Data from: Effects of high dose aspartame-based sweetener on the gut microbiota and bone strength in young and aged mice

Background: Recent reassessment of the safety of aspartame has prompted
increased evaluation of its effect on the health of a range of tissues.
The gut microbiome is altered by oral aspartame. One prior study suggested
that changes in the microbiome caused by aspartame could influence the
strength of bone in young skeletally developing mice. Here we ask how
aspartame influences bone in mice of different age and sex. Objective: The
objective of this study was to determine the effect of aspartame on the
bone strength and gut microbiota of young and aged mice. Methods: Male and
female C57Bl/6J mice were untreated or treated with a high dose of
aspartame in their drinking water from 1 month of age until 4 (young
cohort; n = 80) or 22 months (aged cohort; n = 52). Results: In aged
males, mice treated with aspartame had greater body mass, whole bone
strength, and femoral geometry relative to untreated. Specifically, in
aged males, aspartame led to 9% increase in body mass (p < 0.001),
22% increase in whole bone strength (p = 0.006), and 17% increase in
section modulus (p < 0.001) relative to untreated mice. Aged males
and females receiving aspartame had a different microbiota than untreated
mice and a decreased abundance of Odoribacter. No differences in body
mass, whole bone strength, or femoral geometry were associated with
aspartame dosing in young males or young or aged females. Conclusions:
Aspartame treated aged males had greater whole bone strength and the
effect appeared to be explained by greater body mass. Aspartame treatment
did not alter whole bone strength in young males or young or aged females
despite the aspartame having a similar effect on the microbiota of both
aged males and females.