SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS.

PalmettoparkGuy
PalmettoparkGuy Posts: 212 Member
edited September 30 in Food and Nutrition
I've been reading a lot of negative stuff about artificial sweeteners. A little bit about me: I've been heavy most of my adult life. I used a LOT of splenda in everything from coffee, to cereal, soda, and lots and lots of chewing gum. I've had knee problems and artheritis type pain in my hands for years. Nobody could figure out why, people just said the pain was because I was fat. As I lost weight, the pain remained consistent. Now, I'm only a few pounds from my goal weightt and still had the same exact level of pain. I gave up diet soda a few weeks ago and mysteriously broke the plateau I was experiencing. I posted about that experience. Now here's the weird part. Somebody posted recently the negative effects of artificial sweeteners on MFP and mentioned they saw a study that it caused joint pain. Thinking about the inexplicable pain that I"ve had in my knees and hands, I stopped consuming ALL artificial sweeteners. Within 24 hours, I had NO pain in my knees or hands. I jogged 5 miles today with none of that pain I've been so accustomed to for so many years. Call it a coincidence, whatever. All I know is that I'm not using any of that crap anymore.

Replies

  • ScoutMom1
    ScoutMom1 Posts: 57
    thanks for the info...good to know as i have lots of those same pains.
  • lauraparr
    lauraparr Posts: 112
    OOPS i'm scared now!! i use a LOT of sweetner!! x

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  • Kelly_Wilson1990
    Kelly_Wilson1990 Posts: 3,245 Member
    Good information. I finally got my husband to stop using them.
  • coolstacey6
    coolstacey6 Posts: 83 Member
    I quit all artificial sweeteners April 14th and it has changed my life!!! It is so worth it. I thought I was dying of some unknown disease and VOILA.....now I'm almost back to normal!!
  • ChelDM
    ChelDM Posts: 145
    Try using Stevia for sweetener...It is sold in health food stores 100% natural.
  • dragonbug300
    dragonbug300 Posts: 760 Member
    Wow.
    It's one thing to hear about studies, but somehow it's more convincing when someone can back it up with their own experiences.

    Anyways, thanks for sharing!
  • Gojira74
    Gojira74 Posts: 57 Member
    All artificial sweetners are not created equal (no pun). I have not seen any published research on artificial sweeteners and joint pain. However, Stevia is not "artificial" (another buzz word that has no meaning since almost all of them are plant derivatives), so you might try that. I use it and it works great.
  • JoAnn73
    JoAnn73 Posts: 161 Member
    Are you guys serious!!!!! I am in shock, all the leg pains I have. THANKS SO MUCH FOR SHARING!
  • cnewyou
    cnewyou Posts: 40
    I used to drink only Crystal light or water. I didn't have joint pain, but I was at a plateau with my weight loss and my doctor suggested I stop with the artificial sweeteners because new studies were surfacing about the effects of artificial sweeteners. He said they can confuse the metabolism. That was all I needed to hear. Now all I drink is water, so I can believe your revelation.
  • LMStark
    LMStark Posts: 150
    You could have some sort of allergy that gives you inflamation. That is great that you have given up the sweetners. I have seen studies that the body does not know how to treat large amounts of artificial sweetners. I sometimes use stevia, which comes from the stevia plant leaf or agave.
  • bsteffneyjr
    bsteffneyjr Posts: 40 Member
    Try Truvia from the stevia plant, all natural no side effects. I use it all the time
  • angelew
    angelew Posts: 133 Member
    There is a great natural sugar substitute called "erythritol"- it is made from the skins of berries. You can buy at Whole Foods under the brand name "Z Sweet" or "Organic Zero". The 1.5 pound bag of Z Sweet costs about $13...so it is precious! All natural, tastes just like sugar in my coffee, and no chemicals!
  • LaJauna
    LaJauna Posts: 336 Member
    All artificial sweetners are not created equal (no pun). I have not seen any published research on artificial sweeteners and joint pain. However, Stevia is not "artificial" (another buzz word that has no meaning since almost all of them are plant derivatives), so you might try that. I use it and it works great.

    I always smile when I hear/see references to foods/supplements/additives/sweeteners being "natural". So is snake venom, arsenic, all bacterias and viruses. Just because something is found in nature does not make it healthy or suitable for human consumption.
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