Hidden Link Between Artificial Sweeteners and Chronic Pain

If you're living with chronic back or neck pain, you've probably tested everything—stretches, heating pads, over-the-counter medications. But have you thought about the impact your diet drinks and “sugar-free” snacks may have? Developing research suggests that artificial sweeteners might be impairing your pain relief efforts through an unexpected pathway: your gut. Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn is here to explore any possible avenues to help you get back to enjoying your life!

THE GUT-PAIN CONNECTION

Your gut does more than digest food—it houses trillions of bacteria that affect inflammation in your spine, neck, back, and throughout your body. New research has uncovered a direct connection between artificial sweeteners, gut health, and how sensitive you are to chronic pain.

A 2025 Mendelian randomization study by Zhao and colleagues pointed out that artificially sweetened foods can actually cause chronic pain by disrupting the gut microbiota. (1) This isn't just connection—the research shows a causal relationship between using these sweeteners and increased pain levels.

HOW SWEETNERS TRIGGER PAIN

Artificial sweeteners can alter the balance of beneficial bacteria living in your digestive system. These disturbed microbes trigger inflammatory responses that go throughout your body. Research published in the British Journal of Anaesthesia by Guo and colleagues shows that gut bacteria impact pain levels by altering immune responses and how sensitive your nerves become. (2)

For back and neck pain sufferers seeking help at Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn, this inflammation can heighten pain sensitivity in already vulnerable areas. Your spinal nerves become more reactive, making existing discomfort worse and potentially slowing your recovery.

TAKING ACTION

Before your next chiropractic appointment, you might want to look into whether artificial sweeteners are bothering your pain levels. Consider attempting a two-week experiment where you reduce or swap out products containing artificial sweeteners. This could require picking to drink water or herbal tea instead of diet sodas, or selecting snacks without ingredients like aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin.

Chiropractic physicians understand that pain management requires a whole-body approach. While spinal adjustments address mechanical dysfunction, lowering inflammation through dietary modifications can significantly enhance treatment outcomes. By sustaining your gut health, you're making an internal environment more conducive to healing and less open to pain signals. Small dietary changes might be a beneficial extra to your pain relief strategy with Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn.

Your route to back pain relief and/or neck pain relief may start with what you remove from your shopping cart.

CONTACT Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox, on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes the impact inflammation has on the immune system and the help chiropractic care like The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management that Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic patients may experience.

Make your Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic appointment soon.