Back to artificial sweeteners

Lets take a break from learning about Glycemic Index and return to the info I posted on March 1st. That article pointed out how calorie reducing artificial sweeteners actually will cause you to gain weight and now here is another article saying the same thing, but this one is specifically talking about Sucralose or "Slenda". These findings are incredible, and what is even more incredible is that this product is even still on the market. I will list the high points or should I say Low points:
1) “Splenda is comprised of the high-potency artificial sweetener sucralose and
the fillers maltodextrin and glucose.”

2) The US FDA Acceptable Daily Intake for sucralose is 5 mg/kg body weight.

3) In this study, a 12-wk administration of Splenda to mice in human dose
equivalents exerted numerous adverse effects, including:
A)) Reduction in beneficial fecal microflora
B)) Increased fecal pH
C)) Enhanced expression genes which reduce the absorption of orally
administered drugs.

4) The artificial high-potency sweetening compound sucralose is a chlorinated
disaccharide.

5) “Sucralose is ubiquitous in the world food supply as an ingredient in over
4000 products, including tabletop sweeteners and sugar substitutes (e.g., Splenda),
baked goods, beverages such as soft drinks, coffee and tea, breakfast cereals,
chewing gum, desserts, and pharmaceutical products.”

6) Sucralose is a chlorinated hydrocarbon, an organochlorine molecule.

7) Adverse consequences from the elevated presence of sucralose have been
reported in animal models, which included gastrointestinal tract DNA damage.

8) Unabsorbed sucralose in the gut affects the intestinal microbial milieu.
Gut microflora carry out many important functions, including:
A)) Fermentation of dietary carbohydrates,
B)) Salvage of energy as short-chain fatty acids
C)) Production of vitamins
D)) Maintenance of normal immune system functioning
E)) Gastrointestinal tract mobility
F)) Inhibition of pathogens
G)) Metabolism of drugs

9) The lowest Splenda dose showed a significant increase in body weight gain
during and after Splenda supplementation. [Very Ironic]

10) “At the end of the 12-wk treatment with Splenda, numerous alterations were
observed that did not occur in control animals, including lymphocytic infiltrates into
epithelium, epithelial scarring, mild depletion of goblet cells, glandular
disorganization, and focally dilated vessels stuffed with intravascular lymphocytes.”

11) The intake of Splenda for 12-wks exerted several adverse effects on the
intestines of these rats, including a significant decrease in beneficial intestinal
bacteria, elevated fecal pH, histopathological changes in the colon, and increased
body weight.

12) “Disruption in the number and state of balance of intestinal microflora may
potentially interfere with many essential gut functions, including nutrient
metabolism, normal immune system functioning, gastrointestinal mobility, inhibition
of pathogens, vitamin synthesis (B group and K), and metabolism of drugs.”

13) Sucralose ingestion “might have clinical significance for humans in the
management of many medical conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome,
inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and cancer, in which
gut flora play an important role.”

14) Splenda suppresses beneficial bacteria and directly interferes with the
bioavailability of drugs and nutrients at doses that are approved by the FDA for use
in the food supply.