Effects of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Consumption on Urinary Metabolites in Healthy Adults

Metabolic Profiling of Acesulfame Potassium After Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Consumption in Healthy Adults

Consumption of beverages containing non-nutritive sweeteners has increased worldwide, but limited information is available regarding the short-term urinary excretion of acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) and the acute metabolic response following consumption of commercially available beverages. This study investigates the urinary pharmacokinetics of Ace-K and the acute urinary metabolomic response after consumption of 500 mL of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar in healthy adults. Participants complete two study arms under free-living conditions: Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and still water (control), separated by a one-month washout period. Urine samples are collected before beverage consumption and repeatedly over the subsequent 24 hours. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectroscopy is used to quantify Ace-K and other urinary metabolites. The study aims to determine the urinary appearance and elimination kinetics of Ace-K and to identify metabolic changes associated with Coca-Cola Zero Sugar consumption compared with water.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy Adult Participants
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Coca-Cola Zero Sugar; Other: Still water

Detailed Description

Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) are widely used as sugar substitutes in reduced-calorie foods and beverages. Among these, acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) is extensively incorporated into commercially available soft drinks because of its high sweetening potency, thermal stability, and minimal caloric contribution. Following oral ingestion, Ace-K is rapidly absorbed and excreted predominantly unchanged in urine, making it a promising biomarker of NNS consumption and dietary exposure. However, limited information is available regarding the urinary pharmacokinetics of Ace-K following consumption of commercially formulated beverages under free-living conditions.

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectroscopy enables simultaneous quantitative analysis of exogenous compounds and endogenous metabolites in complex biological samples. By applying the same analytical platform to both the intervention beverage and sequential urine samples, this study investigates the relationship between the ingested dose of Ace-K and its urinary excretion profile while simultaneously evaluating short-term metabolic responses following Coca-Cola Zero Sugar consumption.

This non-randomized, within-subject controlled study compares the urinary metabolomic response after consumption of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar with that observed following consumption of still water. The study aims to characterize the urinary appearance and elimination kinetics of Ace-K, quantify pharmacokinetic parameters including time to peak concentration and urinary elimination half-life, and explore acute changes in urinary metabolite profiles associated with Coca-Cola Zero Sugar consumption using quantitative ¹H NMR metabolomics.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 10
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Czechia
  • Prague
    • Suchdol, Prague, Czechia, 16500
      • Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy adults aged 18 to 60 years
• Able and willing to provide written informed consent
• Willing to consume 500 mL of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and 500 mL of still water during separate study periods
• Willing to collect urine samples before and during the 24 hours after each intervention according to the study instructions
• Willing to avoid foods and beverages containing non-nutritive sweeteners for 48 hours before each study period

Exclusion Criteria:

• Younger than 18 years or older than 60 years
• Current smoker
• Known kidney disease or metabolic disease
• Regular use of prescription medications
• Use of antibiotics in last 3 months
• Consumption of foods or beverages containing non-nutritive sweeteners within 48 hours before either study period
• Unable or unwilling to comply with the study procedures or urine collection schedule

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Coca-Cola Zero Sugar; Participants consumed 500 mL of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar with breakfast. Spot urine samples were collected before beverage consumption and repeatedly over the subsequent 24-hour period for metabolomic and pharmacokinetic analyses using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectroscopy.	Other: Coca-Cola Zero Sugar; Participants consumed a single oral dose of 500 mL Coca-Cola Zero Sugar with breakfast. The intervention beverage was consumed within approximately 10-20 minutes. Spot urine samples were collected before consumption and repeatedly over the subsequent 24-hour period for metabolomic and pharmacokinetic analyses using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectroscopy.; Other Names: Coke Zero
Active Comparator: Still Water; Participants consumed 500 mL of still water with breakfast following a one-month washout period. Spot urine samples were collected before beverage consumption and repeatedly over the subsequent 24-hour period using the same sampling schedule as the Coca-Cola Zero Sugar arm.	Other: Still water; Participants consumed a single oral dose of 500 mL still water with breakfast under otherwise comparable conditions following a one-month washout period. Spot urine samples were collected before consumption and repeatedly over the subsequent 24-hour period using the same sampling schedule as the intervention arm.; Other Names: Control

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Urinary concentration of acesulfame potassium (Ace-K)	Quantitative measurement of urinary acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) concentration following consumption of 500 mL Coca-Cola Zero Sugar compared with still water, determined by quantitative proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectroscopy and used to characterize urinary excretion kinetics.	Baseline and up to 24 hours after beverage consumption

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Urinary metabolomic profile	Quantitative analysis of endogenous and exogenous urinary metabolites using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectroscopy to compare metabolomic responses following Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and still water consumption.	Baseline and up to 24 hours after beverage consumption

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Time to peak urinary acesulfame potassium concentration (Tmax)	Determination of the time required to reach maximum urinary acesulfame potassium concentration following beverage consumption.	Up to 24 hours after beverage consumption

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 1, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 15, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): September 30, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 3, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 3, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): July 10, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 10, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 3, 2026
• Last Verified: July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Non-nutritive sweeteners; Urinary metabolomics; Acesulfame potassium; Proton NMR spectroscopy
• Other Study ID Numbers: 155/23 S-IV

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: Individual participant data will not be made publicly available. De-identified data may be considered for sharing upon reasonable request to the study investigators, subject to institutional policies, ethical approval, and applicable data protection regulations.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No