Summary

I didnt think anything of the black and blue marks all over my thigh until a friend expressed concern: What have you done to your leg?

Oh, nothing, I replied. It was just an itch that turned into a bruise.

It wasnt the first instance of me experiencing severe bruising. This issue had persisted for a year, initially beginning when I commenced my job at a bank in New York City.

It would begin with a burning feeling on my thigh, swiftly turning into unbearable itching — so intense that I had to scratch vehemently until it finally eased. The scratching resulted in a dark purple bruise.

I wasnt aware of any allergies and had never encountered this before. However, when a doctor friend suggested considering any dietary changes, I started maintaining a food diary.

After several weeks, I landed on a rather bizarre conclusion: sucralose, the artificial sweetener commonly known as Splenda.

I discovered that after starting my position at the bank, I had been drinking about five coffees a day. With a liking for sweet flavors, I didnt hesitate to add a couple of artificial sweeteners to each cup as a low-calorie substitute for sugar.

Daily, I consumed approximately 10 packets of sweetener, which is associated with heightened risks of strokes, heart attacks, and cardiovascular issues.

My doctor friend told me allergic reactions to artificial sweeteners are rare, but some people can experience intolerance or sensitivity leading to various symptoms such as rashes and hives.

Indeed, consuming 10 packets a day was a little excessive, and when I cut the sweeteners from my daily coffees, the itching on my thighs dissipated.

Dr Johnny Parvani, an emergency medicine physician who founded the IV therapy company REVIV Global, told me hives and rashes could emerge as a result of over

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