Pepsi max/diet drinks

sweaty betty said:

Why do these push up my blood sugar? Flavoured water (no sugar) is the same. It's all I've had tonight and my blood sugar has gone through the roof.

I guess the bottom line is that I shouldn't have them if they do this, but I just want to understand why!

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That's very strange, I'm a complete Coke Zero addict and it has zero effect on my blood sugar (which is why I love it). It could be the caffeine, some people are more susceptible than others and it might be causing your liver to release glycogen.

Some people do react to the sweeteners in this way. Just putting a few grains of anything sweet on the tongue sends a message to the brain, the brain then expects a hit of food so it sends messages out to bolus for that expected hit even though as in the case of sweeteners there is no bolus needed. Some people can even put on weight if this happens.

The other thing is that you may be fixing for an infection or under stress or even had a rogue reading.

You say it’s all you’ve had this evening, did you not eat? If so it might be liver dump and nothing to do with the flavoured water?

sweaty betty said:

but I just want to understand why!

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From what I've read the understanding is artificial sweeteners trick your body into thinking you have just had sugar so it triggers the same response as having real sugar.

This argument goes on to say because artificial sweeteners are 3x sweeter than sugar (have they ever tasted them no there not) it triggers a greater response than real sugar.

On a personal note I've never noticed a problem with them.

I'm ok if I have one or 2, usually if out eating and i'm nominated driver but if I have more than 2 I get a headache, sugar levels are OK but I think the sweetener does it!

I think the theory is that the sweeteners can trigger the very rapid "acute insulin response" at first taste, before the body realises that there isn't any real sugar there.
Insulin release is always accompanied by glucagon release and a release of glucose from the liver to balance the insulin being released.
In T2 diabetes the liver dump can be more powerful than the insulin response which leads to a rise in blood glucose then a slow fall.

I think if you have artificial sweeteners during or after a meal you may not see a response because your body is already fired up to deal with the meal, but having a drink with artificial sweeteners on its own can do strange things.

Best thing to do is avoid them if they bump your sugars up.

sweaty betty said:

Thanks all. It's happened before - and it's really annoying. If I go to a pub there's pretty much nothing I can drink!

I seem to be hyper-sensitive to sugar/sweetener/pasta/bread/potatoes/rice - and I don't eat meat/fish - I'm running out of options!

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Glass of dry red or white wine.
Vodka , Bourbon, Tequila straight or on the rocks should be ok.

Another interesting thing I discovered with artificial sweetners is that they don't effect my BG levels noticably but my Blood Pressure raises substantially after having it. Mentioned this to the doctor and she said they have that effect on some. Now I just avoid.

LittleGreyCat said:

I think the theory is that the sweeteners can trigger the very rapid "acute insulin response" at first taste, before the body realises that there isn't any real sugar there.
Insulin release is always accompanied by glucagon release and a release of glucose from the liver to balance the insulin being released.
In T2 diabetes the liver dump can be more powerful than the insulin response which leads to a rise in blood glucose then a slow fall.

I think if you have artificial sweeteners during or after a meal you may not see a response because your body is already fired up to deal with the meal, but having a drink with artificial sweeteners on its own can do strange things.

Best thing to do is avoid them if they bump your sugars up.

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@Rachox There is experimental evidence that sucralose raises blood insulin. Not sure about the other sweeteners. I was very disappointed to read that, as I have recently been eating sugar free sweets and e.g ***** bears, which can treat constipation of low carb diet by causing diarrhoea as the sugar alcohols are not absorbed and pass straight through...or do they all ? I see now by carefully reading the labels , that even sugar free sweets are loaded with carbs . I can not find out if these carbs pass straight through or are absorbed, thus frustarating a low carb or keto diet . [ I have no keto testing kit ] I suppose that would be the way to find out . Check blood ketones then eat some sugar free sweets and see if the ketones went down , which would mean the carbs were being absorbed, perhaps? Or maybe they aren't being absorbed, and ketones might drop anyway because of a powerful liver glucose dump due to the trigger response mentioned above , insulin and glucagon. Any body got ideas ?

I end up drinking slim line tonic when not drinking. Or having a coffee! There are several people at the pub quiz I go to who drink tea or coffee!