Last update June 6, 2025

Saccharin

Compatible

Safe product and/or breastfeeding is the best option.

Saccharin and its calcium, sodium and potassium salts are powerful sweeteners. Oral administration.

They are excreted in breast milk in very small amounts, meaning that infants receive a maximum dose of 0.27 mg/kg/day, which is well below the maximum recommended dose suggested by the FDA of 5 mg/kg/day. (Stampe 2022, Cavagnari 2019, Sylvetsky 2015, Egan 1984)

No epidemiological evidence of genotoxic or carcinogenic effects has been found in human populations with regular saccharin consumption. (INC 2023, MedlinePlus 2023, Bosetti 2009, Chappel 1992)

A study with a small sample size (14 versus 9) links maternal consumption (low consumption, but not high consumption) of artificial sweeteners (without specifying which ones) with an increased risk of vomiting in infants. (Huang 2021)

 

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Alternatives

We do not have alternatives for Saccharin since it is relatively safe.

Suggestions made at e-lactancia are done by APILAM team of health professionals, and are based on updated scientific publications. It is not intended to replace the relationship you have with your doctor but to compound it. The pharmaceutical industry contraindicates breastfeeding, mistakenly and without scientific reasons, in most of the drug data sheets.

Jose Maria Paricio, Founder & President of APILAM/e-Lactancia

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Other names

Saccharin is also known as


Saccharin in other languages or writings:

Group

Saccharin belongs to this group or family:

Tradenames

Main tradenames from several countries containing Saccharin in its composition:

Pharmacokinetics

Variable Value Unit
Oral Bioavail. 100 %
Molecular weight 183 daltons
T½ 4.8 hours
Theoretical Dose 0.002 - 0.27 mg/Kg/d
Relative Dose < 5.4 %

References

  1. MedlinePlus. Edulcorantes y sustitutos del azúcar. Información de salud para usted. 2023 Full text (link to original source)
  2. INC-NIH. Artificial Sweeteners and Cancer - 2023 Full text (link to original source) Full text (in our servers)
  3. INC-NIH. Edulcorantes artificiales y el cáncer - 2023 Full text (link to original source) Full text (in our servers)
  4. MedlinePlus. Sweeteners - sugar substitutes Trusted Health Information for you. 2023 Full text (link to original source)
  5. Stampe S, Leth-Møller M, Greibe E, Hoffmann-Lücke E, Pedersen M, Ovesen P. Artificial Sweeteners in Breast Milk: A Clinical Investigation with a Kinetic Perspective. Nutrients. 2022 Jun 25;14(13). Abstract Full text (link to original source)
  6. Huang Q, Murphy J, Smith ER, Sylvetsky AC. Diet Beverage Intake during Lactation and Associations with Infant Outcomes in the Infant Feeding Practices Study II. Nutrients. 2021 Sep 10;13(9). Abstract Full text (link to original source)
  7. Cavagnari BM. Edulcorantes no calóricos en embarazo y lactancia. [Non-caloric sweeteners in pregnancy and lactation]. Rev Esp Salud Publica. 2019 Aug 2;93. pii: e201908052. Review. Spanish. Abstract Full text (link to original source)
  8. Sylvetsky AC, Gardner AL, Bauman V, Blau JE, Garraffo HM, Walter PJ, Rother KI. Nonnutritive Sweeteners in Breast Milk. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2015 Abstract Full text (link to original source)
  9. Bosetti C, Gallus S, Talamini R, Montella M, Franceschi S, Negri E, La Vecchia C. Artificial sweeteners and the risk of gastric, pancreatic, and endometrial cancers in Italy. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2009 Abstract
  10. Nice FJ, Snyder JL, Kotansky BC. Breastfeeding and over-the-counter medications. J Hum Lact. 2000 Nov;16(4):319-31. Review. Erratum in: J Hum Lact 2001 Feb;17(1):90. Abstract
  11. Chappel CI. A review and biological risk assessment of sodium saccharin. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 1992 Abstract
  12. Egan PC, Marx CM, Heyl PS, et al. Saccharin concentration in mature human milk. Drug Intell Clin Pharm. 1984;18:511. Abstract. 1984

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