Why Stevia is BAD for You & Why I No Longer Use It: Liver, Kidney and Gut Health

eatbeautiful.net ^ | Jul 1, 2023 | Megan Stevens

[ransomnote]

SNIP

Regarding blood biochemistry, the results were pronounced:

• Stevia administration caused a significant reduction in hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, and RBCs (red blood cells) count, compared to control groups.
• In female mice, stevia showed a significant decrease in WBCs (white blood cells) count.

In reference to liver health, the results were again extreme:

• Stevia administration increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels. (AST and ALT are two of the liver enzymes doctors look at when trying to figure out if you have a problem with your liver.)
• Levels of liver triglycerides and cholesterol in male mice groups increased.
• Stevia significantly elevated liver cholesterol levels in both male and female mice groups.

The results for kidney health were also condemning:

• Stevia affected urea levels, but more so in male subjects, whereas creatinine levels were more elevated in female subjects. (The former can indicate kidney injury or disease in lab testing, whereas the latter indicates kidney problems, oftentimes a blocked urinary tract.)
• Damage to the kidneys upon dissection (and studies of the samples) showed congested blood vessels after 16 weeks of administration.

In addition to all these somewhat shocking results, stevia, the longer it was administered also affected:

• gut integrity and microbiome behavior
• the immune system, with increased IgG, IgE and IgA levels, all pointing to an increased likelihood of allergies, chronic infections and autoimmunity
• inflammation, with a significant increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines"

[ransomnote]

Maybe try taking a little magnesium supplement, or put your feet in a warm footbath with Epson salts, which has a lot of magnesium and absorbs through the skin (bypassing gut biome).

So if that reduced your leg muscle pain, then you can suspect that Stevia is disrupting your absorption of magnesium in the gut. It’s not proof, but something to consider.

[Clutch Martin]

Sugar is a natural sweetener. So is honey.

I usually drink my coffee bold and black, but occasionally I make me a Fufu and it’s with whole milk and either brown sugar which I prefer over white sugar, or agave which I prefer over honey. Honey’s good but it’s a little strong and it makes my throat burn just like chocolate does, which is why I don’t like chocolate and haven’t since I can remember... It has this burning sensation going down my gullet.

[9YearLurker]

https://draxe.com/nutrition/xylitol/

[mlo]

"Sugar is a natural sweetener. So is honey."

Items don't get a pass because they are "natural". There are natural poisons.

Also, Stevia comes from a plant, as does sugar.

[Dr. Sivana]

I think it more what they DO to the stevia extracts in the processing rather than that plant derivative itself.
So, the Stevia my wife grows and mushes up is okay? Unfortunately, it is not as sweet as the processed stuff, and there isn't enough of it.

[Dr. Sivana]

I guess I’m just stuck with unsweetened iced tea with a twist of lemon. Not so bad, actually.

Agreed. I certainly haven't given up sweets, but unsweetened iced tea with lemon is tasty and refreshing.

[LeoTDB69]

Today’s healthy choices are tomorrows poisons. I’ve resigned to eating what I enjoy.

[Magic Fingers]

“From a very quick reading of the article, I didn’t notice any references to the amount being used...”

I’d be shocked if the study didn’t use the human equivalent of about 2 lbs. of stevia/day.

[Sir_Ed]

I thought it was her tattoos!

[LilFarmer]

Interesting! I have used stevia daily in my coffee (pure, not the processed garbage, and from a US source) for 10 years and never had any abnormal liver tests.

[Magic Fingers]

“Today’s healthy choices are tomorrows poisons. I’ve resigned to eating what I enjoy.”

After years of reading mountains of studies from alleged experts, often with directly conflicting (and eventually shifting) opinions, I think you’re on to something.

[mazz44]

These are the ingredients of Sweet Leaf, used in the study, inulin, stevia leaf extract and silica. This should disqualify that study in its entirety, as Inulin, can cause all the issues that were highlighted in the study. It is just another hit piece, by the makers of sucralose, neotame, aspartame, Ace K and saccharine.

[mazz44]

You cannot assume anything from this study when the Sweet Leaf brand was used at here are the ingredients...inulin, stevia leaf extract and silica. It is a bogus study...

[Flaming Conservative]

I would have to know how much stevia the mice were fed before making a judgement, but in these studies, It’s usually an astronomical amount for their size,; in other words, bogus.

[Dr. Sivana]

You cannot assume anything from this study when the Sweet Leaf brand was used at here are the ingredients...inulin, stevia leaf extract and silica.

My wife gets a brand that is JUST Stevia, Stevia Select.

Unfortunately, it does come from Red China, as does almost all U.S. Stevia. I have been told that the Japanese buy up the entire Paraguay crop at top dollar.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Yikes!

[little jeremiah]

I tried it a few times at someone else’s house and it was bitter and nasty. I eat honey! (plain, sometime...)

[CommerceComet]

It killed Lydia.

Walt apparently gave her the fast-acting version.

[Prince of Space]

So how come they didn’t know about this when the FDA approved it? Be interesting to see who is funding the study.

[dljordan]

“Coffee and Baileys. Just like peanut butter and jelly.”

You da man.