Is Splenda Bad for You?

Is Splenda bad for you? Yes, I would say it is based on the research I’ve done. Splenda is a product that my father-in-law uses instead of ant poison to kill off ant infestations on his property.

I’ve seen first-hand how ants are attracted to Splenda, and within a few hours, there’s little more than dusty white dirt and dead ants left.

So, do you think Splenda is bad for you? Take a look at the following points and make your judgment call.

With the massive range of products out there that are being marketed as slow sugar, diet, or fat-free you can’t help but wonder what else is being packed into them.

The science behind artificial sweeteners can be shocking, and more people are asking if it is true that ‘is Splenda bad for you?’

This category of products, artificial sweeteners, includes high-intensity, non-nutritive sugar substitutes such as:

  • Aspartame
  • Alitame
  • Neotame
  • Acesulfame-K, and
  • Sucralose

Is Splenda really bad for you?

Besides being a sweetener, you may be surprised to learn that you can also use Splenda as an insecticide. Yes, you can kill ants with Splenda, give it a try if you are that way inclined.

You will see the ants start to scurry around like they have been supercharged before they eventually curl up and die. And people add Splenda to their coffee and more every day.

According to the New Scientist Magazine, published on November 23rd 1991, consuming Sucralose (Splenda) may result in a range of medical conditions and have serious impacts on your long-term health, such as: 1

  • Shrunken thymus glands
  • Impaired immune system
  • Enlargement of the liver, and
  • Enlargement of the kidneys

Anecdotal evidence of the side effects of consuming Splenda is being seen more and more in society. For example, Sucralose has been implicated in some studies as the likely trigger for migraines.

Have you ever noticed that after drinking something like Diet Coke you have a headache come on?

Adverse reactions to Splenda or Sucralose have been self-reported by participants and compiled by the Sucralose Toxicity Information Center including:

  • Dizziness
  • Numbness
  • Muscle aches
  • Panic-like agitation
  • Diarrhea
  • Swelling
  • Headaches
  • Intestinal cramping
  • Skin rashes
  • Skin flushing
  • Bladder issues, and
  • Stomach pain

This is quite concerning, and in particular, people who have a sensitivity or an allergy to the Sucralose molecule are noted to be among the most likely to suffer.

But it is not currently possible for anyone to know to what degree consuming Splenda impacts the rest of us, and the depths to which our understanding that is Splenda bad for you goes.

There aren’t any long-term studies conducted with humans in large enough numbers to conclude one way or the other it Splenda is safe for the general population.

Some food for thought; nowhere in nature can you find chlorine in food or drinks. Splenda contains chlorine, and this effectively destroys your digestive system.

But what about other artificial sweeteners like Aspartame?

Aspartame brings with it more than 92 noted health side effects which are related to its consumption. It seems surreal, but it is true. So, how can one chemical create so much trouble?

Aspartame dissolves into a solution form and therefore it has little difficulty traveling throughout the body and being deposited within any tissue.

The body is capable of digesting Aspartame, unlike Saccharin, which will not break down inside the human body. When Aspartame is heated up to above 30 degrees under laboratory conditions it converts into formic acid, ethyl alcohol and formaldehyde.

Often you will find that drinks containing these products are sold as chilled beverages, at which time they are not toxic.

However, once you have consumed these, your body has a core temperature that is higher than 30 degrees, typically between 36 and 37 degrees, which causes these substances to become toxic. You certainly don’t want them building up in your system!

There are a broad range of side effects as a result which are quite shocking, possibly more so than wondering ‘Is Splenda bad for you?’ which are known to include:

Eyes

  • Blindness in one or both eyes
  • Decreased vision and/or other vision complications, such as:
    • Blurring
    • Tunnel vision
    • Bright flashes
    • General eye pain
    • Squiggly lines
    • Bulging eyes, and
    • Decreased tears

Ears

  • Tinnitus (hearing buzzing or ringing sounds)
  • Acute intolerance of noise, and
  • Noticeable hearing impairment

Neurological

  • Epoleptic seizures
  • Headaches
  • Migraines (sometimes severe)
  • Drowsiness and sleepiness
  • Paresthesia or a numb sensation in the limbs 2
  • Restless legs
  • Obvious slurring of speech
  • Severe hyperactivity
  • Facial pain, and
  • Severe tremors

Psychological and Psychiatric

  • Severe depression
  • Aggression
  • Irritability
  • Personality changes
  • Anxiety
  • Insomnia, and
  • Phobias

Cardiovascular

  • Palpitations
  • Tachycardia 3
  • Shortness of breath, and
  • Recent high blood pressure

Digestive

  • Diarrhea
  • Blood in the stools
  • Nausea
  • Pain when swallowing, and
  • Abdominal pain

Skin

  • Hives
  • Lip and mouth reactions
  • Itching without rash, and
  • Aggravated respiratory system showing up similar to asthma

Endocrine

  • Loss of control of diabetes
  • Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
  • Menstrual changes
  • Severe PMS
  • Notable weight loss
  • Progressive weight gain, and
  • Significant thinning or loss of hair

Aspartame poisoning is commonly misdiagnosed as Aspartame symptoms mimic textbook ‘diseases’ symptoms, such as:

  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Meniere’s Disease (leading to Vertigo) 4
  • Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
  • Epstein-Barr Virus 5
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Epilepsy
  • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Attention Deficit Disorder
  • Grave’s Disease
  • Lyme Disease
  • Post-Polio Syndrome
  • Lymphoma
  • Lupus

Do any of these symptoms sound familiar? What are your thoughts now about consuming products like Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners or chemicals found in foods? Is Splenda bad for you? What are your thoughts on way that you can avoid these sweeteners?

Reference

  1. “Shrunken glands spark sweetener controversy” – A. Coghlan, 23 November 1991 [News Scientist] [Archive] ↩︎
  2. “Restless legs syndrome associated with use of stevia nonnutritive sweetener” – U. Goswami, S. Pusalavidyasagar, 15 October 2020 [PubMed Central] [Archive] ↩︎
  3. “Tachycardia: Causes, Types, and Symptoms” – WebMD Editorial Contributors, 28 April 2022 [WebMD] [Archive] ↩︎
  4. “Ears – Meniere’s disease” – Better Health Channel Staff, Last checked 6 March 2024 [Better Health Channel] [Archive] ↩︎
  5. Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) Infection: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment” – S. Watson, 1 December 2023 [WebMD] [Archive] ↩︎

Last Updated on 1 month by D&C Editorial Team

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About the Author

Matthew has been on an active journey towards living a healthy life from a young age. Influenced by his Grandmother, a practicing Naturopath who served her community from the 1940's to the 1980's, his views on living holistically were shaped from a young age. Growing up in different parts of Australia, his connection with the Ocean and a passion for sustainability comes through in everything he does and shares.

"I'm not a Doctor, and I don't play one on the Internet." - me

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