Aspartame is an artificial sweetener (non-saccharide) that is often used as a substitute for sugar in drinks such as diet sodas as well as foods like chewing gum. Aspartame was first created under the name NutraSweet in 1965 and is made up of three specific elements: phenylalanine, aspartic acid, and methanol. There is much controversy surrounding its use in food products since being approved by the FDA in 1981. It has been reevaluated multiple times and 2013 research suggests that consumption of the sweetener at current levels is safe for humans.
Due to its breakdown that includes phenylalanine, aspartame should not be consumed by individuals that have been diagnosed with PKU (phenylketonuria). A majority of people consume aspartame in large amounts when they drink diet soda. Some researchers suggest that aspartame can actually be an addictive additive, which tends to result in withdrawal symptoms when a person discontinues consumption. Chemically speaking, it is believed that aspartame has addictive properties because it affects the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain.
When withdrawing from aspartame, people often report an array of different withdrawal effects. Many individuals though who withdraw from drinking diet soda end up dealing with caffeine withdrawal symptoms, which can have some similar effects to the discontinuation from aspartame. In fact, many people going through “withdrawal” from caffinated beverages are more likely dealing with the caffeine withdrawal as it has a greater effect on our level of arousal and cognition. That being said, there is some evidence that cutting aspartame consumption can also lead to withdrawal symptoms.
Factors that influence Aspartame withdrawal
Aspartame itself can have an effect on the way the brain is functioning, therefore when it is discontinued, people may experience withdrawal symptoms. These withdrawal symptoms are usually influenced by the time span over which aspartame was consumed, amount consumed on a daily basis, individual psychology, and whether you taper off of it or quit cold turkey.
1. Time Span
How long have you been consuming aspartame? People who have been polishing off 6 cans of diet soda per day for years are likely consuming a pretty high amount of aspartame. The longer the time over which you have been consistently consuming this additive, the more severe the withdrawal process will likely be compared to someone who randomly has a can of soda.
2. Daily Consumption (Amount)
In the average carbonated beverage, there is 180 mg of aspartame. If you drink several of these per day, your aspartame consumption is likely pretty high. In a powdered soft drink there is approximately 120 mg of aspartame, while in a stick of gum, there is only 6 to 8 mg per stick. It is thought that if you consume a lot of aspartame on a daily basis, you may experience more significant withdrawals than someone who consumes a very low amount.
3. Individual Physiology
Much of the withdrawal experience will be based on individual circumstances. Some people will naturally have a more difficult time coping with the cravings that they experience when withdrawing. People who have consumed large quantities of aspartame for an extended period of time may have a tougher time with the withdrawal.
It should also be noted that some people tend to have nervous systems that recover at quicker rates than others. If you are on any other drugs, it may affect your ability to notice a withdrawal and/or minimize symptoms.
4. Cold Turkey vs. Tapering
Most people do not bother tapering off of aspartame – they just quit “cold turkey.” Compared to other drugs, this is not something that necessarily needs to be tapered off of. However, most of the time when people gradually taper off of a drug or something that is having an influence on their physiology, tapering results in less withdrawal effects. You could conduct a gradual taper if you think it will help or if you cannot handle quitting cold turkey.
Aspartame Withdrawal Symptoms: List of Possibilities
Below are a list of possible symptoms that you may experience during withdrawal from aspartame. Keep in mind that compared to serious drugs, these symptoms are likely not going to be nearly as intense or severe. Aspartame is known to have an effect on the brain’s pleasure center – specifically influencing dopamine. It is thought that when this dopamine influence is initially removed, a person may experience some sort of discontinuation symptoms.
- Anxiety: One symptom that people may notice in a subtle way is some anxiety. Aspartame can have an influence on moods and affect anxiety levels in sensitive individuals. In various self-accounts, people have noted excessive anxiety when she stopped drinking her powdered aspartame drinks.
- Appetite changes: In some individuals, aspartame can subtly increase appetite and cravings for junk food. In other people, it may reduce appetite. When you stop your consumption, do not be surprised if your appetite changes.
- Concentration: Many individuals report that they feel mentally foggy for a short term during withdrawal. However, eventually many have reported experiencing increases in concentration and less deficits in attention and hyperactivity.
- Cravings: Perhaps the most common symptom to experience is that of cravings. Anything that has an influence on dopamine in the brain can lead a person to crave more of the substance. Be mindful of any cravings that you have during your withdrawal.
- Depression: When people aren’t getting their fix of aspartame and withdraw, they can sometimes end up with a low-grade, mild depression. Keep in mind that this isn’t going to be the case for everyone, but stopping it may result in a temporary mood dip.
- Dizziness: If you experience dizziness when you stop drinking diet soda, it may be more due to the caffeine withdrawal than that of aspartame. However, some individuals have reported experiencing minor dizziness when they quit aspartame.
- Fatigue: Aspartame may have an influence on your energy levels and excitation in the brain. When you stop consuming it, you may become temporarily lethargic or notice that your energy levels are low.
- Headaches: Another commonly reported symptom during withdrawal is that of headaches. Some have gone on to say that they’ve experienced painful migraines as they’ve come off of aspartame. Stay hydrated, rest, and consider headache relief medicine if your headaches are severe.
- Heart palpitations: With increased anxiety during withdrawal can sometimes lead to palpitations or sensations of abnormally loud or racing heart beat. These should subside as soon as your anxiety diminishes.
- Insomnia: Do you notice that you cannot fall asleep at night now since cutting aspartame? This is something that may affect you in the initial few weeks of quitting. Your sleep cycle should recover and your arousal should drop.
- Joint pain: Some people have noted joint pain when they quit using aspartame. You may also note some degree of muscle weakness and/or body aches.
- Lightheadedness: There is no specific reason for feeling “lightheaded” when quitting aspartame, but it is a symptom that some people experience. Ironically some people actually get this symptom when they drink aspartame as well.
- Mood swings: As was mentioned, you may experience both anxiety and depression during withdrawal. These alone can lead a person to have mood swings during the acute phases of withdrawal (i.e. first couple weeks).
- Panic attacks: This isn’t really a common symptom, but some individuals have noticed that when they withdraw from consumption of aspartame, they experience significant anxiety and panic. If you notice yourself becoming panicky, take the time to realize that it’s likely due to your withdrawal. Practice some deep breathing and relaxation techniques to help calm your nervous system.
- Restlessness: Certain people may notice that they feel especially restless for the first week or two after they cut aspartame. This may have to do with aspartame consumption actually keeping an individual calm. When the aspartame is cut, it may make a person temporarily restless until their brain gets used to not having the additive.
- Sleep changes: If your sleep cycle changes, it could be due to the aspartame withdrawal. If you are also cutting caffeine, it is more likely due to the caffeine than the aspartame. Any changes in sleep patterns should subside in a week or two.
- Weight changes: It has been noted that aspartame can influence food cravings and hunger. Some people may lose weight when they come off of aspartame. Others may experience more normal cravings for food if aspartame acted as an appetite suppressant.
Aspartame Withdrawal Duration: How long does it last?
There is no predictable duration for withdrawal symptoms from aspartame. Some people have reported feeling completely recovered within one week. Others have reported that it took up to a full month for them to feel psychologically recovered with normal energy levels. In any event, the withdrawal will likely not last more than a month as this is not some serious psychiatric drug – it is merely a food additive.
Additionally, I would not be surprised if people find that they don’t notice any withdrawal from cutting aspartame. In most cases, what diet soda drinkers are referencing as “aspartame withdrawal” is actually caffeine withdrawal. In any event, it is recommended to make sure your nutrition is balanced, that you are getting adequate exercise, and are allowing your body to get some extra rest during withdrawal.
Eventually your body’s blood sugar levels and energy stores should normalize and avoid excess sugar as people have also experienced sugar withdrawal symptoms. Additionally your neurotransmission in the brain should reset and transition to functioning without the influence of aspartame. During aspartame withdrawal it is recommended to avoid all artificial sweeteners. If you end up having strong cravings, choose some sort of natural sweetener or avoid all sweeteners if you can.
Have you successfully withdrawn from aspartame consumption? If so, feel free to share your experience in the comments section below. What did you experience when you initially cut aspartame from your diet? How long was your withdrawal process? Do you feel healthier overall or did you not really notice much of any change?
I have been reading the posts and I would like to know how some of the people from the older post are doing. I have drank Fresca and Vodka for years and years. I am only on day 3. No headaches yet. I have had a hard time sleeping the last few night. Lots of sweats. From everything I have read, it sounds like it will get a lot worse before it gets better.
I’m on day five of no diet coke. I have had about 2 cans per day for 12 years. Last night I woke up at 2am, head and neck absolutely killing me as well as shoulder and hip pain. I was literally thrashing around in my bed trying to get comfortable. Today I had a TON of anxiety, went into extreme fear and terror.
I finally calmed down this evening and things are fine. Neck and shoulders, hips all fine. I have been craving sweets even though I went off of sugar in 2003. I just found both Zevia soda (made with a Stevia extract) and La Croix. The La Croix tastes VERY dry and the Zevia tastes too sweet, so I ended up mixing half zevia and half pellegrino. Perfect if you want nice cool bubbles without the sickening sweet. Zero aspertame. 3G or less carbs.
I have been a chain gum chewer for as long as I can remember, sometimes chewing up to 60 pieces in a day. I also drank Diet Coke. I’m a recovering addict/alcoholic/bulimic and this is the one vestige of my addiction/eating disorder that I have never been able to kick permanently. I quit cold turkey recently because I’m tired of all the side effects and have lost a number of crowns, fillings, and teeth because I chew all day long.
In addition to the terrible bloating, brain fog, and joint pains, I’ve had intermittent, weird pains in my neck and brain recently and plan to ask my doctor for brain MRI when I have my yearly physical this month. So far my withdrawal symptoms have included headache, insomnia, GI sluggishness, intense sweet cravings, and neuropathy in my wrists that I trust will go away in time.
I’ve researched aspartame toxicity and have read about the horrific things it can do to your body. A study done in Italy linked aspartame to Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer I was treated for successfully ten years ago. Yet I persisted in my aspartame habit because, well, I’m an addict. However, I feel like I’m finally ready to give up this toxic crutch because the downside vastly outweighs whatever benefit I used to get from it.
I cut sugar out of my diet and I’m hoping I can overcome the urge to cheat. I’ve also limited my intake of gluten, grains, dairy, and meat. I feel if I can kick the sugar/sugar-free habit I can do anything. It’s not easy! I wish everyone good luck on their journey.
Diet coke drinker for years and years. Initially started with Tab. Only drink fountain diet cokes – some days just one and others up to four or five. I’m on day 10 of complete withdrawal from drinking diet coke. I feel anxious, I have headaches and my emotions are running high. I was told to take Excedrin for the headaches as it has a tiny bit of caffeine in it which will help with the symptoms. Good luck to all.
I had severe aches and pains in my neck and shoulders daily. X-ray and sonogram were negative. A massage therapist asked me if I consumed aspartame since this could cause these symptoms. I drank drinks with aspartame all day long. I stopped cold turkey with no side effects and all my aches and pains went away completely!
Thank you! I have been plagued with disabling muscle/skeletal problems for a couple years now (worse in neck/shoulder area). I’ve been to physio, chiro, massage; and nothing has helped. I have known for a while now that my symptoms are likely related to diet cola consumption but have put off quitting. I am 5 days off now, and feeling hopeful after reading posts. Yes I’m tired, anxious, experiencing craving etc but am looking so forward to getting through this. A lady at health food store told me aspartame is a neurotoxin and would take about 30 days to get rid of.
I recently decided to stop all diet soft drinks. That was about 10 days ago. Since that time, I have had mild headaches, although I have had 2 headaches where I thought the top of my head was going to fly off. So painful, I had to take major pain medication. I have not had migraines for years, but 2 in 1 week is significant. I used to have at least 4 diet sodas a day, more on weekends. It is not caffeine related as I drink black coffee, maybe 2 a day. Never knew aspartame could be so harmful. But I will stick with it and hope the headaches stop on their own.
Seriously been addicted to diet coke for years and was on at least 8 cans a day. Cut them down to 2 this week and have had none yesterday or today and am feeling awful. I’ve had a headache for 7 days, blurred vision, dizziness, extreme tiredness. Bit scary that it can cause all of these symptoms! Trying to ride it out but the temptation to just go and buy some to get rid of this headache is huge right now.
Stay strong, Caroline. I am going through the same right now. Diet Coke was my weak point too. We can do it.
Not a softdrink drinker but major coffee drinker with 2-3 equal tablets per coffee and like 6 per day. Day 3 of giving up. Was at work and complaining of extreme head fog, eye heavyiness, eye twitching, extreme fatigue when it hit me… I just gave up equal and googled withdrawl symptoms and here I am. Been meaning to give it up for years and always on my to do list. Never going back would rather drink sugar any day. I am struggling in general at staying focused at work and am hoping giving it up helps me with that long term. I have to say also that these symptoms seem to come and go.
Hey all. I’ve tried quitting diet drinks and I’ll just swap one for the other and forget the whole reason for what I’m doing. I am massively addicted to diet drinks and could drink these all day and go without food or water! This is a massive problem and in the past the side effects coming off have been horrendous, this should have been enough to motivate me to keep going and staying off it, scary!
However, main point for my post is that I’ve put weight on and cannot shift it, I eat healthy and am active, I don’t have any thyroid problems and am otherwise healthy according to the doctors. I’ve done a fair bit of research and can see aspartame is probably what is hindering my weight loss. Have any of you had a problem with weight gain? And have any of you seen any weight loss after coming off aspartame? Thanks.
Reading your stories helps me feel I’m normal. I drink 6-8 cans of diet coke a day. Its only been 24 hrs and I’m dizzy, have severe headaches and am throwing up! I want to give up already :(
Keep going Melissa, you don’t want to feel this way for nothing! You’ll get past it.
I was using 2 packs sweetener in tea every morning. I finally quit cold turkey. I went thru withdraw of crying, crazy thoughts! That is so not my personality. I thought my husband was going to leave me. Crazy! Lost 30 pounds, food cravings stopped. Also when I was using artificial sweetener, I decided to try SPLENDA – it sent me to emergency room with terrible stabbing stomach pains. So glad I am off all sweeteners including sugar!
Reading your comments is very helpful for me. I quit a Diet Coke habit that I have had since it was introduced into the market, before that I drank Tab, probably the first diet drink out. I drank 6-10 Diet Cokes a day for all these many years. I quit cold turkey 4 days ago…and will ride it out! I have NO plans of going back even though at this point I feel terrible.
I wanted to put a positive note out here. I had been drinking diet Sprite for about 10 years. I seriously drank about 3 sometimes 4 cans a day. I have not had any caffeine in 20 years. I quit all products with aspartame this past Monday (5 days ago). I do NOT have any withdrawal symptoms. I have always had general anxiety issues and such so nothing new from quitting.
The only difference I can note right now is that I have been sleeping soundly. Last night I slept 7 hours straight thru the night. No headaches, no dizziness. All positive things to report. So I hope I can rev up my metabolism and realize how much control I actually have over my personal health. Good luck to all and don’t give up because of fear of quitting.
I am on day 4. Probably been drinking diet ginger ale for years up to a 2 liter bottle per day. I am on a liver detox diet to flush out the toxins. I lost 6 lbs in three days. I am sure this lead to the increased belly fat. According to the diet the body processes it as real sugar, storing fat instead of metabolizing it. I have had the fatigue, headaches, burning and blurry vision, and feeling anxious. Hope this all leads to easier weight loss and a feeling of well being.
Hey all, I am a 33 year old male, and I finally cut out the aspartame. I have cut it out before but it was not until recently that I have felt the need too. The first time I quit aspartame I was 22 was drinking it since I was 13 approx 3-5 cans a day. It was amazing I went from a 46 belt loop down to a 38. When I went back my belt loop gained and dropped, now I’m sitting at a 54 inch belt loop.
Recently I was diagnosed with hip bursitis and my Achilles tendons has multiple rips and tears in it. I talked to my doctor and asked her straight up what was with aspartame poisoning, she than listed off everything that I had read, and that I had concerns about, primarily the loss of my cartilage in my hips.
I am now on day 5 and my head feels like it is going to explode and even blinking hurts it. In the end though, I would rather have sugar in my life than something like aspartame. Good luck everyone!
Hi, I’ve been reading everyone’s comments. I thought I was going crazy and imagining the way I feel. I was drinking 4-5 diet pepsi a day for the past 5 years. I quit cold turkey 4 days ago. I’ve had constant headaches, and eye pain. My eyes hurt and literally feel like they are swollen, blurry vision, nervousness and I feel like my heart is racing at times. I am so glad I decided to stop drinking that poison. I’m also glad I found this page and know that I’m not alone.
After consuming Diet Sodas (a maximum of (4) 12oz cans/day, minimum of 2) for the last 34 years, I finally quit cold turkey. I stopped being able to lose weight and felt bloated all of the time. After seeing all of the research that has come out in the last year about artificial sweeteners causing Insulin resistance and the fact Diabetes runs rampant on my mom’s side of the family I decided it was time to quit.
In soda’s place I’ve been drinking iced tea and a lot more water. I do use Stevia in my iced tea as many health experts do consider that a natural sweetener, but just today, drank iced tea with lemon only. Only being a week off of it, I have had NO cravings for diet soda, and find myself going immediately for the tea or the water dispenser without a 2nd thought. I have experienced some headaches on and off, but, I’m thinking because the tea (green tea) has less caffeine than soda, that my body is going through a little bit of caffeine withdrawal.
Once I have my iced tea with lunch the headache subsides, so that is where I got that idea from. I do find I feel less bloated, but because it has only been a week, time will tell if my weight starts dropping – yes, I do exercise regularly and eat very healthy. I will allow myself a Diet Soda once in awhile, but I want to wait until I’ve been off of it for a month to really give my body the chance to get used to not having it.
Please be careful about allowing yourself “a Diet Soda once in awhile” as this DOES NOT work!! I have also tried this and the chemicals in the diet sodas will have you hooked again in a day or two! These chemicals alter the brain and it is impossible for someone who has been addicted and detoxed off the stuff to “just have one” as they say in AA :)
I agree about not having a diet soda “every once in a while.” I went on a vegan diet years ago and came of diet soda cold turkey. I was doing great and thought one hot summer day – what can it hurt. It hurt plenty! I was right back on it and actually fell off the vegan diet too.
Am on Day 2 free of Diet Coke, am glad to read these comments: they help :). Have a shocking headache and to be honest this is feeling much like I did when I quit alcohol some years ago.
Hi all, I am 65 years old and on day 4 of my withdrawal journey. I have been a caffeine free diet coke drinker for more years than I can remember and the biggest problem I have faced is being diagnosed with chronic Interstitial Cystitis four years ago. IC is brutal and has resulted in my bladder constantly forming tumors that have to be surgically removed every 3 months and my bladder and pelvic flour having to be injected with hundred of Botox shots just to help with the pain and the constant trips to the washroom (60+ times a day).
It destroyed my quality of life. No one ever mentioned that it could have something to do with my body (especially my bladder) hating the aspartame. I have already noticed an improvement in the pain level and frequency. I am having the headaches, chills, nausea, insomnia, and loss of appetite, but I feel hopeful for the first time in years that there is something I can do to help my body. Anyone out there with bladder issues should take a good look at aspartame consumption, as well as other additives. You could really help yourself by getting off these unnatural substances. Good luck and I will let you know how it goes.
I’m 52 and have had different soda addictions at different times in my life. I was addicted to Diet Dr Pepper. I preferred the taste over regular, which I drank when I couldn’t get diet. I also drank Crystal light with caffeine every day. Looking back, I realize I was more afraid of a 12 oz can of high fructose corn syrup so I drank diet soda. I now drink water, a lot.
I like drinking water and find any kind of soda with sugar or Kool-Aid type drink to be too sweet. I am a couple days short of 4 weeks caffeine and aspartame free. I was sick with stomach flu just before I quit, but my biggest issues had been brain fog and sleepiness/lethargy. I have been experiencing joint pain, insomnia and occasionally cravings and night hunger, also. Most of the symptoms have subsided, but the last few days, I have been having hot flashes.
I don’t know if they are related, but it stands to reason that they could be. Although I don’t think I lost any weight, or gained it, I do feel less bloated and more “aware” of myself. Once I feel more stable, I am going to request my Dr re-evaluate my medicine needs. Some of the things I am medicated for could be symptoms of aspartame poisoning.
Hey guys, looking at your stories have help me to get through this tough withdrawal. I’m 6 weeks off the fizzy diet soda and it has not been easy. My breakdowns in mood have now become a lot less and I’m starting to laugh again. My anxiety is still here but not as serve , also I’m not having half as much panic attacks, my muscles still ache from time to time but I have found that do meditation every evening and finding time to pause throughout the day has really helped. I also sleep a lot better. So if I can’t give you anything I can tell you it does get better.
I have been drinking Diet Pepsi for 35 yrs. Had a heart scare recently and made a lifestyle change: no diet pepsi, all natural sugars, no breads or pastas or potatoes. Drinking lots of water and have lost 10 pounds in the 3 weeks. Went through the headaches and the blahs, waking up in the wee hours and not being able to get back to sleep and unexplained joint problems that I had never had before. Woke up this morning and felt AMAZING!!! I hope this is the new norm and maybe I can lose some of the weight and belly fat that I have packed on now that I am eating healthier and exercising. I want to be around for my 11 yr old for a long time!
I have been cold turkey off the “diet Pepsi” for 4 1/2 days now, (60+oz of pop a day habit). I went through the headache, which Advil took that away, I still ache all over and the ringing in the ears has not stopped or lessened. My biggest problem is the salty dry taste in my mouth! I can’t seem to get enough water to drink. Which is good as I have got to be flushing my system of the toxins, it is just strange the salty taste I have. I can remember getting this taste before and a “pop” always seemed to take it away! I hope this all will be worth it!
I’ve been off the diet coke for 24 days now and have been drinking water the whole time, this is the worst thing I’ve had to go through. I to have had anxiety attacks and depression and I just get moments when I feel like I wanna burst into tears. However I do get a full nights sleep now but I feel I sleep for longer hours and if I don’t get enough sleep it makes me anxious for the whole day.
I too went to the doctors and had test they all came back normal and I felt I was losing my mind. I’m now into week for and within the last weeks I have had a couple of days that I feel OK. I have found going for works and looking after myself by having a massage and time alone has really helped. I hope this helps you guys
How long did it take before you felt completely better? I just passed week three and I still have days when I feel horrible.
I myself have just cut aspartame, ascuflame k, ascorbic acid and several others completely from my children’s diet. I have noticed much improvement in their behavior, but they have had large outbursts of anger and lethargy. My eldest daughter has got ADHD so I see this as a positive thing. However having taken the time to study what I have been giving my children over 10 years I can most definitely say I have noticed several of the side effects in my children. Especially in my two eldest daughters.
The oldest has had severe chest pains, to which it got so bad we had to call a GP out late night. Both of my girls have also had headaches, dizziness, muscular, and joint pain. On a final note aspartame is the feces(poo) from bacteria while ascorbic acid is derived from fire ant venom and is is classified as a neurotoxin. You can find me on G+ if you have any questions. Thanks
Naz: I think you mean aspartic acid, not ascorbic acid. Aspartic acid is one of the breakdown products of aspartame in the body. Ascorbic acid is vitamin C, and it is an essential vitamin.
I’ve been drinking diet soda and iced tea that also contained aspartame for about 5-6 years now, sometimes a whole 12 pack and a gallon of tea in 1 day and I recently decided to quit cold turkey because I heard that diet drinks hinder your weight loss efforts. It’s been about 4-5 days now and I was hit with anxiety, depression, panic attacks, loss of apatite, and fatigue. I’ve also been getting these feelings like I have some life-threatening illness and I’ve been connecting dots that aren’t there and really freaking myself out.
It has been a miserable and debilitating few days. At first I didn’t know what was going on, I thought I was losing my mind. Then I realized that it might be linked to the fact that I stopped drinking diet soda/tea, so I looked it up and here I am. I really hope that I can kick these feelings and snap back to normal soon because this is just horrible.
I too have been trying to deal with anxiety about having a horrible illness. It’s been about 10 days since I quit and I’ve gone through anxiety and low mood and scariest of all, palpitations and a racing heart. Now this anxiety although lessened is still there and gnawing away at me that I’m going to have a heart attack. This awful experience is enough to swear me off aspartame forever. I’d love to hear if you got over your health anxiety?
I had not been consuming daily amounts of caffeine prior to quitting the sugar substitute so I believe most of the symptoms are not due to caffeine withdrawal. I gave up sugar substitute 8 days ago and switched to only drinking water. I used to drink diet soda occasionally, but I was an avid Crystal Light drinker. (8+ glasses per day). The first couple of days were not that bad. I drank a lot of water, felt tired-yet-restless, and had a mild headache.
I had joint pain from day 3 through day 6 that made it difficult to sit or sleep. I had a severe headache from day 5 through day 7 that Tylenol would lesson, but not completely cure. Today is day 8 and the headache is back to mild but I am still lethargic. I noticed I have fewer cravings for sweets or snacks. I was quite hungry at meal times during the first few days, but that tapered off through the week. I feel my appetite is back to normal.
I’ve had this weird rash on my forearms and chest and experiencing extreme brain fog. I quit real sugar and heavy carbs 2 years ago and lost 104 lbs. However, when I quit real sugar I replaced it with fake sugar packets in my coffee and tea everyday. I finally figured out that the aspartame was linked to the rash. Although I still have it (only been off aspartame 10 days), it does seem to be backing off.
I am going on day three of aspartame withdrawal. I have had it in coffee every day and coke zero… 4 or 5 a day for years. It’s all I really drank.
I have a huge headache and nausea and my body aches. Quitting alcohol ten years ago seemed easier than this. I hope this feeling goes away soon. I am determined to get this poison out of my body. This crap is like a drug. It makes you feel so crappy giving it up that you just want to cave. This stuff should be banned.
I agree, it’s like I quit smoking all over again. Bad stuff this aspartame.
I too gave up diet coke cold turkey 7 weeks ago. I had a cold at the time so attributed the headaches & drowsiness to that… But it took me over 4 weeks to get over that cold & now I’m thinking it was really the aspartame withdrawal symptoms I was dealing with. One thing no one has mentioned & I’m wondering if it could be a symptom is that I’ve been getting a sweet taste in my mouth. Had my glucose checked & doctor said level is normal so ruled out diabetes. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced that?
I get a sweet taste a couple hours after drinking 3-4 glasses of Coke Zero and now today Diet Coke. I usually only drink sodas when eating out–only 1-2 times per month. I usually order a Coke and get lots of refills when free. If I have more than 3 glasses, I get a lingering sweet taste in my mouth several hours later that lasts for a couple of hours. Before today, I only noticed it with Coke Zero, but maybe that was because I like the taste better and end up drinking more.
Thanks god. I’m going through this right now and thought I was going crazy. I attributed everything to caffeine withdrawal and just now looked into the artificial sweetener part. I am almost four weeks diet soda free and I am having the worst cold on earth and my lethargy is on and off. I thought I was going crazy blaming it on the soda but now I see that it probably is the soda. And that’s scary.
I have had numerous strokes (9) some big, some small. 4 have landed me in Rehab. I have also, in the last 2 years have had 7 kidney stones and 2 surgeries for those. In both illnesses my Dr.’s have put a lot of blame on both my high blood pressure and kidney problems. They have told me for 5 years now to give up the Diet Pop. I felt like it was my one big vice and I should be able to do it. This year I gave it up for lent. I am in day 3 and I am miserable!!!! My head hurts, I can’t keep anything down, I sleep, I cry, I scream at everyone with in my sight. Oh I hope this ends soon. Truthfully I don’t think I can do this.
I drank 15 cans of soda a day. Mostly diet coke but it didn’t matter. I got to where I had one open all the time. I caught myself with my jaw clenched a lot. I felt bloated all the time and gained over a hundred pounds. I could not move my head from side to side by late afternoon everyday. I’ve been told I have virtually no metabolism left. I always felt better if I did not eat. I could go a couple days without food and not be hungry. I’ve quit for two weeks now, the headaches have gone away. I don’t know what lasting effects I will have, but hopefully my metabolism will come back.
I quit Diet Coke 4 days ago and the withdrawal symptoms are brutal. I would drink 4 to 8 cans a day, I didn’t realize the damage I was doing even though people were telling me. The extent of the damage I did was clear to see when I ended up in the hospital from to bad panic attacks. Since quitting the Diet coke I have had panic attacks, headaches, anxiety, joint pain, and also blurry vision. I have never been scared in all my life. I am on day 4 now and still feel rough, but better then I did in day 1 and 2. Also I kept suffering with a bad chest and coughing up gunk every morning since stopping. I haven’t had this problem before. I just hope I can continue to stay off of the diet coke. Reading your stories has really helped me.
I quit aspartame cold turkey 3 days ago. I know the withdrawals aren’t caffeine related because I am still drinking coffee but have been using Truvia as a sweetener for a few years now. I was sucking down diet Sprite like crazy: 3-6 cans a day. I just had an MRI and had mild brain lesions that I’ve read are caused possibly by aspartame. What a wake up call… A friend of mine has been warning me of the dangers for years. Withdrawals yes, for sure: headache (ouch), groggy, fatigue, racing heart/palpitations, eye pain/twitching, achy flu like, etc. I’ve read that aspartame toxicity is reversible, so I’m happy about that. I’m hanging in there. :) Sending my best to you all. You’re moving in the right direction. Kiss kiss.
I have been using aspartame since 1968. I have gradually gone from 6 to 5 to 4 to 3 packets a day. This week I am using 2 packets a day. Worst part is migraines eye pain and drowsiness. I am determined to stop completely. Has anyone else weaned themselves from aspartame? How long before normalcy?
Hi, I haven’t weaned myself, I am a 2 liter a day diet Pepsi drinker, and didn’t realize the side effects I would experience when they became aspartame free a few weeks ago, I have had debilitating migraines, mood swings, body aches, and skin rashes on my elbows and knees,(don’t know if the rash is connected). I have spinal/neck issues, so I attributed my headaches to that.
But after reading all these posts, I do honestly believe that it is withdrawal from the aspartame. I always considered myself a health conscious person, with the exception of the diet soda. This is extremely frightening to know this chemical was sold to millions of people everyday around the world! I am afraid of what we will all discover in the months and years to come!
I have been off diet coke for 2 weeks and 2 days and counting. I have had neck and head problems also similar to major tension which is causing headaches. I see that this is probably a withdraw symptom.
I agree. It’s poison!
I have been drinking diet coke every day for years. I have known for a long time that aspartame is poison, but didn’t want to quit drinking diet soda. I enjoyed the cool bubbles and always had a soda in my car during those long drives when I was taking my kids everywhere. It was a distraction and kept me from munching on other things.
Now I’m 47 and can’t lose the extra ten pounds I have gained in the last few years. I have even stepped up my exercise and have tried to lose it. I have finally realized that I’m putting all this effort into losing weight and drinking all that diet coke everyday could be just what is defeating all my efforts. I have cut back drinking diet soda and notice that on the days when I consume less, I feel better.
I’ve been off diet soda for five days now. The first twenty four hours I had a pretty bad headache. Now I get pressure in my head but it doesn’t persist. It comes and goes. I do feel flu-like from time to time. My sleep pattern has changed also. Today my face is scratchy and I notice a little acne that I usually don’t have. I even have a small sore in my mouth which I never ever have. I’m trying to consume more water. I’m not a coffee drinker either.
I drink Kombucha and have decided to use that during this phase of quitting diet coke. It can be bubbly so I feel like I can enjoy it the way I used to enjoy diet coke. Kombucha is expensive so I can’t drink it every day unless I make it myself. I’ve taken the day off of work today because I feel the worst today. I am fighting the urge to drink a diet coke but resist it because despite the symptoms, I do feel better. My mind is brighter. I really just feel like sleeping so I’m being kind to myself and taking the “sick” day. Grateful to finally quit.
I am drinking LaCroix & coffee. After day 7 here of no diet coke I decided to research why I feel so “off” and lousy. I have never gone this long without a diet soda. I am not having the caffeine withdrawal, but I don’t feel good, everything aches and I am starving all the time. I think I am starving, I am missing something, the Diet Coke. I have wanted to quit for a long time.
I am a type 2 and there is nothing to drink other than LaCroix. Can’t really drink any measurable amount of fruit juice or lemonade or OJ or regular soda (not that I want any soda) so have been drinking coffee (always have coffee every morning) and some ice tea. Water is good for you, great but I have been getting up 3X a night. Can’t drink all this water. I can’t say I am ever thirsty.
I have been drinking coffee for over 10 years and each morning it was 7 packs of splenda into the coffee… It tasted sweet and amazing! HOWEVER I was suffering from unexplained neurologic symptoms that no test could diagnose (i.e. Night time paralysis, Fatigue, Numbing joints, Mood swings and major joint pain. so on. One day I saw a post on Facebook showing what aspartame does and I decided to kick the habit… It took me 4 months to come down from the initial withdrawal of going COLD TURKEY…
I had horrible headaches, worsened joint pain, Severe Anxiety and panic attacks and cravings. I tried it again after 4 months and it tasted like I drank a bottle of windex and I instantly became ill after consuming my coffee like this ( I didn’t consume much because of the taste). It took me 2 years to get rid of the anxiety, panic and depression, but I have returned to a normal life and limit even regular sugar now as regular sugar can be just as dangerous! I hope this helps someone. YOU CAN walk away from this poison!
Deb: I am also a big Splenda user, but did you mean to say that you are withdrawing from Splenda or Aspartame? They are not the same thing, of course. I found this site by googling “aspartame withdrawal symptoms,” but now I am curious whether you had Splenda withdrawal symptoms. I quit Aspartame 4 days ago, but I don’t really want to give up the Splenda if I don’t have to. Asparatame withdrawal has made me sleep an extra hour every night. It has also made me clumsy and mentally fuzzy in the daytime.
I’m curious too. I’m on day 4 with no diet drinks or aspartame. Had a major headache last night. (Minor headaches every day for the last 4 days.) Wished I could just pinch my head off of my shoulders last night. LOL This morning it’s better. I use Splenda to cook with and to sweeten maybe 1 glass of tea a day. I’m not planning on giving up Splenda. I’m diabetic and Splenda makes life without sugar bearable.
I just gave up artificial sweetener all together 5 days ago. I didn’t consume much aspartame but I did consume Splenda & Stevia a lot. I’ve had the worst headaches, dizziness, extreme hunger, and cravings for anything sweet. I hope it goes away soon. I really am trying to stay strong but it’s hard.
I have had many health issues last couple years. I’m 49 male I have been drinking diet coke for 20 years at least 8 to 12 cans per day. I have finally realized how bad it is. Due to my Dr and friends concerns and stomach pain, bloating, throat, esophagus, issues I’m done with the stuff. Today is only 24 hours in and from this much consumption and having bad headaches , eye pain, stomach sounds crazy with noise, and I’m feeling pressure everywhere. I have been drinking water and cranberry juice and I’m hurting already. I hope it gets better sooner than later.
Greg, I can relate! I’m 45 years old and have been consuming Diet Coke for over 20 years. Moderation was not in my vocabulary; I consumed 12 cans a day. I have quit on three occasions only to return after my children were born. It’s a battle to quit. But once you get over the withdrawal, you’re home free. Good luck.
I’ve quit drinking diet soda on December 31, 2014 and anything else containing artificial sweeteners. Oh my…my body went through a few things that I couldn’t understand why this was happening. Reading this forum helped me to see that it was the artificial sweetener that was causing kt. My withdrawal symptoms were….Tiredness, dizzy, lightheaded, cranky, moody, headaches galore!, exhaustion, and binges, cravings and hungry especially at night. It’s been 3 weeks that I’m off the artificial sweeteners and although most of my symptoms are gone, I’m still experiencing the binges, cravings and hunger at night. Hopefully that’ll go away and my body will go back to its normal self.
I needed to stop using equal and Splenda and diet sodas because it was really taking a toll on me. One thing I noticed that has stopped is that I’m no longer have bowel movements as often as I did. I would have them at least 6 times a day. That would be the norm for me. It would drive me crazy. I would go then 5 minutes later I’d go again. I really though I had IBS that’s how bad it was. Now I go once or twice a day. I’m very happy about that. My goal is to give up sugar altogether but I can’t drink my coffee without it so I use 1/2 teaspoon of sugar until one day I can do without it. Hey it’s progress from 1 tablespoon.
Hello Everyone, I am about eight weeks into my quit cold turkey. I had such terrible digestive system problems for the last three years that I was desperate to find my problem. Since quitting aspartame my bloating has gone away and I’m not having all the uncontrollable gas problems. And the bowel problems.
It’s not gone completely but it’s getting better. I am craving a lot of sugar and sweets but I’m trying to get moving and motivated to occupy my time. And trying to keep more fruits and healthy snacks around. Anyway good luck to everyone and keep on keep in on.
Today is day 5 for me. Days 1-2, I was just lethargic and slept a lot. It was the weekend, so NBD. Yesterday, though, was AWFUL! I was really foggy, exhausted, and had a terrible migraine for the second half of the day. I was begging my kids (3 and 5) to be kind to me because I hurt so badly. Woke up this morning feeling MUCH more human, but we’ll see how I fare as the day carries on. Wednesdays are my longest day (5a-10p), so I’m bracing myself for a rough second half.
I’ve been drinking diet coke for 13yrs + I would have 4-5 cans a day. It became so addicting. I didn’t drink it to lose weight… I just liked the taste. I watched a doc. On YouTube and it changed me. I then decided to quit ‘cold Turkey’ now I drink nothing but tea and water.
Symptoms I’ve noticed WHILE drinking diet coke:
-mood swings
-depression
-ringing in the ear
-brain fog
-blurry vision
-joint pain
-digestive problems
I’ve stopped drinking soda for 14 days… WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS:
-dizziness
-headaches
-feels like I’m hungry all the time
-anxiety
I wonder when this will all go away :( however I feel like I see life a different way it’s hard to describe. I see things clearer I guess. Feel smarter and I can focus.
Hello all, I gave up aspartame 6 weeks ago cold turkey! The best thing I’ve done for myself in a long time. I was having diet Pepsi every day and worst I could consume up to 2ltrs a day. I’m 57 at a time in my life where my body is in transition…lol. I blamed everything on my menopause. I had to come off HRT due to deep vain thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. This opened a new door as to how my body was working for me. I will also add that I have suffered serious lengthy bouts of depression since my mid/late teens.
After my DVT/PE scare everything seemed to be pointing to my hormones/brain chemicals. Talking to my friends about my aches n pains sleep problems, my depression and a number of other issues, I started to think very seriously about my brain chemicals. I do have a pretty good knowledge how the brain and behavior work. I was now listening to my body and making links with physical symptoms I was experiencing and what chemicals I was putting in my body. I was also aware of my moaning about how rubbish I felt and was sick of hearing me!!
I asked my GP to do a vitamin D blood test and this came back low. I’m into my 4th month of GP prescription vitamin D. A friend had done some research online about aspartame. We looked at the side effects and I was gobsmacked at the amount of symptoms I was experiencing! I stopped diet Pepsi there and then. I check food and drink labels now and don’t buy anything with aspartame in. My whole feeling of wellbeing has improved my appetite and what I eat are are better.
I want more veg and fruit as it taste better…my teeth are brighter my tongue is clean, my joints are better my sleep pattern is improving, I’m not as fatigued as I was, my moods and my thought process is improving. I’m still having ear buzzing and I do believe it has deteriorated my eye sight. It will be interesting to see when my vitamin D levels are sorted how much more improved my physical and psychological wellbeing will be. Good luck to you and stick with it.
Today is my third day. Ahhh, headaches galore! My head feels like it has been split open with an axe. Heavy artificial sweetener user for years. I stopped b/c I ran out, and it’s a lot more expensive where I live. Thanks for the support and good luck on your journeys, too!
I quit aspartame 6 days ago. I had a mild chest cold starting the day I quit so I kept thinking my withdrawal symptoms were due to that. I had terrible headaches for about 4 days & slept constantly. Good thing I was off of work this week or I wouldn’t have got through it. I started vomiting every two hours on the 3rd day, it was so severe I thought of going to the hospital but I frankly was just too tired to bother. I noticed that my eyes were very sensitive to light, I kept squinting to watch TV & it made my headache.
Today I feel wonderful! My body doesn’t hurt anywhere, I have a measure of energy that I have not had in years. I’m happy & less bloated. I have been a heavy consumer of aspartame for years, I switched to decaf 2 yrs ago so I don’t think I’m having caffeine withdrawal. I have to say I think its totally worth it. I have a lot of weight to lose and I have not had any cravings, in fact, its been very easy to walk by sweets… I hope it lasts!
This is encouraging as it’s been 24 hours since my last diet coke. I’m going cold turkey and I’m in so much pain. My head is killing me and I just had one glass of coke that my daughter let me have as we decided as I’m in so much pain to switch to tapering off. I was drinking a 2 liter bottle daily And sometimes more. I also need to lose wait and I spoke to a biochemist friend of mine and she said is a appetite stimulant because of the stuff in it. She said it’s worse than regular coke because of the artificial sweeteners.
So I went cold turkey but it’s killing me. Well feels like it. So had this glass of diet Pepsi just now to see if it would ease the pain of withdrawal and my body just rejected it and I threw it all up. So my daughter has the bottle which we have agreed to last me 4 days. Maybe a glass a day and a smaller glass each day. But as my body has just chucked it up. I think I’m just going to sleep now and see how I feel later. But I’m definitely not drinking this stuff again once I get past this week. No chance.
I was a two-liter a day drinker (if not more) for years. I started losing my hair in April (now December) which is what prompted me to explore the possibilities of this problem. I quit meds used for cholesterol, triglycerides, high blood pressure — all in an effort to control this hair loss. (This decision did not work, although I will continue to stay off of these medications due to their sever side effects). Finally I discovered that aspartame can indeed cause significant hair loss.
That was the final straw. I’ve had a continuous headache since I quit all aspartame (five days ago), have been told by my EX boyfriend that I have been acting weird (without a doubt he was correct), but I will persist. Aspartame is poison and I’m convinced that my blood sugar and other health issues will improve, not to mention my bipolar disorder and anxiety issues. I am praying for this cure.
Omg, I was reading your story and thought I was reading my own!!! I see you wrote this in December 2014, so I am curious how the hair loss turned out??? I’m going through the exact same thing!
Yes it is poison. Literally! I quit 3 weeks ago. Symptoms were awful. Not going back!
Six weeks off and my hair is noticeably thicker. Also apparently I no longer get PMS.
Today is my first day without aspartame. My eyes hurt. I feel like I have the flu. I’m achy and lethargic and I’m craving sugar. I have found myself easily becoming distracted and it has been difficult to staying focused. I’ve had black coffee and unsweetened tea. And I’ve had waves of nausea all day. Very hard to concentrate.
Hi all, I just started aspartame withdrawl and I feel lousy. Right now I am tired and cranky, but I hope it will get better soon. I’ve been consuming aspartame since it came on the market. My use has been heavy. I am bipolar, so the emotional problems are worse for me. I went to a lecture and the professional said that you will never lose weight if you continue to consume aspartame. My husband has been wanting me to stop consuming aspartame, so I stopped yesterday. I’m headed for the exercise bike now for a work out, maybe that will make me feel less grumpy!
I stopped over 2 months ago. I don’t know if I was highly toxic or what, but it seems like it’s taking f-o-r-e-v-e-r to get out of my system. At the same time, I also quit (both cold turkey) stuffing high fructose corn syrup in my face. Lastly, no fast food, no greasy junk, high fats, etc.. It was hard (mentally) only a couple of days, which really surprised me. I figured I’d drool at any chocolate, but it was actually easier in that part. After it had been a month, I noticed a few weird things.
I’m 41, so I know my body pretty well by now. First, at bedtime, I’d be starving. Like….eat what was in the cat box-hungry. My stomach would growl and rumble, until I finally would have to get up and scrounge around for something at 2 a.m. Finally, back in bed, I lay there, and lay there, and lay there. Now I can’t sleep, which, in the morning I am a complete hazy fog. So I make it to the couch all zombie-like, plop down and watch the news (see… I sound like I’m definitely some 90 year old!).
I did NOT cut out caffeine, I think I would croak if I did. As I sip my coffee, I realize, “at least caught up on all the exciting happs.” Finally around 2 PM, my day is ready to start. Some things I have noticed – I have not gained weight or lost weight. My muscles do seem a bit wimpier, not that I had much tone to speak of in the first place. I did not bloat and my boobs didn’t get sore during PMS. I do seem more lazy, been putting things off I normally wouldn’t do. My face seems not so clear.
Have had breakouts pretty much for 2 months straight, (lucky me)! But on the positive side, my brain does seem like it’s smarter. I can’t really explain it, especially since it’s fuzzy the first half of the day. My thoughts have seemed more creative, kind of like I can “think outside the box” a lot better than I ever have before. So, in a nutshell, I would have to say that OVERALL I don’t feel better, but I don’t feel worse. My symptoms now are 100% different than the ones I started with.
The reason I didn’t want to eat/drink all that nasty junk anymore was because I had achy joints, stiffness, I felt slow and old. My joints don’t hurt anymore, but my head is a lot more fogged. I loved reading the other replies, lots of good stuff!
I can understand the brain seeming sharper, as recent research has shown that many organizations’ pilots are not allowed to fly after aspartame consumption. Have a search online.
My first few days were brutal. My mouth would water at the thought of a diet Coke. Day four, I felt like I had the flu. My muscles hurt and all I could do was sleep. Initially, my food cravings were way down, but after a week or so, I began craving sweets. Three weeks of that, and I was starting to eat less and was definitely craving less. I’m about seven weeks out and I’m finally starting to lose weight. I never had headaches, but I did get (and am still getting) some eye tics. I’m not sure they’re related, but the timing is very coincidental and the tics do seem to be subsiding now that I’m seven weeks off aspartame.
I had the same experience, including joint and muscle aches. Oddly, I had eye twitching too! I’m three weeks off diet coke (6-9 cans a day). I’m glad to hear that your symptoms subsided. It gives me hope!
I am six weeks off. Had a few days of tics but overall – feeling great.
I stopped all aspartame consumption approx 9 days ago after finding myself with severe pain in my left thigh. Doctor thought it was nerve damage due to heavy lifting, but painkillers didn’t help, only when I stopped the aspartame, did my thigh improve. This, unfortunately has not been the first time I felt pain due to aspartame, which I take in the 3in1 sugar free coffee mix.
Previously I’ve had terrible back pains, kidney area, and stopped the coffee, only to slowly go back to it after a few weeks. This time was the worst and has pushed me to be aware of stopping all aspartame consumption. I have not had any mood swings, headaches etc, probably because I am still drinking coffee, brewed, no sugar. But I have joint pains, mostly in the shoulders, lower back, and knees.
I’m more hungry for snack food, but feel less bloated. I generally don’t feel fatigue, just old because of the joint pain. I’m also experiencing a slight twitch on my eye. I have also experienced bad reactions to what I assume is a high amount of msg. I have had the feeling of pressure building up in my head, like my face was being pushed up. It has lasted for 2-3 hours, making it impossible to do anything. After it wore off I felt exhausted. It’s made me aware of staying away from msg, and where I eat out.
Magnesium supplement will help abate nearly all of your remaining discomfort! Give ‘er a go. -JT