sucralose info

I’m looking for info on sucralose. I know sucralose is
made from sugar. I also know that there are no known health
concerns with sucralose. But I don’t have a grasp of how/
why sucrolose is non-caloric. If anyone (including the
T-mag staff - since you use it in Grow!) could provide me
with info on how sucralose is made, and how/why it is non-
caloric, I would be very greatful.

In lasts weeks reader mail there was a reference to Stevia
reducing T levels, so I’m not so sure I want to use that.
Aspartame gives me headaches, so that is out. And I think
Acesulfame K tastes like shit. So… since no one responded
to my Q about sucralose, I’ve been doing a little research.
(BTW, if anyone has any additional insights on sucralose,
please post them.) Here is what I’ve found out so far:

Sucralose is a non-caloric sweetener derived from sugar through a patented, multistep process that selectively substitutes three chlorine atoms for three hydrogen-oxygen groups on the sugar molecule. The tightly bound chlorine atoms create a molecular structure that is stable and is approximately 600 times sweeter than sugar. It allegedly passes through the human body w/o being metabolized. However, IMO this is unlikely because if it were not processed at all you wouldn't be able to taste it.

Sucralose has been studied extensively for safety, and according to most scientists it is safe. However no *long term* safety trials have been conducted. Sucralose curently carries no warnings on its use. It has been approved by government bureaucrats in more than 30 countries throughout the world. It has been approved for a wide variety of products (pracitcally everything) including those foods heated to high temp (unlike aspartame).

Allegedly the chlorine in sucralose is not harmful, but I am skeptical of this. Because if you go back to the Pre-Approval research on animals, the results showed that sucralose caused shrunken thymus glands (up to 40% shrinkage) and enlarged liver and kidneys. Also, increased kidney mineralization was demonstrated. I've also seen recent studies that show that despite the manufacturer's claims, sucralose *does* break down into small amounts of 1,6-dichlorofructose, a chemical which has not been adequtely tested in humans. 1,6-dichlorofructose is not something that humans would normally ingest.

Despite the fact that sucralose is generally considered safe, I still have some concerns because: 1)The unkown result of the chlorine it contains. 2)the fact that it does break down in the body, despite the manufacturers claims. 3)The lack of long term safety trials - the lack of info.

Unless someone can convince me otherwise, I think I'm just going to give up on all currently available artifical sweeteners, and just buy protein powder without any sweetener.

Any additional info or feedback would be appreciated.

For the chemistry inclined among you, here is the actual
chemistry of how to make sucralose in 5 easy steps:

1.sucrose is tritylated with trityl chloride in the presence of dimethylformamide and 4-methylmorpholine and the tritylated sucrose is then acetylated with acetic anhydride,
2.the resulting TRISPA 6,1',6'-tri-O-trityl-penta-O-acetylsucrose) is chlorinated with hydrogen chloride in the presence of toluene,
3.the resulting 4-PAS (sucrose 2,3,4,3 ,4 -pentaacetate) is heated in the presence of methyl isobutyl ketone and acetic acid,
4.the resulting 6-PAS (sucrose 2,3,6,3 ,4 -pentaacetate) is chlorinated with thionyl chloride in the presence of toluene and benzyltriethylammonium chloride, and
5.the resulting TOSPA (sucralose pentaacetate) is treated with methanol in the presence of sodium methoxide to produce sucralose.

I'm not sure I want to "eat" this stuff.

I think sucralose make be the best thing to come along yet. I haven’t researched it much as you, but what I have noticed with things like sacarine is the safety tests conducted are ridiculous. I mean, you’d have to drink 120 diet soft drinks a day with sacarine in it for twenty years straight to see any negative effects. I think the FDA (or whoever) just acts on the side of caution.

Use a web search “sucralose” and you will get all the information you need.

Sucralose is derived from sugar through a patented, multistep process that selectively substitutes three chlorine atoms for three hydrogen-oxygen groups on the sugar molecule. The tightly bound chlorine atoms create a molecular structure that is exceptionally stable and is approximately 600 times sweeter than sugar. Chlorine, in the form of chloride, is a safe and natural element present in many of the foods and beverages that we eat and
drink every day. It is in most natural water supplies, and is also found in lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, melons, peanut butter and table salt. In the case of sucralose, the addition of chlorine to the sucralose molecule is what makes sucralose free of calories. Chlorine renders the sucralose molecule chemically and biologically inert so that sucralose passes through the body without being metabolized and is eliminated after consumption.