#artificialsweeteners — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #artificialsweeteners, aggregated by home.social.
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GORGIE INTRODUCES BERRY BURST, BRINGING BOLD BERRY FLAVOR AND IT-GIRL STYLE TO MODERN ENERGY
The Target-Exclusive Launch Pairs Bright Berry Flavor With GORGIE’s Clean, Functional Formula NEW YORK, Sept. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/…
#Energy #ArtificialSweeteners #Berry #BerryBurst #energydrink #GORGIE #MichelleCordeiroGrant
https://www.europesays.com/3248903/ -
DATE: September 6, 2026 at 02:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Common artificial sweetener aspartame makes brain cells more vulnerable to stroke damage, mouse study suggests
Recent research in mice provides evidence that consuming the common artificial sweetener aspartame may worsen the brain damage caused by a stroke. The findings indicate that the sweetener disrupts cellular energy centers and blocks protective signaling pathways during periods of oxygen deprivation, making brain cells more vulnerable to injury. The study was published in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety.
Aspartame is a non-nutritive sweetener widely used in zero-calorie beverages and processed foods. While regulatory agencies generally consider it safe for human consumption within established daily limits, ongoing scientific debates have raised questions about its potential effects on the nervous system. For instance, a study covered by PsyPost in 2023 found that mothers of boys with autism had more than tripled odds of daily exposure to diet soda or aspartame during pregnancy.
Additionally, a 2023 study indicated that treating human brain cells with aspartame led to oxidative stress and damage to mitochondria, the energy-producing structures inside cells. The new research, led by Yan Bai and Ji Feng at Fudan University, aimed to test whether aspartame consumption might make the brain more susceptible to injury during the intense stress of a stroke.
When an ischemic stroke occurs, a blockage prevents blood and oxygen from reaching parts of the brain. When blood flow is finally restored, the sudden rush of oxygen and nutrients can paradoxically trigger a cascade of inflammation and oxidative stress, causing additional tissue damage. This secondary wave of damage is known as cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.
The scientists conducted their research using both living mice and lab-grown mouse brain cells. For the animal model, they divided 50 male mice into groups. The experimental groups were given drinking water containing either 0.1% or 0.2% aspartame for seven days. These concentrations were specifically chosen to approximate the upper limits of an acceptable daily intake for humans.
After the week of aspartame consumption, the researchers temporarily blocked the mice’s carotid arteries for two hours to simulate an ischemic stroke. They then removed the blockage to allow 12 hours of reperfusion.
The findings indicated that mice pretreated with aspartame suffered worse brain damage than those that drank regular water. In mice exposed to a simulated stroke without aspartame, the area of dead brain tissue was about 24.3%. In mice given the 0.2% aspartame water, the dead tissue area expanded to 58.6%.
Microscopic examination of the brain tissue showed that aspartame worsened the physical breakdown of neurons in the cortex and hippocampus, two brain regions involved in memory and thinking. The aspartame-treated mice had fewer surviving neurons and showed more severe signs of cellular degeneration.
To understand exactly how aspartame caused this added damage, the researchers isolated neural stem cells from the brains of newborn mice. They grew these cells in a laboratory dish and pretreated them with aspartame for 48 hours. They then subjected the cells to oxygen and glucose deprivation to replicate the harsh conditions of a stroke.
Similar to the animal experiment, aspartame increased cell death in the dish. Cells treated with the sweetener experienced an approximate 25% larger reduction in viability compared to cells that underwent oxygen and glucose deprivation alone. Interestingly, other common artificial sweeteners tested in the study, such as sucralose and acesulfame potassium, did not produce this added toxic effect.
The researchers observed that aspartame caused a massive buildup of reactive oxygen species within the mitochondria of the cells. Reactive oxygen species are unstable molecules that can cause severe structural damage when they accumulate beyond normal levels. This buildup was accompanied by a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, a sign that the cells’ energy centers were failing.
The sweetener also suppressed the ERK/CREB1 pathway, a sequence of chemical signals that normally helps cells survive stress and promotes neuronal resilience. When the researchers added specific chemical compounds to activate this protective pathway and neutralize the reactive oxygen species in the mitochondria, they were able to partially reverse the cell death and inflammation caused by the aspartame.
As with all research, there are a few things to keep in mind regarding these results. The study exposed the mice to aspartame for only seven days, which does not reflect the long-term, daily consumption habits of many people who drink artificially sweetened beverages. It remains unknown how chronic, low-dose exposure might alter the brain’s resilience to injury over a lifetime.
The animal experiments also relied exclusively on male mice, meaning it is uncertain if females would show the same neurological vulnerabilities. The researchers did not test the mice for behavioral or cognitive changes, so it is not entirely established how this cellular damage might translate to physical or mental impairments after a stroke.
Future research will need to explore how artificial sweeteners alter metabolic pathways over longer periods and whether these mechanisms hold true in human clinical scenarios.
The study, “Aspartame exacerbates cerebral ischemia–reperfusion injury via mitochondrial dysfunction and ERK/CREB1 pathway suppression,” was authored by Yan Bai, Ji Feng, Xiao-Yu Wu, Zhi-Sheng Yao, Yue-Tong Liu, Yu-Hong Li, Guo-Dong Lu, and Kun Xue.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #AspartameSafety #StrokeResearch #IschemiaReperfusion #MitochondrialDysfunction #ERKCREB1 #NeuronalDamage #NeuroscienceNews #ArtificialSweeteners #BrainHealth #PublicHealthRisk
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DATE: September 6, 2026 at 02:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Common artificial sweetener aspartame makes brain cells more vulnerable to stroke damage, mouse study suggests
Recent research in mice provides evidence that consuming the common artificial sweetener aspartame may worsen the brain damage caused by a stroke. The findings indicate that the sweetener disrupts cellular energy centers and blocks protective signaling pathways during periods of oxygen deprivation, making brain cells more vulnerable to injury. The study was published in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety.
Aspartame is a non-nutritive sweetener widely used in zero-calorie beverages and processed foods. While regulatory agencies generally consider it safe for human consumption within established daily limits, ongoing scientific debates have raised questions about its potential effects on the nervous system. For instance, a study covered by PsyPost in 2023 found that mothers of boys with autism had more than tripled odds of daily exposure to diet soda or aspartame during pregnancy.
Additionally, a 2023 study indicated that treating human brain cells with aspartame led to oxidative stress and damage to mitochondria, the energy-producing structures inside cells. The new research, led by Yan Bai and Ji Feng at Fudan University, aimed to test whether aspartame consumption might make the brain more susceptible to injury during the intense stress of a stroke.
When an ischemic stroke occurs, a blockage prevents blood and oxygen from reaching parts of the brain. When blood flow is finally restored, the sudden rush of oxygen and nutrients can paradoxically trigger a cascade of inflammation and oxidative stress, causing additional tissue damage. This secondary wave of damage is known as cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.
The scientists conducted their research using both living mice and lab-grown mouse brain cells. For the animal model, they divided 50 male mice into groups. The experimental groups were given drinking water containing either 0.1% or 0.2% aspartame for seven days. These concentrations were specifically chosen to approximate the upper limits of an acceptable daily intake for humans.
After the week of aspartame consumption, the researchers temporarily blocked the mice’s carotid arteries for two hours to simulate an ischemic stroke. They then removed the blockage to allow 12 hours of reperfusion.
The findings indicated that mice pretreated with aspartame suffered worse brain damage than those that drank regular water. In mice exposed to a simulated stroke without aspartame, the area of dead brain tissue was about 24.3%. In mice given the 0.2% aspartame water, the dead tissue area expanded to 58.6%.
Microscopic examination of the brain tissue showed that aspartame worsened the physical breakdown of neurons in the cortex and hippocampus, two brain regions involved in memory and thinking. The aspartame-treated mice had fewer surviving neurons and showed more severe signs of cellular degeneration.
To understand exactly how aspartame caused this added damage, the researchers isolated neural stem cells from the brains of newborn mice. They grew these cells in a laboratory dish and pretreated them with aspartame for 48 hours. They then subjected the cells to oxygen and glucose deprivation to replicate the harsh conditions of a stroke.
Similar to the animal experiment, aspartame increased cell death in the dish. Cells treated with the sweetener experienced an approximate 25% larger reduction in viability compared to cells that underwent oxygen and glucose deprivation alone. Interestingly, other common artificial sweeteners tested in the study, such as sucralose and acesulfame potassium, did not produce this added toxic effect.
The researchers observed that aspartame caused a massive buildup of reactive oxygen species within the mitochondria of the cells. Reactive oxygen species are unstable molecules that can cause severe structural damage when they accumulate beyond normal levels. This buildup was accompanied by a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, a sign that the cells’ energy centers were failing.
The sweetener also suppressed the ERK/CREB1 pathway, a sequence of chemical signals that normally helps cells survive stress and promotes neuronal resilience. When the researchers added specific chemical compounds to activate this protective pathway and neutralize the reactive oxygen species in the mitochondria, they were able to partially reverse the cell death and inflammation caused by the aspartame.
As with all research, there are a few things to keep in mind regarding these results. The study exposed the mice to aspartame for only seven days, which does not reflect the long-term, daily consumption habits of many people who drink artificially sweetened beverages. It remains unknown how chronic, low-dose exposure might alter the brain’s resilience to injury over a lifetime.
The animal experiments also relied exclusively on male mice, meaning it is uncertain if females would show the same neurological vulnerabilities. The researchers did not test the mice for behavioral or cognitive changes, so it is not entirely established how this cellular damage might translate to physical or mental impairments after a stroke.
Future research will need to explore how artificial sweeteners alter metabolic pathways over longer periods and whether these mechanisms hold true in human clinical scenarios.
The study, “Aspartame exacerbates cerebral ischemia–reperfusion injury via mitochondrial dysfunction and ERK/CREB1 pathway suppression,” was authored by Yan Bai, Ji Feng, Xiao-Yu Wu, Zhi-Sheng Yao, Yue-Tong Liu, Yu-Hong Li, Guo-Dong Lu, and Kun Xue.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #AspartameSafety #StrokeResearch #IschemiaReperfusion #MitochondrialDysfunction #ERKCREB1 #NeuronalDamage #NeuroscienceNews #ArtificialSweeteners #BrainHealth #PublicHealthRisk
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DATE: September 6, 2026 at 02:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Common artificial sweetener aspartame makes brain cells more vulnerable to stroke damage, mouse study suggests
Recent research in mice provides evidence that consuming the common artificial sweetener aspartame may worsen the brain damage caused by a stroke. The findings indicate that the sweetener disrupts cellular energy centers and blocks protective signaling pathways during periods of oxygen deprivation, making brain cells more vulnerable to injury. The study was published in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety.
Aspartame is a non-nutritive sweetener widely used in zero-calorie beverages and processed foods. While regulatory agencies generally consider it safe for human consumption within established daily limits, ongoing scientific debates have raised questions about its potential effects on the nervous system. For instance, a study covered by PsyPost in 2023 found that mothers of boys with autism had more than tripled odds of daily exposure to diet soda or aspartame during pregnancy.
Additionally, a 2023 study indicated that treating human brain cells with aspartame led to oxidative stress and damage to mitochondria, the energy-producing structures inside cells. The new research, led by Yan Bai and Ji Feng at Fudan University, aimed to test whether aspartame consumption might make the brain more susceptible to injury during the intense stress of a stroke.
When an ischemic stroke occurs, a blockage prevents blood and oxygen from reaching parts of the brain. When blood flow is finally restored, the sudden rush of oxygen and nutrients can paradoxically trigger a cascade of inflammation and oxidative stress, causing additional tissue damage. This secondary wave of damage is known as cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.
The scientists conducted their research using both living mice and lab-grown mouse brain cells. For the animal model, they divided 50 male mice into groups. The experimental groups were given drinking water containing either 0.1% or 0.2% aspartame for seven days. These concentrations were specifically chosen to approximate the upper limits of an acceptable daily intake for humans.
After the week of aspartame consumption, the researchers temporarily blocked the mice’s carotid arteries for two hours to simulate an ischemic stroke. They then removed the blockage to allow 12 hours of reperfusion.
The findings indicated that mice pretreated with aspartame suffered worse brain damage than those that drank regular water. In mice exposed to a simulated stroke without aspartame, the area of dead brain tissue was about 24.3%. In mice given the 0.2% aspartame water, the dead tissue area expanded to 58.6%.
Microscopic examination of the brain tissue showed that aspartame worsened the physical breakdown of neurons in the cortex and hippocampus, two brain regions involved in memory and thinking. The aspartame-treated mice had fewer surviving neurons and showed more severe signs of cellular degeneration.
To understand exactly how aspartame caused this added damage, the researchers isolated neural stem cells from the brains of newborn mice. They grew these cells in a laboratory dish and pretreated them with aspartame for 48 hours. They then subjected the cells to oxygen and glucose deprivation to replicate the harsh conditions of a stroke.
Similar to the animal experiment, aspartame increased cell death in the dish. Cells treated with the sweetener experienced an approximate 25% larger reduction in viability compared to cells that underwent oxygen and glucose deprivation alone. Interestingly, other common artificial sweeteners tested in the study, such as sucralose and acesulfame potassium, did not produce this added toxic effect.
The researchers observed that aspartame caused a massive buildup of reactive oxygen species within the mitochondria of the cells. Reactive oxygen species are unstable molecules that can cause severe structural damage when they accumulate beyond normal levels. This buildup was accompanied by a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, a sign that the cells’ energy centers were failing.
The sweetener also suppressed the ERK/CREB1 pathway, a sequence of chemical signals that normally helps cells survive stress and promotes neuronal resilience. When the researchers added specific chemical compounds to activate this protective pathway and neutralize the reactive oxygen species in the mitochondria, they were able to partially reverse the cell death and inflammation caused by the aspartame.
As with all research, there are a few things to keep in mind regarding these results. The study exposed the mice to aspartame for only seven days, which does not reflect the long-term, daily consumption habits of many people who drink artificially sweetened beverages. It remains unknown how chronic, low-dose exposure might alter the brain’s resilience to injury over a lifetime.
The animal experiments also relied exclusively on male mice, meaning it is uncertain if females would show the same neurological vulnerabilities. The researchers did not test the mice for behavioral or cognitive changes, so it is not entirely established how this cellular damage might translate to physical or mental impairments after a stroke.
Future research will need to explore how artificial sweeteners alter metabolic pathways over longer periods and whether these mechanisms hold true in human clinical scenarios.
The study, “Aspartame exacerbates cerebral ischemia–reperfusion injury via mitochondrial dysfunction and ERK/CREB1 pathway suppression,” was authored by Yan Bai, Ji Feng, Xiao-Yu Wu, Zhi-Sheng Yao, Yue-Tong Liu, Yu-Hong Li, Guo-Dong Lu, and Kun Xue.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #AspartameSafety #StrokeResearch #IschemiaReperfusion #MitochondrialDysfunction #ERKCREB1 #NeuronalDamage #NeuroscienceNews #ArtificialSweeteners #BrainHealth #PublicHealthRisk
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https://www.europesays.com/ie/641156/ What 720,000 adults reveal about artificial sweeteners and diabetes risk #ArtificialSweeteners #diabetes #Éire #Health #IE #Ireland #Nutrition #Type2Diabetes #WeightManagement
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"[A]dults who consumed higher amounts of sweeteners experienced a 62% faster rate of cognitive decline."
"People in the middle-consumption group experienced cognitive decline that was 35% faster than that of participants in the lowest-consumption group."
#SugarFree #ArtificialSweeteners #Dementia #MemoryLoss #Alzheimers #UltraProcessedFoods
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"[A]dults who consumed higher amounts of sweeteners experienced a 62% faster rate of cognitive decline."
"People in the middle-consumption group experienced cognitive decline that was 35% faster than that of participants in the lowest-consumption group."
#SugarFree #ArtificialSweeteners #Dementia #MemoryLoss #Alzheimers #UltraProcessedFoods
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"[A]dults who consumed higher amounts of sweeteners experienced a 62% faster rate of cognitive decline."
"People in the middle-consumption group experienced cognitive decline that was 35% faster than that of participants in the lowest-consumption group."
#SugarFree #ArtificialSweeteners #Dementia #MemoryLoss #Alzheimers #UltraProcessedFoods
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"[A]dults who consumed higher amounts of sweeteners experienced a 62% faster rate of cognitive decline."
"People in the middle-consumption group experienced cognitive decline that was 35% faster than that of participants in the lowest-consumption group."
#SugarFree #ArtificialSweeteners #Dementia #MemoryLoss #Alzheimers #UltraProcessedFoods
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"[A]dults who consumed higher amounts of sweeteners experienced a 62% faster rate of cognitive decline."
"People in the middle-consumption group experienced cognitive decline that was 35% faster than that of participants in the lowest-consumption group."
#SugarFree #ArtificialSweeteners #Dementia #MemoryLoss #Alzheimers #UltraProcessedFoods
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Hi*Ball Energy Arrives in the UK, Leading a New Wave of Clean Energy
Tilray Brands, Inc. Refresh Your Energy with Hi*Ball Sparkling Energy Water, a bold new energy drink powered by…
#UnitedKingdom #UK #Europe #EU #AlternativeEnergy #AmazonUK #ArtificialSweeteners #consumerspower #energydrink #functionalingredients #GreatBritain #NationwideUKRollout #sparklingwater #TilrayBrands
https://www.europesays.com/3071455/ -
Hi*Ball Energy Arrives in the UK, Leading a New Wave of Clean Energy
Tilray Brands, Inc. Refresh Your Energy with Hi*Ball Sparkling Energy Water, a bold new energy drink powered by…
#NewsBeep #News #UnitedKingdom #alternativeenergy #AmazonUK #artificialsweeteners #consumerspower #energydrink #functionalingredients #GB #GreatBritain #NationwideUKRollout #sparklingwater #TilrayBrands #UK
https://www.newsbeep.com/uk/645223/ -
more on immunological effects of sucralose:
Artificial sweetener sucralose: a possible modulator of autoimmune diseases [2023]
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-023-01607-0 -
more on immunological effects of sucralose:
Artificial sweetener sucralose: a possible modulator of autoimmune diseases [2023]
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-023-01607-0 -
more on immunological effects of sucralose:
Artificial sweetener sucralose: a possible modulator of autoimmune diseases [2023]
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-023-01607-0 -
more on immunological effects of sucralose:
Artificial sweetener sucralose: a possible modulator of autoimmune diseases [2023]
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-023-01607-0 -
https://www.europesays.com/uk/907974/ Here’s What Happens When You Drink Diet Soda Every Day, According to Registered Dietitians #AnnaSmith #ArtificialSweeteners #DietSoda #Health #Nutrition #NutritionalValue #RegisteredDietitians #UK #UnitedKingdom
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https://www.europesays.com/ie/445618/ Here’s What Happens When You Drink Diet Soda Every Day, According to Registered Dietitians #AnnaSmith #ArtificialSweeteners #DietSoda #Éire #Health #IE #Ireland #Nutrition #NutritionalValue #RegisteredDietitians
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HYBRIDMIND42 | APRIL 2026
Paper 3 — Signal Integrity in Biological Systems
Sub-title: Sweetness, Substitution, and the Persistence of Metabolic CoherenceWhat if the problem isn’t just what we consume—
but whether our bodies can still trust the signals they receive?Public health strategies increasingly seek to reduce sugar consumption through substitution with non-sugar sweeteners. While such approaches can reduce caloric intake in the short term, emerging evidence suggests that the relationship between sweetness and metabolic response may be more complex.
This paper introduces the concept of signal integrity within biological systems, examining how the decoupling of sensory input (sweet taste) from energetic payload (calories) may affect metabolic regulation over time.
https://substack.com/@hybridmind42/note/p-194707455?r=75c2ac
#HybridMind42 #PublicHealth #Nutrition #Metabolism #GutHealth #Sugar #ArtificialSweeteners #HealthPolicy #SystemsThinking #Biology #Wellbeing #PreventiveHealth
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HYBRIDMIND42 | APRIL 2026
Paper 3 — Signal Integrity in Biological Systems
Sub-title: Sweetness, Substitution, and the Persistence of Metabolic CoherenceWhat if the problem isn’t just what we consume—
but whether our bodies can still trust the signals they receive?Public health strategies increasingly seek to reduce sugar consumption through substitution with non-sugar sweeteners. While such approaches can reduce caloric intake in the short term, emerging evidence suggests that the relationship between sweetness and metabolic response may be more complex.
This paper introduces the concept of signal integrity within biological systems, examining how the decoupling of sensory input (sweet taste) from energetic payload (calories) may affect metabolic regulation over time.
https://substack.com/@hybridmind42/note/p-194707455?r=75c2ac
#HybridMind42 #PublicHealth #Nutrition #Metabolism #GutHealth #Sugar #ArtificialSweeteners #HealthPolicy #SystemsThinking #Biology #Wellbeing #PreventiveHealth
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HYBRIDMIND42 | APRIL 2026
Paper 3 — Signal Integrity in Biological Systems
Sub-title: Sweetness, Substitution, and the Persistence of Metabolic CoherenceWhat if the problem isn’t just what we consume—
but whether our bodies can still trust the signals they receive?Public health strategies increasingly seek to reduce sugar consumption through substitution with non-sugar sweeteners. While such approaches can reduce caloric intake in the short term, emerging evidence suggests that the relationship between sweetness and metabolic response may be more complex.
This paper introduces the concept of signal integrity within biological systems, examining how the decoupling of sensory input (sweet taste) from energetic payload (calories) may affect metabolic regulation over time.
https://substack.com/@hybridmind42/note/p-194707455?r=75c2ac
#HybridMind42 #PublicHealth #Nutrition #Metabolism #GutHealth #Sugar #ArtificialSweeteners #HealthPolicy #SystemsThinking #Biology #Wellbeing #PreventiveHealth
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HYBRIDMIND42 | APRIL 2026
Paper 3 — Signal Integrity in Biological Systems
Sub-title: Sweetness, Substitution, and the Persistence of Metabolic CoherenceWhat if the problem isn’t just what we consume—
but whether our bodies can still trust the signals they receive?Public health strategies increasingly seek to reduce sugar consumption through substitution with non-sugar sweeteners. While such approaches can reduce caloric intake in the short term, emerging evidence suggests that the relationship between sweetness and metabolic response may be more complex.
This paper introduces the concept of signal integrity within biological systems, examining how the decoupling of sensory input (sweet taste) from energetic payload (calories) may affect metabolic regulation over time.
https://substack.com/@hybridmind42/note/p-194707455?r=75c2ac
#HybridMind42 #PublicHealth #Nutrition #Metabolism #GutHealth #Sugar #ArtificialSweeteners #HealthPolicy #SystemsThinking #Biology #Wellbeing #PreventiveHealth
-
HYBRIDMIND42 | APRIL 2026
Paper 3 — Signal Integrity in Biological Systems
Sub-title: Sweetness, Substitution, and the Persistence of Metabolic CoherenceWhat if the problem isn’t just what we consume—
but whether our bodies can still trust the signals they receive?Public health strategies increasingly seek to reduce sugar consumption through substitution with non-sugar sweeteners. While such approaches can reduce caloric intake in the short term, emerging evidence suggests that the relationship between sweetness and metabolic response may be more complex.
This paper introduces the concept of signal integrity within biological systems, examining how the decoupling of sensory input (sweet taste) from energetic payload (calories) may affect metabolic regulation over time.
https://substack.com/@hybridmind42/note/p-194707455?r=75c2ac
#HybridMind42 #PublicHealth #Nutrition #Metabolism #GutHealth #Sugar #ArtificialSweeteners #HealthPolicy #SystemsThinking #Biology #Wellbeing #PreventiveHealth
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Gut Health Experts Advise Avoiding Specific Foods for Well-being
Gut health experts advise avoiding artificial sweeteners and processed foods lacking nutrients to improve digestion and overall well-being. Learn what to cut from your diet.
#guthealth, #artificialsweeteners, #processedfoods, #digestivehealth, #nutritionadvice
https://newsletter.tf/avoid-artificial-sweeteners-processed-foods-gut-health/
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Gut Health Experts Advise Avoiding Specific Foods for Well-being
Gut health experts advise avoiding artificial sweeteners and processed foods lacking nutrients to improve digestion and overall well-being. Learn what to cut from your diet.
#guthealth, #artificialsweeteners, #processedfoods, #digestivehealth, #nutritionadvice
https://newsletter.tf/avoid-artificial-sweeteners-processed-foods-gut-health/
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Gut health experts are telling people to avoid artificial sweeteners and processed foods. These foods can harm your gut. This is important for your health.
#guthealth, #artificialsweeteners, #processedfoods, #digestivehealth, #nutritionadvice
https://newsletter.tf/avoid-artificial-sweeteners-processed-foods-gut-health/
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Gut health experts are telling people to avoid artificial sweeteners and processed foods. These foods can harm your gut. This is important for your health.
#guthealth, #artificialsweeteners, #processedfoods, #digestivehealth, #nutritionadvice
https://newsletter.tf/avoid-artificial-sweeteners-processed-foods-gut-health/
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Common Sweetener #Erythritol May Damage Critical #Brain Barrier, Risking #Stroke : ScienceAlert
https://www.sciencealert.com/common-sweetener-may-damage-critical-brain-barrier-risking-stroke
#news #health #healthalert #artificialsweeteners #wellness #vsn #SupportIndependentMedia
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Common Sweetener #Erythritol May Damage Critical #Brain Barrier, Risking #Stroke : ScienceAlert
https://www.sciencealert.com/common-sweetener-may-damage-critical-brain-barrier-risking-stroke
#news #health #healthalert #artificialsweeteners #wellness #vsn #SupportIndependentMedia
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Common Sweetener #Erythritol May Damage Critical #Brain Barrier, Risking #Stroke : ScienceAlert
https://www.sciencealert.com/common-sweetener-may-damage-critical-brain-barrier-risking-stroke
#news #health #healthalert #artificialsweeteners #wellness #vsn #SupportIndependentMedia
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Common Sweetener #Erythritol May Damage Critical #Brain Barrier, Risking #Stroke : ScienceAlert
https://www.sciencealert.com/common-sweetener-may-damage-critical-brain-barrier-risking-stroke
#news #health #healthalert #artificialsweeteners #wellness #vsn #SupportIndependentMedia
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Common Sweetener #Erythritol May Damage Critical #Brain Barrier, Risking #Stroke : ScienceAlert
https://www.sciencealert.com/common-sweetener-may-damage-critical-brain-barrier-risking-stroke
#news #health #healthalert #artificialsweeteners #wellness #vsn #SupportIndependentMedia
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https://www.europesays.com/ie/270083/ Not fried or processed food, this is in fact, the worst food for your brain, reveals leading doctor #ADHDAndSugar #ArtificialSweeteners #BrainDamageAndSugar #BrainHealth #CognitivePerformance #Éire #Health #IE #Ireland #LiquidSugarRisks #Nutrition #SugarAndMemoryLoss #SugarIntakeEffects #SugaryDrinks #WorldHealthOrganization
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https://www.europesays.com/uk/672985/ Not fried or processed food, this is in fact, the worst food for your brain, reveals leading doctor #ADHDAndSugar #ArtificialSweeteners #BrainDamageAndSugar #BrainHealth #CognitivePerformance #Health #LiquidSugarRisks #Nutrition #SugarAndMemoryLoss #SugarIntakeEffects #SugaryDrinks #UK #UnitedKingdom #WorldHealthOrganization
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Not fried or processed food, this is in fact, the worst food for your brain, reveals leading doctor
When we think of foods that are good for our brain, we naturally gravitate towards fruits, vegetables, …
#NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Health #ADHDandsugar #artificialsweeteners #braindamageandsugar #brainhealth #cognitiveperformance #liquidsugarrisks #sugarandmemoryloss #sugarintakeeffects #sugarydrinks #WorldHealthOrganization
https://www.newsbeep.com/us/386902/ -
Not fried or processed food, this is in fact, the worst food for your brain, reveals leading doctor
When we think of foods that are good for our brain, we naturally gravitate towards fruits, vegetables, …
#NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Health #ADHDandsugar #artificialsweeteners #braindamageandsugar #brainhealth #cognitiveperformance #liquidsugarrisks #sugarandmemoryloss #sugarintakeeffects #sugarydrinks #WorldHealthOrganization
https://www.newsbeep.com/us/386902/ -
https://www.europesays.com/uk/668761/ Not fried or processed food, this is in fact, the worst food for your brain, reveals leading doctor #ADHDAndSugar #ArtificialSweeteners #BrainDamageAndSugar #BrainHealth #CognitivePerformance #Health #LiquidSugarRisks #Nutrition #SugarAndMemoryLoss #SugarIntakeEffects #SugaryDrinks #UK #UnitedKingdom #WorldHealthOrganization
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Not fried or processed food, this is in fact, the worst food for your brain, reveals leading doctor
When we think of foods that are good for our brain, we naturally gravitate towards fruits, v…
#NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Nutrition #ADHDandsugar #artificialsweeteners #braindamageandsugar #brainhealth #cognitiveperformance #Health #liquidsugarrisks #sugarandmemoryloss #sugarintakeeffects #sugarydrinks #WorldHealthOrganization
https://www.newsbeep.com/us/383223/ -
Not fried or processed food, this is in fact, the worst food for your brain, reveals leading doctor
When we think of foods that are good for our brain, we naturally gravitate towards fruits, v…
#NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Nutrition #ADHDandsugar #artificialsweeteners #braindamageandsugar #brainhealth #cognitiveperformance #Health #liquidsugarrisks #sugarandmemoryloss #sugarintakeeffects #sugarydrinks #WorldHealthOrganization
https://www.newsbeep.com/us/383223/ -
https://www.europesays.com/ie/263057/ Not fried or processed food, this is in fact, the worst food for your brain, reveals leading doctor #ADHDAndSugar #ArtificialSweeteners #BrainDamageAndSugar #BrainHealth #CognitivePerformance #Éire #Health #IE #Ireland #LiquidSugarRisks #Nutrition #SugarAndMemoryLoss #SugarIntakeEffects #SugaryDrinks #WorldHealthOrganization
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Filtered coffee shows a causal link to healthier HbA1c levels
A large genetic study reveals that how coffee is prepared matters, linking filtered coffee to improved glycaemic control…
#NewsBeep #News #Technology #ArtificialSweeteners #AU #Australia #Bacteria #Blood #bloodsugar #Caffeine #Coffee #diabetes #food #Genetic #Glucose #glycatedhemoglobin #HbA1c #Hemoglobin #Insulin #Microbiome #UKBiobank
https://www.newsbeep.com/au/340516/ -
Are artificial sweeteners okay for our health? Here’s what the current evidence says
#Health #ArtificialSweeteners #Sucralose #NutritionFacts #SugarAlternatives #HealthyEating #MetabolicHealth #Aspartame #Obesity #Type2Diabetes #FoodScience #Sweeteners
https://the-14.com/are-artificial-sweeteners-okay-for-our-health-heres-what-the-current-evidence-says/ -
Are artificial sweeteners okay for our health? Here’s what the current evidence says
#Health #ArtificialSweeteners #Sucralose #NutritionFacts #SugarAlternatives #HealthyEating #MetabolicHealth #Aspartame #Obesity #Type2Diabetes #FoodScience #Sweeteners
https://the-14.com/are-artificial-sweeteners-okay-for-our-health-heres-what-the-current-evidence-says/ -
5 expert-approved ways to eliminate #artificialsweeteners in your #diet
https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/23/health/artificial-sweetener-reduction-wellness/index.html
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5 expert-approved ways to eliminate #artificialsweeteners in your #diet
https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/23/health/artificial-sweetener-reduction-wellness/index.html
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5 expert-approved ways to eliminate #artificialsweeteners in your #diet
https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/23/health/artificial-sweetener-reduction-wellness/index.html
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5 expert-approved ways to eliminate #artificialsweeteners in your #diet
https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/23/health/artificial-sweetener-reduction-wellness/index.html
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A way to wean off coffee and diet sodas
This is an unusual topic for me. This year I worked to wean myself off of caffeine and artificial sweeteners, and given the trouble I had finding information on how to do it, thought I’d put notes out on what worked for me.
Why bother? After all, most of us have our addictions, and are able to get by in daily life despite them, particularly if they’re common ones. Caffeine dependency in particular is widespread, although most people are in denial about it. And many have a double whammy, being addicted to diet sodas, which have both caffeine and artificial sweeteners like aspartame. Most people take these in without any issues. But in recent years, I was drinking a lot of coffee and Diet Dr. Pepper, and as I’ve gotten older, it’s caused increasing problems.
I have a long history with caffeine. When I was younger, I drank copious amounts of coffee (usually black for maximum effect), somewhere in the neighborhood of ten cups a day, and chased them down with a few diet sodas. I was one wired puppy! That level of caffeine made it hard to keep calm in stressful situations, which caused both career and relationship issues.
This eventually led me to give up caffeine cold turkey, which I don’t recommend. You might be able to get away with it if you don’t work for a living, or if your job doesn’t include a significant social factor, but for me, it was the wrong approach. Still, I was able to do it, twice.
What I didn’t understand back then was that I was also addicted to aspartame. I kept drinking caffeine free diet soda, but it wasn’t always easy to find, which eventually led to me falling back on the caffeinated versions. Before I knew it, I was drinking a half dozen diet sodas a day. Not as bad as the ten cups of coffee, but that much aspartame led to its own set of problems. At one point I cut back on the diet sodas by mixing in a few cups of coffee, and so was back to where I started, although at a fraction of the earlier levels.
Early this year, the problems were increasing, so I decided it was time to do something. Tackling all of it at once was too overwhelming, so I decided to focus first on the diet soda, which meant focusing on aspartame.
Aspartame
The medical field seems unsure whether aspartame is really addictive. All I can say is that every time I tried to give it up cold turkey, I had bad withdrawal symptoms. One was an unquenchable thirst, no matter how much water I drank. The other were headaches, distinct from the caffeine withdrawal ones. But the worst was what I can only describe as a feeling of impending doom, which seemed to increase in urgency the longer I went without an aspartame hit.
Over the years, I had tried just gradually cutting back on the number of drinks, but that always led to a feeling of deprivation, along with longing for the next drink, and rationalizing why it could be sooner. It felt like an agonizingly long goodbye to an old friend. In short, I found the psychological effort in doing it this way problematic.
What finally worked was separating the experience of drinking the diet soda from the intake of aspartame. I picked up a large box of Equal packets, and found out how many milligrams of aspartame were in the drinks vs the Equal packets. (Getting reliable info was hard, but the best I could find was 35mg per Equal packet.). It came out to something like a 12 oz can of Diet Dr. Pepper having the equivalent of about 5.3 packets.
So I cut out the Diet Dr. Peppers cold turkey, but replaced them with the same number of glasses of water, each with five packets of Equal mixed in. I gulped these down quickly, treating them as a drug, and not savoring them. I also temporarily increased my coffee intake to keep the caffeine levels about the same. The first few days were rough. There were obviously other things in the soda besides the caffeine and aspartame that my body was missing, but taking in the aspartame in an alternate manner prevented the worst symptoms.
I then worked to gradually cut down the daily intake of aspartame. I cut the number of packets per glass of water by one each week. I discovered that the day after a cut was worse than the day of the cut, so my cut days were on Friday, giving me the weekend to recover. I did this until I was down to one packet per glass, and then cut those down by one each of the following weeks. It took about six or seven weeks, but it worked. I was now aspartame free!
That was several months ago. I had thought I might stabilize with the coffee drinking for a while, but the increased coffee consumption started causing its own issues. So I moved on to tackling the caffeine portion.
Caffeine
Here my strategy was similar: replace the habit of coffee drinking with caffeine pills. Finding low dose pills is difficult. The lowest straight caffeine pills (without other crap mixed in) that I could find is 100 mg, but there are splitable tablet versions, and four way pill splitters, so the dosages could be brought down to 20-30mg pieces.
I cut all coffee drinking cold turkey, replacing it with the pills. Again the first couple of days were rough but manageable. At the start I was taking in about 350mg of caffeine a day spread over 25-50mg hits throughout the day. The plan was to cut the daily intake by about 25mg each Friday. It worked. I was caffeine free by early December, and in a relatively stress free manner. Patience seems very useful for this kind of endeavor.
Afterward
I recently had a drink of a diet soda, and discovered that it didn’t taste nearly as good as it used to. Apparently when you’re addicted to something it may taste like one of the finest pleasures in life. But get away from it for a few months, and you’re able to realize what you were taking in was mediocre at best. It seems to support the Epicurean insight that pleasure is basically lack of suffering, what they called “ataraxia.”
The methods used here are similar to the nicotine patches smokers often use to quit, although I only realized it afterward. I’m not a particularly strong willed person, and it worked for me. If you’d like to wean off aspartame (or other artificial sweeteners) and/or caffeine, it might work for you too. So if you’re looking for something to have a New Year’s resolution on, this might be a candidate.
I’m not planning to be strict about the caffeine. After a few months, I can see having the occasional (full sugar) coke or mocha. The trick, I think, is not drinking them at home or work, or in any other setting where they could turn back into a daily habit.
#addiction #ArtificialSweeteners #aspartame #caffeine #coffee #dietSoda #Health #Nutrition #wellness
-
A way to wean off coffee and diet sodas
This is an unusual topic for me. This year I worked to wean myself off of caffeine and artificial sweeteners, and given the trouble I had finding information on how to do it, thought I’d put notes out on what worked for me.
Why bother? After all, most of us have our addictions, and are able to get by in daily life despite them, particularly if they’re common ones. Caffeine dependency in particular is widespread, although most people are in denial about it. And many have a double whammy, being addicted to diet sodas, which have both caffeine and artificial sweeteners like aspartame. Most people take these in without any issues. But in recent years, I was drinking a lot of coffee and Diet Dr. Pepper, and as I’ve gotten older, it’s caused increasing problems.
I have a long history with caffeine. When I was younger, I drank copious amounts of coffee (usually black for maximum effect), somewhere in the neighborhood of ten cups a day, and chased them down with a few diet sodas. I was one wired puppy! That level of caffeine made it hard to keep calm in stressful situations, which caused both career and relationship issues.
This eventually led me to give up caffeine cold turkey, which I don’t recommend. You might be able to get away with it if you don’t work for a living, or if your job doesn’t include a significant social factor, but for me, it was the wrong approach. Still, I was able to do it, twice.
What I didn’t understand back then was that I was also addicted to aspartame. I kept drinking caffeine free diet soda, but it wasn’t always easy to find, which eventually led to me falling back on the caffeinated versions. Before I knew it, I was drinking a half dozen diet sodas a day. Not as bad as the ten cups of coffee, but that much aspartame led to its own set of problems. At one point I cut back on the diet sodas by mixing in a few cups of coffee, and so was back to where I started, although at a fraction of the earlier levels.
Early this year, the problems were increasing, so I decided it was time to do something. Tackling all of it at once was too overwhelming, so I decided to focus first on the diet soda, which meant focusing on aspartame.
Aspartame
The medical field seems unsure whether aspartame is really addictive. All I can say is that every time I tried to give it up cold turkey, I had bad withdrawal symptoms. One was an unquenchable thirst, no matter how much water I drank. The other were headaches, distinct from the caffeine withdrawal ones. But the worst was what I can only describe as a feeling of impending doom, which seemed to increase in urgency the longer I went without an aspartame hit.
Over the years, I had tried just gradually cutting back on the number of drinks, but that always led to a feeling of deprivation, along with longing for the next drink, and rationalizing why it could be sooner. It felt like an agonizingly long goodbye to an old friend. In short, I found the psychological effort in doing it this way problematic.
What finally worked was separating the experience of drinking the diet soda from the intake of aspartame. I picked up a large box of Equal packets, and found out how many milligrams of aspartame were in the drinks vs the Equal packets. (Getting reliable info was hard, but the best I could find was 35mg per Equal packet.). It came out to something like a 12 oz can of Diet Dr. Pepper having the equivalent of about 5.3 packets.
So I cut out the Diet Dr. Peppers cold turkey, but replaced them with the same number of glasses of water, each with five packets of Equal mixed in. I gulped these down quickly, treating them as a drug, and not savoring them. I also temporarily increased my coffee intake to keep the caffeine levels about the same. The first few days were rough. There were obviously other things in the soda besides the caffeine and aspartame that my body was missing, but taking in the aspartame in an alternate manner prevented the worst symptoms.
I then worked to gradually cut down the daily intake of aspartame. I cut the number of packets per glass of water by one each week. I discovered that the day after a cut was worse than the day of the cut, so my cut days were on Friday, giving me the weekend to recover. I did this until I was down to one packet per glass, and then cut those down by one each of the following weeks. It took about six or seven weeks, but it worked. I was now aspartame free!
That was several months ago. I had thought I might stabilize with the coffee drinking for a while, but the increased coffee consumption started causing its own issues. So I moved on to tackling the caffeine portion.
Caffeine
Here my strategy was similar: replace the habit of coffee drinking with caffeine pills. Finding low dose pills is difficult. The lowest straight caffeine pills (without other crap mixed in) that I could find is 100 mg, but there are splitable tablet versions, and four way pill splitters, so the dosages could be brought down to 20-30mg pieces.
I cut all coffee drinking cold turkey, replacing it with the pills. Again the first couple of days were rough but manageable. At the start I was taking in about 350mg of caffeine a day spread over 25-50mg hits throughout the day. The plan was to cut the daily intake by about 25mg each Friday. It worked. I was caffeine free by early December, and in a relatively stress free manner. Patience seems very useful for this kind of endeavor.
Afterward
I recently had a drink of a diet soda, and discovered that it didn’t taste nearly as good as it used to. Apparently when you’re addicted to something it may taste like one of the finest pleasures in life. But get away from it for a few months, and you’re able to realize what you were taking in was mediocre at best. It seems to support the Epicurean insight that pleasure is basically lack of suffering, what they called “ataraxia.”
The methods used here are similar to the nicotine patches smokers often use to quit, although I only realized it afterward. I’m not a particularly strong willed person, and it worked for me. If you’d like to wean off aspartame (or other artificial sweeteners) and/or caffeine, it might work for you too. So if you’re looking for something to have a New Year’s resolution on, this might be a candidate.
I’m not planning to be strict about the caffeine. After a few months, I can see having the occasional (full sugar) coke or mocha. The trick, I think, is not drinking them at home or work, or in any other setting where they could turn back into a daily habit.
#addiction #ArtificialSweeteners #aspartame #caffeine #coffee #dietSoda #Health #Nutrition #wellness
-
A way to wean off coffee and diet sodas
This is an unusual topic for me. This year I worked to wean myself off of caffeine and artificial sweeteners, and given the trouble I had finding information on how to do it, thought I’d put notes out on what worked for me.
Why bother? After all, most of us have our addictions, and are able to get by in daily life despite them, particularly if they’re common ones. Caffeine dependency in particular is widespread, although most people are in denial about it. And many have a double whammy, being addicted to diet sodas, which have both caffeine and artificial sweeteners like aspartame. Most people take these in without any issues. But in recent years, I was drinking a lot of coffee and Diet Dr. Pepper, and as I’ve gotten older, it’s caused increasing problems.
I have a long history with caffeine. When I was younger, I drank copious amounts of coffee (usually black for maximum effect), somewhere in the neighborhood of ten cups a day, and chased them down with a few diet sodas. I was one wired puppy! That level of caffeine made it hard to keep calm in stressful situations, which caused both career and relationship issues.
This eventually led me to give up caffeine cold turkey, which I don’t recommend. You might be able to get away with it if you don’t work for a living, or if your job doesn’t include a significant social factor, but for me, it was the wrong approach. Still, I was able to do it, twice.
What I didn’t understand back then was that I was also addicted to aspartame. I kept drinking caffeine free diet soda, but it wasn’t always easy to find, which eventually led to me falling back on the caffeinated versions. Before I knew it, I was drinking a half dozen diet sodas a day. Not as bad as the ten cups of coffee, but that much aspartame led to its own set of problems. At one point I cut back on the diet sodas by mixing in a few cups of coffee, and so was back to where I started, although at a fraction of the earlier levels.
Early this year, the problems were increasing, so I decided it was time to do something. Tackling all of it at once was too overwhelming, so I decided to focus first on the diet soda, which meant focusing on aspartame.
Aspartame
The medical field seems unsure whether aspartame is really addictive. All I can say is that every time I tried to give it up cold turkey, I had bad withdrawal symptoms. One was an unquenchable thirst, no matter how much water I drank. The other were headaches, distinct from the caffeine withdrawal ones. But the worst was what I can only describe as a feeling of impending doom, which seemed to increase in urgency the longer I went without an aspartame hit.
Over the years, I had tried just gradually cutting back on the number of drinks, but that always led to a feeling of deprivation, along with longing for the next drink, and rationalizing why it could be sooner. It felt like an agonizingly long goodbye to an old friend. In short, I found the psychological effort in doing it this way problematic.
What finally worked was separating the experience of drinking the diet soda from the intake of aspartame. I picked up a large box of Equal packets, and found out how many milligrams of aspartame were in the drinks vs the Equal packets. (Getting reliable info was hard, but the best I could find was 35mg per Equal packet.). It came out to something like a 12 oz can of Diet Dr. Pepper having the equivalent of about 5.3 packets.
So I cut out the Diet Dr. Peppers cold turkey, but replaced them with the same number of glasses of water, each with five packets of Equal mixed in. I gulped these down quickly, treating them as a drug, and not savoring them. I also temporarily increased my coffee intake to keep the caffeine levels about the same. The first few days were rough. There were obviously other things in the soda besides the caffeine and aspartame that my body was missing, but taking in the aspartame in an alternate manner prevented the worst symptoms.
I then worked to gradually cut down the daily intake of aspartame. I cut the number of packets per glass of water by one each week. I discovered that the day after a cut was worse than the day of the cut, so my cut days were on Friday, giving me the weekend to recover. I did this until I was down to one packet per glass, and then cut those down by one each of the following weeks. It took about six or seven weeks, but it worked. I was now aspartame free!
That was several months ago. I had thought I might stabilize with the coffee drinking for a while, but the increased coffee consumption started causing its own issues. So I moved on to tackling the caffeine portion.
Caffeine
Here my strategy was similar: replace the habit of coffee drinking with caffeine pills. Finding low dose pills is difficult. The lowest straight caffeine pills (without other crap mixed in) that I could find is 100 mg, but there are splitable tablet versions, and four way pill splitters, so the dosages could be brought down to 20-30mg pieces.
I cut all coffee drinking cold turkey, replacing it with the pills. Again the first couple of days were rough but manageable. At the start I was taking in about 350mg of caffeine a day spread over 25-50mg hits throughout the day. The plan was to cut the daily intake by about 25mg each Friday. It worked. I was caffeine free by early December, and in a relatively stress free manner. Patience seems very useful for this kind of endeavor.
Afterward
I recently had a drink of a diet soda, and discovered that it didn’t taste nearly as good as it used to. Apparently when you’re addicted to something it may taste like one of the finest pleasures in life. But get away from it for a few months, and you’re able to realize what you were taking in was mediocre at best. It seems to support the Epicurean insight that pleasure is basically lack of suffering, what they called “ataraxia.”
The methods used here are similar to the nicotine patches smokers often use to quit, although I only realized it afterward. I’m not a particularly strong willed person, and it worked for me. If you’d like to wean off aspartame (or other artificial sweeteners) and/or caffeine, it might work for you too. So if you’re looking for something to have a New Year’s resolution on, this might be a candidate.
I’m not planning to be strict about the caffeine. After a few months, I can see having the occasional (full sugar) coke or mocha. The trick, I think, is not drinking them at home or work, or in any other setting where they could turn back into a daily habit.
#addiction #ArtificialSweeteners #aspartame #caffeine #coffee #dietSoda #Health #Nutrition #wellness
-
A way to wean off coffee and diet sodas
This is an unusual topic for me. This year I worked to wean myself off of caffeine and artificial sweeteners, and given the trouble I had finding information on how to do it, thought I’d put notes out on what worked for me.
Why bother? After all, most of us have our addictions, and are able to get by in daily life despite them, particularly if they’re common ones. Caffeine dependency in particular is widespread, although most people are in denial about it. And many have a double whammy, being addicted to diet sodas, which have both caffeine and artificial sweeteners like aspartame. Most people take these in without any issues. But in recent years, I was drinking a lot of coffee and Diet Dr. Pepper, and as I’ve gotten older, it’s caused increasing problems.
I have a long history with caffeine. When I was younger, I drank copious amounts of coffee (usually black for maximum effect), somewhere in the neighborhood of ten cups a day, and chased them down with a few diet sodas. I was one wired puppy! That level of caffeine made it hard to keep calm in stressful situations, which caused both career and relationship issues.
This eventually led me to give up caffeine cold turkey, which I don’t recommend. You might be able to get away with it if you don’t work for a living, or if your job doesn’t include a significant social factor, but for me, it was the wrong approach. Still, I was able to do it, twice.
What I didn’t understand back then was that I was also addicted to aspartame. I kept drinking caffeine free diet soda, but it wasn’t always easy to find, which eventually led to me falling back on the caffeinated versions. Before I knew it, I was drinking a half dozen diet sodas a day. Not as bad as the ten cups of coffee, but that much aspartame led to its own set of problems. At one point I cut back on the diet sodas by mixing in a few cups of coffee, and so was back to where I started, although at a fraction of the earlier levels.
Early this year, the problems were increasing, so I decided it was time to do something. Tackling all of it at once was too overwhelming, so I decided to focus first on the diet soda, which meant focusing on aspartame.
Aspartame
The medical field seems unsure whether aspartame is really addictive. All I can say is that every time I tried to give it up cold turkey, I had bad withdrawal symptoms. One was an unquenchable thirst, no matter how much water I drank. The other were headaches, distinct from the caffeine withdrawal ones. But the worst was what I can only describe as a feeling of impending doom, which seemed to increase in urgency the longer I went without an aspartame hit.
Over the years, I had tried just gradually cutting back on the number of drinks, but that always led to a feeling of deprivation, along with longing for the next drink, and rationalizing why it could be sooner. It felt like an agonizingly long goodbye to an old friend. In short, I found the psychological effort in doing it this way problematic.
What finally worked was separating the experience of drinking the diet soda from the intake of aspartame. I picked up a large box of Equal packets, and found out how many milligrams of aspartame were in the drinks vs the Equal packets. (Getting reliable info was hard, but the best I could find was 35mg per Equal packet.). It came out to something like a 12 oz can of Diet Dr. Pepper having the equivalent of about 5.3 packets.
So I cut out the Diet Dr. Peppers cold turkey, but replaced them with the same number of glasses of water, each with five packets of Equal mixed in. I gulped these down quickly, treating them as a drug, and not savoring them. I also temporarily increased my coffee intake to keep the caffeine levels about the same. The first few days were rough. There were obviously other things in the soda besides the caffeine and aspartame that my body was missing, but taking in the aspartame in an alternate manner prevented the worst symptoms.
I then worked to gradually cut down the daily intake of aspartame. I cut the number of packets per glass of water by one each week. I discovered that the day after a cut was worse than the day of the cut, so my cut days were on Friday, giving me the weekend to recover. I did this until I was down to one packet per glass, and then cut those down by one each of the following weeks. It took about six or seven weeks, but it worked. I was now aspartame free!
That was several months ago. I had thought I might stabilize with the coffee drinking for a while, but the increased coffee consumption started causing its own issues. So I moved on to tackling the caffeine portion.
Caffeine
Here my strategy was similar: replace the habit of coffee drinking with caffeine pills. Finding low dose pills is difficult. The lowest straight caffeine pills (without other crap mixed in) that I could find is 100 mg, but there are splitable tablet versions, and four way pill splitters, so the dosages could be brought down to 20-30mg pieces.
I cut all coffee drinking cold turkey, replacing it with the pills. Again the first couple of days were rough but manageable. At the start I was taking in about 350mg of caffeine a day spread over 25-50mg hits throughout the day. The plan was to cut the daily intake by about 25mg each Friday. It worked. I was caffeine free by early December, and in a relatively stress free manner. Patience seems very useful for this kind of endeavor.
Afterward
I recently had a drink of a diet soda, and discovered that it didn’t taste nearly as good as it used to. Apparently when you’re addicted to something it may taste like one of the finest pleasures in life. But get away from it for a few months, and you’re able to realize what you were taking in was mediocre at best. It seems to support the Epicurean insight that pleasure is basically lack of suffering, what they called “ataraxia.”
The methods used here are similar to the nicotine patches smokers often use to quit, although I only realized it afterward. I’m not a particularly strong willed person, and it worked for me. If you’d like to wean off aspartame (or other artificial sweeteners) and/or caffeine, it might work for you too. So if you’re looking for something to have a New Year’s resolution on, this might be a candidate.
I’m not planning to be strict about the caffeine. After a few months, I can see having the occasional (full sugar) coke or mocha. The trick, I think, is not drinking them at home or work, or in any other setting where they could turn back into a daily habit.
#addiction #ArtificialSweeteners #aspartame #caffeine #coffee #dietSoda #Health #Nutrition #wellness
-
Consuming a drink with erythritol—a sweetener often used in stevia, monk fruit, and keto products—more than doubled the risk of blood clotting in 10 healthy people, according to a new pilot study. Clots can break off from blood vessels and travel to the heart, triggering a heart attack, or to the brain, causing a stroke. Previous research has also linked erythritol to a higher risk of stroke, heart attack, and death. #HealthRisks #Erythritol #ArtificialSweeteners #HeartHealth #KetoDiet
https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/08/health/erythritol-blood-clotting-wellness/index.html
-
Consuming a drink with erythritol—a sweetener often used in stevia, monk fruit, and keto products—more than doubled the risk of blood clotting in 10 healthy people, according to a new pilot study. Clots can break off from blood vessels and travel to the heart, triggering a heart attack, or to the brain, causing a stroke. Previous research has also linked erythritol to a higher risk of stroke, heart attack, and death. #HealthRisks #Erythritol #ArtificialSweeteners #HeartHealth #KetoDiet
https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/08/health/erythritol-blood-clotting-wellness/index.html
-
Consuming a drink with erythritol—a sweetener often used in stevia, monk fruit, and keto products—more than doubled the risk of blood clotting in 10 healthy people, according to a new pilot study. Clots can break off from blood vessels and travel to the heart, triggering a heart attack, or to the brain, causing a stroke. Previous research has also linked erythritol to a higher risk of stroke, heart attack, and death. #HealthRisks #Erythritol #ArtificialSweeteners #HeartHealth #KetoDiet
https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/08/health/erythritol-blood-clotting-wellness/index.html
-
Consuming a drink with erythritol—a sweetener often used in stevia, monk fruit, and keto products—more than doubled the risk of blood clotting in 10 healthy people, according to a new pilot study. Clots can break off from blood vessels and travel to the heart, triggering a heart attack, or to the brain, causing a stroke. Previous research has also linked erythritol to a higher risk of stroke, heart attack, and death. #HealthRisks #Erythritol #ArtificialSweeteners #HeartHealth #KetoDiet
https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/08/health/erythritol-blood-clotting-wellness/index.html
