Research in animals has shown that sucralose can cause many problems in rats, mice, and rabbits, such as:
- Shrunken thymus glands (up to 40% shrinkage) (a gland that is the very foundation of our immune system)
- Swelling of the liver and kidneys.
- Calcification of the kidneys
- Reduced growth rate
- Decreased red blood cell count
- Hyperplasia of the pelvis
- Extension of the pregnancy period
- Aborted pregnancy
- Decreased fetal body weights and placental weights
- Diarrhea
The main issue is how few studies currently exist on sucralose. As of
Saccharin: 3001 studies*
Aspartame: 774 studies*
Cyclamates: 653 studies*
Sucralose: 76 studies*
* Number of studies determined by MEDLINE search.
Most of those studies were on animals and 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 (HgbA1c), which is a blood test used to monitor Diabetes. According to the FDA, "increases in glycosolation in hemoglobin imply lessening of control of diabetes”.
Something else to consider is that there are NO Long-term Human Research studies on sucralose. According to the Medical Letter on Drugs & Therapeutics, "Its long-term safety is unknown."
The manufacturer would have you believe that sucralose is not 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.
The pressing issue is understanding the fact that artificial sweeteners have not helped us keep our weight down. 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."
Stop buying into the lie that artificial sweeteners: #1 will help you lose weight and #2 are safe for consumption. 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? If you are continuing to consume sucralose and other artificial sweeteners, you are part of the grand experiment. But you don’t have to deny yourself all together. There are many other healthy and natural sweeteners you can easily use to replace the artificials and even white sugar!
However, if you like the taste of an artificial sweetener, Stevia is the product for you. Stevia is an herb that has been used as a sweetener in
Sources:
Food and Drug Administration "Final Rule " for Sucralose, 21 CFR Part 172, Docket No. 87F-0086.
Lord GH, Newberne PM. Renal mineralization -- a ubiquitous lesion in chronic rat studies. Food Chem Toxicol 1990 Jun;28:449-55.
Labare MP, Alexander M. Microbial co-metabolism of sucralose, a chlorinated disaccharide, in environmental samples. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 1994 Oct;42:173-8.
Hunter BT. Sucralose. Consumers' Research Magazine, Oct90, Vol. 73 Issue 10, p8, 2p.
Sucralose -- a new artificial sweetener. Medical Letter on Drugs & Therapeutics,
No comments:
Post a Comment