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Heart can ‘taste’ sweetness without your tongue, study finds
- Scientists have discovered that the heart can sense sweetness through special receptors known as TAS1R2 and TAS1R3, which respond to sweet substances like aspartame and can affect heart rhythm.
- This finding could change our understanding of heart function and how heart disease is treated, shedding light on a new way the body may regulate heart rhythm and strength.
- Taste receptors, originally thought to exist only in the tongue, have been found in unexpected places including the heart muscle cells, indicating that the heart can perceive sweetness.
- Experiments with lab-grown heart cells showed that applying aspartame led to stronger heart muscle contractions and faster calcium movement, both crucial for a healthy heartbeat.
- The presence of sweet taste receptors in the heart suggests that sugar consumption can directly impact heart function by triggering the heart to beat harder or faster after eating.
- People with heart failure were found to have more sweet taste receptors in their hearts, possibly indicating the heart's adaptation to changes in energy needs during the condition.
- Overstimulation of sweet receptors in the heart by artificial sweeteners like aspartame could lead to irregular heart rhythms, potentially explaining the increased risk of heart problems associated with their consumption.
- Further research is needed to understand the full implications of targeting sweet taste receptors for heart health and to explore potential treatment avenues for heart failure based on these findings.
- The discovery of sweet taste receptors in the heart opens up new possibilities for studying the intricate relationship between nutrition, heart function, and overall health.
- Future studies will investigate the long-term effects of artificial sweeteners on heart function, the impact of sweet receptors during stress, and the role of these receptors in heart failure.
- In conclusion, the heart, beyond its pumping function, may also have the ability to sense, react, and even 'taste,' potentially responding not only to emotions or physical activity but also to dietary influences.
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