Beware of Splenda

[hutchibk]

MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 22, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- James Turner, chairman of the national consumer education group Citizens for Health expressed shock and outrage after reading a new report from scientists at Duke University. "The report makes it clear that the artificial sweetener Splenda and its key component sucralose pose a threat to the people who consume the product. Hundreds of consumers have complained to us about side effects from using Splenda and this study, published this past week in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part A, confirms that the chemicals in the little yellow package should carry a big red warning label," said Turner.


Among the results in the study by Drs. Mohamed B. Abou-Donia, Eman M. El-Masry, Ali A. Abdel-Rahman, Roger E. McLendon and Susan S. Schiffman is evidence that, in the animals studied, Splenda reduces the amount of good bacteria in the intestines by 50%, increases the pH level in the intestines, contributes to increases in body weight and affects the P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in the body in such a way that crucial health-related drugs could be rejected. Turner noted that the P-gp effect "could result in crucial medications used in chemotherapy for cancer patients, AIDS treatment and drugs for heart conditions being shunted back into the intestines rather than being absorbed by the body as intended."

http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroo....html?d=150785




Here is the Research report that is cited in the artical.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...?dopt=Abstract

Splenda alters gut microflora and increases intestinal p-glycoprotein and cytochrome p-450 in male rats.

Abou-Donia MB, El-Masry EM, Abdel-Rahman AA, McLendon RE, Schiffman SS.

Department of Pharmacology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA. donia@duke.edu

Splenda is comprised of the high-potency artificial sweetener sucralose (1.1%) and the fillers maltodextrin and glucose. Splenda was administered by oral gavage at 100, 300, 500, or 1000 mg/kg to male Sprague-Dawley rats for 12-wk, during which fecal samples were collected weekly for bacterial analysis and measurement of fecal pH. After 12-wk, half of the animals from each treatment group were sacrificed to determine the intestinal expression of the membrane efflux transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and the cytochrome P-450 (CYP) metabolism system by Western blot. The remaining animals were allowed to recover for an additional 12-wk, and further assessments of fecal microflora, fecal pH, and expression of P-gp and CYP were determined. At the end of the 12-wk treatment period, the numbers of total anaerobes, bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, Bacteroides, clostridia, and total aerobic bacteria were significantly decreased; however, there was no significant treatment effect on enterobacteria. Splenda also increased fecal pH and enhanced the expression of P-gp by 2.43-fold, CYP3A4 by 2.51-fold, and CYP2D1 by 3.49-fold. Following the 12-wk recovery period, only the total anaerobes and bifidobacteria remained significantly depressed, whereas pH values, P-gp, and CYP3A4 and CYP2D1 remained elevated. These changes occurred at Splenda dosages that contained sucralose at 1.1-11 mg/kg (the US FDA Acceptable Daily Intake for sucralose is 5 mg/kg). Evidence indicates that a 12-wk administration of Splenda exerted numerous adverse effects, including (1) reduction in beneficial fecal microflora, (2) increased fecal pH, and (3) enhanced expression levels of P-gp, CYP3A4, and CYP2D1, which are known to limit the bioavailability of orally administered drugs.

[R.B.]

Many thanks for posting Hutchibk.

Thought provoking !!

I will have a look to see if it has any effect on fat metabolism if I get time.

Thanks again

RB

[caya]

Thanks Brenda for posting this. I will definitely only use Stevia now, it is totally natural. I will be throwing out any diet coke, diet iced tea etc. pronto.

all the best
caya

[Becky]

I stopped all artificial sweetners when diagnosed and have not looked back.

[Colleens_Husband]

I have also read that sucralose and nutrasweet were implicated in an increase in polyneuropathy symptoms. If you are on taxanes, you need to avoid most artificial sweetners.

[Mary Anne in TX]

Thanks, Brenda, for taking time to post this.

[hutchibk]

My cousin is a neurosurgeon - and he believes that the blue and pink types of artificial sweeteners are a huge contributor over the last 20 years to the uptick in brain cancers...

I have always had an aversion to the chemical sweeteners, but have occasionally used Splenda in restaurants. I will now re-enact my strict stevia or REAL sugar discipline that I started about 5 years ago.

[Bill]

Thanks, Brenda. My advice, for what it's worth, is to abstain from using as many packaged products as possible. I'm only reiterating what many people here and elsewhere have already said. Try to slowly cut all sweeteners and high-salt foods and high fat food from your diet. All packaged foods should be cut out, too. Do I do that? No, but I try to as much as possible. Personally, I feel the best physically and emotionally when I eat only fresh fruits and veggies during the day, along with a daily dose of low sodium V-8 and yogurt, and a handful of raw almonds, walnuts, and unsalted sunflower seeds throughout the day. I eat no meat during the day (and very little animal fat, and that helps keep my energy level up) but at night, I generally fix a one skillet meal- chicken, broc, evoo, garlic, spices, or salmon, spinach, evoo, garlic, etc. On the weekends, I try to make a big pot of something healthy that will last a few days. I know that's easier for me to do than some, but I guess what I'm saying is that the less pre-packaged meals we eat, the better it is for us.

[harrie]

Wow WB, I am impressed! I didn't think you would be so conscious of eating so healthy! I guess i shouldn't have sent the P.M. with all that red dye!!

[TSund]

I use XYLITOL as I don't like stevia's slightly bitter taste. Any opinions on that one?

[goops]

A few years back I developed neorological problems (I actually woke up partially blind) and had symptoms of a mini-stroke, these problems were caused from aspartame and Splenda.

[harrie]

From research I have read and dental presentations I have gone to, xylitol will literally prevent dental decay. Carefree gum has xylitol as do some other mints. I know once I picked up a container of candies and the sweetener was xylitol. This was at Borders.

[Patb]

I do chew gum with xylitol just to try and not eat
a lot of suger, but I also found NuStevia at the health
food store in packets, made without the bitter taste.
I used it and its good. I have used a ton of splenda
to keep blood suger low, no more. Thanks Brenda
for the heads up.
patb

[BethC]

Could someone tell me what stevia is? Thanks!
Beth

[Patb]

I get Stevia at the health Food store. It is a herb
from Paraguay used for a long time. Since it is
plant based, they say it is better than artificial
sugars.
patb

[hutchibk]

I love stevia...

[hutchibk]

Xylitol, Chemical Information

Xylitol has been a known chemical substance since 1891, when it was first manufactured by a German chemist
Xylitol, as we mentioned in the General Information about Xylitol is a sugar alcohol. It's chemical formula is C5H12O5 and is produced by the hydrogenation of xylose to xylitol
Pure xylitol looks like sugar since it has a white crystaline appearance and tastes like sugar. However, it has 40% less calories than sugar. Only the one third of the absorbed xylitol gets metabolized in the body. The remaining two thirds are broken down by gut bacteria into short-chain fatty acids in the intestinal tract.
Some additional properties of xylitol include:

• It is water soluble
• It is about 20-25% sweeter than sugar
• It is stable in storage
• It does not caramelize at elevated temperatures

In case anyone want the chemical breakdown of Xylitol~



This, though, makes me worry a bit about Xylitol as an alternative sweetner... from the journal of American Veterinary Medical Assoc. http://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/ref...vma.229.7.1113

I know we are not dogs, but this worries me enough to stick to good old sugar, maple and stevia.

[StephN]

This report is somehow NOT surprising!

My husband has Diabetes type 1. He used the saccharine products sparingly until about 20 or more years ago, when I weaned him off. (I was afraid of side effects from that thing.)

For about the last 7 or 8 years he has used Stevia in his morning coffee and that is about all the sweetner he wants added to any food any more.

I also cut the small amount of sugar out of my diet, and was strict with my self about that for a long time. Being so many years NED now, I do make exceptions.

We use various spices or fresh or dried fruits more now.