Aspartame causes next-day cramping?

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Jthanmyfitnesspal
Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi All,

Maybe this applies only to us older folks with more delicate digestive systems:

I've been having tea with Nutrasweet (aspartame) for ever. I never seemed to have any adverse effects, so I never worried about it.

Then I went on a vacation to a house that had no Nutrasweet, so I did without for an entire week. I really seemed to have less cramping, which was very evident in my early-morning jogs (done completely fasted). The rest of my diet was pretty much the same as ever. Note that I never have aspartame before jogging!

It seems pretty convincing, but doing without a sweetener in my tea is going to be difficult! Anyone else had this experience?

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  • missysippy930
    missysippy930 Posts: 2,577 Member
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    Not really, but I do have less inflammation in my joints avoiding excess sugar. I do have other sweeteners though. I am an “older folk”.
    I am an advocate who says to listen to your body. It tells you things. Maybe experiment with other sweeteners. I know stevia is very sweet and you don’t need much.
  • Luke_rabbit
    Luke_rabbit Posts: 1,031 Member
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    I think you would have to experiment with it. Since you were on vacation, many other differences might have been the cause - different food and drink, different sleep amount and bed, different activities, different terrain, etc.

    Good luck playing scientist!
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
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    If you were jogging on vacation isn't it possible that it was a change in terrain that is a factor here?
  • LyndaBSS
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,964 Member
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    I use only real sugar on those rare occasions when I need it. Any other sweeteners give me serious bloating and cramping.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
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    Well, let me say that jogging in the morning is a good test of the status of your digestive system. Many joggers (particularly older joggers) report that going on a jog in the morning can really accelerate things, causing cramping or a sudden need to "go." It's been an issue for me at times.

    Well, it seems that Aspartame was part of the problem, with a very delayed effect, such that I didn't put #2 and #2 together, if you know what I mean.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
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    Cramping is largely associated with a magnesium deficiency and/or an electrolyte imbalance. Its possible there was a fluctuation in your levels or maybe your foods weren't pretty much the same. But this would be the first i heard aspartame and cramping.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
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    psuLemon wrote: »
    Cramping is largely associated with a magnesium deficiency and/or an electrolyte imbalance. Its possible there was a fluctuation in your levels or maybe your foods weren't pretty much the same. But this would be the first i heard aspartame and cramping.

    There are lots of hits on the topic on Google. Of course, it's hard to draw any conclusions from that fact.

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