Splenda is a well-known retail brand of sucralose, an artificial sweetener. Sucralose differs from aspartame, another artificial sweetener; sucralose is actually derived from sugar molecules, whereas aspartame is a blend of phenylalanine, aspartic acid and methanol. Sucralose is made by substituting three chlorine atoms for three of the hydroxyl groups in sugar, according to website Women to Women; the compound was discovered in 1976 when British researchers were creating a new pesticide. Manufacturers are allowed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to market sucralose as "derived from sugar" because it still retains much of the sugar molecule.
Headaches
Headaches can range from mild to intense migraines. Each person has a different biochemical makeup and will react differently to chemicals introduced into the body. Depending on the quantity of sucralose ingested, headaches may appear within a short time and can last several hours, according to website 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet. Headaches are usually gone within a day, provided no additional sucralose is consumed.
Weight Gain
Although sucralose is an artificial sweetener designed to have fewer calories than sugar, many consumers have gained weight while using it. Consuming large amounts of food that contains fewer calories will still result in weight gain if there is little activity to burn the excess calories, according to 3 Fat Chicks. Eliminating sweet-tasting foods from the diet is the only sure way of reducing the number of calories from sugar and sugar substitutes.
Stomach Pain
Sucralose is not recognized by your body as a food, which is why it has no caloric value, according to Women to Women. Your body attempts to digest things that it does not recognize as a way of removing them from the system; a it does this, the chlorine molecules are absorbed into your system. Excess chlorine absorbed by the intestines can cause irritation, abdominal pain and discomfort. Bloating is also a possibility. Diarrhea may result, as your body attempts to rid itself of a substance it does not recognize.
Fatigue
Consumers of sucralose have reported sleepiness and fatigue as side effects of ingesting the sweetener. Chronic fatigue occurs within a few hours of eating foods that contain sucralose. Symptoms will be alleviated within a couple of days, once the use of the sweetener has been discontinued, according to 3 Fat Chicks. People with a sensitivity to sucralose or an allergic reaction can also experience confusion, weakness in the limbs or an inability to concentrate. The amount ingested over a certain amount of time can cause different side effects, depending on a person's unique body chemistry. If you suspect an allergic reaction to sucralose, contact a physician.
References
- 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet: Five Health Side Effects of Splenda (Sucralose); April 1, 2010
- Women to Women: Sugar Substitutes and the Potential Danger of Splenda; Marcelle Pick
- 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet: 11 Sucralose Side Effects; February 13, 2010
- Splenda Exposed; New Splenda, Sucralose Study Reveals Shocking Potential Harmful Effects; June 15, 2009
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