Question

I am a breastfeeding mother and i want to know if it is safe to use Splenda? Is Splenda safe for nursing mother and child? Does Splenda extracts into breast milk? Does Splenda has any long term or short term side effects on infants? Can Splenda influence milk supply or can Splenda decrease milk supply in lactating mothers?

Answer by DrLact: About Splenda usage in lactation

No well-controlled data are available on the extent of passage of Splenda into breastmilk. However, Splenda has been found in the breastmilk of some nursing mothers who report consuming artificially sweetened beverages and sweetener packets in the past 24 hours. However, because Splenda is poorly absorbed after oral ingestion, it is not likely to reach the bloodstream of the infant or cause adverse effects in breastfed infants. However, some authors note that the levels of Splenda in milk can exceed the sweetness threshold in milk and affect intestinal enzymes and microbiome. They suggest that women may wish to limit the consumption of nonnutritive sweeteners while breastfeeding because their effect on the nursing infants are unknown.[1][2]
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