Splenda & Water Retention. Who Knew?!?

heyjupiter · 04-07-2012, 08:01 AM

So I've been losing at a pretty good pace so far. Two days ago I drank some of the 4c fruit punch made with splenda. And today I had my first bounce. I felt it coming as I knew I was retaining water. I'm pretty sure it's because of the splenda, as nothing else in my diet changed. (This is the first time I've had Any sort of artificial sweetener in a long time.) I googled it, and sure enough, there are others who say that splenda caused them to retain water as well. So between the massive migraine it caused, as well as the water retention, I'm outlawing splenda!

LightlyStarched · 04-07-2012, 08:09 AM

I guess I don't get this. I mean, who cares about water weight? Its fat loss that matters, yeah? I figure most bodies will fluctuate 2-3 lbs every day with water fluctuations, but they don't really matter. The only thing that's affected is the number on the scale....not health, not clothing size, nothing. So if Splenda causes me to go up a half pound one day, I'm not fatter. Unless I'm in a wrestling competition or something...or am a jockey, lol.

JanetTN · 04-07-2012, 08:40 AM

I think you are very smart to stop the artificial sweetners. It is difficult to do and I haven't quite mastered that yet

. The proof is that when you tried it again it triggered a migraine for you. I commend you for not using them cause when we are watching every calorie that goes in our body it is sometimes easier to use them.

KathyL · 04-07-2012, 10:18 AM

Water weight does make a diff. in how my clothing fits. Any time I have sweets I retain water and my waistline is tighter until the water weight goes back down....which could be just a day but sometimes 2 or 3. If it's enough it also makes exercise 'uncomfortable'. Not sure how to describe it but anything high impact and I can just feel the excess water in my muscles. I try to stay away from art. sweeteners as much as possible though sometimes I'll find it's in something that I've been eating and didn't even realize it.

ellgee · 04-07-2012, 10:22 AM

I'm not sure if Splenda makes me retain water but I have noticed when I drink the Mio water mix in I tend to stall. I am trying to use less artificial sweetener but haven't been too successful. I alternate between Splenda, Sweet and Low and Stevia.

adillenal · 04-07-2012, 10:24 AM

Water weight HURTS. My ankles can swell so much they hurt to touch them. I can't wear my watch when I retain water because it cuts into my skin. On regular days it is loose and can slide around my arm.

Jupiter - You may have just discovered why I have been retaining water so badly. For some reason, I am not as swollen as usual and I joined the 21 day challenge to cut down on AS. This is my second day with no powdered Splenda. I did use a little Davinci SF syrup in my morning coffees. I will watch my water retention closely to see if it continues to get better as I use less and less Splenda.
Thanks for posting your results with Splenda and water retention. For some reason I never considered Splenda. I just knew it had to be a food I was eating and could not pin it down.

mykidsteacher · 04-07-2012, 10:30 AM

Splenda gives me an instant headache too. Never noticed the water retention, but I avoid it as much as possible.

I discovered since JUDDDing that AS give me cravings and make me hungrier too.

Stevia and coconut sugar are my sweeteners of choice, depending on what I'm having them in.

krow134 · 04-07-2012, 11:05 AM

You know this makes alot of sense to me now! I dont normally drink pop, but I found a few cans of Diet Rite I put aside from my last round of LC. I thought, I would hate to waste it. So I drank a glass over ice the other day with supper. Next day I woke up, my rings were stuck on my fingers, my face and eye lids were swollen. I thought maybe it was just water bloat knowing that TOM was due soon. I only have a few cans of it so maybe I will just go ahead and toss it. I dont normally use splenda or splenda containing items, but my hubby got it for me cause it said no carbs on the package lol!!! I do love him!!!

Dottie · 04-07-2012, 03:28 PM

Interesting!
I know I've been stuck for a couple of weeks. But I use ez-sweets, very occasionally use s/f syrups and I love 4C drink mixes (rats! if that's it!).
I'm going to avoid all but stevia for a week and see how it goes.
If it gets me off this set-point, will be a nice go-to tool for next time!

04-07-2012, 08:01 AM	#1
heyjupiter Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 819 Gallery: heyjupiter	Splenda & Water Retention. Who Knew?!? So I've been losing at a pretty good pace so far. Two days ago I drank some of the 4c fruit punch made with splenda. And today I had my first bounce. I felt it coming as I knew I was retaining water. I'm pretty sure it's because of the splenda, as nothing else in my diet changed. (This is the first time I've had Any sort of artificial sweetener in a long time.) I googled it, and sure enough, there are others who say that splenda caused them to retain water as well. So between the massive migraine it caused, as well as the water retention, I'm outlawing splenda!

04-07-2012, 10:24 AM	#6
adillenal Blabbermouth!!! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 7,188 Gallery: adillenal	Water weight HURTS. My ankles can swell so much they hurt to touch them. I can't wear my watch when I retain water because it cuts into my skin. On regular days it is loose and can slide around my arm. Jupiter - You may have just discovered why I have been retaining water so badly. For some reason, I am not as swollen as usual and I joined the 21 day challenge to cut down on AS. This is my second day with no powdered Splenda. I did use a little Davinci SF syrup in my morning coffees. I will watch my water retention closely to see if it continues to get better as I use less and less Splenda. Thanks for posting your results with Splenda and water retention. For some reason I never considered Splenda. I just knew it had to be a food I was eating and could not pin it down. __________________ adi 5'7" 64 years old 181/155/145 LC MY WAY 3/15/03 155/144/140 LFL 5/05/04 181.0/168.0/145 07/25/11 The Rice Diet 181.4/179.0/145 Atkins 72 10/31/11 180/135/135 JUDDD 01/08/12 NEW GOAL 3/8/13 Last edited by adillenal; 04-07-2012 at 10:34 AM..

04-07-2012, 11:05 AM	#8
krow134 Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 1,465 Gallery: krow134 Stats: 207 starting weight in 2012 WOE: Lower Carb/JUDDD	You know this makes alot of sense to me now! I dont normally drink pop, but I found a few cans of Diet Rite I put aside from my last round of LC. I thought, I would hate to waste it. So I drank a glass over ice the other day with supper. Next day I woke up, my rings were stuck on my fingers, my face and eye lids were swollen. I thought maybe it was just water bloat knowing that TOM was due soon. I only have a few cans of it so maybe I will just go ahead and toss it. I dont normally use splenda or splenda containing items, but my hubby got it for me cause it said no carbs on the package lol!!! I do love him!!! __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ and from Tanya Current weight: bouncing 175-177 BMI: Obese 1st goal 163 puts me at Overweight! 2nd goal 139 puts me at Healthy weight! 3rd goal 125 puts me at Goal!

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04-07-2012, 08:09 AM	#2
LightlyStarched Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 1,592 Gallery: LightlyStarched	I guess I don't get this. I mean, who cares about water weight? Its fat loss that matters, yeah? I figure most bodies will fluctuate 2-3 lbs every day with water fluctuations, but they don't really matter. The only thing that's affected is the number on the scale....not health, not clothing size, nothing. So if Splenda causes me to go up a half pound one day, I'm not fatter. Unless I'm in a wrestling competition or something...or am a jockey, lol.

04-07-2012, 08:40 AM	#3
JanetTN Senior LCF Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: middle TN Posts: 140 Gallery: JanetTN Stats: too much/getting there/just right! WOE: JUDDD Start Date: Jan 2012	I think you are very smart to stop the artificial sweetners. It is difficult to do and I haven't quite mastered that yet . The proof is that when you tried it again it triggered a migraine for you. I commend you for not using them cause when we are watching every calorie that goes in our body it is sometimes easier to use them.

04-07-2012, 10:18 AM	#4
KathyL Senior LCF Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: SE Nebraska Posts: 554 Gallery: KathyL Stats: 205/118-122/125 5'4" Age 53 WOE: low glycemic index in 2011 JUDDD in 2012 Start Date: January 2011	Water weight does make a diff. in how my clothing fits. Any time I have sweets I retain water and my waistline is tighter until the water weight goes back down....which could be just a day but sometimes 2 or 3. If it's enough it also makes exercise 'uncomfortable'. Not sure how to describe it but anything high impact and I can just feel the excess water in my muscles. I try to stay away from art. sweeteners as much as possible though sometimes I'll find it's in something that I've been eating and didn't even realize it.

04-07-2012, 10:22 AM	#5
ellgee Senior LCF Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 864 Gallery: ellgee Stats: 309.4/254.4/199 WOE: WW Points Plus Start Date: 12/29/12 @ 259.8	I'm not sure if Splenda makes me retain water but I have noticed when I drink the Mio water mix in I tend to stall. I am trying to use less artificial sweetener but haven't been too successful. I alternate between Splenda, Sweet and Low and Stevia.

04-07-2012, 10:30 AM	#7
mykidsteacher Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,280 Gallery: mykidsteacher Stats: 152/124-126/125 5'4" WOE: Primal as of Aug 2011/JUDDD (started 1/13/12) Start Date: Aug 2011/I've been maintaining since April 2012	Splenda gives me an instant headache too. Never noticed the water retention, but I avoid it as much as possible. I discovered since JUDDDing that AS give me cravings and make me hungrier too. Stevia and coconut sugar are my sweeteners of choice, depending on what I'm having them in.

04-07-2012, 03:28 PM	#9
Dottie Administrator Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: S.E. Texas Gulf Coast Posts: 68,707 Gallery: Dottie WOE: JUDDD calorie cycling plan	Interesting! I know I've been stuck for a couple of weeks. But I use ez-sweets, very occasionally use s/f syrups and I love 4C drink mixes (rats! if that's it!). I'm going to avoid all but stevia for a week and see how it goes. If it gets me off this set-point, will be a nice go-to tool for next time!