# COMPETITIVE BODYBUILDING - POWERLIFTING - ATHLETICS & SPORTS > COMPETITIVE BODYBUILDING Q & A >  artificial sweeteners cause water retention?

## blondmyth

what do you guys think? is there any scientific evidence to prove it?

I am wondering because Im gonna need some sugar free gum to chew on while Im water depleting before my contest, will this cause any water retention?

thanks brothers!!

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## MrMent1on

never heard of it. and why you need sugar free gum, its not that serious bro. not going to do any harm , infact gum with sugar will help you more than it would hurt you.

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## blondmyth

ive just always eaten sugar free gum, i dont wanna **** up my teeth

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## hangtight08

oh boy dont fret if thats u in the avvy, that glass of milk your about to drink has more sugar than a piece of gum!

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## Information

i stay away from gum because it put air in my stomach and makes me feel bloated before a show, try sugar free mints instead.

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## blondmyth

ihave 2 replies:

1. hangtight, if you really think thats me in my avatar, you better sharpen up on your film history 101. that from clockwork orange, one of the greatest movies ever made!!!

2. I have heard several times that artifical sweeteners cause water retention. so are you saying i can have splenda with my oats while carb loading?

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## AleX-69

Well there are more that just artifical sweeteners. In general one could assume that those with bitter aftertaste (cyclamate, etc.) cause an insulin release and therefore it is possible that the cause water retention (insulin promotes sodium storage in the liver ---> water retention). Even though the amounts included in gum are neligable. Then there are artifical sweeteners with no aftertaste (aspartame,..) those do not raise insulin and don't cause water retention BUT aspartame especially is able to cross the blood-brain barrier and attach to brain cells, overstimulate them so they die. Something you defenitly want to avoid IMO. 
The savest artifical sweetener to use is splenda atm as there are no drawbacks know so far.

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## steve0

artifical sweeteners contain Sorbitol, you see it in all the sugar free gum and Sorbitol can cause bloating but not water retention.

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## AleX-69

sorbitol, xylitol amd maltitol ARE artificial sweeteners. those are all sugar alcohols. Other artifical sweeteners do not contain sugar alcohols.

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## blondmyth

is that true about aspartame, in that they cause brain cancer. I have heard this claim several times, bu I dont think its backed up by any real hard evidence.

what do yo guys think?

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## AleX-69

not cancer... maybe read up on Excitotoxins:The Taste that Kills by Russel L. Blaylock M.D.

well in short:

Aspartame is a dipeptide and can enter the blood stream intact and can gain access to the brain by crossing the blood-brain-barrier in the bare area of the brain. (monosodium glutamate is another substance which can cross the blood brain barrier). 
The chemical structure of Aspartame allows it to fit into the NMDA receptor triggering so much overstimulation in the cell that it dies.
The hyppocampal area of the brain - where we store our memories - is especially sensitive to those stimulation. Therefore Aspartame "side effects" can be mood and sleep disturbances, headaches, dizzinies, short term memory loss, fuzzy thinking and inability to concentate.

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## blondmyth

dont we reproduce thousands, if not millions of cells per day, including brain cells?

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## AleX-69

AFAIk Neuros can not regrow after damage except in the hippocampus where most of the aspartame induced damage takes place. For me the question is simply: 

"Would i risk it to loose brain cells permanently due to the use of an artificial sweetener when better alternatives (i.e. Splenda) are around?"

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## blondmyth

ok, I believe ya bro!

so the sucralose in splenda would be ok to flavor my oats when i carb load but the aspartame might casue water retention? is that right? what about sugar alcohols found in gum? dothose retain water....i need other opinions, i wanna come in perfecto!!!

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## AleX-69

aspartame will not cause water retention IMO, but if you are water depleting you are carb loading at the same time, right? Why not simply use a sugar containing gum which will aid you in your carb load?

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## blondmyth

ok so i got the gum part down, now what about a sweetener for my oats?

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## AleX-69

just use splenda and you have nothing to worry about.

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