Peoples bodies respond differently to artificial sweeteners. Personally, I’ve tested this myself (not this product but other artificial) by using a blood glucose monitor. In my case, artificial sweeteners do in fact cause a release of insulin.
If you drink it, and in 30-60 mins your blood sugar drops, it’s because nothing raised it (you didn’t take in any sugar) but insulin was released to reduce blood sugar. If your blood sugar has no changes, then your body didn’t release any insulin.
If you really want to know, pony up for a monitor.
My personal opinion is: if this is what gets you to fast when you otherwise would fail, do it. You’ll still benefit from massively reduced calories and you’ll lose weight without some of the benefits you’d get otherwise.
Ideally, just stick to water and black coffee or tea.
It will not spike insulin or ruin autophagy, you’re good.
Broscience take: It takes about 10g of protein/glucose to up-regulate mTOR signaling to a point where autophagy is down-regulated. And insulin production is primarily stimulated by K-Cells in your upper intestine which are not triggered by artificial sweeteners. Arguably you could get marginal amounts of insulin release from simply tasting sweet things, but it’s FAR from a spike.
Think of autophagy like a dimmer light switch, and you might have turned it down like 1mm. All good.