You've been popping cherry-flavored OTC meds like they're candy.
You may already be aware of sugar-free gum's double whammy: When you chew, you swallow nitrogen-filled air as well as sorbitol, an artificial sweetener that defies the intestines' attempts to break it down, resulting in gale-force gastrointestinal winds. However, you may not be aware that sorbitol is also an ingredient in sweetened medications like cough syrups and liquid antacids. A little bit of this sugar alcohol goes a long way, says Cynthia M. Yoshida, MD, gastroenterologist and author of
No More Digestive Problems. Check the "inactive ingredients" on the label to see if your medication has unintended side effects.
