Hi,
It’s Dee here 👋
In this week’s edition: two seemingly “normal” things that may be anything but.
We’re unpacking the long-term effects of artificial sweeteners on brain health – and why your IBS symptoms might actually be masking something deeper.
Let’s dive in ⬇️
🧪 1. Research Corner
🍭 Sweeteners & Brain Health
An 8-year study of over 12,000 adults found that those consuming the most artificial sweeteners – like aspartame, saccharin, and xylitol – had 62% faster cognitive decline, equivalent to 1.6 years of ageing.
The strongest effects were seen in adults under 60.
(https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40902134/).
Other research has linked sweeteners to:
📌 Weight gain (!), insulin resistance and taste alterations
📌 Higher risk of type 2 diabetes + metabolic syndrom
📌 Headaches + depression
📌 Cardiovascular issues
You might be wondering how non- or low-caloric sweeteners could be causing harm? Studies show sweeteners can cause:
➡️ Gut microbiome disruption
➡️ Inflammation + oxidative stress
➡️ Disruption of insulin signaling pathways and insulin secretion
➡️ Alter sweet perception
➡️ Modulate the gut-brain and gut-kidney axes
🧠 Bottom line: While the data is mostly observational, there’s a growing body of evidence suggesting that low- and no-calorie sweeteners may not be as harmless as once thought.
💡 Gut Health Insight
Told you “just have IBS”? Well in most cases, it’s not the full story.
Up to 78% of people with IBS may actually have SIBO – a root cause (or contributing factor) that’s often overlooked.
IBS symptoms aren’t just something to “put up with.” They’re signals – and there’s almost always a root cause worth uncovering and addressing.
👉 We explain more about the IBS & SIBO connection here, and you can find in depth articles on our website here (IBS) and here (SIBO).
Health in 60 seconds, as promised…
Dee Brereton-Patel
Founder, Coho Health
