Effects from eliminating Sweet'N Low from my diet

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IRollC30
IRollC30 Posts: 54 Member
in Food and Nutrition
It has been 9 days since eliminating Sweet'N Low from my daily coffee intake. I have switched to totally black coffee and I'm really feeling the effects.

I typically drink 3-14oz cups of coffee each day. Two in the morning and one in the afternoon when I get home from work. Each 14oz cup would have 3 packets of Sweet'N Low.

9 days ago I stopped by Sweet'N Low habit because I felt that I have been consuming too many artificial sweeteners. Plus, I had read some place that artificial sweeteners cause your body to release insulin, which in turn make you hungrier.

In any event, I have to admit that I have had the following symptoms since removing Sweet'N Low from my diet and I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced the same thing:
-General fatigue
-Very low energy, especially after exercise
-Shaking and headaches (similar as when I don't eat enough calories - hypoglycemia)

Has anyone else experience this? If so, how long will it be before I'm out of the woods? I hate this and I'm REALLY tempted to start back up on my habit...
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Replies

  • WillowBreeze
    WillowBreeze Posts: 102
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    This is interesting... despite the bad reputation that artificial sweetener has, I use them. My body doesn't handle the effects of real sugar so I either use it, or live life bland :p I'm sorry I have no good advice or words of wisdom for you bu I am curious to see what others think.
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
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    Did you cut your caffeine intake as well?
  • IRollC30
    IRollC30 Posts: 54 Member
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    No, if anything I've recently increased my caffeine to help counter the effects. I'm not drinking more coffee, just stronger cups.

    It's quite bizarre.

    I also forgot to mention another symptom. If I stand up too fast I get lightheaded.

    Between 10am (now) and noon (when I eat lunch) I begin to get the "shakes". I can't keep my hands steady until I eat my lunch. I haven't changed my caloric intake for breakfast or lunch (I've been eating basically the same thing for breakfast and lunch for months now).
  • skinnybitchbarbie27
    skinnybitchbarbie27 Posts: 306 Member
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    Call your doctor.

    No one here is qualified to tell you wheather or not your symptoms are "normal".
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
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    I've never heard of artificial sweetners having this effect. I would agree with the call your doctor advice, you might have some blood sugar issues going on.
  • survivor1952
    survivor1952 Posts: 250 Member
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    Call your doctor.

    No one here is qualified to tell you wheather or not your symptoms are "normal".
    Yes, I agree with this. It could be your thyroid or pancreas adjusting but dr. knows best. Let us know.
    I quit artificial sweetners a few months ago (thyroid problems & pre-diabetic) but I have had no bad reactions. If anything I feel much better knowing they are out of my system.
  • kcrxgirl
    kcrxgirl Posts: 114 Member
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    Call your doctor.

    No one here is qualified to tell you wheather or not your symptoms are "normal".


    Agreed, please call your doctor.
  • cmacphee3
    cmacphee3 Posts: 278 Member
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    I don't know about the other symptoms, but the lightheaded when standing (and if you see spots or everything fades to black or you faint or even seizure) sounds to me like postural hypotension (I have it). Best advice there is to drink plenty of fluids, if you have regular low blood pressure like me, my doctor told me to add more salt to my diet (I know! Opposite most people), and if you clench your thighs and abs and as many lower muscles as you can when you stand up, it keeps the blood from flowing so quickly out of your brain.

    I was tested from laying down to sitting up (where I didn't even FEEL any symptoms) and my systolic number dropped 30 points in a couple seconds, it is much worse when I stand!

    I hope that helps.
  • jlemoore
    jlemoore Posts: 702 Member
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    I had a bad diet coke habit quite a few years ago. I've always said that kicking that was worse than kicking smoking. I don't know if it was the caffine or the sweeteners. But it knocked me out for about a week. Now I won't touch artificial sweeteners.
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
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    The removal of the sweetener may be entirely coincidental. This is the problem of studies with n=1.
    Too many confounding factors...
  • lizzardsm
    lizzardsm Posts: 271 Member
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    Doctor's visit might not be a bad idea.

    But it sounds like you're experiencing withdrawal. You might have actually been addicted to the artificial sweetener. Keep toughing it out! Try increasing your water intake to help flush it out. Are you drinking 8-12 glasses/day? With the amt of caffeine you drink, you need to stay very well hydrated. If that doesn't help, maybe taper down your sweet-n-low (and supplement with stevia so you can get the sweetness right?) till you don't use it anymore.

    Have you tried switching to Stevia? It's a plant based natural sweetener that is 0 calorie and does not affect your insulin levels. People on this site that use it, love it. Just be careful when you buy it. Some of the brands aren't 100% stevia and add other sweeteners like fructose - totally destroying the benefit of the whole no rise in insulin.
  • PaulineKK
    PaulineKK Posts: 30
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    With the shakes and lightheadedness, you may be getting too much caffeine. Still, like the others, I say you should talk to your doctor. There may be something else going on and it is just coincidental that the timing is the same.
  • corrinnebrown
    corrinnebrown Posts: 345 Member
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    Did you cut your caffeine intake as well?

    This. If you are use to so much caffeine and cut your coffee intake because you don't like it as much black you will have caffeine withdraws.
  • reklawn
    reklawn Posts: 112 Member
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    I've had this before, but for me it was more blood sugar issues like cmacphee. You might want to see if you can stay away from coffee for a couple days and see if you feel any differently... it could be the caffeine
  • IRollC30
    IRollC30 Posts: 54 Member
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    I appreciate all of the responses. Since we're headed into a three-day weekend, I'll give it until next week and see if the symptoms improve. If not, I'll contact my doctor and see if anything else is going on.

    The strange thing is, everything was fine UNTIL I stopped Sweet'N Low... I thought the worst of it would be bitter coffee , I was not prepared for all of the other symptoms.
  • IRollC30
    IRollC30 Posts: 54 Member
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    I've had this before, but for me it was more blood sugar issues like cmacphee. You might want to see if you can stay away from coffee for a couple days and see if you feel any differently... it could be the caffeine

    Good GOD! I don't know if I can eliminate coffee... :)

    Seriously though, that's the next thing on my list to improve. I can only handle one significant change at a time.
  • babymaddux
    babymaddux Posts: 209 Member
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    i had the same thing happen when i stopped drinking diet coke. it took about a week for it to go completely. the headaches (the kind that painkillers don't mask) lasted 3 days solid as did the going to bed by 8pm as i was so tired!
  • AmyFett
    AmyFett Posts: 1,607 Member
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    I'd say it sounds more like you cut the amount of coffee in general? When I stopped drinking fake sugars and stuff, I felt better honestly. I realized it was giving me headaches, so now if I do have something with fake sugar in it, I get a headache and feel kind of nauseous. It might even out in a few more days or so if it's the caffeine thing.
  • martinbeks
    martinbeks Posts: 255 Member
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    Have you tried switching to Stevia? It's a plant based natural sweetener that is 0 calorie and does not affect your insulin levels. People on this site that use it, love it. Just be careful when you buy it. Some of the brands aren't 100% stevia and add other sweeteners like fructose - totally destroying the benefit of the whole no rise in insulin.

    Thanks for this. Just checked my box of Stevia (HyVee brand), and the first ingredient is Erythritol, a 0 calorie sugar alcohol, but not exclusively Stevia. Stevia is the second ingredient (though called Rebiana). Might have to check out Stevia in the Raw or something.
  • victoriannsays
    victoriannsays Posts: 568 Member
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    A close friend of mine has a artificial sweetener addiction - it sounds ridiculous, but its true. If he doesn't have it, he gets the same symptoms as you.

    That being said, I also think its important to see a physician. it could be something else.

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