mel333
08-30-2002, 01:05 PM
Hi,
I am currently getting myself off all aspartime products after having drunk 2 litres of diet coke a day. I get migranes and think they may be partly due to this chemical. I have read about all the possible adverse effects and lots of info about all sorts of neurological complications etc that may result from this. I am wondering if anyone has had similar problems ?
Mel
I am currently getting myself off all aspartime products after having drunk 2 litres of diet coke a day. I get migranes and think they may be partly due to this chemical. I have read about all the possible adverse effects and lots of info about all sorts of neurological complications etc that may result from this. I am wondering if anyone has had similar problems ?
Mel
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C. Brown
01-04-2003, 11:44 PM
Dear Mel:
I have been addicted to Diet Coke for probably 20 years. Now that I've turned 40, I think it is affecting me more than I know. I don't smoke, do any drugs or drink alcohol (except for an occasional beer). I need to get off this stuff...but get physically sick without it. My main problems are lack of concentration, fogetfullness, and terrible headaches which I attributed to female problems, but am now wondering. Ever tried to talk to a doctor about this? Sincerely, C. Brown
I have been addicted to Diet Coke for probably 20 years. Now that I've turned 40, I think it is affecting me more than I know. I don't smoke, do any drugs or drink alcohol (except for an occasional beer). I need to get off this stuff...but get physically sick without it. My main problems are lack of concentration, fogetfullness, and terrible headaches which I attributed to female problems, but am now wondering. Ever tried to talk to a doctor about this? Sincerely, C. Brown
Merrida
02-16-2003, 10:45 AM
I just made a post about this in open topics (since it is not environmental).
Both my Husband and I get sick from aspartame, usually in the form of terrible headaches and I'd get pretty bad nausea.
Therefore we both have avoided aspartame containing products and for 1-2 years we've been off of it, not drinking diet beverages of any sort.
Then recently (past several months) we've been drinking a low carb diet sports beverage which contains aspartame. We haven't really been getting headaches (the product contains caffeine -- it's sugar free Red Bull) so it replaces any type of caffeine addiction to coca cola for example. But we've both been feeling not quite right, and I've been getting a great deal of cramps which feel like uterine cramps.
These are not the same kind of cramps I get from lower intestine problems or gas, but feel quite similar to period cramps. I'm trying to see if I can figure out what it is or if this is a factor.
Both my Husband and I get sick from aspartame, usually in the form of terrible headaches and I'd get pretty bad nausea.
Therefore we both have avoided aspartame containing products and for 1-2 years we've been off of it, not drinking diet beverages of any sort.
Then recently (past several months) we've been drinking a low carb diet sports beverage which contains aspartame. We haven't really been getting headaches (the product contains caffeine -- it's sugar free Red Bull) so it replaces any type of caffeine addiction to coca cola for example. But we've both been feeling not quite right, and I've been getting a great deal of cramps which feel like uterine cramps.
These are not the same kind of cramps I get from lower intestine problems or gas, but feel quite similar to period cramps. I'm trying to see if I can figure out what it is or if this is a factor.
ds4832
04-08-2003, 02:10 AM
my neurologist told me to stay away from artificial sweeteners because they do contribute to migraine headaches..i use to use sweet'n low for my tea, and would have a diet coke every now and then and sure enough i would get a migraine...also, something in Sprite gives me a headache--anyone know what that might be?
marygert
02-17-2006, 10:31 PM
I have a theory about aspartime and ones health.
I drank diet coke for several years,a six pack or more a day.
I often got headaches,acidy stomach but never connected it to aspertame.
Recently I discovered I have bladder cancer..Now here is where my theory comes into play. Is it possible that aspartime in diet coke contributed to me getting cancer? Ive read several articles since finding out about my cancer. The rat tests etc. Is it possible
there may be connection..what do you think?
I drank diet coke for several years,a six pack or more a day.
I often got headaches,acidy stomach but never connected it to aspertame.
Recently I discovered I have bladder cancer..Now here is where my theory comes into play. Is it possible that aspartime in diet coke contributed to me getting cancer? Ive read several articles since finding out about my cancer. The rat tests etc. Is it possible
there may be connection..what do you think?
Merimac
02-19-2006, 02:13 PM
I am a diet coke drinker, however, I may drink one 12 ounce can per day. I did notice that the amounts consumed that were listed in previous posts, was way more beverage than you would want to take of anything other than water. I am suggesting that large amounts of any chemical may be a problem. I am sorry to hear that you have bladder cancer. I hope that you will have a good recovery. Bladder cancer is getting more common due to many different reasons, some of them we can control, and others are genetic weaknesses. Take care.
Titchou
02-19-2006, 11:24 PM
First of all, getting off caffeine is hard...headaches, nausea, etc. It took me over a year to totally get off caffeine due to this. As for aspartame, for those sensitive/allergic to it, the symptoms are usually the same as low blood sugar...shakey, light headed, etc. The aspartame makes the pancreas react as if you have low blood sugar and therefore the symptoms. I can drink one diet drink and go into full-ledged low blood sugar attack. This has been the case for over 20 years with me. I stay away from all synthetic sweeteners..as well as Splenda as it is processed with chlorine and I'm allergic to chlorine. So I just quit soft drinks of all kinds. Now i drink water...
gort
02-21-2006, 04:29 PM
This is for anyone with addiction and craving problems. Yerba Mate tea is supposed to be great for stopping cravings from the very first cup taken. I've been reading about it and it seems like every second story I see from testimonials states that it cured their years of addiction to coffee, softdrinks and junk food. Although the tea contains natural caffeine it doesn't make you hyper. It supplies more wake up energy than coffee without the jitters. Makes you calm but exhilarated at the same time. These testimonials say they didn't have any withdrawal at all and literally never felt compelled to drink coffee again or diet soda. I just tried it for the first time today. I'm very caffeine sensitive, can't drink coffee or coke at all, and this tea did not make me shaky. It acted like a gentle laxative 2 hours later. I don't feel the "good energy" yet, but my mind is not jumping with multiple thoughts anymore. So it does do something good for me, and that's just my first cup.
Krista2882
02-22-2006, 07:41 PM
Aspartame has given me migraines since I was very young. My mom used to buy sugar-free gum, which had aspartame in it, and It gave both of us bad migraines. So both of us now make sure to check labels before we buy foods to make sure there is no aspartame.
I read a scientific paper a few years ago about all of the health problems associated with aspartame, and I don't know why aspartame hasn't been banned yet.
I read a scientific paper a few years ago about all of the health problems associated with aspartame, and I don't know why aspartame hasn't been banned yet.
MaxOT26
02-25-2006, 01:52 PM
I am curious, can anyone direct me to actual research on aspartame. To my knowledge all the claims about aspartame are not backed by research. I know many doctors warn people about it, and there is a big scare, I just can't find where they are getting it from. You have to consider the products artifical sweetners are in. Generally, the amounts and the products people consume are far from healthy anyway. Not to mention many people's diets all together are very poor. Many of the health problems doctors and people try to nail aspartame for can be cause by any number of things due to the huge number of toxcins are bodies are subjected to everyday. I think it is very hard to pin it to one particular product, until there has been some very good studies done on it. Until research is conclusive, everyone is just guessing and playing follow the leader.
wormiesaber
03-27-2006, 04:40 AM
I drink diet soda. I want to quit it all together, but giving up soda is difficult after all these years. Maybe it's better to drink regular then, though the calorie intake is very bad. And too much sugar. The best thing you can do - take vitamins regularly. I am learning this more and more. And drink LOTS of water, which will clean out your system. This is the best medicine your body can have - water. And drink tea regularly, which can prevent cancers - vitimans will help with this also.
On an average, I probably only drink one diet soda a day. I don't like doing one thing every day, but it's enjoyable. I may not even finish the entire can, but it's still taken in. Aspartame is in my system, but is it enough to matter? I have no idea.
On an average, I probably only drink one diet soda a day. I don't like doing one thing every day, but it's enjoyable. I may not even finish the entire can, but it's still taken in. Aspartame is in my system, but is it enough to matter? I have no idea.
ginamackey
03-28-2006, 02:25 PM
My husband, who never, ever gets headaches, ALWAYS gets a headache when he has anything with asparamane in it. I believe they're proven that it does and can cause headaches. All's we drink now is water or tea. We both feel much better as a result.
Willapp
04-27-2006, 07:49 AM
Just want to share my thoughts on Aspartame. I've read through many articles and I think for definite that it is bad and has caused numerous health issues for me - headaches, vertigo, numbness, blurred vision, shaking, heart palpitations etc. All, I am convinced, caused by years of drinking diet soft drinks, and to a lesser extent, foods containing aspartame.
I've been checked out by my doctor many times for the above symptoms, but never a cause has been found. Yesterday I drank a 500ml bottle of Fanta, containing aspartame, and within an hour had a bad headache (heavy headed feeling) and generally felt awful (sick, disoriented, dizzy). Since then I've read loads on aspartame and have decided I'm going to cut it right out of my diet for good - ALL of the above symptoms have been listed as possible effects of aspartame consumption, and I only used to drink one can of diet coke per day, so my consumption hasn't been excessive at all.
Be aware that the so called 'research' seems to differ in opinion considerably depending on whether it was backed by the producers of Aspartame or not. Aspartame.org is one such website that only sings the praise of Aspartame and how safe it is. Dig deeper and you'll find a very different story.
I've been checked out by my doctor many times for the above symptoms, but never a cause has been found. Yesterday I drank a 500ml bottle of Fanta, containing aspartame, and within an hour had a bad headache (heavy headed feeling) and generally felt awful (sick, disoriented, dizzy). Since then I've read loads on aspartame and have decided I'm going to cut it right out of my diet for good - ALL of the above symptoms have been listed as possible effects of aspartame consumption, and I only used to drink one can of diet coke per day, so my consumption hasn't been excessive at all.
Be aware that the so called 'research' seems to differ in opinion considerably depending on whether it was backed by the producers of Aspartame or not. Aspartame.org is one such website that only sings the praise of Aspartame and how safe it is. Dig deeper and you'll find a very different story.
shadowcharmed
05-06-2006, 10:12 AM
I would be careful about trusting the results of studies. Mostly they are carried out by either the company making the product (how unbiased do you think they are?!), or by medical groups who may well be funded by private companies. Genuinely unbiased research is hard to come by. Personally I would trust the reactions of my own body more than anything else.
If you think you are sensitive to anything, try cutting it out for 6 weeks, then gradually re-introduce it and see what happens.
Bear in mind, that with things like caffeine etc for the first few days after cutting them out you will get things like headaches etc as you are sort of detoxing. Ignore those results and start noticing how you feel about a week after you cut the product out.
I have heard such appalling things about sweeteners that if I'm desperate for a sweet fizzy drink, I'll have ordinary Coke cos I figure that it's just sugar and probably far less bad for me!
If you think you are sensitive to anything, try cutting it out for 6 weeks, then gradually re-introduce it and see what happens.
Bear in mind, that with things like caffeine etc for the first few days after cutting them out you will get things like headaches etc as you are sort of detoxing. Ignore those results and start noticing how you feel about a week after you cut the product out.
I have heard such appalling things about sweeteners that if I'm desperate for a sweet fizzy drink, I'll have ordinary Coke cos I figure that it's just sugar and probably far less bad for me!
sammi2
05-06-2006, 09:03 PM
Any artificial sweeter will trigger a migraine for me. I find it very disturbing that they will be changing all soft drinks in some schools to "diet". If I had small children I'd much rather they consume sugar than artifical sweetener.
Don't you wish people would wake up? Doesn't it make sense that a natural product would be better?
Don't you wish people would wake up? Doesn't it make sense that a natural product would be better?
Texanne
05-06-2006, 10:43 PM
I am curious, can anyone direct me to actual research on aspartame. To my knowledge all the claims about aspartame are not backed by research. I know many doctors warn people about it, and there is a big scare, I just can't find where they are getting it from. You have to consider the products artifical sweetners are in. Generally, the amounts and the products people consume are far from healthy anyway. Not to mention many people's diets all together are very poor. Many of the health problems doctors and people try to nail aspartame for can be cause by any number of things due to the huge number of toxcins are bodies are subjected to everyday. I think it is very hard to pin it to one particular product, until there has been some very good studies done on it. Until research is conclusive, everyone is just guessing and playing follow the leader.
I'm quoting Max because I think that is very sensible. I wouldn't admit this to anyone else, but I drink a minimum of 12 diet sodas a day. (Wild Cherry Diet Pepsi during the day, and Black Cherry Fresca in the evening). I have used aspartame joyfully since it came out in what, 1983, and am sipping iced tea with it right now. I have psoriasis, which my dad has - it's often genetic - and that is my only chronic physical problem. I don't even usually have cramps. I haven't had a full blown cold in years and haven't been in the hospital since I had my last child 9+ years ago. My bloodwork is super, but I walk 30 minutes a day every day. I'm not saying that it is good for you, but my mother, her two sisters, and maternal grandmother all developed Type II diabetes (my mom was thin most of her life, the rest of the ladies were plus sized). I think you have to pick your poison.
As to Max's quote, I would imagine that you could find good clinical studies in the New England Journal of Medicine, or the like, with peer-reviewed research. For me, the best research that artificial sweeteners are generally harmless is in the cohort group of Type I (juvenile) diabetics who grew up on aspartame, etc... If it was truly as bad as people try to say, you would see a whole generation of young diabetics with mutations, or mutated children, whatever else I've read about on the internet.
People have reactions to all sorts of foods and substances. Nuts, dairy, alcohol, tobacco, etc... I got really excited about Splenda when they came out with the big yellow bag and started adding it to my tea, coffee, mixing it into my low-carb stuff, ... and realized that I was having anxiety attacks from Splenda when I started keeping an anxiety journal. I've been using aspartame for 20+ years, with no break, but Splenda was new to my diet. I stopped the Splenda, they seemed to ease (I also went to the doc, got an anti-anxiety med, and had a run of counseling sessions at the same time - so there is no case study here). Everything was better and my husband convinced me that I was silly and Splenda wasn't causing my anxiety, life was. I drank two 7 Up Plus on Sunday night, and by Monday I was having a panic attack even with the meds. Now, I'm not sure that Splenda caused it for a fact, but I'm really careful not to take in too much of it. But I don't want it banned because I know a lot of people who love it and it really helps them manage their blood sugar and weight. And they may not be quite the sweets freak as I.
Just my two cents.
I'm quoting Max because I think that is very sensible. I wouldn't admit this to anyone else, but I drink a minimum of 12 diet sodas a day. (Wild Cherry Diet Pepsi during the day, and Black Cherry Fresca in the evening). I have used aspartame joyfully since it came out in what, 1983, and am sipping iced tea with it right now. I have psoriasis, which my dad has - it's often genetic - and that is my only chronic physical problem. I don't even usually have cramps. I haven't had a full blown cold in years and haven't been in the hospital since I had my last child 9+ years ago. My bloodwork is super, but I walk 30 minutes a day every day. I'm not saying that it is good for you, but my mother, her two sisters, and maternal grandmother all developed Type II diabetes (my mom was thin most of her life, the rest of the ladies were plus sized). I think you have to pick your poison.
As to Max's quote, I would imagine that you could find good clinical studies in the New England Journal of Medicine, or the like, with peer-reviewed research. For me, the best research that artificial sweeteners are generally harmless is in the cohort group of Type I (juvenile) diabetics who grew up on aspartame, etc... If it was truly as bad as people try to say, you would see a whole generation of young diabetics with mutations, or mutated children, whatever else I've read about on the internet.
People have reactions to all sorts of foods and substances. Nuts, dairy, alcohol, tobacco, etc... I got really excited about Splenda when they came out with the big yellow bag and started adding it to my tea, coffee, mixing it into my low-carb stuff, ... and realized that I was having anxiety attacks from Splenda when I started keeping an anxiety journal. I've been using aspartame for 20+ years, with no break, but Splenda was new to my diet. I stopped the Splenda, they seemed to ease (I also went to the doc, got an anti-anxiety med, and had a run of counseling sessions at the same time - so there is no case study here). Everything was better and my husband convinced me that I was silly and Splenda wasn't causing my anxiety, life was. I drank two 7 Up Plus on Sunday night, and by Monday I was having a panic attack even with the meds. Now, I'm not sure that Splenda caused it for a fact, but I'm really careful not to take in too much of it. But I don't want it banned because I know a lot of people who love it and it really helps them manage their blood sugar and weight. And they may not be quite the sweets freak as I.
Just my two cents.
Girlysue
07-10-2006, 03:02 PM
After reading all the bad press about aspartame, I switched to Splenda because it was supposed to be more natural. I used tons of it. As a result, I got such terrible and constant headaches that I thought I had a brain tumor. I only understood that the headaches came from the Splenda after I stopped using it and the headaches stopped. I still do chew sugar free gum which contains aspartame. When I have a bad headache, it is almost always because I have overdosed on the aspartame in the gum.