Does Cortisol Have Aspartame in It?
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Types
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Aspartame and cortisol have different origins. Aspartame is not a naturally-occurring substance. It is produced from a mixture of two amino acids called phenylalanine and aspartic acid, which are then subjected to a process that will result in the final product. Cortisol, on the other hand, is a hormone, a chemical messenger your body uses to send instructions to specific cell types. Your adrenal glands synthesize cortisol from a sterol molecule called cholesterol. Aspartame does not play a role in cortisol synthesis.
Function
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Aspartame and cortisol have different functions. Aspartame binds to taste receptors in the tongue so that your brain registers a sweet sensation. According to 3D Chem, since aspartame is much sweeter than natural sugar, a far smaller quantity is required, so aspartame is generally used as a low-calorie sweetener. Cortisol, on the other hand, acts to raise blood sugar levels by binding to intracellular receptors to trigger processes that inhibit glucose uptake and upregulate protein metabolism.
Features
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Cortisol and aspartame are different compounds. Aspartame is a methyl ester, meaning a compound synthesized through a reaction between a carboxylic acid (in this case) and an alcohol, whereas cortisol is a sterol molecule, meaning a compound with a specific type of structure that includes four fused carbon rings. Cortisol does not contain aspartame.
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