I had a recent bad experience with cumulative side effects of artificial sweeteners, and I want to share with you what artificial sweeteners have done to me, something I’m still documenting. If you have any of the symptoms that I mention, and if you consume artificial sweeteners, consider going off them and see how you feel.
This is what happened to me:
It started a couple of months ago with lower back pain that I couldn’t explain and that wouldn’t go away. I was using a heating pad every day. Then the pain began to spread throughout my whole body. A little over a week ago things came to a head.
Over a week’s time I became increasingly, alarmingly achy. Everything hurt, and I mean everything. Muscles, joints, my arms, legs, hips, back, even my fingers hurt, for no explainable reason. It was very painful just to bend over, or to bend my leg to put on a shoe. Any simple movement was accompanied by pain. There was no reason for me to be having all this pain. Advil didn’t seem to help. The pain was unreachable.
In addition to the achiness, I experienced a brain fog and chronic fatigue that caffeine didn’t seem to touch. I was also experiencing increasing carpal tunnel symptoms in my hands, to the point where every morning I woke up with a left hand that was completely numb and useless, and which took great effort to “wake up.”
Fearing I may have developed rheumatoid arthritis or fibromyalgia, I researched both, but neither seemed to quite fit my symptoms. Then, because I had heard of a link between aspartame and joint pain, I researched that. What I found astounded me. Apparently there are a lot of people out there suffering like I was, being diagnosed with illnesses like RA that they didn’t have, illnesses that weren’t cured, until they went off artificial sweeteners.
Sucralose, or Splenda, was my sweetener of choice. I was drinking two diet flavored iced teas per day usually, but also lately had added diet soda to the mix. I also occasionally drank diet orange drink and diet grape drink — as long as it was diet and had zero calories, it was for me. Anything to help me not gain weight. I have never liked drinking plain water, so I was always looking to add flavor. I’m not a coffee drinker, so I would add the tea to a Water Joe in the morning for my caffeine kick.
I can’t vouch for the information I found online, so I’m not including any links. I beseech you to do your own research and draw your own conclusions. But what I found was that Splenda had very limited human trials before it was approved by the FDA, and no long-term testing was done for potential side effects. One website said that its chemical composition makes it more like a pesticide than a food.
I found people, including a medical doctor, who realized they were experiencing negative side effects from artificial sweeteners, effects that went away after discontinuing use. This applies to both sucralose and aspartame.
I was mid-way through a diet tea as I was researching this and I poured the rest down the drain. What did I have to lose? It was a simple fix to stop all artificial sweeteners and see what happened. So I did.
That was just over a week ago. I noticed improvement the next day in my level of achiness. Today I can’t say it’s all gone (and some of it may be legitimate from yard work), but there is a definite improvement. I no longer feel as if every movement is an effort.
What has surprised me even more, though, are the improvements in my brain function and energy level. I have much more energy than I have had in recent weeks, and I wake up feeling more alert — the fog is gone. I feel more like my old self, more like I should. I also noticed an immediate decrease in my carpal tunnel symptoms.
It’s only been a week, but I am continuing to document my symptoms on a daily basis. I now drink one regular iced tea a day (because I really don’t want to consume a lot of sugar), and plain water the rest of the day. I can live with that.
If you consume artificial sweeteners and have no problem with them, well….that’s where I started. The effect is cumulative. I, too, was “fine” for a long time, until it became increasingly clear that I wasn’t.
Please research what you’re putting in your body so you know what you’re consuming. Then at least you can consume with full knowledge of what you’re doing, instead of just assuming artificial sweeteners are safe. Based on my own experience, I don’t believe they are. I won’t use them, nor will I allow my son to.
The day I went off sucralose, I packed up a grocery bag of all my drink mixes that contain sucralose, because I didn’t want to accidentally drink one by mistake. It’s a pretty full bag. I have diet teas, diet drink mixes, diet cocoas. I thought of giving them to someone who could use them, but I can’t bring myself to do it. It would be like saying, “Here, drink this poison.” Knowing what sucralose did to me, I can’t knowingly do that to someone else.
So…do what you want to with this information. All I am doing is relating my story. I leave it to you to draw your own conclusions, and I welcome any comments you may have.
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[…] due to very negative side effects, to stop using all artificial sweeteners, which I recounted here. I mentioned that using artificial sweeteners can cause pain to joints and muscles, and that […]
Thanks for the information. It is like you are writing my story for me – I have the same symptoms and I will be stopping the artificial sweeteners right away!
This is me ! I had all the pains you describe and terrible gas all day and it’s from artificial sweeteners and some forms of sugar and artificial dyes in things . I even would get freezing cold nose and hands seconds after I had one of these !
Hi, my husband was diagnosed with RA (blood levels show), and he drinks lots of splenda in both coffee in the am, and then ice tea in the PM. How are your symptoms now that is been a year off of Splenda? Do you think blood levels would show RA if its just from artificial sweeteners? thank you for your information. very helpful.
Good morning: I would like to report that since I stopped using artificial sweetners – I no longer have muscle and joint pain. This is true no lie! I was beginning to question whether I could make it to be old age without being in so much pain – I’m only 47 so that was scary. Sorry, I don’t have any information regarding RA but it sounds like he needs to give up the artificial stuff too.
I will take a few extra pounds from the regular sugar any day in lieu of pain 🙂 Good luck!
Judy, so glad you have found some relief!! Have you tried Stevia or a sugar/Stevia blend? I went to sugar, but starting packing on pounds, so I had to do something else, and the Stevia seems to be okay.
Thank you for reading my blog! 🙂
Katrina, I’m not medically trained, so I can’t say if a blood test showing RA would change. However, I CAN say that your husband may very well see a relief from him symptoms if he stops artificial sweeteners. I couldn’t believe the difference it made for me; I was in so much unexplainable pain, and once I stopped drinking Splenda, I noticed a difference within a day or two.
Long term, my symptoms have not returned. I stay away from artificial sweeteners (and beware, they are everywhere, you MUST read labels!), and since sugar seems to make me gain weight easily, I have opted for Stevia, which I use sparingly, but I seem to have no issues with it (it is a natural sweetener, though it is still processed). You can also get a sugar/Stevia blend, or just mix the two, for a better flavor. I figured I had nothing to lose and everything to gain by stopping Splenda. Once I realized it was the culprit behind my pain, I got rid of all artificial sweeteners in my house.
If your husband is willing, please urge him to get off the artificial sweeteners, at least for a few days, and see how he feels. It’s an easy test to see if it helps.
Food is more powerful than we give it credit for. It can be a medicine, a drug, or a poison. I can’t speak for everyone, but for me, and for many others, artificial sweeteners act like a poison. I did a great thing for myself the day I quit. I urge your husband to give it a try. Best of luck to you both.
This is me ! I had all the pains you describe and terrible gas all day and it’s from artificial sweeteners and some forms of sugar and artificial dyes in things . I even would get freezing cold nose and hands seconds after I had one of these !
I just passed this story to a friend. I’m hoping she will stop the artificial sweeteners and see improvement in the symptoms she’s experiencing…very much like the symptoms described here.
Hello Susan – Yes, I have switched to just regular sugar or Stevia. I’m having better results with those and my joints don’t ache – I’m so glad I found this blot when I did. Have a great day! Judy
[…] had people comment on my post about artificial sweeteners and how much better they feel once they stopped using Splenda, based on what I had posted about my […]
I have had every symptom you are describing for 2 years! I went off artificial sweeteners 4 days ago andI can’t believe it! A Dr I am seeing suggested it when I told him about how bad I hurt. I also had the numb hand at night! 2 years of debilitating pain and In 4 days I feel so good! It’s like a miracle! I want to shout it from the mountain top ! Don’t use artificial sweeteners!!!!
Marcia, so glad you have found relief! The pain can be truly debilitating. I think the medical community needs to be more on board with this. Good for you that your doctor suggested going off artificial sweeteners. It’s such an easy fix to such a terrible problem! There are naysayers, even among some of my friends, who think I must be off my rocker. So when someone else experiences the same symptoms and then relief as I did, I feel vindicated! Thank you for sharing your story!
I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis last spring. My hips, shoulders, ankles and knees were in extreme pain. I couldn’t even get dressed. I was only able to sleep 2-3
hours per night because of the pain. To make a long story short, I got a virus several weeks ago and stopped chewing my sugarless gum. Up to that point, I chewed 2-5 packs/day. Anyways, I noticed my pain went away and the only thing different was that I wasn’t chewing sugarless gum any more. I’m a marathon runner and the RA really has effected my ability to compete since I was in so much pain. The pain now doesn’t exist, even though I do have stiff joints! I am so thankful—I also started taking ginger and turmeric which has helped the swelling of the joints. I really believe it was the sugarless gum that caused my pain. PS…I am even sleeping better!
I had horrific pain that presented primarily in the jaw – but would move all over. Sometime in the chin, sometimes in the sinuses, sometimes the neck, sometimes in the lower back, sometimes in the muscles of the thighs or hips. I tried everything in the book. Dentists wanted to do very expensive treatments to go at it as TMJ. I tried an acupucturist and that didn’t help. Massage – no help. Oxycodone would help but who wants to be on that cr@p?? Finally I decided to cut out the Splenda and the Aspertame. I don’t know which one did the trick but I have my energy restored and pain is gone.
Great article. I’m passing along to a friend who has complained of knee/joint pain for a long time. I personally had major hip and knee pain, and even my hand started bothering me. So bad I could barely sleep. I was never comfortable. It was horrible. I stopped Splenda a few weeks ago (saw some random post that indicated Splenda causes joint pain) and literally 3 days later I was feeling better! It really is amazing. I never thought I’d feel this good again. This time last year I was running and going to the gym 4 x a week. This year I was feeling like a 90 year old woman barely making it up the stares. Awful. I’m excited to get back to the gym and feeling great again!
*Stairs! haha embarrassing.
Me and my sister figured it out about a year ago.We cannot not eat artificial sweeteners She got really bad It moved around to different parts of her body.The worse was when it got to her arms she could not lift them she would cry in pain .I didn’t drink diet drinks like she did.I was more of don’t eat nothing man made .I finally convinced her to quit eating it .And All her symptoms went away I mean ALL she’s feels great And proudly tells people that think they have fibro myalgia and aches and pains her story…
I was diagnosed with Ra very severe case, could not get out of bed. I use Splenda sparingly and don’t have any issues with it, however there are several people, me included,that will have a major flare just as soon as real sugar, bread or grains are consumed.
Such amazing info…I have been go in thru the exact same thing..I drink too much splenda….this might explain it…bless you!!!!!
I have been suffering with muscle and joint pains for the past 8 years. Despite the fact that I live and active life style and eat a healthy diet, I could find no relief for my pain. The pain medications my Dr. prescribed truly irritated my stomach so I had to suffer through the pain. It was getting progressively worse to the point that it started interfering with my exercise routine. I stopped using Splenda about 6 days ago and have noticed a remarkable difference. The terrible pain in my thighs, knees, elbows and calves is all gone. I am using honey in very moderate amounts and intend to continue an active life style to keep from gaining weight. Thank you for writing this article. I found it very helpful.
I use Sweet n Low on a daily basis, with my unsweetened iced tea. I have RA symptoms. No doctor can tell me what it is….I wake up every morning stiff as a board.
What is your take on this? Please help.
Julia, try using Stevia or plain sugar instead. Try it for a week, and see how you feel. It is a very simple, inexpensive way to see if it’s the artificial sweeteners causing your pain. That’s what I did and that’s what it was. I was a heavy Splenda user, had been for years, every day. Within a day or two I could tell the difference. I had been waking up with pain all over my body, in my joints and in my muscles. I never have that pain anymore. I use Stevia and a Stevia/sugar blend in my unsweetened tea now, and I’m fine.
This blog truly saved me from a lot of pain!
I am 1-year out from my first post and I’m still feeling so much better – it really was short of amazing how good I felt after giving up splenda. I have the typical stuff for 48-years old but nothing more – YES!!!!
Sooo glad to hear you are still doing well! I think artificial sweeteners are like a slow poison. They are chemicals. We don’t need them in our bodies.
It took me about 2 weeks to be joint & muscle pain free after stopping artificial sweeteners, but the benefits started the next day. It’s hard to believe these haven’t been banned. At the very least, doctors should advise their patients complaining of muscle pains to quit using them.
I feel it’s a travesty more doctors don’t start there – with diet – and ask about the use of artificial sweeteners. I once heard someone say food was either a medicine, a poison, or neutral. Artificial sweeteners are a poison, in my opinion.
I have been in pain for years now.
I used STEVIA !!!!! Not the Stevia that you can buy in the store, I bought the EXPENSIVE STEVIA the GOOD STUFF that was pure stevia $60.
I just stopped using it and I started to feel better right away. Then it clicked in my head what was causing me so much pain. Its been a week now. I still have numbness in my arms and hands every morning. I feel so angry that I thought I was using the best stuff out there and it has made me so sickly. I only used it in my coffee in the morning and then no more the rest of the day. Ugh! So little of an amount can cause great PAIN !
Thank you Susan Borowski for putting this Blog up on the internet, you have help me see the truth about ALL artificial sweeteners. It is funny how some people can use them and it doesn’t bother them at all and others it brings us to our knees in terrible pain. I do not want this pain any longer. I will take sugar happily ever after!
Oh and anyone who wants to buy Stevia at the store READ the package ingredients as there are fillers that need to bind with the stevia so you can see something pore out of that little package when you rip it open.
Those fillers are also bad for us too.
Marie, it’s interesting how people are “allergic” or “sensitive” to different things. I know someone who has been a lifelong Diet Coke drinker, two every day, and as far as I know, she has no problems with it. For me, if the artificial sweeteners didn’t kill me, the acid would, as I have acid reflux as well. I’ve noticed that sensitivities vary over time. Just within the last year I have become gluten intolerant. A year ago I could eat bread. Now it’s the devil. I have no idea why. Our bodies change as we age, and our sensitivities change with them.
Thank you so much for adding your stevia experience. I was having huge pains in my hips and thighs and wrists. It was the stevia!
Years ago, I had similar issues with aspartame, including serious liver swelling. Until recently, I rarely used any artificial sweeteners, always limiting myself to Splenda with no ill effects. For the past couple of months, I’ve needed an extra boost. Not seeing the “contains aspartame” warning, I choose Rockstar zero calorie energy drinks–two per day for 5 days. I did the same thing last month with no ill effects…until…I started rapidly gaining weight {10 lbs. in 3 days, no kidding!}, became very bloated, and experienced increasing carpal tunnel symptoms. Last night, it was so bad I’d have gone to the emergency room if my hands weren’t too numb and painful to drive. Nothing helped!
I had a hunch I might have missed something about the sweeteners in the Rockstar drinks. A simple search for “sucralose + carpal tunnel” led me straight to your post. Thank you so much for saving me from an expensive, time consuming trip to the doctor {assuming the symptoms stop in a few days}. I really appreciate you sharing your experience. 🙂
Thought I should add that I made a surprising discovery yesterday {maybe surprising for me, but not for you :)}. I still really need the energy right now, so I decided it might be safe to switch to the sugared version of energy drinks. All, with the exception of Amp, include sucralose in their sugared varieties!
I feel a bit duped. I’m a label reader, but what about people who assume non-sugarless products are free of artificial sweeteners? I know it’s a little ridiculous to say it should be “safe” to consume something without reading the label…everything contains harmful chemicals anymore. But, I’m used to looking for the “contains aspartame/Splenda” warning on the front of the package. What happened to that?
I am still experiencing withdrawal symptoms from sweetex, which I used for years…….joint pain, anxiety and raised liver enzymes. This is about 6weeks
for me…..frightened, but I won’t give up, I know I will get better !!
I’m so sorry to hear you’re having such a hard time. Have you tried water-soluble vitamins, especially “D” and “B{s}”? They’re more easily absorbed. Now brand makes B-6 powder similar to Crystal Lite that helps me with those issues. In conjunction with calcium/magnesium, the above may help to ease some of your symptoms. Hope you feel better soon!
i am so glad I read this! I will no longer consume Splenda or anything with sucralose in it. I’ve experienced the weight gain, and the inability to lose it, the mental fog, blurry vision, joint pain, back pain… there is much mentioned on here that I have not experienced. I decided to stop using Splenda for a few days after a conversation I had with a fellow baseball mom yesterday. Now, a few days will turn into never again. Thank you so much for posting. I will update the blog after a few days off of splenda and let you know if there have been any changes in my symptoms.
So aspatane never seem to cause me any trouble. My drink of. choice was diet Pepsi. When Pepsi announced they were changing their formula to replace aspatane with Sucralose, I thought cool. After months of body pain, a cross between having the flu and working out, I stopped drinking diet Pepsi. I seem to improved and decided to start using a pink lemonade drink mix. After a few days, I feel horrible. The same symptoms have returned. I didn’t even want to get out of bed. I read the box of the pink lemonade ingredients over and over and It didn’t see sucralosein in it. Later that day, after I forced my self to get going, I decided to stop and buy some more because my box was empty. I reread the box again and there it was sucralose. Don’t know how I missed it the first, second, and third time but I did.
I usually only drink water but to cut cravings for sugar I will occasionally drink “Ice”. I am fir for a few days but if I drink it 3-4 days in a row I develop a sharp pain in my side. It scared me at first but If I go back to only water it goes away. Every now and then I forget and drink it again at it happens all over again. I can definitely tell when I drink it.
I gave up sucralose two days ago. This is only the second day and my horrible sacroiliac joint pain is gone! I’m amazed. It had gone from bad to worse. The pain clinic did all they could do, to no avail. I was walking with a cane. I had gone from one “fizzy water” a day to about four and the pain got horrible. I was even looking at the OTC brain boosters to remove the fog. And I kept eating, eating, eating. I have chronic kidney disease so I have to be careful what I eat. I have no idea if my blood work will show improvement the next time that is done…. I hope so. Also, I desperately need to lose 50-60 lbs. giving up sucralose has diminished my appetite. I had to make myself eat a salad yesterday. I hope small appetite continues. I’d like to monitor this site to see if everybody’s positive effects continue.
My positive effects are still continuing to this day. I was so happy to run across this blog years ago as it saved me from unknown pain in multiple areas that I really didn’t understand and neither did the doctors. I have the normal pain in my knees that are hereditary or age-related but all that other stuff dissipated.
I have Raynauds and have for a long time. I am 75. Recently I am scaling back on artificial sweetener although I still drink one diet pop/day, etc. It is now cold in Indiana. I walk outside 3 miles/day. It’s been a winter problem with my hands getting VERY cold! I noticed lately that my hands do not seem to be getting as super cold. I do wear good mittens, of course, but I did other years too. I wonder if it is related to the sweetener or lack thereof?
OMG. I just googled my symptoms of bone pain, swelling, and numbness and tingling of fingers with Splendd intake and this popped up. I consume about 20 packets daily. My husband was suspecting my Splenda consumption was the culprit, and I thought he was crazy. Yesterday morning it was so bad, that I eliminated Splenda. I woke up this morning still a little achey, but less swelling and no numbness of my fingers. I am a longtime nurse, and I can’t believe this might actually be what my problem is, but it’s looking that way! No more Splenda for me. I plan on documenting my symptoms for the next few weeks and pray it continues to get better. Thank you for sharing!
What is scary about this is that I could have written your article word for word. I kept saying out loud as I was reading, “that’s me!” and “yes”! Thank you for sharing your story – it is an important one.
And now some studies say sucralose kills off 50% of our good gut flora, which may explain Susan’s new gluten intolerance, and all of our own slowly increasing symptoms over months and a year, etc.
I’ve had the side pain, feeling like I’m 99 years old, hip joint & knee pain, ankle pain, lower back pain, jaw pain, numb hands, restless uncomfortable sleep for most of 2016.
Wow, I hadn’t heard that one, but it would explain a lot of my digestive issues. I hope you find relief and feel better very soon!
The sound like my symptoms exactly. Granted I have a history of low back pain but I get out of bed my shoulders hurt of generalized upper back pain my hips hurt my legs hurt my feet hurt and it takes 2 hours just to get loosened up. I’ve also feared that I may have ra or fibromyalgia and have also research them but found out my symptoms don’t quite fit the same as you. It’s going to be difficult for me to give up my diet beverage because I can’t seem to tolerate coffee or tea and I feel like I really need the caffeine. However I’m going to reach down inside myself for whatever strength I have to stop this stuff right now and see what happens. Thank you so much for posting this I think you’re most likely correct. Thank you again
I’ve used Splenda for about ten years now and had no issues because of it. I have recently read several articles on the negative affects of substitute sweeteners so I decided to do away with them as my New Years resolution for 2017. On the third day, Jan 3, I woke up with pain in every joint, so bad I didn’t want to move. I had to take ibuprofen to get through the day and thought I was coming down with some horrible flu. I am now on day 10 and the pain is still there. I did some research online and looked up withdrawal from Splenda and one of the withdrawal side effects is fibromyalgia (or identical pains). I am hoping that this is the cause and that in time it will pass but from what I read it could take a month or more to rid my body of this chemical. I exercise regularly and the more I move the better I feel but as soon as I stop moving I can feel it creeping back. Mornings are still horrible. Anyone else experience this withdrawal?
How did it work out for you?
Thank you for your post. I am a 44 years old male and I had the same symptoms, joint pain, achy feeling all the time that made my life very difficult to move around and do regular chores, specially the stairs. I went to the doctor many times and he gave me pain killers that only helped for few hours. I suffered from this for almost 4 years. My doctor said may be it is weight related because I weigh 50lbs more than I should. So I decided now lose weight but also think what else could be the reason for these pains. My hunch was that the artificial sweetener could be the culprit (I was using Sugar Twin for about 13 years) plus diet sodas 3 to 4 a month. I then decided to stop taking this because I read somewhere that theses sweeteners can cause inflammation and that is why I was getting all these joint pains and feverish achy body. My blood reports were also always showing a little elevated white blood cells count (means inflammation in body) from past 5 or so years with no obvious reason.
Since I stop taking the artificial sweeteners 2 days ago I feel a big change in me, very minimal joint pain, hopefully it will go away soon. I will now see what other changes I could see in my body. Someone mention they had blurry vision too. I think I feel better on that front also but I need more time to really see if it is gone. I will have my blood test done in a month or two to see if it made there is any change to my white blood count. I really hope it goes down to remain the normal range.
I read on http://www.foodrenegade.com “Many artificial sweetener cause inflammation especially if you are already prone to it. Aspartame is a common artificial sweetener than many people identify as a culprit. A better choice is natural sweeteners like honey and black-strap molasses.” actually this inflammation cause the joint pains and feverish body aches.
I also read on another website http://www.arthritis.org says “Trying to go sugar-free? Aspartame is a non-nutritive, intense artificial sweetener found in more than 4,000 products worldwide. It is a neurotoxin, which means it affects the brain. If you are sensitive to this chemical, your immune system will react to the “foreign substance” by attacking the chemical, which in return, will trigger an inflammatory response.”
Thanks again for your post and many comments which verified that the bad feeling of joint pain and body aches is actually caused by artificial sweeteners.
I am so thankful that I ran across this blog years ago because it totally saved me from pain. I have been better every since I stopped taking artificial sweetners. Yes!
Wow! Thanks for this info.
At this time I am going exactly through this.
Brain Fog, back ache and my joint hurts !
The only difference in my diet was Splenda!
This makes sense!
I stopped drinking artificial sweeteners about 6 weeks ago and all my pain also disappeared. I have even been walking more since then and not experiencing any pain. Friday and Saturday I drank a skinny latte with sugar free syrup, and I drank a sugar free tea/lemonade Saturday. Today I am in SO much pain!!! It’s crazy what these sweeteners do to our bodies.
Omg this is freaking me out I went off sugar started taking Splenda I felt like my hands were too heavy for my wrist and they were turning in my head felt numb like it was falling asleep and achy and sore now I’m convinced it’s a Splenda I’m going off it today can you tell me please if your hands felt like they were starting to deform like turn in wow thank you so much for this information
Wow…today will be my first day off of this stuff. I have been suffering with Fybro for 4 years now, and have just had to come off all meds because they no longer work. I have been given pain meds only and told this is going to be my life. I refuse to accept that! Thank you so much for writing your article! I went to a holistic facility yesterday, and the first thing she asked me was “do I use Splenda”? I hadn’t heard any of this, so she told to eliminate it from my diet asap. So this am, I thought I’d look it up and came across your article. Again, I’m so glad I did!!! Thanks for writing!
So glad you found out about it! Let us know what happens. It shouldn’t take long to notice a difference.
I too started having random pain once I started a low carb way of eating in April. Drinking diet sodas, protein shakes and sugar free candies I believe was causing the pain so I completely gave up sugar free candy but the pain has gotten worse. I went and got tested and I have very low vit D and most of all my tests for rheumatoid arthritis came back normal but one. My dr put me on a high dose of vit D and inflation medicine. I am now going to give up everything with “fake sugar” and see if that helps. My symptoms are in random places and cause so much pain. My dr did X-rays of three places that hurting and all came back normal. I’m not sure what it could be but they are like shooting pains throughout the top part of my body. I hope it goes away soon.
I barely survived aspartame poisoning 20 years ago. Docs were telling me RA or Lupus, although blood tests did not reflect those diagnoses. Had been consuming 3-4 diet cokes a day for about a year and a half when my world began falling apart. Found out about aspartame, stopped consumption immediately, 6 weeks later my symptoms were gone! Yay! Am currently experiencing severe joint pain with no explanation. I use 3 heaping spoons of coffee creamer (powdered), in my coffee each morning. Just realized this morning that the creamer contains sucrulose. DAMN! Here we go again! Goodbye creamer! READ THE LABELS PEOPLE! 😦
It was over 4 years ago when I began experiencing severe joint pain throughout my entire body. This simply got progressively worse for about 6 months. Then I came upon an article about aspartame and it’s potential side effects. So I stopped drinking diet Coke and within a couple of weeks all was well. Since then I have discovered that in my particular case I have no tolerance for any kind of artificial sweeteners whatsoever.
Thank you for your story. I am 56 and relatively active. I can usually walk three miles without an issue. In the last few weeks I have been experiencing joint pain in my knees, shoulders, elbows and hips. It seemed to come on out of nowhere. I thought about what I’ve been doing differently. Aspartame came to mind immediately. I’ve been stopping for a diet lemonade daily on my way home from work- I’ve also been drinking diet iced tea. This is a switch from water and is the only change that I have made to my typical diet. I’m going to stop all artificial sweeteners. Hopefully that will do the trick. Your experience is so similar to mine. Thanks for your insight!
Good Grief! I was desparate to find out why my neck and shoulders have hurt me so very bad! I thought it might be this stuff, and it is! Thx so much for this article!
Oh my. All I can say. This describes my situation including the carpel tunnel. I quit drinking the diet soda about 5 days ago and I already feel better. I have been drinking a diet tea but I will check that one out too. Thank you for sharing.
I have been using artificial sugar since I was 18 ,I am 65! Stopped 3 days ago because I need to lose 40 lbs and I want to eat healthy. I have heard a lot about the effects of artificial sweeteners having a affect on weight. I’m curious to see how this all works out.
Thank you for sharing this. I drink nothing but Crystal Lite and I have been having a lot of joint pain in hands and fingers. I pray stopping this will solve my problem. Bless you!
I agree completely, I’ve been drinking Diet Coke for 25 years. I remember that I had to acquire a taste for it and then it seemed to taste fine. I have had terrible aches, stiffness and pain throughout my entire body, back, hips, neck, knees along with mental fog and inability to focus. I quit for 3 days now and feel 29 years younger, I’m hopeful it only gets better. Now drinking water and still coffee. Will never give up my coffee but I use real sugar to sweeten it.
I can give testimony – this blog changed my life!
Dear Susan,
I am a 57 year old man with uncontrolled Type 2 Diabetes since 2010. I am fortunate to have a Life Coach, Kathleen Paulbeck. She sent me a link to your articles after listening to the breadth and severity of the pain I’ve been experiencing. Kathleen suggested that since several doctors were unable to diagnose the reason for my pain, that maybe I should also look at what I am putting in my body. After our last meeting, we decided I would wean myself off aspartame. Well, in my typical “black or white” style, Tuesday evening at 7:30 pm was my last beverage with aspartame! It is Friday, and the severity of my pain is lessened. The edge is going away. And…wait for it…my blood sugar is trending lower! I don’t pretend to know how or why aspartame seems to wreak havoc on my body. But I do know that my mind is more clear, my body is in less pain, and I have a glimmer of hope for the future.
Thank you both!!
We’ve had several incredible break through’s during our sessions, but this maybe the one that sets you free. Your commitment to being open to hear and see the truth, will give you the happiness you are looking for. I look forward your continued success!
I am so happy you found my blog post about this! All I was doing was sharing my experience, but others are finding healing as well. I’m so grateful that I can be an instrument of healing.
So Wow…I am going to do that today…back when I was you ger…I ran into someone who was a major in college in chemistry ….he said that the FDA could only approve artificial sweeteners because they are not considered poisonous until they reach 84 degrees. I SAID WOW .he then looked at me and said what is the internal twmperature of your body? I said 98.6 right? He said exactly…So he explained. Befire it enters your body, it is legally quote food safe..and that is the FDAs loophole…however because our bodies are naturally above 84 degrees its is killing us and turning into a lethal weapon..therefore killing us..btw many researches have been done on this topic at universities ..look up .edu and .org websites…hope this helps someone..ALEAYS RESEARCH EVERYTHING…ALWAYS
I came upon this article because I have been suspecting that artificial sweeteners are causing my widespread body pain and began to research it. I specifically notice pain after I consume Crystal Light water flavoring. I had it last night for the first time in a couple of weeks and was awoken with pain last night – I am convinced it’s the cause – especially after reading this. Thanks for your insight!
I have all the same symptoms!can barely move in so much pain!i drink excessive amounts of diet drinks so I will stop them and see what happens!
Please let us know what happens!
From about Thanksgiving until Christmas I couldn’t use my right arm without it sending an electrical like current sensation down my arm to my hand. My sister told me about consuming artificial sweeteners in Diet Pepsi, which I consume a lot of. She said that I probably won’t believe the connection between artificial sweeteners and pain but told me to look it up and what did I have to lose. That was on December 9 and I stopped that day. Day after Christmas I noticed I was using my hand to wash dishes without little or no discomfort, only a dull twinge in my palm. It’s unbelievable!! I went for an MRI on the advice of my doctor but when I see her for my results am going to tell her I rather pursue this avenue first before I consider any type surgery. Thank you for making me feel like I’m not the only one this has happened to.
Excellent news! Let us know how you continue to progress. It has become increasingly apparent to me that the wrong food can be a poison, just as the right food can be medicine.
Artificial sweetners. DO CAUSE JIONT PAIN AND HEADACHES
I stopped using all artificial sweeteners 18 months ago after reading that they can contribute to stroke and dementia. Until then I took 75 mg of Voltaren daily for arthritis pain. After a few weeks i noticed that I’d skipped a few pills each week, and within two months, I no longer needed arthritis pain relief; I stopped the anti-inflammatory drug altogether. I use a little sugar when I need sweetener (every day with coffee), and the arthritis pain has not returned.
I am glad to hear you made the connection!
I suffered for YEARS because of artificial sweeteners ( equal and splenda were my go to’s). To make a long story short, I saw several doctors due to my pain, brain fog, and headaches. I had a bone scan, x rays, brain MRI, whole body MRI, etc.. Every Dr said there were all normal and was finely diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I continued to suffer for years to the point I could hardly walk anymore. I began to have such severe pain in my head and ended up in the ER with severe vertigo and intractable vomiting. I was referred to an ENT. It was only then, a Dr asked about the use of artificial sweeteners. She told me to stop using them. The next day I quit artificial sweeteners completely. What did I have to lose? Within a matter of days I felt like I did when I was a kid! My pain subsided, my headaches were gone, I could walk/run again, my fatigue and brain fog gone! It was a miracle I felt. I have since confirmed my “sensitivity ” since due to consuming artificial sweeteners unknowingly to have all my symptoms return…I then found out it was because I just had something with A.S. in it. I was slowly and torturously being poisoned.
Wow, that’s quite a story. I was headed down that road myself, and just before I was going to call the doctor’s office for an appointment (thinking it was fibromyalgia), I luckily remembered reading about a connection between joint pain and artificial sweeteners and, like you, figured what did I have to lose? Like you, my symptoms were gone in days. I’m sorry you had to go through all that testing and pain before figuring it out. Hopefully more doctors will be made aware of the connection and tell their patients. It’s a simple fix that costs nothing. I’m so glad you’re feeling better!
Wow!!! I cannot believe this! I was literally about to call the doctor due to joint pain, (I’ve got Crohns disease and was nervous that I was developing RA as well). As I sipped my Crystal Light it occurred to me that I have been drinking this mix every day for the past 3 weeks, which was when my symptoms started. A little Google search and this came up immediately. Literally EVERY SYMPTOM you described is what I have been experiencing, joint pain, fatigue, feeling cloudy, headache, just not myself. I just threw out my drink mixes and will not touch this stuff again!! Thank you all SO MUCH! I hope this helps!
I just found this page. I was using Equal, drinking diet sodas and drinks as well.
My foot pain became so bad I could barely walk from my car into my office and at home going up and down the stairs was agony.
2 weeks ago I quit all artificial sweeteners and other than an occasional twinge here and there, I feel spectacular.
The pain kept me from my regular exercise as it began moving to my knee as well.
I have not started jogging again because I do not feel 100% recovered but I am 95% and back to biking 7-10 miles and using the elliptical for 45 minutes a day.
My Lord, this stuff is poison. I wish I had found your blog before using it.
Thank you for the information. I have shared your link with a few friends.
Hi Susan, i want to thank you for this article. Over the last 6 months i have suffered terribly from chronic fatigue, muscle weakness & pain. I could not get out of a chair or bend down at all. If i had to lift something that was before an everyday thing i did, it took me weeks of recovery. I battled with sleep, especially pain in my elbow & shoulder joints. I had blood tests done in the very early part of this dredded condition. My iron levels were extremely high, so my doctor asked to get another test done 6 months, thinking it may be haemochromatosis. I have just waited in agony for 6 months. I did another blood test at the time of this debilitating condition was ruining my life. My doctors appointment for the results of that test, was for today (Friday 16th August), On Tuesday 13th August, I was trolling through a FB page on Fibromyalgia (thinking that this is what i have for the last 6 months), when someone there asked if i drank diet coke. I usually have 1 glass a day. I then started too google the artificial sugars,and muscle weakness, and your article came up. I read your story and couldn’t believe what i was reading – it was my story.. I stopped drinking the diet coke on Wednesday the 14th, my symptoms have gone. I have no more weakness or joint aches, or chronic fatigue, or foggy brain. Its really unbelievable, to tell the truth. I have just gotten back from the doctor visit. If i had not read your article and came off the diet coke – My test results have come back with having very high joint inflammation, high iron. I would have been labeled as having Polymyalgia and would have been put on steriods, if i was feeling like i did on Monday. How crazy is that? I wonder how many others out there that have been labeled with this sort of thing and now depend on drugs!!
So, again, i would like to thank you again. I have another blood test to do in 2 months time, so i will see if the inflammation & iron results come down when not drinking diet coke..
Tracey I’m so happy you figured it out and that I was of help! I hope you continue on your journey to wellness!
Oh my gosh THANK YOU SO MUCH! I have been experiencing the same symptoms and have been going crazy trying to figure out what it could be or what could be causing it. My husband and I were making our own sweet tea using Splenda when we first moved in together. I began to have these effects. Then we found that we liked Gold Peak Diet Teas so we had been buying them for the past 2 years. I didnt really pay too much attention but the symptoms just seemed to go away. So recently, we decided to tighten our belts and start making our own tea again to save money. We have been making it for about a month now and my symptoms have returned. This morning I barely have enough strength or energy to type this message. Let alone get up and walk to the bathroom from my desk at work. I had suspected Splenda but now I know I am not going completely crazy!! Glad you are feeling better!! Thank you again!
Do u use stevia?
I do, but try to limit it. And I use organic stevia or even home grown (dry the leaves of the plant and use it to sweeten tea).
Hi, I’ve been looking to find links between artificial sweeteners and pain for a while and this describes a very similar experience to mine.
About 5 years ago I started drinking loads of diet sodas while I was dieting to stop myself craving food and I was drinking 3/4 cans a day. Around this time I started becoming very stiff at work (I’m a gardener) and experiencing incredibly bad lower back pain which I attributed to work. I thought I was possibly also suffering from M.E. as I was always exhausted.
I eventually got bored of the stuff and pretty much stopped drinking it, started feeling better but didn’t make the link. Painkillers wouldn’t touch the pain and heat pads gave very little relief.
Occasionally over the last few years I would buy sugar free cordial/squash and realised if I drink a few glasses I am in a lot of pain. I feel like it hits my kidneys and they are unable to process it and become inflamed.
Last night I stupidly drank a glass of cordial at a friend’s house before bed. I woke around 3am in terrible lower back pain which drove to have another search on the internet to find other people who experience this and am very happy to find your article!
For me I really do think the pain stems from my kidneys and takes around half a day and a lot of water to flush it out.
No more sweeteners for me! Thanks again, Heather.
I feel like you saved me. I went a year with the same problems and thought I was losing my mind. I randomly stumbled upon this and every ting you posted hit me hard……I thought there was no way the solution to my problem could be this easy……I immediately tossed all my Splenda away and within 4-5 days all my symptoms went away…….after 11 long months!!!!…thank you!!!
I’m glad you found my post too! I’m glad I could help.
I’m glad I ran across your message about artificial sweeteners Susan. As I read, it amazed me how similar your symptoms were to mine when using the same two sweeteners, sucrulose and aspartame. Aspartame made my vision jumpy and blurred. When in a store with flourescent lighting, I felt like I was getting epilepsy and would have to sit down with eyes closed till the symptoms passed. I stopped drinking soft drinks with aspartame and the symptoms soon disappeared. I read somewhere that pilots should not use aspartame. Sucrulose causes sores like canker sores in my mouth and on my tongue. My doctor thought I might have candida but stopping the sucrulose solved the problem.
Just want to post a quick update…reading back some of the comments, stevia was bothersome to some people and I was using it just fine. Until I wasn’t. I realized a few weeks ago that overuse of stevia gave me issues as well…in my case, unexplained dizziness that went away when I stopped using it. So, I use a little sugar sparingly when I need to in my tea and certain foods (just enough to take the bitterness out, not enough to make it sweet) or forego the sugar altogether. I have found that sugary things taste way too sweet now. Americans as a rule consume far too much sugar. If you want a less sugary dessert, try some British recipes; they use far less sugar, and the desserts still taste great; chocolate roulade and profiteroles are my favorites. Or bake with honey or maple syrup. Natural is best. If we stop putting chemicals in our bodies we’ll be much better off.
I had no idea when I started this post that it would help so many people. I can’t express how grateful I am for your comments and your stories. Stopping the use of artificial sweeteners may not be the cure for everyone, but it has obviously been the cure for many, and I’m so grateful to have been able to help even one person heal. The more we get the word out, the more people will be helped. Thanks for listening. – Susan Borowski