artificial sweetners

[RicPhoenix]

Do artificial sweetners such as sucralose and aspartame cause water retention during a pre contest diet? Do these sweetners need to be dropped?

[Paul Stagg]

bump for any competitors

I don't see why you would drop them

[WillKuenzel]

I believe aspartame might, though I'm not completely sure. If it does it won't be anywhere near sodium or diary products. I'd still probably switch it out to Splenda or small amounts of maltodextrin just to be safe.

[RicPhoenix]

I believe aspartame might, though I'm not completely sure. If it does it won't be anywhere near sodium or diary products. I'd still probably switch it out to Splenda or small amounts of maltodextrin just to be safe.

Ok thanks Paul and Home. You touched on my next question. Why do people suggest that dairy products cause fluid retention during competition prep?

Thanks

[WillKuenzel]

I think it has something to do with the pasteurization technique and some of the additives (as well as quite a bit of sodium) but I'm not quite sure.

[Paul Stagg]

I'm not a competitive bodybuilder, but here's my take (which could be completely wrong):

Some of it has to do with lactose, and some of it has to do with myth.

I could ask around for a more specific answer, but lots of times, the answers I get from competitors are rooted in myth, not in physiology.

My guess is that some of our more diet oriented members (galileo, borris, et al) would be more able to explain.

[galileo]

I'm sure dairy causes as much water retention as many other forms of sugar. It is, after all, a lot of sugar. Milk gets a bad rap because a lot of people are fully or partially lactose intolerant. When your body doesn't digest the lactose properly, it ferments in your intestinates and your retain a lot of water in the stomach area causing you to feel very bloated and gassy. I know, even with Lactose-free (I have my doubts about how lactose-free it is) milk I still get some bloating, albeit not nearly as much.

Will also makes a note on the sodium level of milk, but it all depends on what your baseline is. If you're consistent with sodium intake, your body will adjust accordingly. A lot of competitors use this as a trick (high sodium for a period, followed by none) to attempt to come in as dry as possible.

[RicPhoenix]

I'm sure dairy causes as much water retention as many other forms of sugar. It is, after all, a lot of sugar. Milk gets a bad rap because a lot of people are fully or partially lactose intolerant. When your body doesn't digest the lactose properly, it ferments in your intestinates and your retain a lot of water in the stomach area causing you to feel very bloated and gassy. I know, even with Lactose-free (I have my doubts about how lactose-free it is) milk I still get some bloating, albeit not nearly as much.

Will also makes a note on the sodium level of milk, but it all depends on what your baseline is. If you're consistent with sodium intake, your body will adjust accordingly. A lot of competitors use this as a trick (high sodium for a period, followed by none) to attempt to come in as dry as possible.

Thanks Paul, Home and Galileo.

As a compromise, I have eliminated diary from my nutrition during the week but I have low lactose products such as fermented dairy foods towards the end of the week. As I get closer to competition time I will just cut all dairy out from my nutrition program.