How drinking Diet Coke could be linked to an increased risk of anxiety

THERE are a number of things that can cause people to feel anxious.

This could include the current cost of living crisis, phobias or conditions such as OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), the NHS states.

But experts in the US have now discovered that what we consume can also make us feel a little on edge.

Medics conducted research on mice – not humans and found that the rodents could display anxiety for generations after consuming sweeteners.

Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology and Department of Neurology, St. Louis looked at the link between aspartame and anxiety.

Aspartame is a sweetener which is often used in low calorie food and drinks, including Diet Coke and other diet drink options.

Previous studies have found that the ingredient could increase your risk of deadly cancer and even sepsis.

The new study, published in PNAS shows that even just a small amount could be causing damage.

The researchers gave mice free access to water dosed with aspartame.

The dose was equivalent to to 15 per cent of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDAs) recommended maximum daily amount for humans.

This is 50 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day.

Experts said that mice that consumed this displayed more anxious behaviour when tested.

Medics said that this effect could then be seen in the rodents’ offspring…