Hi,
I was reading the most recent post and podcast on artificial sweeteners and wanted to ask about the link between thyroid problems and aspartame. I have hypothyroidism and when I’ve had aspartame I’ve experienced breathlessness, skipped and accelerated heart beat as well as feeling flushed. I can have caffeine with no issues, so that’s ruled out. I was just wondering what could be the link between the two. My family doctor isn’t sure. I feel so terrible after having a Diet Coke or even a piece of gum that I no longer go near the stuff.
Thanks,
Jessica
There’s no link between aspartame and hypothyroidism. Some people report various symptoms in response to consuming non-sugar sweeteners that are unique to them. I’m not sure that I can confidently say why you experience these symptoms.
However, one thing you could try is to consume a diet coke made with splenda and/or a piece of gum that uses a different sweetener than aspartame. That would tell you a little more about your specific issue. If you have symptoms with the other non-sugar sweeteners, the symptoms are more likely to be related to an expected outcome. If you don’t have any symptoms, it could be some sort of aspartame sensitivity. I wouldn’t be confident in diagnosing this though.
-Jordan