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Are Artificial Sweeteners Keeping You Fat?

Posted by Joel Marion

Yesterday we covered much of research regarding the safety of aspartame and most other non-nutritive sweeteners, but what about their affect on weight loss?
 
Are artificial sweeteners keeping you fat?

Again, let’s take a look at what the RESEARCH has to say:

1. Kanders BS et al. An evaluation of the effect of aspartame on weight loss. Appetite. 1988; 11 Suppl 1:73-84.

In this study, two groups were analyzed: diet only and diet plus aspartame. In the end, the diet plus aspartame group resulted in 33% greater weight loss over a 12 week period.

2. Blackburn GL et al. The effect of aspartame as part of a multidisciplinary weight-control program on short- and long-term control of body weight. Am J Clin Nutr. 1997 Feb;65(2):409-18.

In this study, researchers at Harvard Medical School analyzed aspartame’s impact on weight loss and long-term maintenance of lost weight. Over a 19-week period, study participants regularly consuming aspartame lost more weight than those abstaining from its use. Moreover, the aspartame group was able to better maintain lost weight over a 2 year follow-up period when compared to the non-aspartame group.

3. Renwick AG. Intense sweeteners, food intake, and the weight of a body of evidence. Physiol Behav. 1994 Jan;55(1):139-43. Review.

A comprehensive review of the research done on HUMANS “does not support the concept that the consumption of intense sweeteners results in a paradoxical increase in calorie intake and body weight”
What about the idea that non-nutritive sweetener intake triggers one to eat more because it’s sending a sweet signal to the brain without the calories?

4. Van Wymelbeke V, et al. Influence of repeated consumption of beverages containing sucrose or intense sweeteners on food intake. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2004 Jan;58(1):154-61.

In this 2004 study, participants were given either sugar sweetened or aspartame sweetened beverages for one month; effects on food intake were analyzed. The result: the aspartame group did not experience an increase in food intake to “make up” for the calories not consumed in the beverages they drank (i.e. the sugar group consumed more total calories, and obviously, significantly more sugar).

And for those health professionals taking the stance that the use of nonnutritive sweeteners will lessen dietary adherence by causing dieters to crave other sweets, you’d also expect these individuals to recommend avoiding fruits and anything else both sweet and extremely healthful-but they’re not, leaving a huge inconsistency in the argument.

Simply put, in everything I have seen, the exact opposite has been true-the use of nonnutritive sweeteners increases dietary adherence by giving individuals a no-calorie outlet to satisfy the occasional sweet craving. Nonnutritive sweeteners provide a great alternative to sugar-laden beverages and other counterproductive sweet products and further lessen the temptation of resorting to such products to satisfy a sweet craving.

And as you can see, the research on non-nutritive sweeteners and weight loss back this up many times over.

A couple of important things to note:

1.  If you are using “packets”, be it blue, pink, or yellow – all of these have calorie-containing, insulin spiking “carriers” (the most common being maltodextrin).  Because there is less than one gram of these calories (really .8 grams or so), manufacturers are allowed to round down and claim zero grams and zero calories.  This is not a big deal at all assuming you are using one or two packets, but for those who add 10 packets of Equal to their cereal, sorry, you’re only fooling yourself.

2.  I still recommend the bulk of your fluid intake come in the form of good old fashion water.

With that, I’ll wrap up our discussion of artificial sweeteners, aspartame, safety, and weight loss.  In summary, people can talk theory and anecdotes all they want, but the research simply doesn’t validate it.

At least 100 comments and I’ll be back before you know it with more content (perhaps I’ll even do a post on Stevia and Agave)!

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 for some eye-opening, actionable tips:

How to lose up to 10% of your unwanted body fat in the next 30 days <——- Click here

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180 comments - add yours
Reply  |  Quote

All soda (diet or regular) leeches calcium from your bones, because it has a high phosphorous content relative to our bodies’. Basically the body tries to swap the two minerals, by excreting the calcium in urine. So drinking soda in excess can definitely lead to osteoporosis later in life. Here’s just one of hundreds of studies:

Health effects of soda drinking in adolescent girls in the United Arab Emirates. – Mahmood M – J Crit Care – 01-SEP-2008; 23(3): 434-40

But this effect can be overcome by adding calcium back to the diet, or sticking to moderate consumption (1-2 cans/day).

And in the broader picture, folks, Joel is right on the money…the science supports what he says. The hew and cry about artificial sweeteners is typical of the paranoia of fringe opinion. No matter how much quality data, from unbiased sources, obtained through rigorous methods, and reviewed by skeptical peers it is possible to obtain, those of use who like a good conspiracy theory will use instead “personal experience” or a lone kook ranting on youtube to form an opinion. The same people probably believe vaccinations cause autism, crop circles are really messages from UFOs, and JFK was killed by the mob (or LBJ, the CIA, or the illuminati). And of course those folks attack the other side by falsely accusing them of bias (in this case accusing Joel of taking money from the artificial sweetener industry, or using one-sided research…come on!). I guess it’s more fun to be paranoid or something?

I’m a physician, and I’m required to be objective when taking care of my patients. And of course I’m telling them exactly what Joel is saying, because it’s completely correct.

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My dietician went into a lengthy explanation of how the chemicals in aspartame interfere with the balance between the different hormones in your body, eventually leading to a situation where your fatburning potential is compromised. So there does seem to be at least some scientific explanation otherwise where would she get that from, as a registered professional? She is not sucking this out of her thumb or merely following an unfounded popular trend.

Having said that, I do agree that in minute amounts it will probably not kill you or have as dramatic an effect as all the other dietary mistakes we make along the way.

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Please let us know what’s up with Stevia? Thanks…

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Joel: Please let us know what’s up with Stevia!!! Much appreciated…..

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I agree completely. When I started taking a whey protein with artificial sweeteners I started to get numbness in my hands, arms and legs. It was really scary because the numbness would sometimes not go away for hours. My fatloss also came to a stop for a whole month. However, after stopping the whey protein for about ten days, the numbness gradually went away and I dropped 3lbs. It really sounds as if Joel got his ‘research’ from companies that are actually selling these products.

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I think your point of human studies vs. rat studies is a very valid one.

As for the sweetener setting off cravings, I have never notice that. I do think, as you say, cool, clear, water is the best choice anyway. Unfortunately, I do drink way too much diet soda, but I also know it is bad–simply because artificial sweetener is still a chemical substance and we are obviously better off eating fresh natural foods (like great-grandpa used to grow). Sugar is terrible for us too, so it’s comes down to a choice between two evils I guess. :)

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According to many experts, the current young generation will be the first not to outlive their parents. The ten year olds out there will very likely die before their parents. @ Ric:

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Joel:
You need to talk to your friend, Isabel De Los Rios. She is preaching the exact opposite. Don’t know who to believe. Following her advise and plan both my wife and I have lost about 15 lbs in a two month period. Neither of us was seriously overweight. I am now back to my college weight (I was a major colleg athlete) by eliminating sugars and artificial sweetners while following her diet solution. Both of us cut out diet coke which seemed to help greatly.

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Joel:
Is it possible tht these handfull of research studies you quote could have been done by people who were somehow associated with the diet beverage industry. I am pretty sure if I tried I could find many studies that indicate the opposite. If I am going to err it is best to do it the side of caution.

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@ Joel Marion:

I try to keep in mind that everyone is different, and that what works for me may not work for anyone else but me. With that said, about 4 years ago I started drinking 2 – 3 diet drinks/day…and, along with a sensible diet and occasionally brutal workouts, I lost 80 pounds of fat (from 250 to 170 pounds) and have kept it off for 2 years. I’m not about to change anything that works for me!!!

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Joel, one question for you.
would you have some batery acid if studies showed it was not harmful in small quantities?
here’s another one:
would you let your child live in a house with a few led pipes if the research indicated its not that bad if not all the pipes are led?

point is, chemicals are not meant to be ingested.

just food for thought.

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Hi Joel,

Kudos to you for tackling such a contoversial topic and focusing on research and not hearsay. I believe that in today’s society the word “artificial” is always considered to be horrible and the world “natural” is considered great.

People need to understand that the two worlds overlap. While I believe that eating natural is best, we need to realize that a lot of so-called natural foods have more chemicals in them than artificial sweeteners.

Our fruits and vegetables are laden with chemicals. Our meat and fish are filled with anti-biotics and mercury.

I doubt that it is possible to really eat “naturally” any more and that it’s part of modern society with all the benefits it brings.

We all need to stop worrying about extremes and live in moderation. It’s nearly impossible to achieve a perfect diet, anyway.

This is why I may not use sweeteners at home but if I’m at a restaurant I hardly worry about it.

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ASPARTAME is extremely poisonous, and here is why one of the toxic ingredients of it is wood alcohol. When the temperature of

ASPARTAME exceeds 86 degrees F, the wood alcohol in it is converted to Formaldehyde, and then to formic acid, which in turn causes folic acidosis.

FORMALDEHYDE is grouped in the same class of poisons as Cyanide and Arsenic which are very deadly toxins. The only difference is, Formaldehyde kills quietly, and it takes a little longer. And, in the process of killing people, it causes all kinds of neurological problems. There are 92 documented symptoms of Aspartame Poisoning leading to coma and death.

The majority of these symptoms are neurological, because the ASPARTAME attacks and destroys the nervous system. One of these symptoms is Lupus, which has become almost a! s rampant as Multiple Sclerosis, especially with Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi drinkers.

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Cudos to everyone who drinks water and the occasional diet softdrink! Moderation is so important. From what I can tell, Joel isn’t promoting ANY artificial sweetener – he personally advocates plain ole’ water for the mainstay of fluid intake. ALL sodas have lots of sodium. If you have a tendency to retain fluids, the sodium in pop will help you retain fluids instead of flushing them. This would make it hard to lose weight if you drink a lot of pop. I’m a “carbonation junkie” – I LOVE the fizz! When I drink more than one can of pop in a day, I start to retain fluids and my weight can fluctuate by as much as 5 lbs in a 24 hour period if I really overdo the soda. I appreciate all the comments regarding knowing what your own body reacts to and eating/drinking accordingly. To understand most studies, read a book called “How to Lie With Statistics”. Basically, anyone can prove anything depending on how their study is set up. I’m inclined to believe that artificial sweeteners get a lot of bad press because that’s the current fad. I’ve been around long enough to have seen many food and drink theories/studies come and go. Use common sense and listen to your body.

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For those of you trying to tear down Joel and those of us who use artificial sweeteners with no harmful side effects (and actually positive effects) you don’t seem to understand that Joel is not promoting the use of sweeteners, but just providing us with research results.
Take it the way you want to, but don’t be tearing something down that is an effort to help promote and educate.
And to you, Matt, I respect your opinion, but what about a guy like me at 60+ years old, a Type 1 Insulin Dependent Diabetic for 48 years and have an 11% bodyfat at 175 lbs and a 32 inch waist and still training like a warrior.
I have no added “diseases”, etc. due to the intake of sweeteners and am quite sure I probably outage you by quite a bit.
With all due respect, Matt, you’re full of crap! There are many around besides me with the same great results. And those are individuals I personally know and have had the privilege to train. And happen to be top level athletes.
Thank you, Joel for the most informative post(s) and I appreciate someone giving us another view on this controversial subject.
I have responded to others with all the negativity towards sweeteners and been dropped off their site(s). Even though I am a living proof of how the “studies” have not shown in the harmful sense to have affected me and others like me.
Wouldn’t one think that after 48 years of sweetener use I would be falling apart or dead? Far from it.
Those of you having negative effects from their uses may be allergic to some agent in the product ( which is another subject in itself-some members of society have developed allergies to some things due to a low immune system caused by inactivity, weight gain, depression, etc. and I admit I am not an expert in this area). Also, to pass on bluntly, get off your fat asses and start moving, training, eating over all better, etc. And, yes I realize some have hormonal problems, but, again, I’ve worked with some of those individuals and they have had amazing results. Do any of you watch “Biggest Loser?
You can use any excuse you want, but you know what’s said about excuses, “They’re just like a**holes, everyone’s got one!”
The best to all of you, including those with differences and I pray you live a most blessed life.

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i definitely agree with your stance on packaged sweeteners such as splenda, equal and sweet’n’low but there are a few other things to consider.

1. although the studies on short term side affects show no significant health risk there are no studies showing the affects of long term usage. of course that could go both ways because you cant prove long term if its good ro bad for your overall health.

2. its also important to note for your readers that this is not a green light to start eating and drinking foods that use artificial sweeteners instead of sugar such as cereals, diet soda’s, shakes, bars etc. as these foods for the most part are still unfit for a healthy lifestyle for many other reasons. sure putting a pack or two of artifical sweetener is fine but diet soda’s have many other unhealthy ingredients as do a lot of bars, shakes and cereals. a point that i thought was worth mentioning.

on a persoanl note i use to love using splenda but now i use stevia and find that it tastes a lot better and when i do use splenda i feel it has a gross aftertaste. but tahts jsut me ;)

good post man looking forward to many more to come.

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My hubby is a total sugar addict, so I’ve been looking for ways to feed his sweet tooth, but also get him to eat heather. Can you also cover anything on Splenda? It’s what I’ve been considering cooking with to help. Thanks for using valid research. It’s nice to have info fact based and not based on limited experiences of individuals.
Where did you find the info on calorie listing requirements/standards? Like you mentioned about the .8 being able to be listed as 0?

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Great article! I’ve used aspartame, saccharin, stevia, and splenda with no problems at all! I’m lean and healthy! The research from legit peer reviewed studies proves it! The counter arguments against it are weak and just statmements with no proof to back it up. The doctors on these websites have no real hard scientific evidence to prove that that aspartame is unsafe at moderate doses or even way above it!

Keep up the good work Joel!

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Dear Joel,
Thank you so much for a scientific thoughtful approach. In all aspects of life our ability to function is impacted by ignorance about how to evaluate information. Whether one chooses to consume artifiacial sweeterners or not, learning to find and understand well-constructed studies, to take the time to investigate and reflect, is a huge skill for a successful life. Thanks,
Deborah

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I’m sure all those opposed to aspartame never eat meat or drink milk filled with hormones, never eat Chinese food filled with MSG, or ever ingest any pre-packaged food with loads of preservatives.

I truly wish I was more like you- so perfect in very way.

For me, 2-4 packets of aspartame a week, and perhaps a diet drink on rare occasions is the path I’ll choose. I’ll probably get killed by a driver whose texting long before the aspartame gets me !

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Hi Joel,

Aspartame has been widely discussed, and in your first article on sweeteners, you mentioned sucralose, but did not provide any research on that one (unless I just missed it).

Since you brought it up, I would personally like to see similar research for sucralose as well. Especially since the title of the original post was “The TRUTH About Artificial Sweeteners” not the truth about aspartame. I wouldn’t really call that discussion “wrapped up” since only 1 artificial sweetener was discussed.

I would like to see an article on Stevia and Agave, but Splenda is another one that is popularly consumed by the general public as well as widely debated and I think some light needs to be shed on it.

And in regards to everyone’s comments about natural vs. artificial, there are PLENTY of natural poisons in the world, many of which I’m sure are still undiscovered.

Caffeine is a naturally occurring chemical, but it has its ups and downs, being one of the most addictive known substances, and has potential health risks when consumed in excessive amounts.

Whereas there are plenty of artificial chemicals that have been extremely beneficial to humans since their invention. Look at modern medicine. I know a lot of medicine is debatable with side effects etc, but that is another discussion for another time.

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hmmmm, isn’t it sugar that puts a huge strain on the pancreas? I lost 90 pounds and did use splenda every morning and occasionally diet soda. I had blood work done and my cholesterol went down to 150 and my hdl and ldl are super. What is best is that I no longer have insulin resistance (my doc told me so), if artificial sweetners spike insulin, then how do you explain my blood work. I have never felt healthier in my life ever since I go rid of sugar and processed foods (which mostly have tons of sugar in them). hmmmm if what you say is true then I guess you would think it would be better to load up on sugar and really distroy your pancreas than have some artificial sweetner and accually be healthier. I guess some folks do believe everything they read. I say go with your own experience no two people are alike and just because you have a reaction to something does not mean others will.

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Please do include info about Stevia and Agave. I had heard so much bad info about articial sweetners from my friend who is a chiropractor and actually studied nutrition. She says to steer away from them whenever possible and also several authors like Jillian Micheals talks about how bad they are. But I haven’t heard a whole lot about Stevia and Agave which are natural. They are both becoming more available and are being added to a lot of the flavored waters out there. Thanks!

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Great job Joel! Thanks for putting that up. It certainly clears a lot of talk I hear. Would love to read more about Stevia and Agave. BTW, regarding Diet coke . . . isn’t the phosphoric acid used in dark sodas (root beer, dr. pepper, coke, etc.), diet or not affect bone density? I remember experiments in high school where baby teeth were immersed in phosphoric acid and they were almost eaten up the day after. What’s your research say on that?

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@ Vicki:

If there’s junk before this, the system put it in.

I would think you wouldn’t care if the aspartate got metabolized – maybe better it doesn’t. I’d think you’re after the taste and not the nutritional value.

This gives me a mad scientist idea – maybe some electrical device that you put in your mouth while eating that causes sweet taste, so you don’t actually ingest anything sweet. Maybe a cup that gives the sweet taste while you’re drinking, so you could drink unsweetened beverages.

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