The Potential Dangers of Splenda & Sucralose

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The Potential Dangers of Splenda & Sucralose

 

 

http://www.mercola.com/2000/dec/3/sucralose_dangers.htm

The Potential Dangers of Sucralose

There's a new artificial sweetener on the block and it is already in a wide

range of products (CLICK HERE to see list), some even sold in health food stores

and manufactured by nutritionally-oriented companies. But is it proven safe?

Does it provide any benefit to the public? Does it help with weight loss? Are

there any long term human studies? Has it been shown to be safe for the

environment? The answer to all of these questions is unfortunately a resounding

NO.

 

The artificial sweetener sucralose, which is sold under the name Splenda™, is

one of the up-and-coming " next generation " of high-intensity sugar substitutes.

It is non-caloric and about 600 times sweeter than sucrose (white table sugar),

although it can vary from 320 tp 1,000 times sweeter, depending on the food

application. The white crystalline powder tastes like a lot like sugar, but is

more intense in its sweetness.

 

How it is Manufactured

 

Sucralose is produced by chlorinating sugar (sucrose). This involves chemically

changing the structure of the sugar molecules by substituting three chlorine

atoms for three hydroxyl groups.

 

History

 

Sucralose was discovered in 1976 by researchers working under the auspices of

Tate & Lyle Ltd., a large British sugar refiner. In 1980, Tate & Lyle arranged

with Johnson & Johnson, the world's largest health care company, to develop

sucralose. Johnson & Johnson formed McNeil Speciality Products Company in 1980

to commercialize sucralose.

 

 

In 1991, Canada became the first nation to approve the use of sucralose.

 

 

In April, 1998 the US Food and Drug Administration granted approval for

sucralose to be used in a variety of food products (CLICK HERE for complete list

of products using sucralose). Diet RC cola was the first US product with

sucralose, introduced in May 1998.

 

 

Sucralose is not yet approved for use in most European countries, where it is

still under review.

 

Safety Concerns

 

Few human studies of safety have been published on sucralose. One small study of

diabetic patients using the sweetener showed a statistically significant

increase in glycosylated hemoglobin (Hba1C), which is a marker of long-term

blood glucose levels and is used to assess glycemic control in diabetic

patients. According to the FDA, " increases in glycosolation in hemoglobin imply

lessening of control of diabetes.

 

Research in animals has shown that sucralose can cause many problems in rats,

mice, and rabbits, such as:

 

 

a.. Shrunken thymus glands (up to 40% shrinkage)

b.. Enlarged liver and kidneys.

c.. Atrophy of lymph follicles in the spleen and thymus

d.. Increased cecal weight

e.. Reduced growth rate

f.. Decreased red blood cell count

g.. Hyperplasia of the pelvis

h.. Extension of the pregnancy period

i.. Aborted pregnancy

j.. Decreased fetal body weights and placental weights

k.. Diarrhea

According to one source (Sucralose Toxicity Information Center), concerning the

significant reduction in size of the thymus gland, " the manufacturer claimed

that the sucralose was unpleasant for the rodents to eat in large doses and that

starvation caused the shruken thymus glands.

 

 

[Toxicologist Judith] Bellin reviewed studies on rats starved under

experimental conditions, and concluded that their growth rate could be reduced

by as much as a third without the thymus losing a significant amount of weight

(less than 7 percent). The changes were much more marked in rats fed on

sucralose. While the animals' growth rate was reduced by between 7 and 20

percent, their thymuses shrank by as much as 40 percent. (New Scientist 23 Nov

1991, pg 13) "

A compound chemically related to sucrose, 6-chloro-deoxyglucose, is known to

have anti-fertility and neurotoxic effects, although animal studies of sucralose

have not shown these effects.

 

According to the FDA's " Final Rule " report, " Sucralose was weakly mutagenic in a

mouse lymphoma mutation assay. " The FDA aslo reported many other tests as having

" inconclusive " results.

 

Just how few studies currently exist on sucralose is an issue. Endurance News

provides the following table illustrating this fact:

 

Sweetener # of Studies*

Saccharin 2374

Aspartame 598

Cyclamates 459

Acesulfame-K 28

Sucralose 19

 

*Number of studies determined by MEDLINE search.

 

In terms of safety, it is not just the original substance (sucralose) that one

needs to worry about. As the FDA notes, " Because sucralose may hydrolyze in some

food products...the resulting hydrolysis products may also be ingested by the

consumer. "

 

Is There Any Long-Term Human Research?

 

None. According to the Medical Letter on Drugs & Therapeutics, " Its long-term

safety is unknown. " According to the Sucralose Toxicity Information Center, the

" Manufacturer's '100's of studies' (some of which show hazards) were clearly

inadequate and do not demonstrate safety in long-term use. "

 

Is Sucralose Absorbed or Metabolized?

 

Despite the manufacturer's claims to the contrary, sucralose is significantly

absorbed and metabolized by the body. According to the FDA's " Final Rule "

report, 11% to 27% of sucralose is absorbed in humans, and the rest is excreted

unchanged in feces. According to the Japanese Food Sanitation Council, as much

as 40% of ingested sucralose is absorbed.

 

Plasma sucralose has been reported to have a half-life of anywhere from 2 to 5

hours in most studies, although the half-life in rabbits was found to be much

longer at about 36 hours.

 

About 20% to 30% of absorbed sucralose is metabolized. Both the metabolites and

unchanged absorbed sucralose are excreted in urine. The absorbed sucralose has

been found to concentrate in the liver, kidney, and gastrointestinal tract.

According to The Sucralose Toxicity Information Center, sucralose is broken down

" into small amounts of 1,6-dichlorofructose, a chemical which has not been

adequtely tested in humans. "

 

Chlorinated Pesticides

 

 

According to Consumers Research Magazine " Some concern was raised about

sucralose being a chlorinated molecule. Some chlorinated molecules serve as the

basis for pesticides such as D.D.T., and accumulate in body fat. However,

Johnson & Johnson emphasized that sucralose passes through the body unabsorbed. "

 

 

Of course, this assertion about not being absorbed is complete nonsense. As

shown above, a substantial amount of sucralose is absorbed, so the argument is

not valid.

 

 

According to the HAD, " The manufacturer claims that the chlorine added to

sucralose is similar to the chlorine atom in the salt (NaCl) molecule. That is

not the case. Sucralose may be more like ingesting tiny amounts of chlorinated

pesticides, but we will never know without long-term, independent human

research. "

 

Contaminants

 

The FDA acknowledges that sucralose " is produced at an approximate purity of

98%. " While that may sound pretty pure, just what is in that other 2%? It turns

out that the final sucralose product contains small amounts of potentially

dangerous substances such as:

 

 

a.. Heavy Metals (e.g., Lead)

b.. Arsenic

c.. Triphenilphosphine Oxide

d.. Methanol

e.. Chlorinated Disaccharides

f.. Chlorinated Monosaccharide

Although manufacturing guidelines do specify limits on these substances there is

no guarantee that such limits will always be met.

 

Environmental Concerns

 

Despite the fact that a portion of sucralose is metabolized into some chemicals

of questionable safety, a majory of the consumed sucralose is excreted unchanged

in the feces and urine. While that may be good for the person using the product,

it may not be so great for the environment.

 

Although sucralose is being flushed down toilets wherever sucralose is approved

for sale, what happens to it next is simply a matter for speculation. I know of

no studies showing what happens to the chemical when the raw sewage is treated

and then released back into the environment.

 

 

a.. Does it remain stabile or react with other substances to form new

compounds?

 

b.. Is the sucralose or any resulting chemicals safe for the environment?

 

c.. How will this chemical affect aquatic life such as fish, as well as other

animals?

 

d.. Will sucralose begin to appear in our water supplies, just as some drugs

are beginning to be found.

 

Of course, we will likely not know the answers to these questions for many

years, if at all. One of the main reasons for this is that the FDA did not

require an Environmental Impact Statement for sucralose, because in their words,

" the action will not have a significant impact on the human environment. "

 

One study did find that sucralose is metabolized by microrganisms in both the

water and soil (Labare 94). However, the ecological impact of this new chemical

being introduced into the environment is unknown.

 

Is There a Benefit for Consumers?

 

According to Consumers' Research Magazine, sucralose provides some benefits for

the corporations making and using it, but not for consumers. They state:

 

 

 

But are such foods truly beneficial and desirable? Diabetics, weight watchers,

and the general public might make better food choices by selecting basic, rather

than highly processed foods; for example, apples, rather than turnovers; or

plain, rather than sweetened, dairy foods.

They note that non-caloric artificial sweeteners are not replacing, but rather

supplementing conventional sweeteners. They note that as of 1990 Americans were

consuming an average of 20 pounds (sugar sweetness equivalency) of artificial

sweeteners, and as consumption of sugar-substitutes has risen so too has

consumption of sugar.

 

Does Sucralose Help with Weight Loss?

 

According to Consumers' Research Magazine " There is no clear-cut evidence that

sugar substitutes are useful in weight reduction. On the contrary, there is some

evidence that these substances may stimulate appetite. "

 

Where is Sucralose Found?

 

In the United States, the FDA has granted approval for the use of sucralose in

15 food and beverage categories: (For a complete list of products containing

sucralose CLICK HERE)

 

 

a.. Baked goods and baking mixes

a.. Chewing gum

a.. Confections and frostings

a.. Fats and oils (salad dressings)

a.. Fruit and water ices

a.. Jams and jellies

a.. Processed fruits and fruit juices

a.. Sweet sauces, toppings and syrups

a.. Beverages and beverage bases

a.. Coffee and tea

a.. Dairy product analogs

a.. Frozen dairy desserts and mixes

 

a.. Gelatins, puddings and fillings

 

a.. Milk products

a.. Sugar substitutes

 

For a complete list of products containing sucralose CLICK HERE

Comparison to Other Sweeteners

 

 

Its promoters cite several benefits over other sweeteners, such as:

 

 

 

a.. Unlike saccharin, sucralose leaves no bitter aftertaste.

 

a.. Unlike other artificial sweeteners, it remains stable at high

temperatures.

 

a.. Unlike sugar, it does not raise blood glucose levels

As a comparison to sucralose's 600-fold sweetness increase over sugar, consider

the other artificial sweeteners on the market:

 

 

 

a.. Saccharin (Sweet-and -Low) - 300 to 500 times sweeter

 

a.. Aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal) - 150 to 200 times sweeter

 

 

a.. Acesulfame K (Sunette) - 200 times sweeter.

Big Business

 

A 1998 report in Chemical Week states that the high-intensity sweetener market

is about $1.5-billion/year. About 70%-80% of that market is made up of soft

drink sweeteners, of which aspartame has a near monopoly. They note that

although sucralose is 50% sweeter than aspartame, it will be difficult to

persuade many soft drink producers to give up NutraSweet (aspartame) since it is

widely accepted by consumers.

 

Is Anyone Monitoring Post-Approval Reactions?

 

Apparently not. With no established system for monitoring and tracking

post-approval adverse effects, how can it ever be established whether

large-scale and long-term consumption of sucralose is safe?

 

Technical Information

 

Sucralose is made from sucrose by substituting three chlorine atoms for three

hydroxyl groups to yield

1,6-dichloro-1,6-dideoxy-BETA-D-fructofuranosyl-4-chloro-4-deoxy-alpha-D-galacto\

pyranoside. This is accomplished in a five-step process.

 

Prolonged storage, particularly at high temperatures and low pH, causes the

sucralose to break down into 4-chloro-4-deoxy-galactose (4CG) and

1,6-dichloro-1,6-dideoxyfructose (1,6 DCF),

 

The Chemical Abstracts Service Registry number (CAS Reg. No.) for sucralose is

56038-13-2.

 

Should Sucralose be Avoided?

 

The Holistic Medicine Web Page cites the following reasons to avoid sucralose:

 

 

a.. Pre-approval tests indicated potential toxicity of sucralose.

 

a.. There are no *independent* controlled human studies on sucralose (similar

to 15 years ago for aspartame).

 

 

a.. There are no long-term (12-24 months) human studies of sucralose's

effects.

 

a.. There is no monitoring of health effects. It took government agencies

decades to agree that there were countless thousands of deaths from tobacco.

Why? Simply because there had been no monitoring or epidemiological studies.

Without such monitoring and studies, huge effects can easily go unnoticed.

Do Products with Sucralose Carry Any Warning Labels Or Information Statements?

 

 

No. The regulatory agencies and scientific review bodies that have endorsed the

safety of sucralose have not required any warning information to be placed on

the labels of products sweetened with sucralose.

 

Conclusions

 

The Sucralose Toxicity Information Center concludes that:

 

 

While it is unlikely that sucralose is as toxic as the poisoning people are

experiencing from Monsanato's aspartame, it is clear from the hazards seen in

pre-approval research and from its chemical structure that years or decades of

use may contribute to serious chronic immunological or neurological disorders.

 

The Consumer's Research Magazine concludes that:

 

 

 

As Americans continue to choose ever-increasing amounts of such foods and

beverages, sweeteners may soar to higher consumption levels. The long-range

health effects from such escalation need careful evaluation. Do additional

approved sweetening agents truly contribute to good health? Do they really meet

special dietary needs? Or, do they merely further encourage poor dietary

choices?

 

 

--

 

Recent Examples of What Splenda Can Do To You

 

Dear Dr. Mercola,

 

I wanted to thank you for posting your article regarding sucralose, and to

inform you of my reaction to eating it today.

 

I bought a low-carb bar called " Ultimate Lo Carb " by Biochem at a local health

food store. I have been eating foods low in starchy carbs and thought this might

be a good snack bar. Well, almost immediately after eating eat I became

nauseous. Then my stomach starting cramping and I began dry heaving.

 

I wondered what could have caused this and decided to try and read the label.

The only ingredient I did not recognize was " sucralose " .

 

So, I jumped on the internet and did a search for it and found your article. In

the meantime I was heaving and feeling even worse. Well, I am allergic to

chlorine, as well as having a liver that doesn't function very well (I take a

natural supplement called " Lipogen " for liver support as prescribed by my ND),

and when I saw what you had to say about sucralose, I figured that was what was

causing it.

 

I kept feeling worse, and I decided I needed to get it out of my system and took

some ipecac (maybe not the best move, but the only thing I could think of). By

the time the syrup got into my stomach the heaving was getting worse and

intestinal distress was setting in. It was like eating bad seafood. I nearly

died of food poisoning by crab legs a number of years back, and this was the

closest thing to that feeling.

 

Finally everything in my system started coming out, and my body didn't stop

until my entire digestive tract was cleared out. I have never reacted this

violently to anything I have eaten except for when I have had food poisoning.

 

Something needs to be done to get this product off the market.

 

I can't help but be convinced that the FDA takes payoffs. No ethical person

could approve the use of things like MSG (another thing I cannot tolerate

eating), which is classified by the FDA as an excitotoxin and is known to be

harmful to the central nervous system. I will do everything to get people to

read your article and get the word out on the FDA's latest blunder.

 

Best,

Shelley Flis

 

___________________

 

Dear Dr. Mercola,

 

THANK YOU so much for your informative site! I am currently " detoxing " from

using sucralose after a terrible reaction. It all began with purchasing a box of

Splenda. The changes (in my opinion) were subtle.

 

However, my family and friends noticed immediately. I became withdrawn and

disinterested in my usual hobbies. Everything became a " chore. " I was tired

during the day, but couldn't sleep at night either. I play flute which requires

a quick mental process and fingering skills to match but suddenly I was

struggling to play. Typing is difficult, as well.

 

During the past three weeks I noticed myself " zoning out. " I'd become forgetful

and moody. I thought perhaps it was the Splenda, because that was the only thing

different in my daily habits.

 

I quickly dismissed the thought - despite having experienced a similar situation

with Equal a few years back. I called it " Jekyl v. Hyde Syndrome. " But it seemed

I noticed the changes much quicker with Equal than with Splenda.

 

I really suffered yesterday. I was an emotional wreck. I cried and cried. I felt

like I was losing my mind. My husband and son discussed my disturbing behavior

while I was in the shower. Our son, Tim, recalled that the changes began with

that little yellow box. Steve, (my husband,) mentioned it to me. Little by

little, things fell into place, including the unexplainable accident I recently

had in our truck.

 

I had just stopped at a stop sign and the trooper said that I couldn't have been

going over 15 miles an hour when I nearly rolled our truck. Even he said that I

narrowly escaped injury. I nearly had a second accident last week.

 

My senses had become SO dulled, I could barely function.

 

I could not focus on anything. Even playing my flute was so hard. I normally

stand to play, but for the past two weeks at practice, I sat a lot. I felt

" dazed. "

 

This morning, I feel MUCH better than I have in the recent weeks. Not quite

" normal, " but much better. Even the acne (on my otherwise clear skin) is fading

away. Yep! I had a patch of acne, which appeared when I began using Splenda!

 

How many people are suffering from what appears to be diseases - or even acne,

when it is simply a reaction to a chemical they are ingesting? If companies were

forced to list the ingredients of these products, such as arsenic, they'd sure

be a lot more careful! I mean, who would intentionally poison themselves?

 

Sincerely,

Debby Fazekas

 

___________________

 

Dear Dr. Mercola,

 

Four years ago I began to have panic attacks and was on BuSpar for about a year.

I started reading about aspartame and consumed the product daily -- mostly in

diet drinks and was a big consumer of Diet Rite. After learning about problems

other people were having I quit completely consuming the stuff. And have been

panic free for 3 years.

 

In December I started using splenda and at the same time started having a great

deal of anxiety and had a couple of panic attacks but didn't think about the

link of Splenda and the anxiety until about a week ago. I also had my mom

visiting and introduced her to Splenda--guess what-- she started having panic

attacks during her visit and actually cut her visit short due to her feeling

bad.

 

I haven't consumed anymore of it for a week but am still having problems. Oh, I

also was having an irregular heart beat which I did see my doctor about. He

assured me that my blood pressure was excellent and cholesterol also good and I

shouldn't worry about my heart.

 

I consume very little to no caffine. Local doctors don't put much faith in the

idea that Nutra Sweet caused problems. I'm sure my new theory about Splenda

would carry even less weight. By the way, I have a very stess-free life-style. I

run my own little business and set my own hours. I don't believe my environment

is causing any irregular stress.

 

Sue

 

___________________

 

I found this website while researching the new sweetener SPLENDA, a sweetener

included in the DIET ICE BOTANICALS drink made by Talking Rain Beverage Co.,

Preston WA. 98050 Ph. 1-800-734-0748, WWW.TALINGRAIN.COM, currently sold at SAMS

warehouse club.

 

The shocking thing I read at the end of your article on this is the Food

Poisoning like symptoms. I've probably drank about 30 -16oz bottles of the

stuff, which supposedly contains St, Johns Wort, Kava-Kava, and Ginseng, among

other " good " things for you. My son has been sneaking a few bottles to past Mom,

despite my apprehension.

 

We both came down with a similar food poisoning which lasted nearly 10 days for

him, and is going on day 3 for me, and I'm throwing the stuff out today.

 

Thanks for your information,

 

 

x6rj

 

___________________

Dear Dr. Mercola:

 

Thank you so much for your webpage. I recently drank my first bottle of Virgin

Diet Cola, and experienced a mind-numbing headache. I was literally seeing

spots. I read the label, thinking there must be something crazy in the cola. The

one ingredient I didn't recognize was " Sucralose. " My husband, a doctor, said

he'd never heard of the ingredient either.

 

After having read your site, I've cleaned my cupboards of Pure Protein bars,

which I had no idea contained this deadly chemical, and, needless to say, will

NOT be purchasing any of the other products you've listed. Thank you for your

thorough research and intelligent, accessible data.

 

Best -- Megyn Cotner

 

___________________

 

Dr. Mercola,

 

I was horrified to read some of the letters on your website. I was excited at

first to find an artificial sweetener that did not give me Migraines like

Aspartame (which also caused some depression). Although I did not use it a lot,

after about 6 months of OCCASIONAL use, I detected a pattern in my Splenda use

and severe altered emotional state. I became irate, impatient, hyper-sensitive

to noise, clutter and children. I really thought this was a mental breakdown, or

spiritual attack of some sort. These episodes only came periodically, but they

really scared me. Then I noticed a pattern - use of sucralose, followed in hours

(or the next morning) by one of these events (lasting 3 to 5 hours). What a

relief! I'm not really going nuts - and I can fix this, by never using the

product again. What really upsets me is that how many people are suffering and

will NEVER make any connection.

 

How many doctors are treating these people with anti-depressants? How many

body-conscious teenagers are committing suicide because of this severe

alteration of emotional function? I realize that not all people have the same

symptoms, but I would really like to join a support group, or get involved in a

chat room or join a campaign and GET THE INFORMATION OUT!!!

 

I also would be interested in knowing if there is any information on exactly

what component of Sucralose affects the brain/nervous system and causes altered

emotional states.

 

Thank you,

Lugene Azar

 

 

--

 

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

 

Don't let these large companies fool you. There is no magic alternative to sugar

when it comes to sweeteners. You simply can not have your cake and eat it too

when it comes to this area. It is far too early to tell, as not enough people

have consumed this product to observe large numbers of adverse effects.

 

However, I have had a number of patients in our Wellness Center who have had

some severe migraines and even seizures possibly from consuming this product.

 

My advice?

 

AVOID Sucralose.

 

I am fond of telling people that if something tastes sweet you probably should

spit it out as it is not likely to be to good for you. This of course, is a

humorous exaggeration, but for most people who struggle with chronic illness, it

is likely to be a helpful guide.

 

PLEASE note this article is being written in 2000. This is one of the first

comprehensive clear investigative reports and warnings on sucralose on the

Internet.

 

 

 

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