Stevia Side Effects

Stevia Side Effects: Stevia is not available in the United States or in much of the European Union as a sweetener, although in South and Central America up to 240 species of plants are in the family called Stevia (Asteraceae) and have been used as a sweetener for hundreds of years. The leaves or this family of plant have become known as the “sweet leaf.” The major problem with Stevia as a mass marketed sweetener is the lack of major controlled studies to demonstrate its safety. In one study of Stevia use in rats where the rats were given huge doses of the leaf, Stevia side effects to date have largely been anecdotal and in animal experiments. Stevia has been recognized by the FDA as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) and the extract of Stevia called Rabaudioside A has been FDA approved for use as a food additive for sweetening. Stevia has been in uncommon cases been associated with a transient abdominal pain syndrome that resolved within a weeks time.

Stevia has the advantage over aspartame that it is heat stable and can be used in cooking like sucrose. Stevia has been used in Japan for years as an artificial sweetener. Stevia is felt to be about 200-300 times more potent on a gram for gram basis as sucrose, and so has the major advantage over sucrose of having nearly no calories in doses needed to sweeten food.

Some people feel that Stevia can give an anice, or licorice like aftertaste that they may consider among the Stevia side effects.

Proponents of Stevia consider most Stevia side effects to be beneficial. Lowering of blood sugar, loss of weight, and reduction of inflammation are beneficial Stevia side effects that are often reasons people choose to use Stevia as a sweetener.

It appears that Stevia is a safe product for general use, though additional study would be optimal.
Stevia may have some interactions with a few prescription medications including additive blood pressure lowering when used with verapamil, and Servia may lower blood sugars so doses of hypoglycemic medications used in diabetes may be needed.

Stevia is extensively metabolized and has multiple active ingredients and metabolites. These include at least stevioside, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside C, and dulcoside A.

No information is available about the use of Servia use in pregnancy and lactation.

Please leave a comment explaining the Stevia side effects you are feeling.