Splenda - Exposed Again

James Turner, the chairman of the US national consumer education group Citizens for Health, has expressed shock and outrage after reading a new report from scientists outlining the dangers of the artificial sweetener Splenda (sucralose).

In animals examined for the study, Splenda reduced the amount of good bacteria in the intestines by 50 percent, increased the pH level in the intestines, contributed to increases in body weight and affected P-glycoprotein (P-gp) levels in such a way that crucial health-related drugs could be rejected.

The P-gp effect could result in medications used in chemotherapy, AIDS treatment and treatments for heart conditions being shunted back into the intestines, rather than being absorbed by the body.

According to Turner, “The report makes it clear that the artificial sweetener Splenda and its key component sucralose pose a threat to the people who consume the product. Hundreds of consumers have complained to us about side effects from using Splenda and this study … confirms that the chemicals in the little yellow package should carry a big red warning label.”

This is really important “Splenda (sucralose) is actually NOT sugar” , despite its marketing slogan “Made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar”. Rather it’s a chlorinated (chlorine = bleach) artificial sweetener in line with aspartame and saccharin, and with detrimental health effects to match.

Splenda was approved about 10 years ago as a tabletop sweetener and for use in products such as baked goods, nonalcoholic beverages, chewing gum, frozen dairy desserts, fruit juices, and gelatins. Sucralose is also permitted as a general-purpose sweetener for all processed foods.

Approval was given after more than 110 animal and human safety studies but only two were human studies, and the longest one was conducted for four days!

The evidence about the negative effects of Splenda and other artificial sweeteners is now overwhelming and yet governments seem unable (or unwilling) to do anything about it. Consuming artificial sweeteners will damage your health.

However a recent study published in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, found even further disturbing news besides weight gain.

Splenda:reduces the amount of good bacteria in your intestines by 50 percent increases the pH level in your intestines (that’s really bad news), and affects a glycoprotein (these form the code of the immune system) is absorbed by fat, contrary to previous claims.
The consequences of using splenda may be far reaching because the gut, where these good bacteria live, is the front line of the immune system. Use Splenda at your peril.

Studies have repeatedly shown that artificial sweeteners can:

• Stimulate your appetite

• Increase carbohydrate cravings

• Stimulate fat storage and weight gain

Want to lose weight – Don’t use Splenda

Unfortunately the level of ignorance around artificial sweeteners is alarming and far from having dietary benefits these toxic chemicals should not be considered as an acceptable alternative to sugar (sucrose actually).

Splenda – Health Risks
James Turner, the chairman of the national consumer education group Citizens for Health has gone on record as saying:

“This report followed accepted policies and procedures and the results make clear the potential for disturbing side effects from the ingestion of Splenda.
It is like putting a pesticide in your body. And this is at levels of intake erroneously approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

A person eating two slices of cake and drinking two cups of coffee containing Splenda would ingest enough sucralose to affect the P-glycoprotein, while consuming just seven little Splenda packages reduces good bacteria.”

The web site www.truthaboutsplenda.com lists a variety of consumer complaints from Splenda consumption, such as:

• Gastrointestinal problems
• Migraines
• Seizures
• Dizziness
• Blurred vision
• Allergic reactions
• Blood sugar increases
• Weight gain

The symptoms of Splenda poisoning are clear if you know what to look for:

• allergic symptoms - Skin – Redness, itching, swelling, blistering, weeping, crusting, rash, eruptions, or hives (itchy bumps or welts).
• Lungs – Wheezing, tightness, cough, or shortness of breath.
• Head – Swelling of the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, or throat; headaches and migraines (severe headaches).
• Nose – Stuffy nose, runny nose (clear, thin discharge), sneezing.
• Eyes – Red (bloodshot), itchy, swollen, or watery.
• Stomach – Bloating, gas, pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or bloody diarrhea. Heart – Palpitations or fluttering. <
• Joints – Joint pains or aches.
• Neurological – Anxiety, dizziness, spaced-out sensation, depression.

What foods contain Splenda

Processed foods, carbonated drinks, alcoholic drinks, pharmaceutical drugs.

Any food labeled as diet, light, low sugar, low fat is a likely source of splenda.

Splenda is Unsafe – It has never been approved really

As of 2006, only two human trials have been completed and published on Splenda and only 2 trials were completed prior to being approved in 1998. Those trials only contained 36 people and only 23 were given sucralose. One trial looked at tooth decay with sucralose and that lasted only 4 days.

The global approval of Splenda was granted on the basis of 23 people taking sucralose for a maximum of 4 days – most of the 100 studies talked about were on animals.

those animal studies reveal plenty of problems, such as: Decreased red blood cells — sign of anemia — at levels above 1,500 mg/kg/day
Increased male infertility by interfering with sperm production and vitality, as well as brain lesions at higher doses
Enlarged and calcified kidneys (McNeil stated this is often seen with poorly absorbed substances and was of no toxicological significance. The FDA Final Rule agreed that these are findings that are common in aged female rats and are not significant.)
Spontaneous abortions in nearly half the rabbit population given sucralose, compared to zero aborted pregnancies in the control group
A 23 percent death rate in rabbits, compared to a 6 percent death rate in the control group
Splenda is closer to DDT Than Sugar

Sucralose is in fact a synthetic chemical that was originally cooked up in a laboratory. It does start off as a sucrose molecule. Then, in a five-step patented process of making sucralose, three chlorine molecules are added to a sucrose (sugar) molecule. The chemical process to make sucralose alters the chemical composition of the sugar so much that it is somehow converted to a hybrid and un-natural fructo-galactose molecule.

This type of sugar molecule does not occur in nature, and therefore your body does not possess the ability to properly metabolize it. As a result of this “unique” biochemical make-up, McNeil Nutritionals makes its claim that Splenda is not digested or metabolized by the body, hence it has zero calories.

But, if you look at the research (which is primarily extrapolated from animal studies) you will see that in fact an average of 15 percent of sucralose IS absorbed into your digestive system, and according to this latest study, it is also absorbed into your fat cells.

Unfortunately, if you are healthy and your digestive system works well, you may be at HIGHER risk for breaking down this product in your stomach and intestines!
Switch To Trehalose – the safe natural sugar that even has health benefits

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?orig_db=PubMed&db=pubmed&cmd=Search&TransSchema=title&term=Journal%20of%20toxicology%20and%20environmental%20health.%20Part%20A[Jour]%20AND%202008[pdat]%20AND%20splenda