The sweetener making 60% of women sick

“I see patients who suffer from fatigue and other symptoms due to sucralose sensitivity every week,” says Mark Menolascino, M.D., director of the Meno Clinic in Wilson, Wyoming. Millions of women use the low-cal sweetener, sold as Splenda, instead of sugar. “It’s made by treating sugar molecules with chlorine, which produces compounds that are foreign to the body,” he says. As a result, women who are sensitive to it struggle with fatigue, headaches, GI upset and more. And research suggests sucralose can have toxic effects on the liver and gut, sapping energy even more, says Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D. She estimates that 60% of women suffer, but most go undiagnosed.

Sucralose is in countless products, such as soda, baked goods, yogurt and salad dressing. It’s also in toothpaste, mouthwash and supplements— products George Washington University researchers say play a role in exposure.

If you think you’re sensitive to sucralose, eliminate it from your diet to see if you feel better. Dr. Menolascino advises checking food and drink labels for the ingredient. Also smart: avoiding other artificial sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin and

acesulfame K and foods containing artificial dyes and preservatives.

For a low- or no-calorie sweetener that won’t cause problems, try stevia, monkfruit or Sweet Perfection Sugar Substitute (ChocoPerfection. com). It’s made with chicory root, which adds sweetness and fuels the growth of good gut bacteria.

Enjoy broccoli, Brussels sprouts and kale 3 times a week. Gittleman says their sulfur compounds enhance the liver’s detoxifying ability to speed recovery.