In a new study, scientists reveal how the artificial sweetener in diet soda known as aspartame is actually causing you to gain more weight.

A team from the Massachusetts General Hospital have identified that this sugar substitute's breakdown product called phenylalanine, apparently disrupts your metabolic rate and increases the chances of weight gain.

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According to lead author of the study, Richard Hodin of the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, aspartame is designed to promote weight loss and lessen metabolic syndrome, however, multiple clinical studies have suggested that these sweeteners do not work effectively as they can only make things worse.

More specifically, aspartame can block a gut enzyme known as alkaline phosphatase (IAP) that can help prevent obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome, as aspartame blocks the benefits of IAP.

During experiments, researchers tested on two groups of mice and studied them for 18 weeks. One group consumed water with aspartame and the other group with plain water, as both groups consumed a high fat diet.

The aspartame group of mice showed higher blood sugar levels than those who drank plain water and also gained more weight even if both groups ate the same food.

Hodin explains that there has been evidence that these sweeteners can make you more hungry which is linked to more consumption of calories. These new findings can help explain why aspartame is counterproductive since these new experiments clearly show that it can block IAP activity.

Past studies also show that artificial sweeteners increase hyperactivity and insomnia, leading to poor sleep quality. Another study shows how having two soft drinks a day can double the risk of diabetes, that can reach up to 139 percent risk. Those who drink one liter a day of soda risk having type 2 diabetes by 10 times.

This new study is published in the journal, Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism.