Dangers of Stevia

Why is Stevia so Popular?

Stevia is an all-natural, herbal sweetener that has been used for culinary and curative purposes since pre-Columbian times. A glance at the benefits stevia offers shows just why stevia is an increasingly popular herbal remedy and alternative to sugar and commercial sugar substitutes.

• It is a great weight loss aid because it not only has zero calories, but also helps curb urges for sweets and even for fatty foods.
• Although it is more than 300 times sweeter than sugar, stevia does not have any of the harmful side effects of artificial sweeteners such as Aspartame.
• Diabetics and hypoglycemics use it to help stabilize their blood sugar levels.
• It helps lower elevated blood pressure among those who suffer from hypertension.
• It is also used for oral health, to improve digestion, increase glucose tolerance and to help recuperation from minor illness.
• It is a natural way to make herbal teas and remedies more palatable.

What Are the Potential Dangers of Stevia?

It is clear that stevia has some definite health benefits that make it an especially attractive alternative to regular sugar. However, despite these obvious advantages, stevia is only available in the United States as a supplement, not as a food additive. The reason for this is that the FDA firmly contends that stevia is potentially unsafe. As the final authority on these matters, the FDA has successfully restricted the importation, sale and use of stevia in the US.

The FDA commonly cites a 1968 research study conducted by Professor Joseph Kuc of Purdue University, that showed a contraceptive effect on female rats that were administered highly-concentrated doses of stevia. The findings of the study pointed to a reduction in the fertility rates of up to 79 percent.

However, Professor Kuc himself notes that the findings of his study may not necessarily be extrapolated to humans. This seems to be borne out by the fact that the consumption of stevia has not been shown to adversely affect birth rates among populations that use the herb.

Another study that the FDA cites regarding the contraceptive effect of stevia consumption was conducted in 1988 in Brazil. The study involved female rats, and showed that their fertility rates dropped when they consumed stevia during the mating season, just like the 1968 study. However, this study was not conclusive as to the contraceptive effect in humans.

More recently, the results of a 2006 scientific research study showed that stevia can have a harmful effect on male reproductive organs. When a male lab rat was fed a high proportion of stevioside, a stevia extract, its sperm production was greatly hindered. The study showed that it could, over the long-term, result in infertility and other reproduction-related problems.

A common denominator to all three and similar studies is that the rodents were administered doses of stevia that were far in excess of the amounts normally taken by human beings. No formal research has been carried out on humans to determine the validity of the findings of any of this research.

Opponents of the FDA position argue that its ruling is not based on conclusive scientific research, and that it does not offer any evidence that this herbal sweetener has any harmful effects. Some even go so far as to say that the FDA restrictions are motivated by big money from lobbyists in the sugar industry. Since stevia is a natural product, it cannot be patented and as such, corporations cannot exploit it commercially. As a result, stevia represents a threat, rather than an opportunity to the industry.

So are there any potential dangers of stevia? Perhaps. Despite the findings of these studies, there is no agreement regarding the dangers that are associated with stevia. What's more, after centuries of safe consumption in South America and decades of use in Asia, there are no known reports of adverse reactions to this herb. For now, until there is conclusive research on the possible effect of stevia on human fertility and reproduction, this controversy will continue to rage on.