Personal testimony: I stopped using artificial sweeteners when I become pregnant with my first child. I experienced horrible headaches for about two weeks while going through what I can only account to as withdrawal effects.
I irresponsibly took up being lazy about it and would have more artificial sweeteners than I should have had up until I was pregnant with my second child, whence I gave up artificial sweeteners again. Same withdrawal symptoms. It was at that time I realized that these sweeteners were the direct cause of many of the symptoms I was having and I have not had headaches per se’ since, unless accompanied by a virus 🙂
I do have multiple sclerosis and do not account that to the Aspartame sweeteners, although they did irritate my already preexisting condition tremendously.
My mother has the same reaction to these kinds of sweeteners. My father is diabetic so he does indulge in the consumption of artificial sweeteners. Not willing to change his ways, stubborn 🙂 but wonderful.