Stevia causes depression?

This sweetener is in a lot of foods and although its "all natural" I've read articles saying it can inhibit both serotonin and dopamine,I've experienced it myself along with headache and fatigue,I'm sure I'll get wooed a lot but anyone else?

Replies

  • kelsully
    kelsully Posts: 1,008 Member
    I have some crazy weird reaction to stevia. It reminds me of gallbladder attacks or a heart attack. I feel horrible when I consume stevia. I once tried a product that was "all natural" supplement that made me think I needed to go to the ER. I know others who love all things with stevia. I guess it is like so many other things..if it works for you go with it
  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,643 Member
    I haven't seen any peer reviewed articles about this, but I did read some a few years back about some other potential side effects in small percentages of the populace.

    I don't use Stevia because I hate the way it tastes. I prefer to use Aspartame or Sucralose because I don't hate those flavors as much.
  • MichelleWithMoxie
    MichelleWithMoxie Posts: 1,817 Member
    um, no.
  • Atlaslift
    Atlaslift Posts: 3 Member
    Nope.
  • Beautywalk
    Beautywalk Posts: 9 Member
    If you believe your fatigue and headache are not diet related (actually sugar detox among numerous other reasons can cause these symptoms), then check with your doctor. I just searched for peer reviewed studies and find nothing about the effect of stevia on neurotransmission other than glutamate (not implicated in depression). Now, this doesn't mean something wasn't very recently done but not listed. Or it could be an o.k. study but not peer reviewed. If you have a link to what you read I would be interested in looking it up.
  • whitpauly
    whitpauly Posts: 1,483 Member
    Just feelings I've had and a google shows some articles,,no proof of course just wondering,I can handle sugar,aspartame and sucralose fine,its just Stevia that bugs me but it's popping in more and more foods cuz people are afraid of artificial sweeteners so it's getting harder to avoid lately
  • sky_northern
    sky_northern Posts: 119 Member

    Stevia taste funny to me, but otherwise I haven't noticed anything different the few times i have used it. I prefer the taste of other sweeteners.

  • lucerorojo
    lucerorojo Posts: 790 Member
    I use a little every morning in tea or coffee. I have for a few years. No reactions at all. I agree it tastes funny but it is very sweet so I use only a tiny amount.
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,492 Member
    LOL, no. If you look hard enough they have found a "link to depression" for just about every single thing you can think of.
  • Unknown
    edited February 2018
    This content has been removed.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    I use it and I'm just as depressed as I've been since I was 12.
  • W8WarI
    W8WarI Posts: 567 Member
    Stevia, etcetera for me causes headaches, hunger & constipation! :/
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,213 Member
    I read in the article linked below that if you are allergic to things like ragweed (there’s a whole list), you shouldn’t consume stevia.

    We’ve added monk fruit into our sugar substitute repertoire. (Hence the article Stevia vs Monk Fruit). I can’t buy it in my local grocery store yet, I have to get it from a health food store, and it’s more expensive than stevia, but I feel comfortable mixing it up a bit. I still have some sucralose around too.

    https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/monk-fruit-vs-stevia
  • nighthawk584
    nighthawk584 Posts: 2,023 Member
    i can't stand the aftertaste of Stevia.
  • youngmomtaz
    youngmomtaz Posts: 1,075 Member
    Interesting. I use stevia, monk fruit, and erythitol when I bake or consume sugar free things. I probably consume each in a small serving once a week. No weird side effects. But give me a coke sweetened with aspartame and I have a headache immediately. Sometimes it will even trigger a migraine.
  • moonangel12
    moonangel12 Posts: 971 Member
    Wheat is a depression trigger for me (gluten ataxia), so I definitely agree that different foods do different things to different people’s bodies!

    I can do stevia in small amounts and have gotten used to the flavor (but I still can’t stand it mixed in with tea bags/loose tea - blech!). One Zevia soda every other day or so, sipped on, not guzzled is OK. A little TruLemonade sprinkled in my unsweetened tea is OK as well.

    I have tried to get used to monk fruit, that flavor is far worse to me... almost gag worthy. Different palates as well!
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    i've been depressed no matter the sweetener i use; sugar, stevia, or artificial. my symptoms are not better or worse either way
  • bb_twins
    bb_twins Posts: 11 Member
    Not sure if this is just propaganda or hype or actual scientifically-sound information - but I have read and heard that a lot of the side effects of artificial sweeteners are because your body doesn’t know it’s not sugar (glucose).
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,284 Member
    Your body isn't a knowing entity - it doesn't know anything.

    I'm sure some people get side effects from some artificial sweeteners. I have known people for whom aspartame is a migraine trigger.
    I've known other people who get migraines from MSG - migraine triggers are varied and individual.

    But that's the same with natural foods - people get hives from oranges, anaphylactic reactions to seafood, peanuts, etc

    If that is you,sure, avoid the problem substance. Obviously.

    For everyone else, consume or don't consume according to personal preference.



  • amy19355
    amy19355 Posts: 805 Member
    bb_twins wrote: »
    Not sure if this is just propaganda or hype or actual scientifically-sound information - but I have read and heard that a lot of the side effects of artificial sweeteners are because your body doesn’t know it’s not sugar (glucose).

    My experience says it is true - when i first switched to splenda , two packets was plenty in my 16oz cup of coffee. a year later, I was adding 6 packets to the same cup of coffee to achieve the 'correct sense of sweet'.
    It took a friend observing this change and speaking up. I stopped using it that day and learned to like my coffee black with no sweetener.

    I can't say enough for the benefit of cutting refined sugar and sugar substitutes out of my food. I get my sweet fix from fruit mostly, but enjoy ice cream once in a while. The less sugar I consume, the smaller a portion I need to satisfy the sweet craving. that's me. might work for others.
  • momwish007
    momwish007 Posts: 1 Member
    I am using stevia sweeteners for years. I don't think that it has any health side effects.
    https://www.highratedgabru.com/monk-fruit-sweeteners/
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,284 Member
    amy19355 wrote: »
    bb_twins wrote: »
    Not sure if this is just propaganda or hype or actual scientifically-sound information - but I have read and heard that a lot of the side effects of artificial sweeteners are because your body doesn’t know it’s not sugar (glucose).

    My experience says it is true - when i first switched to splenda , two packets was plenty in my 16oz cup of coffee. a year later, I was adding 6 packets to the same cup of coffee to achieve the 'correct sense of sweet'.
    It took a friend observing this change and speaking up. I stopped using it that day and learned to like my coffee black with no sweetener.

    I can't say enough for the benefit of cutting refined sugar and sugar substitutes out of my food. I get my sweet fix from fruit mostly, but enjoy ice cream once in a while. The less sugar I consume, the smaller a portion I need to satisfy the sweet craving. that's me. might work for others.

    yes I know this is old bumped up thread B)

    but yes, I think this is just you.

    My husband has used Equal sweeteners for years - hasnt changed from 2 tablets per cuppa in all that time.

    and most people who like one or two tsps of sugar in cuppa's dont progress to more - if they did you would have lots of older people having 5 or 6 tsps per cup - but you don't.