The Hazards of Stevia

Added emphasis on weight loss in recent years and the dangers of many sugar alternatives has forced further research into a safe sugar alternative. Stevia rebaudiana is a plant that is native to areas of Brazil and Paraguay. The leaves of the plant, which is commonly referred to as sweetleaf or simply stevia, have been found to have natural sweetening abilities. Stevia-based sweeteners were banned by the FDA as a food additive in the early 1990s. Much of the early research done on long-term consumption effects of stevia have shown that reproductive and metabolic complications are just a few of the ill effects of stevia. The FDA insists that further research must be done on the possible side effects of stevia-based sweeteners.

Cancer

• In Brazil, stevia studies were conducted using rats. Stevia extract was added to the rats' drinking water over a period of two years. The DNA of the animals was tested throughout the study to try to determine the safety of the stevia extract. Over the time period, there were breakages noted in the DNA in the blood, liver, brain and spleen of the rats. These breakages are thought to result in tumors and eventually cancer. Similar studies done at UCLA have determined that stevioside, a chemical component of stevia, caused cancer-like mutations in genes. While many of the stevia studies are in their infancy, it is clear from the information gained thus far that more thorough research must be done to determine the health hazards of stevia.

Metabolic Processes

• Large amounts of stevia have been shown to impede the natural metabolism of carbohydrates in several types of animals. This causes great disruption in the body's production of energy within the cells. This is very dangerous as any disruption of this delicate process can prevent the body's ability to maintain homeostasis, or a stable state. The body may attempt to compensate by metabolizing fat. The metabolism of fat leads to the build-up of ketones and acid within the cells. This process is referred to as kete-acidosis and can be lethal if not properly corrected.

Reproductive Complications

• Research studies done in Europe have shown that stevia may be detrimental to the reproductive system. The study, which lasted two years, followed the reproductive effects on rats that were given high doses of stevia in their diets. In male rats, researchers found that sperm production was drastically decreased and cells within the seminal vesicals were found to be mutated. In another study using female hamsters, fertility was drastically decreased. Also the offspring that were produced were smaller and typically showed growth delays. While it is not clear how similar doses could affect human reproductive systems, studies indicate that the danger posed may greatly outweigh the low-calorie benefits.