Artificial Sweeteners

Thanks! I am surprised that this was the conclusion after only 12 weeks, I had always thought that it took years for the body to be adversely affected by sweeteners, due to gut microbiome changes. I don't think anyone will listen though.

My question is how long, if ever, does it take for the body to rid itself of the chemicals in these sweeteners and recover?
I used aspartame based sweeteners in tea for twenty years, it did not make me gain weight but did it have anything to do with my T2?

Sweeteners help keep people addicted to carbohydrate and craving sugar. That’s the main issue as I see it from a day-to-day perspective.

Jim Lahey said:

Sweeteners help keep people addicted to carbohydrate and craving sugar. That’s the main issue as I see it from a day-to-day perspective.

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I agree and would add that the cerebral phase insulin response could only make IR worse in the long term.

Very interesting. I'm dabbling in artificial sweeteners in an effort to manage a sugar addiction, but I'm aware that the metabolic effects might be worse than ordinary sugar and they might feed rather than lessen the cravings and compulsion to eat sugar.

I only used artificial sweeteners prior to diagnosis in diet drinks, but didn't over consume them.

At the moment I think they might be helping me to extend low carb eating better, but there's no real change in my lapsing behaviour with ordinary sugar and high carb foods.

Many artificial sweeteners are the work of the devil in my eyes........aspartame for instance, some twenty or more years ago, was marketed entirely by a powerful company who waged a VERY dirty war on Stevia producers, Stevia being the only really naturally occurring sweetener marketed commercially. it was viewed as such a commercial threat to the big M that a really dirty war was waged against the stevia producers, with a LOT of threats, death threats, intimidation etc etc. It kept Stevia from becoming a commercially widely available product until the last few years in otder to maintain the Big Company monopoly.

Aspartame is really nothing more than a by-product of the awful chemical warfare agent Napalm. Do I want to put that toxic stuff in my body? I think sugar itself if preferable. I reckon no-one "needs" sweeteners - it is just an effort to get that palatable taste back. Aspartame was linked to various autoimmune diseases too, I remember taking part in a campaign against it years ago, and was shocked to find it peddled to kiddies and in virtually everything on the supermarket shelves eventually - it is also much cheaper than sugar hence companies use it in everything and call it a "healthy" option.
Personally, I will avoid sweeteners forever - the only one I might consider is pure Stevia, but do I REALLY need it? The answer is no.

If I make a keto ice cream, I don’t just make it for me. That said it would ideally need sweetening. For me to enjoy it as an ice cream, I prefer it to be sweetened. I cannot use sugar. So the solution is simple.

I do not crave sweetness in foods, no more than I might crave cream with my berries, or cheese with walnuts or any other foods. I enjoy them all. I couldn’t eat rhubarb without some sweetner added, sugar is out, so sweetner is a good compromise.

jpscloud said:

Very interesting. I'm dabbling in artificial sweeteners in an effort to manage a sugar addiction, but I'm aware that the metabolic effects might be worse than ordinary sugar and they might feed rather than lessen the cravings and compulsion to eat sugar.

I only used artificial sweeteners prior to diagnosis in diet drinks, but didn't over consume them.

At the moment I think they might be helping me to extend low carb eating better, but there's no real change in my lapsing behaviour with ordinary sugar and high carb foods.

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This is a view that I share.

Looking at the research, the sample was not very big: 123 people completed it with a maximum of 30 people taking a single artificial sweetener. There was a small control group (39 people ... included in the 123 people of the whole sample). Weight gain happened with both sucrose and saccharine. And the amount of sweetened drinks consumed seemed high (1.25 to 1.75l per day).
Oh yeah, and the "weight change was directionally negative" for the other 3 sweeteners.
I am not convinced this research proves anything. It definitely does not prove that artificial sweeteners cause weight gain.

helensaramay said:

Looking at the research, the sample was not very big: 123 people completed it with a maximum of 30 people taking a single artificial sweetener. There was a small control group (39 people ... included in the 123 people of the whole sample). Weight gain happened with both sucrose and saccharine. And the amount of sweetened drinks consumed seemed high (1.25 to 1.75l per day).
Oh yeah, and the "weight change was directionally negative" for the other 3 sweeteners.
I am not convinced this research proves anything. It definitely does not prove that artificial sweeteners cause weight gain.

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Agreed. That said, if it is true that they can cause insulin release, then the mechanism is most certainly there for weight gain. Impossible to say how significant the effect would be though.

I’m of the opinion that if we just eat food, instead of potions and products, none of this really matters

helensaramay said:

Looking at the research, the sample was not very big: 123 people completed it with a maximum of 30 people taking a single artificial sweetener. There was a small control group (39 people ... included in the 123 people of the whole sample). Weight gain happened with both sucrose and saccharine. And the amount of sweetened drinks consumed seemed high (1.25 to 1.75l per day).
Oh yeah, and the "weight change was directionally negative" for the other 3 sweeteners.
I am not convinced this research proves anything. It definitely does not prove that artificial sweeteners cause weight gain.

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As you say the research only used a small sample and may not be worth anything. However I know what has happened to my own body. I know what artificial sweeteners did to it. The proof of the study will be in 20 years time when the obesity epidemic is even worse and very many others become T2 the way I did, through drinking diet drinks. Please don't tell me I ate too much or was inactive. Not true. I don't expect anyone to believe me and frankly I don't care whether they do or not. I have done my bit and warned them and if they choose not to listen then it's not my fault if they end up with T2 or as a T1 with massive IR.

@zand sorry to read about your problems.
I believe diabetes and obesity is complex with a combination of causes which is not understood so I see no point in blaming anyone.

I say this because I come from a family with no history of insulin resistance or obesity. My father was weened off his sugary tea about 25 years ago but only by replacing his sugar with artificial sweeteners. He is nearly 80 now, has no insulin resistance and no obesity.
He (and my Mum) still eat carby meals and cake. They are active both physically and mentally. As are my aunts and uncles, just like their parents were.

OK, again a (very) small sample but it shows me that insulin release does not cause insulin resistance in everyone.

I consume aspartame in large quantities and have done for a loooong time so I’ve a vested interest in finding out if it’s doing me damage or not.

All I know about me after years of self experiment is this; it does not make me crave, it does not cause my migraines, it does not affect my blood sugars and I’d drink nothing without it. I’ve given up almost everything, I’m not giving up sweetened drinks.


Fresh stevia is ok but the dried stuff tastes vile and sticks to my tastebuds for hours.

CondorX said:

Aspartame is really nothing more than a by-product of the awful chemical warfare agent Napalm.

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Where did you read that?

wiflib said:

I consume aspartame in large quantities and have done for a loooong time so I’ve a vested interest in finding out if it’s doing me damage or not.

All I know about me after years of self experiment is this; it does not make me crave, it does not cause my migraines, it does not affect my blood sugars and I’d drink nothing without it. I’ve given up almost everything, I’m not giving up sweetened drinks.


Fresh stevia is ok but the dried stuff tastes vile and sticks to my tastebuds for hours.

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Exactly. It is often referred to as a craving for sweet things but the use of the term craving is a bit misplaced. We tend to judge what we eat not just by its nutritional value but by the enjoyment of the flavours each have. That enjoyment of flavours can sometimes be labelled up as cravings and the two ought not be used interchangeably.

Mr_Pot said:

Where did you read that?

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I had some literature about it from some years ago now - will see if I can find it again but the actual chemistry of the product and how it was discovered "by accident" as a by product during other, military research was, I thought, widely known.
I will post a link if I can find it.
Personally I will avoid it forever, and advise all my own patients to do so too. It's a personal choice what we choose to consume, I guess, but it's awful that it is marketed to kids like it is.

zand said:

As you say the research only used a small sample and may not be worth anything. However I know what has happened to my own body. I know what artificial sweeteners did to it. The proof of the study will be in 20 years time when the obesity epidemic is even worse and very many others become T2 the way I did, through drinking diet drinks. Please don't tell me I ate too much or was inactive. Not true. I don't expect anyone to believe me and frankly I don't care whether they do or not. I have done my bit and warned them and if they choose not to listen then it's not my fault if they end up with T2 or as a T1 with massive IR.

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I agree with you Zand, I guess the cohort that agree may be small, but I believe that sweeteners have had some very negative effects on many people over a long time. It's a personal choice, of course, and we are all entitled to our own opinions on it. The fact that the aspartame commercial market in the 1990's was a mega-billion pound virtual monopoly for one company has nothing to do with it..........other sweeteners are available but I will avoid them, too, consuming random artificial compounds I reserve only for medications I really understand and need!

Listlad said:

Exactly. It is often referred to as a craving for sweet things but the use of the term craving is a bit misplaced. We tend to judge what we eat not just by its nutritional value but by the enjoyment of the flavours each have. That enjoyment of flavours can sometimes be labelled up as cravings and the two ought not be used interchangeably.

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My definition of craving is that awful state of an internal battle of a brain chemical driven need to eat a big amount of something I know will damage me.
That’s different to me looking at a packet of cheese and onion crisps wistfully.

I don't understand the meds I'm on, and who knows what vested interest there are in those.