Can Consuming Aspartame Damage Your Thyroid Gland?

Including foods containing chromium and B vitamins in your diet such as some Brewer’s yeast helps with sugar cravings. Also, having lots of green, organic salads every day help with sugar cravings as they provide plenty of minerals such as potassium and magnesium which support adrenal glands. Finally, a small piece of dark 70-80% chocolate with unsweetened coffee helps me if everything else fails. Naturally decaffeinated, organic coffee would be better for people with Graves’ disease. Emotional freedom technique (tapping on some acupuncture points) is a gentle technique that may be useful. If you have thyroid disease, you are at an increased risk of developing type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes.

Managing hypothyroidism: myths vs. facts

The microbiome composition of responders and non-responders was different. Thus, the microbiota plays an important role in the development of saccharin-induced glucose intolerance 5. Moreover, the authors tested whether the ingestion of 0.18 g of saccharin, 0.102 g of sucralose, or 0.24 g of aspartame at the lower dose of the ADI for two weeks caused glucose intolerance in 120 healthy subjects. Saccharin and sucralose-impaired glucose intolerance in healthy subjects. A significant effect on the microbiome composition was observed in the sucralose and saccharin groups. These results suggest that preexposure affected the individual microbiome heterogeneity at baseline, the relationship between the host and the microbiome, and the sucralose-induced glucose intolerance 7.

• Saccharin and cyclamate are both agonists for the sweet taste receptors TAS1R2 and TAS1R3, although they bind at different sites 19.
• Of course just like the thyroid gland, the nervous system affects every single tissue and cell in the body, and so either way, it’s a good idea to avoid aspartame.
• The research found that fruit and vegetable consumption did not protect or increase the risk of thyroid cancer or thyroid disease—it had no effect at all in this regard.
• Cyclamate, another artificial sweetener, potently blocks receptors for saccharin’s bitter aftertaste in a dose-responsive manner.
• Artificial sweeteners activate sweet taste receptors and show several effects, such as insulin and incretin secretion and intestinal glucose absorption.

How Sucralose and Aspartame Affect Thyroid Function

• But as the CSPI notes, the sweetener is so incredibly sweet that you only need to add a minuscule amount to your dish.
• Aspartame is the sweetener found in the little blue packets of Equal that you get when you go to a restaurant.
• You may have heard how unhealthy high fructose corn syrup and aspartame can be but you may have never heard of a sneaky additive called brominated vegetable oil.
• If found positive, the intake should be discontinued and the thyroid function test should be followed up closely.
• I had noticed that some tricks can reduce my sugar cravings, which I usually have after dinner.
• Preliminary research into the effects of artificial sweeteners on thyroid disease suggests that more research is needed about how artificial sweeteners affect thyroid function.

Stevia can be sprinkled over your cereal, added to sugar-free drinks, and used in cooking and baking. Stevia doesn’t have the same chemical properties as sugar, so it may take some trial and error to find the proportions needed to create your desired textures. Some of these food particles, like gluten and dairy proteins, synthroid shortage look a lot like thyroid cells to your immune system. Healthy thyroid cells become victims of mistaken identity and get attacked. After the attack, your damaged thyroid can no longer produce sufficient amounts of thyroid hormones, and you become hypothyroid.

Aspartame is the sweetener found in the little blue packets of Equal that you get when you go to a restaurant. Aspartame is also a part of NutraSweet products and is a common ingredient in Diet Coke and sugar-free kid’s drinks, like Kool-Aid. There has been a lot of controversy over aspartame, which is an artificial sweetner that has been linked to numerous health issues. If you perform a search in Google or any other search engine under “aspartame side effects”, you will find plenty of information which should convince you to avoid this artificial ingredient. Of course you can’t believe everything you read on the internet, but there seems to be enough evidence which proves that this ingredient is best to be avoided. Truth to be told, this doesn’t just apply to aspartame, but other artificial ingredients as well.

SYNTHROID should not be used to treat noncancerous growths or enlargement of the thyroid in patients with normal iodine levels, or in cases of temporary hypothyroidism caused by inflammation of the thyroid gland (thyroiditis). Sucralose is found in many foods, including baked goods, chewing gum, dairy desserts, and beverages. It can be used in baking, helping to reduce unnecessary calories for those managing diabetes or pursuing weight loss. If you have thinning hair, dry skin, fatigue, and trouble losing weight despite what you eat, you might have a thyroid problem.

Regular Thyroid Testing Will Not Reveal Bromide

However, available studies suggest it may negatively impact gut health and lipid levels. These include some fruit juices, frozen desserts, dairy products, and puddings. The FDA recognizes Sorbitol as safe and is one of the most commonly used sugar alcohols in the United States. However, if eaten in large amounts, Sorbitol may cause gastrointestinal discomfort, such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea.

If you enjoy citrus-flavored sodas like Mountain Dew and SunDrop, you could be putting your health at risk. A registered dietitian assessed this list, but opinions may vary as rankings are not conclusive. If you have questions about artificial sweeteners, consider meeting with a health provider, such as a registered dietitian nutritionist, to address your individualized nutrition and health needs.

• As such, weight control is another important strategy when it comes to the prevention of these conditions.
• The detailed mechanism as to why cerebral infarction, but not cerebral hemorrhage, increases is unclear.
• Aspartame is composed of methanol and two amino acids (aspartate and tryptophan) 1,13,14.
• Animal studies report that artificial sweeteners affect the immune system.

The idea to look into the issue came “about 3 years ago, when I got a consult from a neurologist about a young woman with paresthesia. He looked at her thyroid function, and her TSH was elevated, so he sent her to me. During her follow up, I saw that her requirement for Synthroid was going down, and eventually I had to stop it. I asked her if she was doing anything differently, and she told me she had read that artificial sweeteners may actually cause weight gain, so she stopped them to lose weight.” That was the only change, Dr. Sachmechi said. Artificial sweeteners can be a healthy way to add sweetness without sugar, but not all sugar substitutes are created equal. Some artificial sweeteners offer sweetness without introducing unwanted or potentially unhealthy chemicals or additives into your diet.

If you have any questions about your thyroid or another chronic health condition, please contact me and I will help you. Sprinkle it over fruit, stir it into your coffee or tea, and even bake with it. However, it should be used in moderation, as sugar alcohols can cause bloating and gastrointestinal distress.

In any case, as the effects of artificial sweeteners on intestinal oxygen consumption, the gut microbiota, and incretin secretion become clearer, unexpected uses may be found, such as maintaining and enhancing the intestinal function. There is evidence that artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes can interfere with the function of the thyroid. If your energy returns, you lose weight, and you feel better, sweeteners should be dropped from your diet. Two had a complete reversal of disease, going from antibody positive to antibody negative and no longer needing thyroid replacements. Her mother also had autoimmune thyroiditis, so perhaps there was a genetic component that went beyond any possible impact of artificial sweeteners, Dr. Sachmechi said. It is also interesting to note that the effect of artificial sweeteners on the intestinal tract is to promote GLP-2 secretion without increasing blood flow.