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Are Diet Sweeteners Dangerous for Diabetics?

Feb 28, 2011 | By Owen Bond

The American Diabetes Association says 24 million Americans have diabetes, an all-time high. Diabetics are encouraged to consume diet products in order to curb sugar intake. The most common diet sweeteners are aspartame, marketed as NutraSweet and Equal, and Splenda. The ADA and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration state that diet sweeteners are properly tested and safe, but some medical researchers think they cause serious symptoms and are not only dangerous to diabetics, but might contribute to the illness.

Diabetes

Diabetes develops when the pancreas produces insufficient levels of insulin or cells do not respond properly to it. Some people are born with a dysfunctional pancreas that does not produce insulin, Type 1 diabetes, while others have pancreatic disability because of lifestyle and dietary choices, which is termed Type 2. Refined sugars such as high-fructose corn syrup, alcohol, pharmaceutical drugs, illicit drugs and a variety of toxins, including artificial sweeteners, can cause pancreatic damage, as cited in "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine." Diabetics have high levels of blood sugar they cannot properly use, which is toxic to nerves and tissues.

Aspartame

Aspartame has been used in the U.S. since 1981. Since then, the safety of aspartame has become controversial within medical and scientific circles. Dr. Robert Walton has said that of 166 studies conducted on aspartame and human safety, virtually all the ones that concluded it was safe had aspartame industry funding or were related politically. About half the studies, which were independently funded, found that aspartame caused serious symptoms. Common symptoms are usually neurologically related due to aspartame's toxic metabolites, which include aspartic acid, glutamate, phenylalanine, methanol and diketopiperazine. According to "Human Biochemistry and Disease," these toxic metabolites not only harm neurological tissue, but also glandular tissue, such as the pancreas.

Splenda

Splenda is a sucralose-based sweetener approved by the FDA in 1999. Problems with Splenda certainly do not compare to those of aspartame, partly because it cannot penetrate the blood-brain barrier like aspartame, but it can adversely affect the body in several ways. Sucralose releases unbound reactive chlorine in the body, which is very toxic. Further, a study published in a 2008 edition of the "Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health" found that Splenda reduces the amount of good bacteria in the intestines by 50 percent, increases intestinal pH levels, contributes to weight gain and affects P-glycoprotein in such a way that medications could be rejected.

Sweeteners and Diabetes

Dr. H.J. Roberts, a diabetes specialist and authority on diet sweeteners, claims aspartame causes clinical diabetes. In a 2003 "Nutrition Health Review" article, Roberts says aspartame fools the pancreas into secreting too much insulin, which removes too much blood sugar, leading to hypoglycemia and difficulty gauging how much insulin to take. Aspartame also overstimulates the pancreas, causing inflammation and negatively affecting the Islet cells that produce insulin. According to Roberts, visual problems, headaches, confusion, seizures and loss of sensation in limbs are accelerated in diabetics who consume artificial sweeteners, especially diet sodas.

Recommendations from the ADA and AMA

Despite concerns from some medical researchers, the American Diabetes Association, the American Dietetic Association and the American Medical Association all agree that aspartame and Splenda are safe for people of all ages, including people with diabetes. According to DiabeticLivingOnline.com, the accusations of aspartame's danger are not based on science, and are largely myths perpetuated on the Internet.

References

Article reviewed by Bonny Brown Jones Last updated on: Feb 28, 2011

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