Humans are really, really, really complicated, so it’s a given that someone somewhere will react badly to an additive (or any natural food). The real problem I see is that additives are being used in favor of real food ingredients because they are cheaper. Artificial sweeteners are one thing, but hydrogenated oils, high-fructose corn syrup, etc, are something else entirely. Unless you are prepared to pay more, you are going to get them, and even then they are hard to avoid. Ultimately, it’s the poor and less educated who suffer because there is no shortage in the U.S. of food, but there is a shortage of affordable _good_ food. There’s a reason obesity is more common among the poor.

Ultimately, we do not understand the real ramifications of much of what we consume, and the only real defense to keep everything in moderation. Of course, as an unrepentant overuser of Diet Mountain Dew, I suppose this physician should heal himself.