Saccharin, the artificial sweetener used in diet foods like yogurts and sugar-free drinks, can kill multidrug-resistant bacteria—including one of the world’s most dangerous pathogens.

In 2019, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) killed 1.27 million people globally, with resistant infections contributing to nearly 5 million deaths.

Drug-resistant bacteria such as Acinetobacter baumannii, which causes life-threatening infections in people with a weakened immune system, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, linked to chronic lung infections and sepsis, are on the World Health Organization’s list of top-priority pathogens.

“In exciting work led by our team, we’ve identified a novel antimicrobial—saccharin,” Prof McCarthy said. “Saccharin breaks the walls of bacterial pathogens, causing them to distort and eventually burst, killing the bacteria. Crucially, this damage lets antibiotics slip inside, overwhelming their resistance systems.”

Saccharin has been part of the human diet for longer than 100 years. While it has been extensively tested for safety in people, little was known about its effect on bacteria—until now with a study appearing in EMBO Molecular Medicine.

The international team found that saccharin both stops bacterial growth and disrupts DNA replication and stops the bacteria from forming biofilms—sticky, protective layers that help them survive antibiotics.

They also created a saccharin-loaded hydrogel wound dressing that, in tests, outperformed market-leading silver-based antimicrobial dressings currently used in hospitals.

“This is very exciting,” Prof McCarthy added. “Normally it takes billions of dollars and decades to develop a new antibiotic. But here we have a compound that’s already widely used, and it not only kills drug-resistant bacteria but also makes existing antibiotics more effective.

“Artificial sweeteners are found in many diet and sugar-free foods. We discovered that the same sweeteners you have with your coffee or in a ‘sugar-free’ drink could make some of the world’s most dangerous bacteria easier to treat.”

The World Health Organization has warned that the world is heading toward a “post-antibiotic era,” where common everyday infections could once again become deadly. Overuse of antibiotics in medicine and agriculture has accelerated resistance, and new antibiotics have been slow to arrive.

“This has created a dangerous situation,” said Prof McCarthy. “We urgently need new drugs to treat resistant infections—and saccharin could represent a new therapeutic approach with exciting promise.”

More information: Rubén de Dios et al, Saccharin disrupts bacterial cell envelope stability and interferes with DNA replication dynamics, EMBO Molecular Medicine (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s44321-025-00219-1

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A New Study Reveals How to Fill a Vital Gap In Infant Gut Health
New research is showing that a specific probiotic bacteria is key to restoring a baby’s gut to its protective, natural state and providing a foundation for life-long optimal health.
When babies are born they begin to acquire a collection of bacteria called the microbiome –trillions of microorganisms that co-exist in our bodies and live all over us, on our skin, nose, mouth, eyes and gastrointestinal tract, or gut. Research shows that the infant gut microbiome plays a critical role in healthy immune and metabolic development, as well as meeting babies’ dietary needs.
The bacteria in a baby’s microbiome are passed down from their mom at birth. For generations, one strain called B. infantis dominated the infant gut. However, modern medical practices such as increased antibiotic use and C-sections have led to a microbial imbalance in the infant gut and a loss of this key bacteria. This imbalance has been associated with a range of chronic health issues including allergies, asthma, obesity, type 1 diabetes and a host of immunological disorders.
Now, recently published data shows for the first time that supplementation with activated B. infantis can completely transform the gut environment in babies that are fed breast milk. Along with restoring a healthy gut microbiome, the study results show that the supplementation significantly reduced levels of potentially harmful bacteria linked to disease in infants born either through natural or C-section delivery.
Mark Underwood, M.D., Chief Pediatric Neonatologist at UC Davis discussed the study results and explain how the activated form of this beneficial bacteria can be helpful for babies and about other ways to encourage the health of infants.

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Will cleaning your countertop kill cold and flu viruses this holiday?

A.)          Yes

B.)          No

If you answered yes, then you’re unfortunately wrong, and could end up like 47% of women who don’t disinfect germ hot spots in their bathroom, kitchen and living room before guests arrive for the holidays. There’s actually a big difference between cleaning and disinfecting, but is something few people understand.  Understanding how germs spread and knowing what steps to take to combat them can make a big difference in helping keep the holidays merry and bright.

To sort it all out for people so they can keep themselves and their family safe from lurking germs this holiday season, Mrs. Claus spoke about.

•             Set the record straight about the difference between cleaning (help remove visible dirt/grime) and disinfecting (destroy bacteria, viruses and fungi)

•             Give friendly tips on how to select the right tool for the cleaning job to keep everything from crumbs to cold at bay

•             Point out germ hot spots at the North Pole and in everyone’s home and how to properly clean, sanitize and disinfect them

•             Share surprising results of a survey of holiday cleaning habits

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