A Common Food Additive May Be Messing With Your Brain

Psychology Today reported:

If you want to invent a new food additive, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires a safety study before approval. These studies must show that the additive is healthy for humans — but it doesn’t test the effects on gut microbes. That’s a major oversight because we now know that gut microbes are enormously important for our health.

A recent study by Lee-Yan Sheen and colleagues from the National Taiwan University, found that many emulsifiers, especially synthetic ones, cause changes to the gut microbiome. Emulsifiers are additives that help oil and water mix, and they create a smooth mouthfeel that manufacturers prize. They are found in a surprisingly large number of processed foods, including peanut butter, bread, sausage, and ice-cream.

The researchers found that emulsifiers helped bacteria to invade the mucus layer lining the gut. Mucus is the first line of defense we have against pathogens, so this is concerning. With the mucus compromised, microbes and their toxins find it easier to pass through the gut lining and enter the bloodstream. The researchers found evidence of systemic inflammation as a result and an uptick in metabolic disorders including increased blood sugar levels and insulin resistance.