Artificial Sweetners

Jenn3452

So in order to cut calories here and there I started using Splenda in my coffee. After about 2 weeks of every day use with 2 packets in a medium ice coffee, I had noticed I was feeling like crap with headaches and no energy. So I decided to stop because that was the only thing new I had added to my regimen. It took another 2 weeks for me to get it out of my system and I started to feel 100 times better. Needless to say I'm just going to stick to my 2 tsp of sugar. Has this happened to anyone else??

MonkeyMel21

Not that precisely, but artificial sweeteners sometimes give me diarrhea and I also just don't enjoy the taste so there isn't much reason for me to want to consume them.

Jenn3452

No I did not

OliveGirl128

I've been using several servings of artificial sweetener every day, (4-6 pkts of splenda, plus the artificial sweetener in the diet sodas I drink every day), for around 5 years now with no side affects (besides saving a butt load of calories).

It seems odd that it took 2 weeks after you stopped using it, to feel better-are you sure you didn't just have a virus/were sick?

eta: headaches/lack of energy sounds like caffeine withdrawal-did you reduce your caffeine intake during this time, by chance?

MarylandRose

In brand name diet sodas, the artificial sweeteners are fine, but I can't use them in tea/coffee and I can't drink them in other non-soda formats. For example, those flavored sparkling waters that *aren't* seltzer give me a headache three sips in. I stick to true 0-cal sparkling water just fine, but I have to be careful at parties and work events because people supply the sweetened ones as the 'healthy drink' option.

bizgirl26

I have no issues at all with any artificial sweeteners except sorbitol as it has a laxative effect

Jenn3452

OliveGirl128 wrote: »

I've been using several servings of artificial sweetener every day, (4-6 pkts of splenda, plus the artificial sweetener in the diet sodas I drink every day), for around 5 years now with no side affects (besides saving a butt load of calories).

It seems odd that it took 2 weeks after you stopped using it, to feel better-are you sure you didn't just have a virus/were sick?

eta: headaches/lack of energy sounds like caffeine withdrawal-did you reduce your caffeine intake during this time, by chance?

No I wasn't sick at all and a long time ago I had tried using splenda and I had forgot how it made me feel I guess because I haven't used it since

livingleanlivingclean

MonkeyMel21 wrote: »

Not that precisely, but artificial sweeteners sometimes give me diarrhea and I also just don't enjoy the taste so there isn't much reason for me to want to consume them.

Sugar alcohols can cause this problem.... Hence products containing it have warnings about excess consumption causing a laxative effect.

MonkeyMel21

livingleanlivingclean wrote: »

MonkeyMel21 wrote: »

Not that precisely, but artificial sweeteners sometimes give me diarrhea and I also just don't enjoy the taste so there isn't much reason for me to want to consume them.

Sugar alcohols can cause this problem.... Hence products containing it have warnings about excess consumption causing a laxative effect.

That's good to know. I don't buy products with artificial sweeteners, so I only have them if they're from something without a label (like my friend's pie that she wanted me to try last week)

Mary90Mary

When I have tried sugarfree soda in the past I usually get bloated, stomach ache and other nasty side effects so now I usually just stick to regular sugar even though I want to be able to have artificial sweeteners since I like sweetness but don't want to eat to much sugar.

Old_Cat_Lady

Many people have troubles with Splenda. You are not alone. https://www.consumeraffairs.com/nutrition/splenda.html

whitpauly

I can't do sucralose at all! Aspartame I can tolerate in small amounts

OliveGirl128

TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »

Many people have troubles with Splenda. You are not alone. https://www.consumeraffairs.com/nutrition/splenda.html

AS sensitivity is a real thing for some people, but it just seems odd that she still had symptoms two weeks after cutting it back out?

vingogly

I use stevia or monkfruit for most of my sweetening needs and avoid Splenda (I'll only use it if nothing else is available). Neither is going to have a laxative effect, and at least for me I haven't noticed any effects from daily use of them. Some of the stevia products out there also use erythritol, which is one of the sugar alcohols, so you need to watch for that. Truvia and Nectresse contain erythritol, but Stevia In The Raw doesn't, for example. I think I've read erythritol isn't as bad with the laxative effects as other sugar alcohols, but individuals react differently to these things. I've personally noticed I have a very low tolerance for other sugar alcohols, but erythritol doesn't seem to bother me.

debtay123

I also use stevia and monk fruit- I do better wit the liquid stevia than the little packets- so far I can use sucrlose with no problems- but I have been using less of it-

MommaGem2017

I eat Splenda and some aspartame, but I can't handle the taste of stevia or erythritol. Good things there are plenty of different types to satisfy many different taste buds.

TeaBea

bizgirl26 wrote: »

I have no issues at all with any artificial sweeteners except sorbitol as it has a laxative effect

Yep - this^

Graelwyn75

I use sweetex which is a saccharine based sweetener. I have been using it for decades. I tried stevia, among others, but could not get on with them.

Sp1tfire

Artificial sweeteners can have different effects on different people - I can't take aspartame (except in the occasional stick of gum/mint), but I love erithrytol and stevia. If you take it out of your diet and find that your headaches go away, It may mean you need to try a new sweetener.

solovino1

Stevia is the ticket.