Hello I have read a few different places on the internet that Artificial sweeteners with aspartame , can cause tinnitus. Or possibly make the disease worse. Ant comments on this????? Have had tinnitus for about a year and a half. Have been using Splenda (which says there is no aspartame in it). Very curious to know. Thanks in advance for your input
Hi, @Darlyndebb , I don't know if it causes tinnitus, but aspartame can definitely make tinnitus worse for many people. I stopped drinking anything with aspartame in it for a long time, and am using stevia instead. However, recently I have had some drinks with aspartame in them, and it didn't seem to affect mine. Hopefully, some other people will comment on the affect of aspartame on their tinnitus. Anyone?
@Darlyndebb @Karen Do you two realize whats in these artificial sweeteners? Research it in depth. Betchyea you never ever touch any ever again.
Well I just made up my mind to quit using the Splenda. I think I received my answer! Thanks to all who replied
Any artificial sweetener is spoooooooooky!! Id rather eat a handful of table sugar!! The problem with enjoying a soda or beverage made with natural sweeteners is they have all switch to High Fructose Glucose sweeteners that are more toxic than natural sugars. They practically destroy your immune system in the long run. You immune system must work overtime to rid of the toxins and therefore forget about other areas they may be needed to help you feel better. Its a tough fight to know what to enjoy and what not too. The more natural, the easier it is on the system.
Hi there... so I have an interesting bit to share about the artificial sweetener, specifically Splenda, debate. I began having tinnitus and symptoms similar to Meniere's disease around 2010, and could not lay it to anything specific. I began seeing a neurologist, etc, that believed I had migraines (WRONG), and placed me on various noxious concoctions from Topiramate to Elavil... nothing helped, and I became frustrated after years of no progress. Well, we treating the wrong thing. In fact, it didn't need treatment at all... it was a reaction to artificial sweeteners. But it took me a long time to figure this out, and the neurologist (WORTHLESS?!) never figured it out at all. I eliminated artificial sweeteners (along with a whole host of other items) from my diet, but it didn't seem to help at all. I tried switching to a different form of birth control, at the suggestion of my neurologist, but was not eliminating artificial sweeteners at the time (I actually really liked Splenda and used it a lot in the early days of my tinnitus episodes!). I eventually switched back to my old birth control pill because I liked it more. Then one day a few years later, I noticed that the BC pill I was on had SUCRALOSE in the inactive ingredients. Yep, that's right... I was getting a daily dose of Splenda every single day. Once this was eliminated, my Meniere's like symptoms disappeared seemingly overnight! So... I'm not saying that Splenda is the reason you are having this - no doubt the root cause is different in many cases... but I would DEFINITELY try to eliminate it from my diet and see if it helped. Also check your medications inactive ingredients... you never know what is hiding in there giving you a daily dose of poison along with your medicine!
There is no factual evidence and research that HFCS is bad for you. To the contrary it's no worse than regular sugar. Your body sees it no differently and uses it the same. http://www.muscleforlife.com/sugar-facts/ Artificial sweeteners on the other hand...!
@MrBonk Oh boy. I researched this deeply and the molecular structures of modified sweeteners, like Glucose Fructose, change from the original structure of the sugar they began as. In depth studies on the effects in the human body has proven they are harder to destroy and cause other reactions in your body to try to compensate for this, making various other issues arise. Any type of sugar is seen as a toxin in our immune system. When you screw around with the molecules, your system may see it the same as any sugar, however other reactions are triggered causing many other problems in the long run.
So what's the theory on artificial sweetener induced T then? Is the damage permanent or should a spike caused by it go back down once your body has cleared it all out ?
Prior to my tinnitus, I drunk lots of Coke Zero for years. While I don't think that is the cause I have stopped drinking it. But the list is so long of what can cause tinnitus, the only way of knowing is cutting it from your diet and seeing if anything improves
@shrimp @Pleasure_Paulie A big debate on artificial sweeteners and the effects on Tinnitus. I for one have barely, maybe 10-12 times in my entire life, ever knowingly had any product containing them. Those times were when I possibly was visiting friends etc and they offered a soda or coffee and that's all they had?? So I can not put any blame on my Tinnitus for this. Not to say they do not cause or increase it!! I'm very well sure from what I researched about them that they very well could have such a negative effect on your body that it's possible damage to hearing may or may not be included in future studies. It really takes a PHD with vast knowledge in human biology to better explain what it does to us. I did not avoid artificial sweeteners for any reason. I guess I simply never had any weight gain issues or felt I needed to restrict regular sugars in my diet. Why I researched them was mainly for those loved ones close to me that swear by using them to better control daily dieting. Before my research I didn't even know regular sugar was a toxin in our system!! What I do know about artificial sweeteners is enough to make me gasp when I see someone using them now. They are just horrible in our system. So this ultimately took me down the path to where I am today and why I rant so much on probiotics. Our digestive system is the main force of life. It is full of billions and billions of good and bad bacteria. As long as the good bacteria outweigh the bad by a margin of 2 to1 at least, the better we digest the foods, fight the garbage in the processed foods, and keep from slowly getting sicker and sicker every day. I take my probiotic supplement once a day and have now for a few years. They wont cure anything. They wont be a magic bullet for any disease. What they do is help turn your foods into the proper fuel our body is screaming for. In the long run, your body just functions better and can handle the crap we eat a little easier. Eating smarter is valid but hard. I eat as fresh, and as pure a food as possible at home. I also order that massive pizza loaded down with all the things I like as a treat. I purchase those cupcakes and tarts now and then as a treat. I feel less guilty because I know I am keeping my digestive system in good working order. Seems to work well for me and many of my friends. So the debate on artificial sweeteners and Tinnitus will possibly go on forever. Just use common sense. If you keep throwing poison into your body, and refuse to at least help your body fight them, your going to have some adverse issues!
Lets look at this differently. You drive your car up to the gas pump to fill up on fuel. Use a lower grade cause all in all, it works and your car still runs. You saves a few bucks! And really, even if it causes my engine to sputter now and then, or knock and ping now and then, who cares? If the thing dies on me while driving I can just pull over and call a tow truck so, who cares? You finally saved up enough money for that holiday you longed for. Your going to board a jet and fly off to say...... see the Pyramids you always wanted to see in Egypt. You will be crossing an ocean over many areas of land, mountains etc on the way. The day you board you walk up to the door and there is a sign saying, We here at Kamikaze Airlines use a lower grade fuel to help keep our costs down and keep your cost down to fly with us. This fuel knowingly contains contaminants that may decrease the performance of our jet engines however to save you a dollar we feel it is perfectly OK. We here at Kamikaze Air decided NOT to install an expensive pre-filter to help rid of the contaminants before the fuel gets to the jet engines because the cost will increase your ticket price. We are pretty sure that our engines will not flame out over the ocean or mountain. Thank You for flying Kamikaze Airlines and enjoy your flight. Would you still board? Your life may or may not be in jeopardy now.
@shrimp My own personal non professional theory on artificial sweetener induced Tinnitus and if it may improve once your body rids of the toxins are simply this. Tinnitus is nasty. We all know it. What triggers it to become louder or helps it become softer is still a large debate. In my opinion, once you begin to suffer Tinnitus, you may very well have it in some loudness for the remainder of your life. Will it decrease when you stop artificial sweeteners? Many say it has. I personally don't know. Never used many artificial sweeteners myself even before knowing the facts. My Tinnitus is always a high pitched screech at a lever 10. Severe to say the least. I have yet to find anything that actually decreases mine. What has really helped me is I decided to help my body function the way it wants too and feeling better just makes it easier to cope and deal with what comes my way. I still consume sugar. No plans to stop neither. But I limit my intake and feel better now that my digestive system is in tip top shape.
That is one thing I certainly agree with! I've been taking probiotics for the last several years and I cannot live without them! I am going to try to skip using the Splenda for sure and see if their is a difference in how I feel and also hear!!!! The Tinnitus is the one thing that I think could possibly drive a person MAD! I try to explain it to my husband and he has NO clue! Like talking to a wall, I think! Anyone who does not suffer from it, really doesn't understand how it makes you feel. I hope against hope that the sweetener thing has something to do with the disease and it would be a cure all, but I also have my doubts about it as well.
@Darylndebb Sure hope getting away from artificial sweeteners helps improve your situation. I most certainly would love to know if it helps or not. Also fully understand how it feels to talk to those brick walls lol. Accept the fact that no matter how you try to explain it, it is going to be hard to understand. If your hubbs asks how your day is, or was, simply say..... "My day was fine hunny but my tinnitus bothered me greatly. I will get by tho and thanks for asking. How was your day hubby?" Then best just drop the subject. This way he knows you are still bothered by it, but not drowning your soul because of it and making it a huge issue for him. Just a thought...... Keep well Debb and best wishes your way.
@MikeP505 Mike I use to mask with the app here using purple noise and the volume was the usual volume I always used. My wife asked me why the volume was so high? I told her that is the volume I needed to mask and she understood better the volume of my t and why I was suffering. Volume has not come down but your reaction and brain finds a way to stop making it a priority. A member here gave advice years ago to make friends with your t. I did not understand what he meant back then but I do now. No matter how bad your t is do not fight it accept it and your Reaction will automatically change. Stop making it the most important thing in your life. I still wake up with t and go to sleep with t .
I still enjoy telling my Tinnitus it needs to get out and take a walk. Go do something else and stop bothering me. Yesterday I told my Tinnitus to get off his lazy ass and go wash my car. Things like this actually help to focus less on it, and actually get a chuckle from it. BTW, by car is still in need of a wash. Damn that Tinnitus is lazy!!! Regards. Post Script. I am completely deaf. Masking techniques are redundant in my case.
I'll try to make this short as possible. Suffered MILD Tinnitus since 2005. Nothing loud, just mild hissing now n then.\ Early 2011 started feeling a little crappy, every day a little more crappy. Some days too busy and ignored it. Crappy more the following week. Doctor visit.....checkup..... bloodwork NORMAL. Week later a little more crappy, weaker etc. Doctor again......bloodwork..... something a tad out of the ordinary, may be low in this so take this and feel better. Week later really crappy. Hospital visit as I'm getting worried. Bloodwork, x-rays etc. Prescription for antibiotic. 2 weeks later......back to docs as antibiotics didn't seem to help and i'm still getting worse. Finally after 2 months of doctor and hospital visits, I am so sick I had to have a family member take me to the hospital. I could barely walk I was so weak. Test results...... totally plugged left kidney (the only kidney I have). Emergency surgery to remove the boulders in my kidney. My body was being poisoned by the toxins I could not process. Two days home from surgery I wake up almost deaf and my tinnitus is screaming!! Flush ears with soft bulb and warm water.... no goop. Doctor visit, found nothing in ears. Sent to ENT right away. Saw specialist and confirmed Sudden Hearing Loss due to....????? Able to hear speech in left ear only. 2014..... Left ear hearing took a dive and had a hearing aid fitted at a cost of $3000.00. Worked OK for abut a year then Aug of 2015.... woke up and all hearing gone. Hearing aid useless. Tinnitus loud as ever.
May have already been mentioned here but I'd recommend stevia instead of Splenda. Not due to tinnitus however. Recent study showed risk of cancer with suclarose: https://cspinet.org/new/201602081.html http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10773525.2015.1106075?journalCode=yjoh20& The study was done with mice, which may not translate to humans (like the AM-101 drug for tinnitus) but I'd still mostly avoid it.
