Stevia Side Effects

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Some people experience side effects from stevia, including nausea, bloating, and digestive discomfort such as gas, cramping, and diarrhea, especially when stevia is combined with sugar alcohols like erythritol[1][4][5][6].

Some studies suggest that stevia might disrupt the balance of beneficial gut bacteria, potentially impacting gut health and causing symptoms like stomach pain or constipation in some individuals[2][3][4][6]. However, research on the long-term effects of stevia on gut microbiota is still inconclusive[3].

There are also reports of headaches, dizziness, numbness, and even rare allergic reactions such as rashes after stevia consumption, though these are less common and may be individual-specific[3][4].

Concerns exist regarding stevia’s impact on blood pressure—it may lower blood pressure due to its vasodilating effects, warranting caution for people with hypotension or those on blood pressure medication[1][4][5].

Some animal studies and limited evidence in humans raise questions about hormone disruption and possible negative effects on the kidneys and cardiovascular system, particularly with raw stevia or high consumption, but conclusive data in humans are lacking[1][5][7].

There are emerging concerns that stevia products mixed with erythritol may increase heart attack and stroke risk, but these findings are mainly associated with the erythritol additive, not pure stevia glycosides[6].

Stevia is considered safe for adults and children by the FDA when using high-purity steviol glycosides, but raw stevia leaves and crude extracts are not approved due to insufficient safety data[4][5][6].

References

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