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Misc (Aspartame) Withdrawal

Bugzelot

Bugzelot

Bluelighter
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
89
I quit aspartame seven days ago. The past three days or so I have had nausea that come and goes, a fever that does the same and a headache. I guess this could be classified as a drug? Anyway, it feels like I am going off opioids. It's nasty. I was reading experiences on the web about it and it seems many people go thru this when they stop drinking diet pop for a week or more, or even several days for those of us that drink diet pop daily.

Anyone have any relevant experience? How long should I expect this shite feeling to pass? It's the only thing I can think it would be. Fever comes and goes also. Been sleeping a lot.

Anyway guys, I'll check back tomorrow. Time to get me some messed up sleep. -.-
 
How much were you consuming and in what preparation?
This is commonly included in things like caffeinated soft drinks etc.

You need to give mhch more detail for anyone to offer any insight...
 
Only in soda. I never used it as a sweetener. I'm 47 and I'm a type 1 diabetic so got a taste for diet soda over the years and drank it nearly every day. So I guess this is normal. I feel somewhat better today.

You're better off consuming real sugary drinks over that diet crap.
 
Bugzelot said:
I quit aspartame seven days ago. The past three days or so I have had nausea that come and goes, a fever that does the same and a headache. I guess this could be classified as a drug? Anyway, it feels like I am going off opioids. It's nasty. I was reading experiences on the web about it and it seems many people go thru this when they stop drinking diet pop for a week or more, or even several days for those of us that drink diet pop daily.

Anyone have any relevant experience? How long should I expect this shite feeling to pass? It's the only thing I can think it would be. Fever comes and goes also. Been sleeping a lot.

Anyway guys, I'll check back tomorrow. Time to get me some messed up sleep. -.-
Click to expand...

There is no "aspartame withdrawal" because aspartame isn't psychoactive. Well, unless you're suffering from a genetic condition called phenylketonuria, where consuming it can literally make you retarded.
...but so could any source of protein that doesn't have precisely the right amino acid composition. So basically, if you actually had phenylketonuria, you'd either know it, or you'd be too brain-damaged to do so.

Basically, it's either caffeine withdrawal, or just the nocebo effect.
 
^Actually aspartame seems to have some antinociceptive activity:
BACKGROUND:
Artificial sweeteners are low-calorie substances used to sweeten a wide variety of foods. At present they are used increasingly not only by diabetics, but also by the general public as a mean of controlling the weight. This study was carried out to evaluate and compare antinociceptive activity of the artificial sweeteners, aspartame and sucrose and to study the mechanisms involved in this analgesic activity.
METHODS:
Forty eight white albino Wistar rats were divided into two groups of 24 rats each. Group 1 received sucrose and group 2 received aspartame solution ad libitum for 14 days as their only source of liquid. On 14(th) day, both groups of rats were divided into 3 subgroups having 8 rats each. Group Ia and IIa served as control. Group Ib and IIb were given naloxone and Ic and IIc received ketanserin, the opioid and serotonergic receptor antagonists, respectively.
RESULTS:
Tail withdrawal latencies (tail flick analgesiometer) and paw licking/jumping latencies (Eddy's hot plate method) were increased significantly in both aspartame and sucrose group. The analgesia produced by aspartame was comparable with sucrose. The opioid receptor antagonist naloxone and the 5-HT(2A/2C) serotonergic receptor antagonist ketanserin partly reversed the antinociceptive effect of these sweeteners.
CONCLUSIONS:
Thus, the artificial sweetening agent aspartame showed antinociceptive activity like sucrose in rats. Reduction in antinociceptive activity of aspartame and sucrose by opioid and serotoninergic antagonists demonstrate the involvement of both opioid and serotonergic system.
Click to expand...
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22661178
So if aspartame acts on the opioid system withdrawal symptoms comparable to opioid withdrawal might be possible
 
kleinerkiffer said:
^Actually aspartame seems to have some antinociceptive activity: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22661178
So if aspartame acts on the opioid system withdrawal symptoms comparable to opioid withdrawal might be possible
Click to expand...

I found on the web people having the exact symptoms as I am experiencing. It's definitely not psychosomatic. The time frame is identical as well to those people for when symptoms began. Also, it's not caffeine since I am still having my daily java.

Great article. Thank you.
 
Aspartame doesn't cause withdrawals, unfortunately. It's a dipeptide, it's too polar to cross BBB, and it's had years of safety studies done on it. In fact it could be counted as a 'dietary protein'...

Just because other people experience the same symptoms doesn't mean they can't be psychosomatic. Look at the supposed "toxicity" of MSG: there are plenty of people who only get symptoms when they believe there's MSG present.

I'd say treat it symptomatically as if you got the flu. Or, you know, drink some diet soda and see if the effects go away and how long it takes...
 
I ended up putting some of the powdered sweetener under my tongue and 15 mins later I felt better. So I have been doing this on and off for two days. There is definitely something in it making my body miss it.
 
What you're experiencing, regardless of the cause or specific method of action, is definitely you (as in your body-mind) adjusting to a new state of equilibrium without the input of a certain substance.

Perhaps diabetes is complicated the transition (I have no idea). What's significant is that you're going through whatever your going through.

This is a good example of why I think food products can appropriately be labeled along the classification of "drug" in certain contexts. Especially something related to sugar, something sweet or anything you eat that is associated with feelings of pleasure (or when discontinued, dis-ease). There will be a lot of individual variance with that, but the point is that if it makes you feel good, in a certain sense it's accurate to think of it as a drug - at least in the sense it is having an effect on your state of wellbeing and body's biochemical equilibrium, cause that's what all other substance traditionally thought of as drug end up doing too.

It's the entire reason stuff (including rewarding activities) can be habit forming. Not meaning to imply there is anything inherently wrong with something that is habit forming - lots of healthy stuff can be habit forming. Just noting the similarities with drug use.

Sounds like you are going to try and taper off the aspartame like one might taper off an opioid? If it works for you, who cares why. Go with what works.
 
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RDP89 said:
My guess is caffeine withdrawal.
Click to expand...

As mentioned I haven't quit caffeine and for the most part I drank caffeine free diet soda. In any case it seems to have passed. Even if it was all in my head it's still significant because your mind is everything. It's in charge of all pain, discomfort, etc. I think I am going to live. Sure didn't feel like it for about three days or so. Heh.
 
Three days makes sense. It takes the body time to adjust when something it is used to is removed. Glad to hear you're doing better.
 
Damn, I knew aspartame (and acesulfame K and other edulcorants) are basically shit and no match to real sugar, but reading this is frightening !
Diet stuff is henceforth forever banned from my household ! ^^
 
snakeforhire said:
Damn, I knew aspartame (and acesulfame K and other edulcorants) are basically shit and no match to real sugar, but reading this is frightening !
Diet stuff is henceforth forever banned from my household ! ^^
Click to expand...

Real sugar is where it's at.
 
toothpastedog said:
Three days makes sense. It takes the body time to adjust when something it is used to is removed. Glad to hear you're doing better.
Click to expand...

Yea, feeling pretty good to be honest. I think I dropped two pounds already also. Some of my smaller shirts fit me quite nicely now.
 
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