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Sweetener in Whey (effects)

tray

New member
What are everyone's views and experiences with sweeteners found in most whey powder?

It didn't bother me before - I'm a shake it up and chug it down kind of guy. However, I switched brands recently and began having some of the worst magraine in years.

After prolonged headaches, I narrowed the new whey as a suspect, and googled for more information.

Turns out many others had similar issues, usually linked to the sweeteners. So, I had a close look at the ingredients for the first time, and found E995 (Sucralose).

Reading up, like most controversial food additive, there's a side that claims it's completely safe and the other that says it's toxin.

What mattered was that once I stopped for several days, my headache was gone. Obviously this experential evidence is all it takes for me to avoid sucralose products from now on.

For comparison, my old whey includes a sweetener as well, Stevia, apparently a more natural version. I don't believe that completely, and there are its critics, but at least it doesn't cause me headaches.

In any case, I'm just curious why supplement companies selling to nutrition-concious customers would include such controversial sweetners in the products?

Can't we just have natural sweeteners? Or unsweetened, which we could then easily sweetened to our own preference? Sweeteners is different from the flavour, from my understanding, it's possible to be flavoured but unsweetened.

P.S. I don't have exact sites as I googled weeks ago. But if you search general terms like 'sucralose whey headache', you'll find plenty of links.
 
Artificial sweeteners are very safe and would have to be one of the most studied food additives going around but like many foods some people can have a reaction to them.

Like you have discovered some people get migraines from sweeteners, this does not mean they are bad or dangerous just that some people do not tolerate them well. Just as peanuts can kill someone who is allergic to them but are fine for others. Just avoid the sweetener that causes you problems.
 
Artificial sweeteners are very safe and would have to be one of the most studied food additives going around but like many foods some people can have a reaction to them.

Like you have discovered some people get migraines from sweeteners, this does not mean they are bad or dangerous just that some people do not tolerate them well. Just as peanuts can kill someone who is allergic to them but are fine for others. Just avoid the sweetener that causes you problems.
This.

For some in-depth reading and studies etc have a read of this Thread from BB.COM Artifical Sweeteners: An Overview - Bodybuilding.com Forums

OP, make sure you read the thread as it does have information on Headaches :)

As Bazza said and what research suggest, some people may be effected (headaches) while others will have no issues. The same goes for people who can no process Phenylalanine (phenylketonuria), and in that instance for those individuals it must be avoided.
 
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What are everyone's views and experiences with sweeteners found in most whey powder?

It didn't bother me before - I'm a shake it up and chug it down kind of guy. However, I switched brands recently and began having some of the worst magraine in years.

After prolonged headaches, I narrowed the new whey as a suspect, and googled for more information.

Turns out many others had similar issues, usually linked to the sweeteners. So, I had a close look at the ingredients for the first time, and found E995 (Sucralose).

Reading up, like most controversial food additive, there's a side that claims it's completely safe and the other that says it's toxin.

What mattered was that once I stopped for several days, my headache was gone. Obviously this experential evidence is all it takes for me to avoid sucralose products from now on.

For comparison, my old whey includes a sweetener as well, Stevia, apparently a more natural version. I don't believe that completely, and there are its critics, but at least it doesn't cause me headaches.

In any case, I'm just curious why supplement companies selling to nutrition-concious customers would include such controversial sweetners in the products?

Can't we just have natural sweeteners? Or unsweetened, which we could then easily sweetened to our own preference? Sweeteners is different from the flavour, from my understanding, it's possible to be flavoured but unsweetened.

P.S. I don't have exact sites as I googled weeks ago. But if you search general terms like 'sucralose whey headache', you'll find plenty of links.
solution! head over to

Best protein supplements EVER. Unsweetened, many organically sourced. They also sell organic natural flavourings.
In dec/jan they will be launching some naturally flavoured powders sweetened with stevia.
I took part in the taste trials and they are great. I never use anything else.

:))
 
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We have considered switching to Stevia but haven't done for a few reasons, firstly the taste IMO is still somewhat different to sugar, enough to affect the preferance of most people.
Secondly, and perhaps of more concern is the reports on reduced virility (sex drive). While I have only read one report on this, and it was using rats and high doses, any substance that lowers the sex drive is usually considered the devil to a bodybuilder.
Whether it had a direct effect on testosterone wasn't mentioned.
 
We have considered switching to Stevia but haven't done for a few reasons, firstly the taste IMO is still somewhat different to sugar, enough to affect the preferance of most people.
Secondly, and perhaps of more concern is the reports on reduced virility (sex drive). While I have only read one report on this, and it was using rats and high doses, any substance that lowers the sex drive is usually considered the devil to a bodybuilder.
Whether it had a direct effect on testosterone wasn't mentioned.

Wow if there is a possibility of reduced sex drive I will not be taking it. Just like accutane/oratane, that stuff made lose my sex drive.
 
Wow if there is a possibility of reduced sex drive I will not be taking it. Just like accutane/oratane, that stuff made lose my sex drive.

Nonsense. I have been adding stevia to whey and tea for over a year and no reports of low sex drive here. Then again everyone has different hormone responses
 
I would avoid them. All of them. 950, 951, 954, 955, 961, Stevia. The lot.
Granted Stevia is a plant extract, I'm not convinced it is healthy to ingest large or pure quantities of it. I also don't like the taste, so that rules it out too.
There's a lot more controversy about the others, not necessarily toxicity but impacts at the cellular level. I'm not saying anyone is correct, I'm saying there's controversy. I've only studied organic chemistry at undergraduate level, so I don't pretend to be an expert.

I fall on the side of caution. Fortunately there are alternatives for people like me.
Consider how much sugar is in your diet already.
I'm sure if it came down to it you could reduce your sugar intake in areas, to make up for carbohydrate additives to your protein shake, i.e. milo, nesquik, fruit.
So just buy plain WPC or WPI and add your own flavoring. It's cheaper, safer, and much easier to tell if the base protein product (whey) is good or poor quality before they add flavorings and preservatives.
 
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I would avoid them. All of them. 950, 951, 954, 955, 961, Stevia. The lot.
Granted Stevia is a plant extract, I'm not convinced it is healthy to ingest large or pure quantities of it. I also don't like the taste, so that rules it out too.
There's a lot more controversy about the others, not necessarily toxicity but impacts at the cellular level. I'm not saying anyone is correct, I'm saying there's controversy. I've only studied organic chemistry at undergraduate level, so I don't pretend to be an expert.

I fall on the side of caution. Fortunately there are alternatives for people like me.
Consider how much sugar is in your diet already.
I'm sure if it came down to it you could reduce your sugar intake in areas, to make up for carbohydrate additives to your protein shake, i.e. milo, nesquik, fruit.
So just buy plain WPC or WPI and add your own flavoring. It's cheaper, safer, and much easier to tell if the base protein product (whey) is good or poor quality before they add flavorings and preservatives.

Do you have anything to back this up with or you just going on gut feeling.
 
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Do you have anything to back this up with or you just going on gut feeling.
Do your own research and reach your own conclusions. It is a personal choice like many other things in life where no absolute certainty is had, as the science is not conclusive on the subject.

Around a hundred health regulatory bodies around the world have deemed these artificial sweeteners "safe" for human consumption. That does not mean they are, it means that there was no risk indicated in the tests they performed, under the circumstances they tested the substance, in those test individuals (few genes from a much larger genetic pool).

Moreover, some of these artificial sweeteners have only been around for 50 years. Humans have been eating sucrose for at least 2,500. A half decent longitudinal study would span at least 1 generation, but to really appreciate the impact I tend to think several generations ought to be studied to see if there are any longer term effects.

I'm not saying there are health effects associated with taking artificial sweetener. I'm saying there's a risk.
The FDA and a number of scientists say they cannot find evidence to suggest the risk is significant.
Natural sugars are virtually risk free, having been biologically tested for thousands of years.

Artificial Sweeteners and Cancer - National Cancer Institute
Sugar substitute - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
Anyone know of a good unsweetened whey brand to recommend?

Switched a couple of brands since I first posted this thread, and can confirm Sucralose causes me headaches. However, with the other post about Stevia and virility... I'm kind of resistant towards that now as well :rolleyes:

Trying the natural/unsweetened route now but don't know which brand is good. Not a bait for advertising, so please feel free to PM your recommendations. Thanks!
 
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