Are Artificial Sweeteners Laxatives? The Truth

Yes, some artificial sweeteners can be laxatives.

The sweeteners that cause you to go to the bathroom are usually sugar alcohols.

This is because these sweeteners feed the bad bacteria in your growth, which causes problems like diarrhea.

But, not all artificial sweeteners cause a laxative effect.

In this article I’ll help you to figure out why some artificial sweeteners cause you to go to the bathroom more often, & which zero–calorie sweeteners you can use if you don’t want to experience digestive issues.

Are Artificial Sweeteners Laxatives?

Yes, some artificial sweeteners can have a laxative effect. These are usually the sugar alcohols, like maltitol, xylitol, & sorbitol, since they can feed the bad bacteria in your gut to grow. So, whenever the bad bacteria in your gut grow, you’ll experience digestive issues like diarrhea.

Sugar alcohols & sugar feed your gut’s bad bacteria, so then the bad bacteria in your gut start to grow.

And when the bad bacteria in your gut grow too much, you’ll start to experience digestive issues like stomach cramps, diarrhea, & even acid reflux.

Firstly, I’ll discuss the artificial sweeteners that are usually the common cause of stomach discomfort & diarrhea so you know what to avoid.

Which Artificial Sweeteners Cause Digestive Issues?

Artificial sweeteners like maltitol, xylitol, sorbitol, isomalt, & lactitol cause digestive issues. This is because these sugar alcohols cause the bad bacteria in your gut to grow, which can lead to digestive issues like stomach cramps & diarrhea.

As you can see, most of the “non-gut friendly” artificial sweeteners end in “ol.”

This is because they’re sugar alcohols.

The only exception to the rule of avoiding sugar alcohols is erythritol. 

Erythritol is actually a natural sweetener that comes from birch trees, even though it has a chemical-sounding name.

Which Artificial Sweeteners Don’t Cause Digestive Issues?

Artificial sweeteners like acesulfame K, aspartame, saccharin, & sucralose don’t cause digestive issues. This is because they don’t feed the bad bacteria in your gut. But, since these sweeteners have also been shown to be toxic to your body, it’s better to replace them with more natural sweeteners like Stevia instead.

Here is a list of the most common artificial sweeteners that are used, but that aren’t natural:

• Aspartame
• Acesulfame K
• Saccharin
• Sucralose

But, as we’ve discussed before, these sweeteners have been shown to have toxic effects on your body.

If you constantly eat these sweeteners on a regular basis, studies have shown that your risk for dementia & stroke increases by 3x!

That’s because these sweeteners cause a lot of oxidative stress on your brain & body, which would later cause you to run into problems like the ones we’ve mentioned above.

But, there is a group of sweeteners that don’t cause a laxative effect & digestive issues, but that also don’t cause toxic effects on your body.

These are natural, zero-calorie sweeteners.

*Note: Some of these links are Amazon affiliate links that pay me a small commission when you buy from them :)*

What Are the Best Natural Zero-Calorie Sweeteners?

The best natural, zero-calorie sweeteners are:

• Stevia
• Monk fruit
• Chicory Root/Inulin
• Erythritol

Since these sweeteners are natural, they don’t cause digestive issues like bloating or diarrhea.

In addition to that, since they’re natural, they also don’t cause toxic effects on your body so you don’t get aging-related illnesses prematurely. 

If you haven’t tasted any of these sweeteners, I recommend starting out with Lakanto’s monk fruit & erythritol sweetener since it has the most similar taste to sugar.

Should You Use Artificial Sweeteners If You Have Digestive Issues?

If you have digestive issues, I recommend staying away from sugar alcohols like maltitol, xylitol, sorbitol, etc, since they’re pathogenic, meaning they feed the bad bacteria in your gut. Instead, if you have digestive issues but still want to enjoy something sweet, choose a natural sweetener like Stevia instead.

Conclusion

In conclusion, most artificial sweeteners won’t cause a laxative effect. 

But, many artificial sweeteners, like sugar alcohols, do cause a laxative effect. 

And, most other popular artificial sweeteners that don’t cause a laxative effect still have other bad side effects, like their toxicity. 

This can lead you to increase your risk for having a stroke or developing dementia by 3x.

So, if you want to eat sweet foods without having a laxative effect, or without having a toxic effect on your body, I recommend using natural sweeteners, like monk fruit, instead of artificial ones.

If you want to find out which artificial sweeteners cause brain damage & why, you can read my article here.