Artificial Sweeteners during prep

[Tekkadan7]

What's up guys, I'm 8 weeks out from the NPC Ultimate Physique and the prep is going extremely well. However, my coach said absolutely no artificial sweeteners and he's on vacation this week and cannot talk to him. What is the exact reason for not having artificial sweeteners? I have found it extremely difficult to find pre workout and protein that doesn't use artificial sweeteners. What are your guys' thoughts on this?

[Livinlean]

Most coaches will allow a diet soda every couple days. I even drank it every day for a time during last prep but I felt the more I drank it, the more I craved sugar.

Artificial sweeteners can cause bloating. Or thats what I hear anyways. Im not sure if theres any science behind this but thats what I have heard from multiple coaches.

[Chicagotarsier]

Artificial sweeteners (except one) have many negatives with the worst one in my opinion....constipation. It causes water to be stored as bloat, not bioavailable for sweat or digestion.

Many cases of colon issues with artificial sweeteners due to compaction of the substance in the colon. Only way to correct is surgery.

As far as for diet it in the end does nothing toward reducing sugar in your diet. It will cause sugars to taste differently due to changes in your tastebuds and when you do take in sugars they do to register as sugars to your mental facilities. You end up eating more sugars to cover the non-quenchable desire.

This is just the tip of the iceberg as they say.

[DocToxin8]

Artificial sweeteners and bloat,
aren't we just talking GI bloat/gas here?

Though, when I think about overweight people and artificial sweeteners there's usually water retention as well, but don't know if that's related.

So many different types of artificial sweeteners too,
most aren't even "artificial" as such.
Some are metabolized, some excreted unchanged in urine, some excreted unchanged in faeces (which would cause diarrhea in large doses), and so on.

[Couchlock]

Artificial sweeteners (except one) have many negatives with the worst one in my opinion....

What is the "one"? Is it stevia?

[Chicagotarsier]

Artificial sweeteners and bloat,
aren't we just talking GI bloat/gas here?

Though, when I think about overweight people and artificial sweeteners there's usually water retention as well, but don't know if that's related.

So many different types of artificial sweeteners too,
most aren't even "artificial" as such.
Some are metabolized, some excreted unchanged in urine, some excreted unchanged in faeces (which would cause diarrhea in large doses), and so on.

anything that triggers an insulin release causes water retention via sodium storage in the liver. Cyclamate is one of these. Sorbitol causes bloating which is a part of all artificial sweeteners.

[DocToxin8]

anything that triggers an insulin release causes water retention via sodium storage in the liver. Cyclamate is one of these. Sorbitol causes bloating which is a part of all artificial sweeteners.

I could see that. But insulin release from sweeteners has to be extremely minimal. Otherwise you'd risk dying if taking them when truly fasted. Haven't heard of that. Alcohol on the other hand, has caused hypoglycemic shock in fasted people. (Usually alcoholics)