Aspartame and hair loss/growth

**lapis_lazuli** · March 3rd, 2016, 02:36 PM

Hi

I have a question for you lovely people: can too much aspartame contribute to slow hair growth? I've done a little research and found that it can be a factor in hair loss but I found nothing on it affecting growth rate. I currently do not have a problem with shedding. However, I drink 3-4 cans of diet coke a day. It is bad, I know, but I didn't consider its potential effects on my hair until recently.
So what do you think? I know I should cut back but I'm not sure if I should boycott diet sodas all together. Any information would be greatly appreciated

Thank you!!!
~LL

**Nique1202** · March 3rd, 2016, 04:14 PM

I don't think diet soda would be related to hair loss or slow growth in particular. We'd see a LOT more hair problems if that were the case, in the general population and probably around here as well. Individual sensitivities to certain ingredients might have some effect, but the chances of that are very slim for each individual person. You could try, but I doubt you'd see any improvements

Besides, diet soda is better for you in the long term than supposed healthy alternatives like fruit juices which are high in acid, high in sugar (even if there's none added, fruit is sweet), and low in the natural fiber that mitigates the effects of the rest in a whole fruit. There's nothing dangerous about artificial sweeteners or we'd definitely know about it by now.

**Deborah** · March 3rd, 2016, 04:23 PM

It's not good for your body, but I don't think it will affect your hair.

**hennalonghair** · March 3rd, 2016, 04:46 PM

Diet sodas are definitely NOT better than natural fructose from juices. Too much natural juice isn't good for you either because it's still a form of sugar and will quickly raise your blood sugar and then plummet and can cause lethargy and mood swings.
Aspartame is bad news.

http://m.activebeat.co/diet-nutritio...on%20aspartame

http://aspartame.mercola.com

http://www.mercola.com/article/aspar...en_dangers.htm

http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-side-effects.html

**Nadine <3** · March 3rd, 2016, 04:48 PM

Hm, well I don't think it could negatively affect your hair growth but t's definitely not good for you.

**ChloeDharma** · March 3rd, 2016, 04:53 PM

This looks worth a read

http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dai...emc-000199.txt

I'm a T1 diabetic and when I was first diagnosed back in 1990 I did as I was told and used artificial sweeteners, chose "diet" options for drinks etc. I only recently made the link but for a few years in my teens I suffered horrific migranes that would have me laid up in bed vomiting and wishing I was dead just to escape the pain that went on for days and days. I gave up the sweeteners for other reasons (primarily because they taste vile!) and my migranes stopped though as I said, I never actually made the link until recently. That was when I was about 16. For me, that is enough to convince me not to use them but looking around online and seeing the warnings and other people's experiences I view aspartame as some nasty toxic stuff and even as a T1 I would rather take my chances with natural sugar than put that stuff in my body.

That said, when I was drinking diet drinks and using sweeteners my hair was growing very well and looked great so I cant say it effected that for me, however generally hair likes what is healthy and dislikes what isn't so it wouldn't surprise me if it did effect hair for some people.

**meteor** · March 3rd, 2016, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by lapis_lazuli

Hi

I have a question for you lovely people: can too much aspartame contribute to slow hair growth? I've done a little research and found that it can be a factor in hair loss but I found nothing on it affecting growth rate. I currently do not have a problem with shedding. However, I drink 3-4 cans of diet coke a day. It is bad, I know, but I didn't consider its potential effects on my hair until recently.
So what do you think? I know I should cut back but I'm not sure if I should boycott diet sodas all together. Any information would be greatly appreciated

Thank you!!!
~LL

I'm with others - I don't know of the connection to hair growth specifically (hair will grow as long as you are healthy), but it's just not the best thing to drink for your overall health, especially in such large quantities...

If you can start slowly substituting sugary diet sodas with other options that provide that energy boost: e.g. maybe a bit of tea/coffee, water, and, of course, nutritious food..., I bet your body will thank you for it in the long run, and so will your hair, too.

**LongCurlyTress** · March 3rd, 2016, 05:05 PM

I am becoming addicted to herbal teas with a packet of aspartame and a teabag/ in an oversized cup with some nonfat milk in it also. It's not bloating from the carbonation like soda is and the warmth in my tummy and holding the hot cup of tea in my hands is nice. 4 cans of soda a day is also expensive and having to recycle the cans is also a pain. Hope you try the hot herbal/ caffeine free tea solution. It works for me!

And... I honestly don't think the aspartame hinders my hair growth at all. It probably is still rotting other body parts! Oh well!! LOL!

**lapis_lazuli** · March 3rd, 2016, 05:11 PM

Wow, thank you all for the info and links! Will start reading them now

I know aspartame's not the best thing for my body so I will make a conscious effort to cut back on it... tea sounds like a nice alternative. I guess I'm just paranoid about it affecting my hair

I appreciate the reassurance

**SteelRose** · March 3rd, 2016, 07:07 PM

ChloeDharma aspartame does the exact same thing go me! I get horrendous migranes any time I drink things with aspartame. I found out because I was trying to up my water intake by using Crystal Light and kept getting headaches. When I cut out the Crystal Light the headaches immediately went away. I stay far away from aspartame now.