the structure of the intestinal lining. Specifically, the finger-like projections (called villi) that absorb nutrients were taller and healthier compared to the control group. This is important because a healthy intestinal lining is crucial for absorbing nutrients and preventing harmful bacteria from entering the bloodstream.

The blood tests revealed that both sweeteners changed how the piglets’ bodies processed different nutrients and chemicals. Sucralose affected how the body handled certain amino acids (building blocks of protein) and antioxidants (substances that protect cells from damage). Neotame affected different metabolic pathways, particularly those related to a compound called taurine that’s important for heart and brain health. Importantly, neither sweetener caused harmful inflammation in the piglets’ bodies.

The study found that sucralose affected certain proteins in the intestinal barrier on day 28, which relates to how well the intestines can control what passes through them. The researchers also discovered that the two sweeteners worked through slightly different mechanisms—sucralose appeared to work mainly by improving intestinal structure, while neotame’s benefits seemed more related to changes in how the body processes nutrients and possibly changes in the gut bacteria.

This research builds on previous studies showing that artificial sweeteners can improve feed intake in young animals. However, this is one of the first studies to comprehensively examine how sweeteners affect intestinal health, immune function, and overall body chemistry in weaned piglets. The findings align with the growing body of evidence that alternatives to antibiotics are needed and can be effective, though sweeteners are a newer approach than some other alternatives like probiotics or plant-based additives.

The study was conducted only in pigs, so we can’t be certain these results would apply to other farm animals or humans. The study lasted only four weeks, so we don’t know the long-term effects of these sweeteners. The researchers tested specific doses of the sweeteners but didn’t test whether higher or lower doses might work better. Additionally, while the study compared sweeteners to an antibiotic, it didn’t compare them to other non-antibiotic alternatives like probiotics. Finally, the study measured changes in body chemistry but didn’t identify exactly which of these changes were most important for the health improvements observed.

The Bottom Line

Based on this research, sucralose and neotame appear to be promising tools for supporting growth and digestive health in newly weaned piglets. The evidence is moderate-to-strong for reducing diarrhea and improving feed intake, and moderate for improving intestinal health. However, these findings are specific to pigs and haven’t been tested in humans, so they shouldn’t be applied to human nutrition without much more research. For pig farmers, these sweeteners could potentially replace antibiotics as a way to support young pig health, though consulting with a veterinarian about the best approach for your specific situation is important.

This research is most relevant to pig farmers, veterinarians, and animal nutrition specialists looking for alternatives to antibiotics. It may also interest food safety experts and policymakers concerned about antibiotic resistance. This research should NOT be used to make decisions about sweetener use in human diets, especially for children, as the study was conducted only in pigs and used doses that wouldn’t be comparable to human consumption.

In the piglets studied, improvements in diarrhea and feed intake appeared within the first week of receiving the sweeteners. Improvements in intestinal structure were visible by day 14 (two weeks). The metabolic changes were detected throughout the study period. If these findings were applied to pig farming, farmers could expect to see benefits within the first 1-2 weeks of adding these sweeteners to feed.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • If tracking animal health outcomes: Record daily diarrhea incidents, daily feed consumption in grams, and weekly weight measurements. Compare these metrics week-by-week to establish whether supplementation is improving outcomes.
  • For farmers: Test adding sucralose or neotame to weaned piglet feed at the recommended doses and track the three metrics above for 4 weeks to see if you observe similar improvements in your animals. Start with a small group before implementing farm-wide.
  • Establish a baseline of health metrics for 1-2 weeks before adding sweeteners, then continue tracking the same metrics for at least 4 weeks after supplementation begins. Compare the before-and-after data to determine if the sweeteners are providing benefits in your specific farming conditions.

This research was conducted in pigs and should not be applied to human nutrition or health decisions without extensive additional research. Artificial sweeteners have different effects in different species, and doses used in animal feed are not comparable to human consumption. If you are considering using these sweeteners for any purpose, consult with a veterinarian (for animals) or healthcare provider (for humans) before making changes. This summary is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical or veterinary advice.