Hi everyone.
Sorry to post on AIBU but can't see the correct section to post so mods please move as appropriate.
So a few years ago a nephew of mine had trouble wetting himself way beyond when he shouldn't be. Cue doctors and hospital trips. Long story short his bladder was getting stimulated by artificial sweetener in drinks.
I've started to notice I can't drink anything with acesulfame K sweetener added. Which is now in virtually every single carbonated drink or fruit squash.
I've monitored it. If all I drink is water I can be like a camel all day long, don't feel the urge to go at all. Grab a can of cola with lunch and an hour later I have that 'urgent' need to pee. Then I can be up and down all afternoon. I spent all this morning looking at labels in the supermarket to find only Robinsons barley water (which ive hated since being a child) seems to be the only thing that doesn't have it in, although I haven't researched properly yet.
Interestingly a google search brought up a lot of negativity about it. Some scientists theorize that it even alters gut bacteria allowing the gut to absorb more calories than usual. So fizzy drinks with artificial sweetener can actually be making us all fatter.
So has anyone else had any peeing problems with artificial sweetener and do you now just drink water? Sometimes I really fancy a cola or lemonade at lunch but darent if I have meetings in the afternoon as I'll have to sit there all uncomfortable or worse, have to get up for the loo multiple times.