I quit artificial sweeteners!!!!
Options
Replies
-
I don’t think I was clear, I only meant weight loss may not be a reason to use them. What I was really trying to say is how bad fake sweeteners are for you. A lot of “scientific studies” are funded by big food companies. What you don’t hear as often are the health problems they cause. Not scientific, but a personal observation; is that every time I have a patient who insists on Diet Pepsi (excluding diabetics) or mentions they drink it every day are the always the sickest with multiple problems .....DM, MS, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, etc. and it’s the same diseases over & over.
"Fake sweeteners" are all different chemical compounds, and most of them have been in the food supply for decades. If they were truly directly causing problems, there would be obvious statistical evidence showing that, and there's not. I would hope you are not suggesting that Diet Pepsi causes MS and cancer, as that would be incredibly irresponsible :huh:.
There are some anecdotes that sweeteners make some people hungry, but I and many others here have not experienced that, so if it happens, it isn't universal. Most studies show correlation (not causation) between sweeteners and obesity, which can be easily explained by something like folks who are already obese switching to diet soda as a half-hearted way to try and save calories.
And...
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1308408/why-aspartame-isnt-scary/p1
Anyway, to stay on topic... OP, I honestly don't think artificial sweeteners had anything to do with your issues, but if you now feel better and cutting them out works for you, I'm glad your doing well
9 -
Ok so I quit consuming artificial sweeteners 6 days ago. I had some pretty bad headaches but they seem to have passed now. Today I have felt different! I am eating my normal food but feeling so full and for so long today even being about to cut out normal snacks today. Is this from stopping artificial sweetners or just a fluke day?
Maybe, maybe not. There has been some research done about artificial sweeteners and food reward pathways if you're interested in a read:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2892765/
https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(16)30296-0?_returnURL=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1550413116302960?showall=true0 -
I guess I wasn’t really clear.....I see your point but a lot of the “scientific studies” are funded by the big food companies who don’t want you to know it’s bad for you....I wasn’t really trying to comment on the ability to lose weight, but that it may not help in the long run. However, I was trying to say how bad diet sodas are! Especially Diet Pepsi. Every time I have a patient who insists on Diet Pepsi or someone who drinks them everyday ( not the DM’s who may have to), they are the sickest....Dm, MS, bladder cancer, etc. ...& it’s the same diseases over & over.
I have a diet soda everyday sometimes twice a day and I have NONE of those issues. as for cancer anything can cause it,same with MS. MS is an immune system disorder. they dont even know what causes it but there are risk factors and diet soda isnt one of them https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/multiple-sclerosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20350269
internal cystitis- again no diet soda or artificial sweeteners noted https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/interstitial-cystitis/symptoms-causes/syc-203543578 -
Full disclosure: I do have (the mildest form of) bladder cancer. When he diagnosed me, my uro-oncologist only had one question for me: Are you a smoker? (I'm not).
I went in for a cystoscopy yesterday. While I was waiting, I was asked if I agreed to have my information shared with a research study looking at people with my condition over an extended period. I consented and a representative came up to me to ask a few questions. Again, did or do I smoke? Have I ever worked in an industry where I was exposed to certain strong chemicals (e.g. hairdressing, printing)?
At no time have diet drinks even been mentioned.
When I was recovering from surgery, I was told to reduce my caffeine intake while my bladder healed. Basically, "No more than one cup of coffee or tea, cut back on cola". Also no spicy food.
In other words, artificial sweeteners aren't even on the radar. And the American Cancer Society agrees: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/aspartame.html
Wrt your personal observation, I often see a lot of obese people working out, which leads me to conclude that exercise makes you fat. Correlation isn't causation.26 -
I don’t think I was clear, I only meant weight loss may not be a reason to use them. What I was really trying to say is how bad fake sweeteners are for you. A lot of “scientific studies” are funded by big food companies. What you don’t hear as often are the health problems they cause. Not scientific, but a personal observation; is that every time I have a patient who insists on Diet Pepsi (excluding diabetics) or mentions they drink it every day are the always the sickest with multiple problems .....DM, MS, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, etc. and it’s the same diseases over & over.
you also cant say that diet pepsi caused that. what if you werent told that they drink diet pepsi yet had it? would you link one thing to another? like I said I drink diet drinks every day and have had NO issues the last several years since Ive drank them. anyone can get those types of cancers even those who do not drink diet sodas or ingest artificial sweeteners. many can be caused by other factors including being hereditary.
2 -
estherdragonbat wrote: »Full disclosure: I do have (the mildest form of) bladder cancer. When he diagnosed me, my uro-oncologist only had one question for me: Are you a smoker? (I'm not).
I went in for a cystoscopy yesterday. While I was waiting, I was asked if I agreed to have my information shared with a research study looking at people with my condition over an extended period. I consented and a representative came up to me to ask a few questions. Again, did or do I smoke? Have I ever worked in an industry where I was exposed to certain strong chemicals (e.g. hairdressing, printing)?
At no time have diet drinks even been mentioned.
When I was recovering from surgery, I was told to reduce my caffeine intake while my bladder healed. Basically, "No more than one cup of coffee or tea, cut back on cola". Also no spicy food.
In other words, artificial sweeteners aren't even on the radar. And the American Cancer Society agrees: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/aspartame.html
Wrt your personal observation, I often see a lot of obese people working out, which leads me to conclude that exercise makes you fat. Correlation isn't causation.
A friend/co-worker was diagnosed with bladder cancer. He's one of the healthiest people I've ever met. Eats no junk/treat food whatsoever (his standard joke is "I don't put that poison in my body!"), doesn't drink soda (diet or otherwise), doesn't use artificial sweeteners, eats lots of vegetables, runs every single day and strength trains several times a week, has a bodyfat percentage in the low teens and is built like a Greek god. During the holiday season when the office is full of cookies, cakes, candy, etc., he doesn't touch any of it - not even a taste. Yet it was him that got bladder cancer, not the rest of us who would go eat burgers, french fries and sodas at lunchtime while he was out running or at the gym.
Genetics has a lot more to do with cancer than any lifestyle choices, unless one chooses to do something ridiculous like sunbathing in a uranium bath.14 -
Genetics has a lot more to do with cancer than any lifestyle choices, unless one chooses to do something ridiculous like sunbathing in a uranium bath.
...while smoking1 -
I don’t think I was clear, I only meant weight loss may not be a reason to use them. What I was really trying to say is how bad fake sweeteners are for you. A lot of “scientific studies” are funded by big food companies. What you don’t hear as often are the health problems they cause. Not scientific, but a personal observation; is that every time I have a patient who insists on Diet Pepsi (excluding diabetics) or mentions they drink it every day are the always the sickest with multiple problems .....DM, MS, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, etc. and it’s the same diseases over & over.
Correlation is not causation. Maybe you just see a lot of sick people in your job. And maybe a lot of people drink diet drinks. I don't really know what your job is.6 -
ExistingFish wrote: »I don’t think I was clear, I only meant weight loss may not be a reason to use them. What I was really trying to say is how bad fake sweeteners are for you. A lot of “scientific studies” are funded by big food companies. What you don’t hear as often are the health problems they cause. Not scientific, but a personal observation; is that every time I have a patient who insists on Diet Pepsi (excluding diabetics) or mentions they drink it every day are the always the sickest with multiple problems .....DM, MS, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, etc. and it’s the same diseases over & over.
Correlation is not causation. Maybe you just see a lot of sick people in your job. And maybe a lot of people drink diet drinks. I don't really know what your job is.
Observing.2 -
I don’t think I was clear, I only meant weight loss may not be a reason to use them. What I was really trying to say is how bad fake sweeteners are for you. A lot of “scientific studies” are funded by big food companies. What you don’t hear as often are the health problems they cause. Not scientific, but a personal observation; is that every time I have a patient who insists on Diet Pepsi (excluding diabetics) or mentions they drink it every day are the always the sickest with multiple problems .....DM, MS, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, etc. and it’s the same diseases over & over.
repeating this doesn't make it any more true. why are you assuming it is the diet pepsi that caused their problems? probably lots of things they all do (i.e. drink water? watch television? own pets?) - as others said, correlation is not the same as causation.4 -
We all came to MFP to improve our health and the forums are for discussions. Everyone has made some excellent points and yes I could absolutely be wrong as these are Only my observations. Although I’m still not convinced our bodies know what to do with all these modern “foods”. I greatly admire all that medicine can do, but over time I’ve come to see what it can not do and have chosen augment with “Let Food be thy Medicine “. to help the body heal itself. Anyway, I seem to have accidentally high-jacked this thread, I’m just glad feels Elmaj5575 feels better.
“In Defense of Food”
“The Blue Zones Solution”
“ The China Study”
“Eat to Live”
“Crazy Sexy Diet”
25 -
We all came to MFP to improve our health and the forums are for discussions. Everyone has made some excellent points and yes I could absolutely be wrong as these are Only my observations. Although I’m still not convinced our bodies know what to do with all these modern “foods”. I greatly admire all that medicine can do, but over time I’ve come to see what it can not do and have chosen augment with “Let Food be thy Medicine “. to help the body heal itself. Anyway, I seem to have accidentally high-jacked this thread, I’m just glad feels Elmaj5575 feels better.
“In Defense of Food”
“The Blue Zones Solution”
“ The China Study”
“Eat to Live”
“Crazy Sexy Diet”
If you're interested in discussing this you could always start a thread about it in the Debate forum. You might want to skim some of the threads in there to get an idea of how they roll, but that's always an option!4 -
psychod787 wrote: »
Your Opinion, ksharma.... op... you do you..... though, I think the research does not back up what you are saying. We all have our own way of doing things.kshama2001 wrote: »gebeziseva wrote: »I clicked "Woo" and I didn't mean "woo-hoo".
Why did you quit them? Sugary drinks are bad for your teeth and no drinks is just sadness...
I know you didn't really mean that life is sad without diet soda, but that's how your words come across so I have to say that I don't find life without either kind of soda the least bit sad.
Studies have shown that for some people, artificial sweetener increases their appetite, so for these people, cutting that out can help them lose weight.
Yes, it is my opinion that life is not sad without soda and if the person I quoted had said her life would be sad without soda I would have left it go unchallenged, but she made it a blanket statement "no drinks is just sadness".4 -
It seems that only overweight people tell me that diet sodas are bad for me. I’ll take my advice from people who don’t need to loose any weight.6
-
What modern foods do our bodies not know what to do with?Although I’m still not convinced our bodies know what to do with all these modern “foods”.
What can medicine not heal that food can?I greatly admire all that medicine can do, but over time I’ve come to see what it can not do and have chosen augment with “Let Food be thy Medicine “.
7 -
I so wish I could quit them just because drinking this much diet Pepsi isn't healthy for my gut. Its the acidity I'm worried about. I'm 3-4L a day type guy and that's just way too much. Sucks because I hate coffee but love caffeine!3
-
It seems that only overweight people tell me that diet sodas are bad for me. I’ll take my advice from people who don’t need to loose any weight.
They can be equally misinformed on a subject like this. In the days or organic, gluten free, non-gmo, etc. the word artificial is going to stand out even more like a sore thumb. It sounds bad in context. Doesn't seem to be enough to hurt sales though so I think the a.s. conspiracy squad must still be a small minority.
I honestly do not care if someone wants to cut them out of their diet whether they have a good reason or not. I don't care about people who want to eat "clean" by whatever definition they choose to use either. If it doesn't risk your health, it is sustainable, and you can afford it do whatever you want that makes you more comfortable. I wasn't comfortable getting headaches when I skipped or delayed my daily coffee years ago so I made my choice to stop. I still drink caffeinated beverages (I am drinking a cup of coffee right now) but I don't do it daily anymore. 20 or so years later it hasn't helped me or hurt me that I can tell.
ETA: I do care if people preach their choices at me though. Some of these things I consider to be like decorating your home. You can choose to paint your walls green with purple polka dots if that works for you but that doesn't make you an authority on how I choose to paint mine.6 -
The only thing I want to say here is that Stevia is not an articlficial sweetener. Stevia comes from a natural source, therefore it is a natural sweetener like sugar, or xylitol. Artificial sweeteners are man made.9
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.6K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 393 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.3K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 938 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions