Artificial Sweeteners & the Mind

RossTexas

I am a 59 year old, happily married man who has consumed a lot of Artificial Sweeteners in his life ... diet cokes, pinks, blues, etc.. I have been blessed to have lost a lot of weight ( 100 pounds + by God's Grace ), and therefore have been taken off most of my medications. This was one of my goals, as I really am concerned about the side effects. It really disappoints me that the main remedies in my Internest's "Tool Box" are Prescriptions!

As I age, I feel my mind is really getting foggy. I am starting to think I should not have been as concerned about my meds, and more concerned about the Artificial Sweeteners I have consumed over the years, and continue to consume. The poor memory is really driving me crazy. Lately I read that Equal causes small amounts of Formaldehyde to form in the brain! Apparently the FDA has confirmed and acknowledges this, but considers the amount to me insignificant. I like the taste of Equal most, and am hesitant to change to another. I understand that Splenda has just come out with a new sweetener, and that many people promote Stevia and Trivia.

Do any of you have any comment about the effect of Artificial Sweeteners on the mind? Any other suggestions?

You may need to remind me of this post and what the topic was! : )

Thanks!
Ross

Jester522

The amount of formaldehyde is so insignificant that the little tid bit the FDA confirms show to be clinically insignificant.
Equal (a/k/a aspartame) breaks down into aspartate and phenylalanine which breaks down further to formaldehyde then formate. The only truthful potential negative side effect is potential neurotoxicity of PA without the presence of other amino acids but you literally have to eat a few spoonfuls.

Bottom line: no, don't worry. But consuming huge amounts of anything is never good. So if you're thinking you take in too much you probably are.

http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/aspartame.asp

AllTehBeers

I just want to point out things people don't think about through their lives but they want to immediately blame the sweetners.
How many times in your life have you:

Been out doors and sprayed (inhailing by default) bug repelent all over yourself
Bombed or terminexed your house/apartment. Even letting the place "air out," there are minute traces of poison all over your house. Did you clean the toilet seat after?
Sprayed bleach/lysol/air fresheners in your house, inhailing the fumes.
Sprayed a bug killer such as raid in your kitchen or bathroom
Spray purfume or cologne on yourself.
Been in a bar or around people smoking cigars or cigarettes. We all know the chemicals in these.

All of these things are chemicals and poison. Do you think over the years the use or contact with these items had any affect on you? Do you think a can or two of soda every once in a while is the sole reason you feel the way you do? There are too many every day things happening that the miniscule amounts of aspartame in a can of soda should be a tiny speck in what determins our overall health.

Jester522

^Great point!

There's so many worse things I could be doing than drinking diet soda. Even then, why would I worry when my diet and exercise are vastly better than the average American? Example from last week:

My friend "Oh my god, don't you know how bad that diet soda is for you?"
Me "Not as bad as you being 20lbs overweight and eating half that pizza but I wasn't gonna say anything."

ravengirl1611

^Great point!

There's so many worse things I could be doing than drinking diet soda. Even then, why would I worry when my diet and exercise are vastly better than the average American? Example from last week:

My friend "Oh my god, don't you know how bad that diet soda is for you?"
Me "Not as bad as you being 20lbs overweight and eating half that pizza but I wasn't gonna say anything."

Well said!

pkw58

^Great point!

There's so many worse things I could be doing than drinking diet soda. Even then, why would I worry when my diet and exercise are vastly better than the average American? Example from last week:

My friend "Oh my god, don't you know how bad that diet soda is for you?"
Me "Not as bad as you being 20lbs overweight and eating half that pizza but I wasn't gonna say anything."

Honestly, I can't believe anyone tells people this stuff while they are drinking or eating... We all pick our poisen... I quit drinking diet sodas in 2005..as well as using sugar or artificial sweetners in my tea or coffee. I do put a teaspoon of honey in my tea a few times a week. I am sure some of the flavored greek yogurts I eat have artificial sweetners as do many of the restaurant foods I eat. I just quit that stuff as an additive to my food just like I quit pouring salt on my food at the table.

I am 54 and I get "foggy" when I don't eat enough at the right time or forget to drink my water.

Or realize I have been sitting at the computer for longer than an hour...

felice03

or it could be the natural aging process...

CarrieBeard

I was feeling "foggy" and heard Dr. Oz discussing some supplements that were great for memory, ...
Skeptic as usual, I put off trying any. Then I passed the shelf at a retail store and there one of them sat...ON SALE...
So I gave it a try... I wasn't sure if I could tell a difference... until I RAN OUT... THEN, for me, I could tell a big difference.

so... you might want to try : Acetyl L-Carnitine 400mg Plus Alpha Lipoic Acid 200mg, - Spring Valley Capsules (the brand I found)

I too was concerned about artificial ANYTHING... so I switched to stevia. I must warn ya, different brands have different tastes. Some are REALLY, really sweet and taste artificial... I found two different ones that are alot like sugar, to me. The Great Value brand wasn't too bad (Walmart)... if you can tolerate shopping there.

Good luck and congrats on the healthier life style and weight lose.