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-galactopyranoside. 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?

 

 

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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

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

_

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

 

 

 

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.

 

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

 

 

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