@ Don Bell:Don Bell,I just went to website you linked and it had a lot of info but no reseach papers were listed. I agree with Joel, show me the research to back up the stories.
Time: 7:12 AM.
Location: a little “fitness” event I attended a few weeks back in Austin, TX.
State: tired.
So what did I do? What 99% of the rest of the world does in that type of situation – I got myself a cup of coffee.
And THEN—believe it or not—I proceeded to pour the contents of two little blue packets to my morning cup of joe.
You should have seen the stares from the fitness crowd.
I immediately checked my zipper, but surprisingly, I was already all-systems-go on that front.
Hmmm.
Why then the stares?
Well, it wasn’t but a couple seconds later when a friend of mine blurted out “you use that stuff??” as if I had committed some moral sin.
My reply?
“Yes… and mostly because I haven’t seen a bit of research to convince me otherwise.”
To which that person said NOTHING.
Frankly, I’m tired of people—be it fitness professionals or just the everyday lay person—making claims, recommendations, and statements based on “what they heard” rather than looking into the actual research themselves.
LAZY.
Now, I’m not saying that there isn’t research out there proving that artificial sweetener use poses substantial risks, I’m just saying that I haven’t seen it, and in fact, the research that I HAVE seen doesn’t seem to even partially validate the whole “use artificial sweeteners and you will surely die tomorrow” phobia that is so apparent amongst much of the world today.
And tomorrow, I’d like to come back and share with you my take on artificial sweeteners, they’re use, and the research I actually use to BACK UP my position.
If you’re interested in that information, drop a comment below. Also, let me know if you use artificial sweeteners, drink diet beverages, or the like – or if you don’t (and why).
At least 100 comments and I’ll be back tomorrow with the information I just promised you, including 8 studies that reveal the TRUTH about artificial sweeteners (or at least something substantially more concrete than simple hearsay).
Talk to you in the comments section!
Joel
P.S. My friend Isabel kind of bashes artificial sweeteners in the below video, and while I do NOT agree with that stance, I do agree with just about everything else she shares for losing up to 10% of your unwanted body fat in the next 30 days. You can check it out here:
How to lose up to 10% of your unwanted body fat in the next 30 days <——- Click here
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Hmm, this is interesting. I follow the clean eating principles (including Isabel’s), but have always struggled with giving up my diet coke. I have so much guilt about this habit. I just enjoy it and the fact that there aren’t any calories. I know they say that the sweeteners are thought to contribute to cancer and that it messes with your brain, but I just can’t give it up. I’ll be curious to see what your research says. Maybe I can drop the guilt? Thanks for the information!
I hear about Stevia, but I like Hansen’s diet soda with splenda. I “heard” that some people have allergic reactions to aspartame, but there’s always a few people allergic to something. I’m not allergic to peanuts, why should I stop enjoying it. Could you talk about that “study” that says people who drink diet sodas are actually fatter than those who don’t. I can’t find it and frankly, I know people who drink diet with their cake. Go figure.
i woudl never touch that stuff.
it is made my man and not nature (like honey) and thats why i dont trust it.
how do i know how the chemicals in that white calorieless powder is not going to show its side effects when i’m 80 and finaly rid of my belly flab?
after all, if a caveman could not have found and eaten why should i?
Here’s a little known fact by most people. The little packets you’re using contain about 95% REAL SUGAR. the makers know that the artificial sweeetner is TOO strong to use by itself. So they use a filler: DEXTROSE. look at the label. what’s the number one ingredient on the packet? so you’re not cutting any calories by using it. The people using the packets aren’t cutting calories, but potentially poisoning themselves. Why risk it?
How do they get away with this? the packets contain less than a gram so they can claim ZERO calories. It’s a lie!
I challenge all diet soda drinkers to a test: try cutting out ALL soda for 30 days and see how how much better you feel. that is if you can do it. It will be tough, but probably the single most healthy step you could take. Especially those that consume a couple servings a day.
Dr. Mercola has done much research on the subject. enough to write a book about the subject called Sweet Deception. It is full of references to the research which show deleterious effects. It’s worth a look.
I am a Splenda and Sweet n Low user. I beleive the poison is in the portion you use not the product. Lately I have heard that both artificial sweeteners and Stevia are bad for you and that you should use honey instead! Any thougths?
From http://www.sweetpoison.com comes this information. As I look at potential ‘poisons’, I say, when i doubt, leave it OUT! We don’t NEED AS’s.
Information on Aspartame and Other Chemical Sweeteners:
Acesulfame K
Once again, “Let the buyer beware.”
Acesulfame Potassium (K) was approved for use by the FDA as a safe artificial sweetener in July, l988. It is a derivative of acetoacetic acid. Unfortunately, several potential problems associated with the use of acesulfame have been raised. They are based largely on animal studies since testing on humans remains limited. The findings showed the following:
Acesulfame K stimulates insulin secretion in a dose dependent fashion thereby possibly aggravating reactive hypoglycemia (“low blood sugar attacks”).
Acesulfame K apparently produced lung tumors, breast tumors, rare types of tumors of other organs (such as the thymus gland), several forms of leukemia and chronic respiratory disease in several rodent studies, even when less than maximum doses were given. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, it was petitioned on August 29, l988 for a stay of approval by the FDA because of “significant doubt” about its safety.
Dr. H.J. Roberts, Aspartame (NutraSweet) Is It Safe?, Charles Press, page 283/84.
Aspartame (commonly misspelled as aspertame)
Aspartame, a dipeptide of aspartic acid and a methyl ester of phenylalanine, is approved for use in pharmaceutical products and is being used increasingly in chewable tablet and sugar-free formulations. Labels for both prescription and nonprescription products must include the phenylalanine content. The major consideration in the use of aspartame in children is in patients with autosomal recessive phenylketonuria. Although heterozygotes do not appear to have clinically significant increases in phenylalanine after ingestion of even large amounts (equivalent to 24 12-oz cans of diet beverages), homozygotes with strict dietary restrictions should avoid aspartame. Children without dietary restrictions could safely ingest 10 mg/kg/d. [37-40]. Dietary consumption of aspartame is typically less than 5 mg/kg/d[41]; young children, however, could ingest considerably more. For example, a 2-year-old child weighing 12 kg consumes 17 mg/kg from drinking one 12-oz can of diet soda and one serving of a sweetened product (eg, cereal, pudding, gelatin, or frozen dessert).
Headache is the most common adverse side effect attributed to aspartame but is seldom confirmed by single-dose double-blind challenge. Up to 11% of patients with chronic migraine headaches reported headaches triggered by aspartame; however, a double-blind challenge with three doses of 10 mg/kg given every 2 hours triggered no more headaches than did placebos in patients with vascular headaches believed to be exacerbated by aspartame. A small, double-blind 4-week trial showed an increase in frequency of headaches after ingestion of 1200 mg/d, indicating that a longer challenge period may be necessary.
In anecdotal reports, aspartame has been linked to various neuropsychiatric disorders, including panic attacks, mood changes, visual hallucinations, manic episodes, and isolated dizziness. A small, double-blind crossover study of patients with major depression revealed a higher incidence of reactions in these patients compared with nondepressed volunteers after administration of 30 mg/kg for 7 days; symptoms included headache, nervousness, dizziness, memory impairment, nausea, temper outbursts, and depression. None of these conditions has been rigorously proven to be caused by aspartame, but carefully conducted double-blind challenges may be indicated in patients with histories that suggest aspartame as a cause. Patients with underlying mitral valve prolapse or affective disorders may be at increased risk for neuropsychiatric effects; several studies have shown that individuals without psychiatric or seizure disorders do not demonstrate these effects.
Seizures have been reported via passive surveillance data collected by the FDA and in a few case reports. A recent analysis of FDA reports showed 41 cases of rechallenge with a temporal relationship to aspartame consumption. Most seizures occurred in patients who had an acceptable dietary intake, except for a 16-year-old who ingested up to 57 mg/kg of aspartame. Aspartame is generally considered safe for children with epilepsy. One study found increased spike-wave discharges in children with untreated absence seizures after a high dose of aspartame and suggested that children with poorly controlled absence seizures avoid aspartame.
Saccharin
Foods containing saccharin no longer carry a label stating that the “use of this product may be hazardous to your health …contains saccharin which has been determined to cause cancer in laboratory animals.” This warning was lifted in 2001 by the American FDA as saccharin no longer has been connected to cancer in human beings.
Saccharin may be present in drugs in substantial amounts. Ingestion of the recommended daily dosage of chewable aspirin or acetaminophen tablets in a school-age child would provide approximately the same amount of saccharin contained in one can of a diet soft drink. This amount, relative to the body weight of a child younger than 9 or 10 years, ingested for prolonged periods would be considered as “heavy use,” as defined in a major large-scale FDA/National Cancer Institute epidemiologic study. In this study, heavy use of artificial sweeteners was associated with a significantly increased risk for the development of bladder cancer. An independent review of this study concluded that there was no association. An investigation of saccharin performed by the American Medical Association in 1985 concluded that bladder changes were species-specific, were confined to the second generation of male rats, and occurred in association with large doses (equivalent to several hundred cans of diet soft drink per day). The no-effect level was equivalent to 500 mg/kg/d.[68,69] Saccharin is not genotoxic; the presumed mechanism of toxicity is the binding of saccharin to urinary proteins (not normally found in humans), creating a nidus for the formation of silicate crystals, which are cytotoxic to bladder epithelium.
Saccharin is an O-toluene sulfonamide derivative and causes similar dermatologic reactions. Cross-sensitivity with sulfonamides has been demonstrated; therefore, children with “sulfa” allergy should also avoid saccharin. Hypersensitivity can usually be confirmed by a radioallergosorbent test for saccharin. In a series of 42 patients with adverse effects resulting from consumption of saccharin in pharmaceutical agents, pruritus and urticaria were the most common reactions, followed by eczema, photosensitivity,
and prurigo. Other reactions include wheezing, nausea, diarrhea, tongue blisters, tachycardia, fixed eruptions, headache, diuresis, and sensory neuropathy.
Ingestion of saccharin-adulterated milk formula by infants was associated with irritability, hypertonia, insomnia, opisthotonos, and strabismus, which resolved within 36 hours after ingestion. Two anecdotal reports of an accidental overdose in an adult and a child discussed reactions of generalized edema, oliguria, and persistent albuminuria. Because of the paucity of data on the toxicity of saccharin in children, the American Medical
Association has recommended limiting the intake of saccharin in young children and pregnant women.
Sucralose
Splenda, also known as sucralose, is an artificial sweetener, which is a chlorinated sucrose derivative. Facts about this artificial chemical are as follows:
Pre-Approval Research
Pre-approval research showed that sucralose caused shrunken thymus glands (up to 40% shrinkage) and enlarged liver and kidneys.
Recent Research
A possible problem with caecal enlargement and renal mineralization has been seen in post approval animal research.
Sucralose Breaks Down
Despite the manufacturer’s mis-statements, sucralose does break down into small amounts of 1,6-dichlorofructose, a chemical which has not been adequtely tested in humans. More importantly, sucralose must break down in the digestive system. If it didn’t break down and react at all (as the manufacturer claims), it would not chemically-react on the tongue to provide a sweet taste. The truth is that sucralose does break down to some extent in the digestive system.
Independent, Long-Term Human Research
None. Manufacturer’s “100’s of studies” (some of which show hazards) were clearly inadequate and do not demonstrate safety in long-term use.
Chlorinated Pesticides
The manufacturer claims that the chlorine added to sucralose is similar to the chlorine atom in the salt (NaCl) molecule. That is not the case. Sucralose may be more like ingesting tiny amounts of chlorinated pesticides, but we will never know without long-term, independent human research.
Conclusion
While it is unlikely that sucralose is as toxic as the poisoning people are experiencing from Monsanato’s aspartame, it is clear from the hazards seen in pre-approval research and from its chemical structure that years or decades of use may contribute to serious chronic immunological or neurological disorders.
It is very important that people who have any interest in their health
stay aware from the highly toxic sweetener aspartame and other questionable sweeteners such as sucralose (Splenda), and acesulfame-k (Sunette, Sweet & Safe, Sweet One). Please see the extensive resources for sweeteners on the Healthier Sweetener Resource List. http://www.holisticmed.com/sweet/
http://www.holisticmed.com/splenda/
Mark D. Gold mgold@holisticmed.com
Aspartame Toxicity Information Center
35 Inman St., Cambridge, MA 02139 617-497-7843
http://www.HolisticMed.com/aspartame/
This abstract continues with more substances discussed.
The proof is in the research … sort of …
As you have always pointed out, know hte quality, source, methodology and full statistics to get a good read on the research.
This ought to be interesting!
I had a very funny time once, when a couple, the woman fine and the man overweight, were telling me how bad artificial sweeteners are, and all of a sudden they bring a couple of cans of COKE because they say they want the real sugar, which is least dangerous than the diet one. Ha Ha Ha for those guys…
I have also heard so many different takes on artifical sweetners. I have tried and to reasearch the subject my self, because i too, do not like to just believe anything that people say. I have Isabel’s diet solution plan and therefore have cut out artifical sweetners out of my diet for the most part…..i now use stevia as per her suggestion…..i also reasearch that product and again there are conflicting results…..but for the most part I seen more positive then negative so i went with it. I do enjoy the taste of stevia better. But again, in 2 years they could have some study that says it is bad for you too…..same as eggs are good and then bad and then only the whites are good and then no the whole egg is good…..it seems to be a free for all for information out there these days…..in the end you have to try what works for you in terms of weight loss and what makes YOU feel good. but it sucks that there are so many senseless and down right wrong studies out there on this subject…. would love to hear your side now and again i will research what you say and make a decision from there.
I use Splenda, only because it seems more natural than anything else, though I’ve read no studies on it either… truth be known it’s probably too new to have any long-term studies available.
My doctor recommended Stevia as a natural sweetener, but I just haven’t learned to like it yet… odd taste.
I have read articles on aspartame poisoning and it’s symptoms… scary.
I do know for sure that after I drink a diet soda, usually containing aspartame, I have a dryer mouth than I started with, and I have food cravings that I don’t after drinking plain old water.
@ keith Fine:
I did switch to using more Stevia, but really prefer Splenda. Was a 6 a day Coke-a-holic to jmy shame, but used sweeteners to break that habit.
I use aspartame and splenda.
I don’t use any sweeteners in my coffee or tea, and if food is overly sweet, I don’t like it. That said, my hubby sweetens everything. We use both stevia and xylitol as sugar substitutes because my son is diabetic. I keep raw sugar in the house for my son-in-law . Both the stevia and xylitol are made from plants; the raw sugar is less refined (obviously!), so all three are a better alternative to white sugar. We don’t use the ‘artificial’ sweeteners because they are just that: artificial. I think you’d have to eat an exorbitant amount to be seriously damaging to the body, but why consume them at all when there are natural sweeteners available…
I’ll be very curious to see what you post tomorrow in support of your opinion.
I was raised on artificial sweeteners and recently turned to Stevia, brown rice syrup, honey and Agave in an effort to try and be a little more “natural” but it’s not always possible to have these if you lead a very active lifestyle and travel a lot. I haven’t see any ill effects of artificial sweeteners in my own family, but I too have long heard the rumors. Thanks for addressing this topic!
Well its been shown to cause overactive neuron activity in the brain which can lead to all sorts of problems and back in the day they had to state that it causes lab cancer in rats. I notice the industry got that pulled off pretty quick.
I have drink 6 diet snapples a day and yes I don’t think its the best thing for me, but it does contain green tea and water. So, I get my fill of liquid, caffeine and antioxidants. It does keep me thin and I enjoy drinking them. Also, I feel it curtails my appetite.
The comments about the articles and reports on the negative effects of aspartamne are hilarious to me. You need REAL scientific research, evidence, and studies! Just because some doctor or “Expert” makes these claims about all these potential negative effects, doesn’t make it true. You need legitimate peer reviewed studies! Aspartame, saccharin, splenda are perfect safe in moderate amounts. In fact too much SUGAR is much more dangerous than any of these artificial sweeteners. One thing people forget is that just because it’s artificial, doesn’t make it bad and just because it’s natural, doesn’t make it good. I myself like stevia and splenda seems to be the safest of the artificial sweeteners and safe for diabetics also. I just like stevia because it’s super sweet and you don’t need as much so it’s cheaper.
I never take artifical sweeteners. In a way, why should we take them if we have natural substitutes?…artifical things were man-made and we don’t know yet what their real effects. So my choice is always to go for the things that have worked for ages and to which are body is accostumed to and responds well.
I prefer to avoid anything that’s being processed as much as I can.
Mostly for me I don’t want to push the line if I don’t have to. I want to keep my body as healthy as possible and if there is a risk I just avoid it. I don’t know if artificial sweeteners have enough research behind them to know if they are good or bad or neutral.
I just wanted to tell you that everyone does that same thing to me. I do use Splenda. I take about three packets in my morning coffee only. I did my research and found that there is a list of illness from taking Splenda. How much of it the truth I really do not know. I will be waiting for your email tomorrow regarding your research in regards to this article.
Gloria
Is Truvia the same as stevia? I use one packet per quart of tea. I use the family sized ice tea bags to make a quart each of green and black tea in the evening which I consume cold the next day.
I drink a lot of Diet soda ,
I find it addicting , is it terrible/ Very bad ,/simply Bad/
Or not bad at all ? I am very curious
I am using equal since last month, the intake is 1 gm per day and using it for
FAT LOSS. What I observed drastic mood swings after taking it. In the website of EQUAL no side affects were talked about. Thanks to suggest what is the recommended intake and it is safe to take or not..??
Looking forward to tomorrows post.
I use artificial sweeteners as well. Regardless of the studies done, I figure there are MANY worse things to ingest and as long as i am not over consuming, I dont see the harm.
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Hey, it’s Joel! So you want to know a little more about me, huh? Well, I’d be happy to oblige :-)
I guess it all started back in 2001 (my freshman year of college) when I was just a “skinny fat” 19-year old kid. At the time, I was spending close to 2 hours a day in the gym (now my workouts last about 30 minutes), and despite my efforts, you’d probably never guess I worked out a day in my life by looking at me...