Re: Aspartame article

July 17, 2001

I don't disagree with the fact that most " artificial " ingredients have risks

and side effects (as we all know there are risks with everything in our

lives) but the recent articles (including the one references here) sound a

little like overreaction. Years ago they told us we were all going to get

bladder cancer from saccharin. They failed to mention that this occurs in

laboratory rates who have the equivalent of 100s of cans of soft drinks

sweetened with saccharin per day. I do believe there could be drug

interactions but I don't really believe that such results could occur with

light to moderate usage. Luckily when I was pregnant I switched back to

Sween N Low (which is saccharin) and have never switched back. Don't do

Diet Coke, etc. any more and get very little aspartame in other things I eat

so I'm not worried.

in GA

Aspartame article

> Hi guys,

> The following is page 1 of a 5 page article at the following URL:

> http://www.disinfo.com/pages/article/id992/pg1/ . It doesn't sound good,

> folks, you may owe it to yourself to read this if you use Aspartame.

>

> Steve

>

> -------------------------------------------

> A worldwide epidemic is raging. The cause is a poisonous chemical

sweetener,

> aspartame (marketed as NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful), the most

controversial

> food additive ever approved. In reality it is a drug which interacts with

> other drugs and changes brain chemistry.

>

> H.J. , M.D., describes interactions with drugs such as Coumadin,

> Dilantin, Inderal, methyldopa or Aldomet, insulin, and lidocaine in

> Aspartame (NutraSweet): Is It Safe? [1]

>

> From the paper Effects of Aspartame on the Brain: Neurologic Effects of

> Aspartame? by J. Wurtman and J. Maher: " Compounds that do

> affect physiological systems are classified as drugs by the Food and Drug

> Administration (FDA) and are subject to considerably more demanding

> regulatory procedures than food constituents. However, and perhaps

> paradoxically because food additives must be shown to be physiologically

> inert in order to win initial FDA approval, once they have obtained this

> approval they are thereafter exempted from the requirement (imposed on all

> drugs) that their safety continue to be monitored. The companies that

> manufacture and use them are not obligated to monitor adverse reactions

> associated with their product, nor to submit to the FDA reports of such

> adverse reactions; they also are not required to carry out additional

> government-mandated research programs to affirm their product's

safety. " [2]

>

> So the question is, should aspartame be considered inert? The National

Soft

> Drink Association (NSDA) reported in l983: " Aspartame is inherently,

> markedly and uniquely unstable in aqueous media. In a liquid, such as a

soft

> drink, aspartame will degrade as a function of temperature and pH. Higher

> temperatures and more acidic liquids increase the rate of degradation. "

The

> NSDA also knew the use of such an unstable chemical sweetener is illegal

and

> said under Section 402 of the FDC Act 21 U.S.C. 342: " a food is

adulterated

> if it contains in whole or in part . . . a decomposed substance or if it

is

> otherwise unfit for food. " [3] This report became part of the

Congressional

> Record in l985.

>

> The reason aspartame is so dangerous is that it is a molecule composed of

> three components, all of which are neurotoxic: aspartic acid (40 percent),

> methanol (10 percent), and phenylalanine (50 percent). Aspartic acid and

> phenylalanine are neurotoxic as isolates, unaccompanied by other amino

acids

> in food to block them from going directly into the brain. Methanol or wood

> alcohol is a severe metabolic poison. Sax's Dangerous Properties of

> Industrial Materials states that methanol is " a human poison by

ingestion. "

> It's also classified as a narcotic. [4] Aspartame breaks down to

> diketopiperazine, a brain-tumor agent. A confidential internal memo at

> Searle (the company that developed aspartame) indicated concern over lack

of

> complete toxicological data on DKP. [5]

>

> FDA Commissioner Schmidt, M.D., approved aspartame only for dry

> foods on July 26, l974,[6] and the following month consumer attorney

> and Washington University researcher Dr. Olney filed

objections

> to the FDA's approval, citing evidence of brain lesions and neuroendocrine

> disorders in animal studies and concerns the substance may cause brain

> damage and mental retardation in humans. They also requested a hearing on

> the safety of aspartame. [7] In December l975 and Olney waived

their

> right to a public hearing and agreed to a Public Board of Inquiry. On

March

> 24, l976, the FDA's task force reported: " At the heart of the FDA's

> regulatory process is its ability to rely upon the integrity of the basic

> safety data submitted by sponsors of regulated products. Our investigation

> clearly demonstrates that, in the G.D. Searle Co., we have no basis for

such

> reliance now . . . Some of our findings suggest an attitude of disregard

for

> FDA's mission of protection of the public health by selectively reporting

> the results of studies in a manner which allays the concerns of questions

of

> an FDA reviewer. " [8]

>

> On January 10, l977, in a 33-page letter, FDA Chief Counsel

Merrill

> recommended to US Attorney Sam Skinner that a grand jury investigate

Searle

> for " apparent violations of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, 21

> U.S.C. 331 (e), and the False Reports to the Government Act, l8 U.S.C. 355

> (i) and for concealing material facts and making false statements in

reports

> of animal studies conducted to establish the safety of aspartame. " The FDA

> called special attention to studies investigating the effect of NutraSweet

> on monkeys and hamsters. [9] Searle was never indicted because the statute

> of limitations expired.

>

> In l981 President Reagan appointed Arthur Hull " who overruled

a

> Public Board of Inquiry in order to approve aspartame " as FDA

Commissioner.

> On July 1, l983, the National Soft Drink Association urged the FDA to

delay

> approval of aspartame for carbonated beverages pending further testing,

but

> on July 8, l983, it was approved anyway.

>

> Disregarding the protests and outcry by physicians and scientists, a

> chemical poison was blessed for human consumption. Poisoned consumers were

> outraged, and three congressional hearings were held. Senator

> Metzenbaum sponsored bill S. 1557 (99th Congress), requiring independent

> studies on five of aspartame reported toxic effects: on brain chemistry,

on

> pregnant women and fetuses, on increased probability of seizures, its

> behavioral and neurological effects (especially in children), and its

> interactions with drugs, including monoamine oxidase inhibitors.

>

> The bill called for a moratorium on aspartame, but because of heavy

lobbying

> by Monsanto (the corporation that acquired Searle in l985), it never got

out

> of committee. Senator Orrin Hatch protected Monsanto as we see in a press

> release (February 11, 1986) from Labor and Human Resources titled Hatch

Says

> No to Committee Hearings on Aspartame. He said: " t would serve no

useful

> purpose to commit Committee resources to this issue at this time. "

>

> Consumers were going blind due to the wood alcohol from aspartame. Many

were

> diagnosed by Raiford, M.D., a methanol toxicity specialist. The

> Chicago Sun Times (October 17, 1986) announced Consumer Group Links

> NutraSweet to Blindness. " Charging that aspartame, the widely used

> artificial sweetener marketed as NutraSweet-causes blindness, a consumer

> group yesterday petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to ban it. The

> petition was another step in a long and so far fruitless campaign by the

> Washington based Community Nutrition Institute against aspartame.

>

> Consumer anti-aspartame organizations sprang up. Roth, blinded in

> one eye by aspartame, started Aspartame Victims and Their Friends of

Ocala,

> Florida. Totally blinded, Joyce began Aspartame Victims and Their

> Friends of Georgia. Jeanette Soto, who wrote the brochure Blinded Sight

when

> aspartame took her husband's vision, today is running Mission Possible of

> ville, Florida.

>

> As aspartame destroyed their central nervous systems, patients began being

> misdiagnosed as having multiple sclerosis. Victims lost memory, and memory

> loss is number eleven on a secret FDA list of 92 aspartame reactions. H.J.

> , M.D., wrote Defense Against Alzheimer's Disease in l995,

connecting

> aspartame with this exploding twentieth-century disease.

>

> Another congressional hearing in l987 exposed NutraSweet, but again ended

> with no legislation to protect consumers. That year, Gordon of

> United Press International conducted an eight-month investigation of

> NutraSweet and the FDA's handling of the product. Gordon reported that

> NutraSweet was at the center of intense controversy since the day

> approved its use on July 18, l981, and that overrode six of the nine

> scientists on two agency review panels who felt links to brain tumors in

> rats had been ignored. Dr. Wurtman, one-time Searle consultant,

> resigned to become a critic of NutraSweet. He told Gordon he had been

> contacted by more than 200 people who suspected their seizures resulted

from

> the toxin.

> [4 pages follow]

>

July 17, 2001

I think aspartame like many other things affects people differently. I

personally never seemed to have a problem with it - in moderation of course.

I agree that it will be interesting to see where all of this research goes -

especially now that Splenda is out too!

in GA

Aspartame article

>

> Hi guys,

> The following is page 1 of a 5 page article at the following URL:

> http://www.disinfo.com/pages/article/id992/pg1/ . It doesn't sound

good,

> folks, you may owe it to yourself to read this if you use Aspartame.

>

> Steve

>

> -------------------------------------------

> A worldwide epidemic is raging. The cause is a poisonous chemical

sweetener,

> aspartame (marketed as NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful), the most

controversial

> food additive ever approved. In reality it is a drug which interacts

with

> other drugs and changes brain chemistry.

>

> H.J. , M.D., describes interactions with drugs such as Coumadin,

> Dilantin, Inderal, methyldopa or Aldomet, insulin, and lidocaine in

> Aspartame (NutraSweet): Is It Safe? [1]

>

> From the paper Effects of Aspartame on the Brain: Neurologic Effects of

> Aspartame? by J. Wurtman and J. Maher: " Compounds that

do

> affect physiological systems are classified as drugs by the Food and

Drug

> Administration (FDA) and are subject to considerably more demanding

> regulatory procedures than food constituents. However, and perhaps

> paradoxically because food additives must be shown to be physiologically

> inert in order to win initial FDA approval, once they have obtained this

> approval they are thereafter exempted from the requirement (imposed on

all

> drugs) that their safety continue to be monitored. The companies that

> manufacture and use them are not obligated to monitor adverse reactions

> associated with their product, nor to submit to the FDA reports of such

> adverse reactions; they also are not required to carry out additional

> government-mandated research programs to affirm their product's

safety. " [2]

>

> So the question is, should aspartame be considered inert? The National

Soft

> Drink Association (NSDA) reported in l983: " Aspartame is inherently,

> markedly and uniquely unstable in aqueous media. In a liquid, such as a

soft

> drink, aspartame will degrade as a function of temperature and pH.

Higher

> temperatures and more acidic liquids increase the rate of degradation. "

The

> NSDA also knew the use of such an unstable chemical sweetener is illegal

and

> said under Section 402 of the FDC Act 21 U.S.C. 342: " a food is

adulterated

> if it contains in whole or in part . . . a decomposed substance or if it

is

> otherwise unfit for food. " [3] This report became part of the

Congressional

> Record in l985.

>

> The reason aspartame is so dangerous is that it is a molecule composed

of

> three components, all of which are neurotoxic: aspartic acid (40

percent),

> methanol (10 percent), and phenylalanine (50 percent). Aspartic acid and

> phenylalanine are neurotoxic as isolates, unaccompanied by other amino

acids

> in food to block them from going directly into the brain. Methanol or

wood

> alcohol is a severe metabolic poison. Sax's Dangerous Properties of

> Industrial Materials states that methanol is " a human poison by

ingestion. "

> It's also classified as a narcotic. [4] Aspartame breaks down to

> diketopiperazine, a brain-tumor agent. A confidential internal memo at

> Searle (the company that developed aspartame) indicated concern over

lack of

> complete toxicological data on DKP. [5]

>

> FDA Commissioner Schmidt, M.D., approved aspartame only for

dry

> foods on July 26, l974,[6] and the following month consumer attorney

> and Washington University researcher Dr. Olney filed

objections

> to the FDA's approval, citing evidence of brain lesions and

neuroendocrine

> disorders in animal studies and concerns the substance may cause brain

> damage and mental retardation in humans. They also requested a hearing

on

> the safety of aspartame. [7] In December l975 and Olney waived

their

> right to a public hearing and agreed to a Public Board of Inquiry. On

March

> 24, l976, the FDA's task force reported: " At the heart of the FDA's

> regulatory process is its ability to rely upon the integrity of the

basic

> safety data submitted by sponsors of regulated products. Our

investigation

> clearly demonstrates that, in the G.D. Searle Co., we have no basis for

such

> reliance now . . . Some of our findings suggest an attitude of disregard

for

> FDA's mission of protection of the public health by selectively

reporting

> the results of studies in a manner which allays the concerns of

questions of

> an FDA reviewer. " [8]

>

> On January 10, l977, in a 33-page letter, FDA Chief Counsel

Merrill

> recommended to US Attorney Sam Skinner that a grand jury investigate

Searle

> for " apparent violations of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, 21

> U.S.C. 331 (e), and the False Reports to the Government Act, l8 U.S.C.

355

> (i) and for concealing material facts and making false statements in

reports

> of animal studies conducted to establish the safety of aspartame. " The

FDA

> called special attention to studies investigating the effect of

NutraSweet

> on monkeys and hamsters. [9] Searle was never indicted because the

statute

> of limitations expired.

>

> In l981 President Reagan appointed Arthur Hull " who

overruled a

> Public Board of Inquiry in order to approve aspartame " as FDA

Commissioner.

> On July 1, l983, the National Soft Drink Association urged the FDA to

delay

> approval of aspartame for carbonated beverages pending further testing,

but

> on July 8, l983, it was approved anyway.

>

> Disregarding the protests and outcry by physicians and scientists, a

> chemical poison was blessed for human consumption. Poisoned consumers

were

> outraged, and three congressional hearings were held. Senator

> Metzenbaum sponsored bill S. 1557 (99th Congress), requiring independent

> studies on five of aspartame reported toxic effects: on brain chemistry,

on

> pregnant women and fetuses, on increased probability of seizures, its

> behavioral and neurological effects (especially in children), and its

> interactions with drugs, including monoamine oxidase inhibitors.

>

> The bill called for a moratorium on aspartame, but because of heavy

lobbying

> by Monsanto (the corporation that acquired Searle in l985), it never got

out

> of committee. Senator Orrin Hatch protected Monsanto as we see in a

press

> release (February 11, 1986) from Labor and Human Resources titled Hatch

Says

> No to Committee Hearings on Aspartame. He said: " t would serve no

useful

> purpose to commit Committee resources to this issue at this time. "

>

> Consumers were going blind due to the wood alcohol from aspartame. Many

were

> diagnosed by Raiford, M.D., a methanol toxicity specialist. The

> Chicago Sun Times (October 17, 1986) announced Consumer Group Links

> NutraSweet to Blindness. " Charging that aspartame, the widely used

> artificial sweetener marketed as NutraSweet-causes blindness, a consumer

> group yesterday petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to ban it.

The

> petition was another step in a long and so far fruitless campaign by the

> Washington based Community Nutrition Institute against aspartame.

>

> Consumer anti-aspartame organizations sprang up. Roth, blinded

in

> one eye by aspartame, started Aspartame Victims and Their Friends of

Ocala,

> Florida. Totally blinded, Joyce began Aspartame Victims and Their

> Friends of Georgia. Jeanette Soto, who wrote the brochure Blinded Sight

when

> aspartame took her husband's vision, today is running Mission Possible

of

> ville, Florida.

>

> As aspartame destroyed their central nervous systems, patients began

being

> misdiagnosed as having multiple sclerosis. Victims lost memory, and

memory

> loss is number eleven on a secret FDA list of 92 aspartame reactions.

H.J.

> , M.D., wrote Defense Against Alzheimer's Disease in l995,

connecting

> aspartame with this exploding twentieth-century disease.

>

> Another congressional hearing in l987 exposed NutraSweet, but again

ended

> with no legislation to protect consumers. That year, Gordon of

> United Press International conducted an eight-month investigation of

> NutraSweet and the FDA's handling of the product. Gordon reported that

> NutraSweet was at the center of intense controversy since the day

> approved its use on July 18, l981, and that overrode six of the

nine

> scientists on two agency review panels who felt links to brain tumors in

> rats had been ignored. Dr. Wurtman, one-time Searle consultant,

> resigned to become a critic of NutraSweet. He told Gordon he had been

> contacted by more than 200 people who suspected their seizures resulted

from

> the toxin.

> [4 pages follow]

>

July 17, 2001

My neighbor has fibro, and was told to quit drinking aspertame. I'm

sorry that I don't know a lot abotu fibro, but I do know that

eliminating aspertame made her feel better.

manda

> Interesting. All I personally know is that I have some friends

whose doctor told them to avoid all products with aspartame because

of migraines and when they did they quit having them. I am going to

do some follow-up research on this. Thanks for your input.

>

> " Something " is causing a proliferation of auto-immune diseases.

This just might be one piece of the puzzle.

>

> Pat

> Aspartame article

>

> Hi guys,

> The following is page 1 of a 5 page article at the following URL:

> http://www.disinfo.com/pages/article/id992/pg1/ . It doesn't

sound good,

> folks, you may owe it to yourself to read this if you use

Aspartame.

>

> Steve

>

> -------------------------------------------

> A worldwide epidemic is raging. The cause is a poisonous chemical

sweetener,

> aspartame (marketed as NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful), the most

controversial

> food additive ever approved. In reality it is a drug which

interacts with

> other drugs and changes brain chemistry.

>

> H.J. , M.D., describes interactions with drugs such as

Coumadin,

> Dilantin, Inderal, methyldopa or Aldomet, insulin, and lidocaine

in

> Aspartame (NutraSweet): Is It Safe? [1]

>

> From the paper Effects of Aspartame on the Brain: Neurologic

Effects of

> Aspartame? by J. Wurtman and J. Maher: " Compounds

that do

> affect physiological systems are classified as drugs by the Food

and Drug

> Administration (FDA) and are subject to considerably more

demanding

> regulatory procedures than food constituents. However, and perhaps

> paradoxically because food additives must be shown to be

physiologically

> inert in order to win initial FDA approval, once they have

obtained this

> approval they are thereafter exempted from the requirement

(imposed on all

> drugs) that their safety continue to be monitored. The companies

that

> manufacture and use them are not obligated to monitor adverse

reactions

> associated with their product, nor to submit to the FDA reports

of such

> adverse reactions; they also are not required to carry out

additional

> government-mandated research programs to affirm their product's

safety. " [2]

>

> So the question is, should aspartame be considered inert? The

National Soft

> Drink Association (NSDA) reported in l983: " Aspartame is

inherently,

> markedly and uniquely unstable in aqueous media. In a liquid,

such as a soft

> drink, aspartame will degrade as a function of temperature and

pH. Higher

> temperatures and more acidic liquids increase the rate of

degradation. " The

> NSDA also knew the use of such an unstable chemical sweetener is

illegal and

> said under Section 402 of the FDC Act 21 U.S.C. 342: " a food is

adulterated

> if it contains in whole or in part . . . a decomposed substance

or if it is

> otherwise unfit for food. " [3] This report became part of the

Congressional

> Record in l985.

>

> The reason aspartame is so dangerous is that it is a molecule

composed of

> three components, all of which are neurotoxic: aspartic acid (40

percent),

> methanol (10 percent), and phenylalanine (50 percent). Aspartic

acid and

> phenylalanine are neurotoxic as isolates, unaccompanied by other

amino acids

> in food to block them from going directly into the brain.

Methanol or wood

> alcohol is a severe metabolic poison. Sax's Dangerous Properties

of

> Industrial Materials states that methanol is " a human poison by

ingestion. "

> It's also classified as a narcotic. [4] Aspartame breaks down to

> diketopiperazine, a brain-tumor agent. A confidential internal

memo at

> Searle (the company that developed aspartame) indicated concern

over lack of

> complete toxicological data on DKP. [5]

>

> FDA Commissioner Schmidt, M.D., approved aspartame only

for dry

> foods on July 26, l974,[6] and the following month consumer

attorney

> and Washington University researcher Dr. Olney filed

objections

> to the FDA's approval, citing evidence of brain lesions and

neuroendocrine

> disorders in animal studies and concerns the substance may cause

brain

> damage and mental retardation in humans. They also requested a

hearing on

> the safety of aspartame. [7] In December l975 and Olney

waived their

> right to a public hearing and agreed to a Public Board of

Inquiry. On March

> 24, l976, the FDA's task force reported: " At the heart of the

FDA's

> regulatory process is its ability to rely upon the integrity of

the basic

> safety data submitted by sponsors of regulated products. Our

investigation

> clearly demonstrates that, in the G.D. Searle Co., we have no

basis for such

> reliance now . . . Some of our findings suggest an attitude of

disregard for

> FDA's mission of protection of the public health by selectively

reporting

> the results of studies in a manner which allays the concerns of

questions of

> an FDA reviewer. " [8]

>

> On January 10, l977, in a 33-page letter, FDA Chief Counsel

Merrill

> recommended to US Attorney Sam Skinner that a grand jury

investigate Searle

> for " apparent violations of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic

Act, 21

> U.S.C. 331 (e), and the False Reports to the Government Act, l8

U.S.C. 355

> (i) and for concealing material facts and making false statements

in reports

> of animal studies conducted to establish the safety of

aspartame. " The FDA

> called special attention to studies investigating the effect of

NutraSweet

> on monkeys and hamsters. [9] Searle was never indicted because

the statute

> of limitations expired.

>

> In l981 President Reagan appointed Arthur Hull " who

overruled a

> Public Board of Inquiry in order to approve aspartame " as FDA

Commissioner.

> On July 1, l983, the National Soft Drink Association urged the

FDA to delay

> approval of aspartame for carbonated beverages pending further

testing, but

> on July 8, l983, it was approved anyway.

>

> Disregarding the protests and outcry by physicians and

scientists, a

> chemical poison was blessed for human consumption. Poisoned

consumers were

> outraged, and three congressional hearings were held. Senator

> Metzenbaum sponsored bill S. 1557 (99th Congress), requiring

independent

> studies on five of aspartame reported toxic effects: on brain

chemistry, on

> pregnant women and fetuses, on increased probability of seizures,

its

> behavioral and neurological effects (especially in children), and

its

> interactions with drugs, including monoamine oxidase inhibitors.

>

> The bill called for a moratorium on aspartame, but because of

heavy lobbying

> by Monsanto (the corporation that acquired Searle in l985), it

never got out

> of committee. Senator Orrin Hatch protected Monsanto as we see in

a press

> release (February 11, 1986) from Labor and Human Resources titled

Hatch Says

> No to Committee Hearings on Aspartame. He said: " t would serve

no useful

> purpose to commit Committee resources to this issue at this time. "

>

> Consumers were going blind due to the wood alcohol from

aspartame. Many were

> diagnosed by Raiford, M.D., a methanol toxicity

specialist. The

> Chicago Sun Times (October 17, 1986) announced Consumer Group

Links

> NutraSweet to Blindness. " Charging that aspartame, the widely used

> artificial sweetener marketed as NutraSweet-causes blindness, a

consumer

> group yesterday petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to

ban it. The

> petition was another step in a long and so far fruitless campaign

by the

> Washington based Community Nutrition Institute against aspartame.

>

> Consumer anti-aspartame organizations sprang up. Roth,

blinded in

> one eye by aspartame, started Aspartame Victims and Their Friends

of Ocala,

> Florida. Totally blinded, Joyce began Aspartame Victims

and Their

> Friends of Georgia. Jeanette Soto, who wrote the brochure Blinded

Sight when

> aspartame took her husband's vision, today is running Mission

Possible of

> ville, Florida.

>

> As aspartame destroyed their central nervous systems, patients

began being

> misdiagnosed as having multiple sclerosis. Victims lost memory,

and memory

> loss is number eleven on a secret FDA list of 92 aspartame

reactions. H.J.

> , M.D., wrote Defense Against Alzheimer's Disease in l995,

connecting

> aspartame with this exploding twentieth-century disease.

>

> Another congressional hearing in l987 exposed NutraSweet, but

again ended

> with no legislation to protect consumers. That year,

Gordon of

> United Press International conducted an eight-month investigation

of

> NutraSweet and the FDA's handling of the product. Gordon reported

that

> NutraSweet was at the center of intense controversy since the day

> approved its use on July 18, l981, and that overrode six of

the nine

> scientists on two agency review panels who felt links to brain

tumors in

> rats had been ignored. Dr. Wurtman, one-time Searle

consultant,

> resigned to become a critic of NutraSweet. He told Gordon he had

been

> contacted by more than 200 people who suspected their seizures

resulted from

> the toxin.

> [4 pages follow]

>

July 17, 2001

Interesting. All I personally know is that I have some friends whose doctor

told them to avoid all products with aspartame because of migraines and when

they did they quit having them. I am going to do some follow-up research on

this. Thanks for your input.

" Something " is causing a proliferation of auto-immune diseases. This just might

be one piece of the puzzle.

Pat

Aspartame article

Hi guys,

The following is page 1 of a 5 page article at the following URL:

http://www.disinfo.com/pages/article/id992/pg1/ . It doesn't sound good,

folks, you may owe it to yourself to read this if you use Aspartame.

Steve

-------------------------------------------

A worldwide epidemic is raging. The cause is a poisonous chemical sweetener,

aspartame (marketed as NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful), the most controversial

food additive ever approved. In reality it is a drug which interacts with

other drugs and changes brain chemistry.

H.J. , M.D., describes interactions with drugs such as Coumadin,

Dilantin, Inderal, methyldopa or Aldomet, insulin, and lidocaine in

Aspartame (NutraSweet): Is It Safe? [1]

From the paper Effects of Aspartame on the Brain: Neurologic Effects of

Aspartame? by J. Wurtman and J. Maher: " Compounds that do

affect physiological systems are classified as drugs by the Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) and are subject to considerably more demanding

regulatory procedures than food constituents. However, and perhaps

paradoxically because food additives must be shown to be physiologically

inert in order to win initial FDA approval, once they have obtained this

approval they are thereafter exempted from the requirement (imposed on all

drugs) that their safety continue to be monitored. The companies that

manufacture and use them are not obligated to monitor adverse reactions

associated with their product, nor to submit to the FDA reports of such

adverse reactions; they also are not required to carry out additional

government-mandated research programs to affirm their product's safety. " [2]

So the question is, should aspartame be considered inert? The National Soft

Drink Association (NSDA) reported in l983: " Aspartame is inherently,

markedly and uniquely unstable in aqueous media. In a liquid, such as a soft

drink, aspartame will degrade as a function of temperature and pH. Higher

temperatures and more acidic liquids increase the rate of degradation. " The

NSDA also knew the use of such an unstable chemical sweetener is illegal and

said under Section 402 of the FDC Act 21 U.S.C. 342: " a food is adulterated

if it contains in whole or in part . . . a decomposed substance or if it is

otherwise unfit for food. " [3] This report became part of the Congressional

Record in l985.

The reason aspartame is so dangerous is that it is a molecule composed of

three components, all of which are neurotoxic: aspartic acid (40 percent),

methanol (10 percent), and phenylalanine (50 percent). Aspartic acid and

phenylalanine are neurotoxic as isolates, unaccompanied by other amino acids

in food to block them from going directly into the brain. Methanol or wood

alcohol is a severe metabolic poison. Sax's Dangerous Properties of

Industrial Materials states that methanol is " a human poison by ingestion. "

It's also classified as a narcotic. [4] Aspartame breaks down to

diketopiperazine, a brain-tumor agent. A confidential internal memo at

Searle (the company that developed aspartame) indicated concern over lack of

complete toxicological data on DKP. [5]

FDA Commissioner Schmidt, M.D., approved aspartame only for dry

foods on July 26, l974,[6] and the following month consumer attorney

and Washington University researcher Dr. Olney filed objections

to the FDA's approval, citing evidence of brain lesions and neuroendocrine

disorders in animal studies and concerns the substance may cause brain

damage and mental retardation in humans. They also requested a hearing on

the safety of aspartame. [7] In December l975 and Olney waived their

right to a public hearing and agreed to a Public Board of Inquiry. On March

24, l976, the FDA's task force reported: " At the heart of the FDA's

regulatory process is its ability to rely upon the integrity of the basic

safety data submitted by sponsors of regulated products. Our investigation

clearly demonstrates that, in the G.D. Searle Co., we have no basis for such

reliance now . . . Some of our findings suggest an attitude of disregard for

FDA's mission of protection of the public health by selectively reporting

the results of studies in a manner which allays the concerns of questions of

an FDA reviewer. " [8]

On January 10, l977, in a 33-page letter, FDA Chief Counsel Merrill

recommended to US Attorney Sam Skinner that a grand jury investigate Searle

for " apparent violations of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, 21

U.S.C. 331 (e), and the False Reports to the Government Act, l8 U.S.C. 355

(i) and for concealing material facts and making false statements in reports

of animal studies conducted to establish the safety of aspartame. " The FDA

called special attention to studies investigating the effect of NutraSweet

on monkeys and hamsters. [9] Searle was never indicted because the statute

of limitations expired.

In l981 President Reagan appointed Arthur Hull " who overruled a

Public Board of Inquiry in order to approve aspartame " as FDA Commissioner.

On July 1, l983, the National Soft Drink Association urged the FDA to delay

approval of aspartame for carbonated beverages pending further testing, but

on July 8, l983, it was approved anyway.

Disregarding the protests and outcry by physicians and scientists, a

chemical poison was blessed for human consumption. Poisoned consumers were

outraged, and three congressional hearings were held. Senator

Metzenbaum sponsored bill S. 1557 (99th Congress), requiring independent

studies on five of aspartame reported toxic effects: on brain chemistry, on

pregnant women and fetuses, on increased probability of seizures, its

behavioral and neurological effects (especially in children), and its

interactions with drugs, including monoamine oxidase inhibitors.

The bill called for a moratorium on aspartame, but because of heavy lobbying

by Monsanto (the corporation that acquired Searle in l985), it never got out

of committee. Senator Orrin Hatch protected Monsanto as we see in a press

release (February 11, 1986) from Labor and Human Resources titled Hatch Says

No to Committee Hearings on Aspartame. He said: " t would serve no useful

purpose to commit Committee resources to this issue at this time. "

Consumers were going blind due to the wood alcohol from aspartame. Many were

diagnosed by Raiford, M.D., a methanol toxicity specialist. The

Chicago Sun Times (October 17, 1986) announced Consumer Group Links

NutraSweet to Blindness. " Charging that aspartame, the widely used

artificial sweetener marketed as NutraSweet-causes blindness, a consumer

group yesterday petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to ban it. The

petition was another step in a long and so far fruitless campaign by the

Washington based Community Nutrition Institute against aspartame.

Consumer anti-aspartame organizations sprang up. Roth, blinded in

one eye by aspartame, started Aspartame Victims and Their Friends of Ocala,

Florida. Totally blinded, Joyce began Aspartame Victims and Their

Friends of Georgia. Jeanette Soto, who wrote the brochure Blinded Sight when

aspartame took her husband's vision, today is running Mission Possible of

ville, Florida.

As aspartame destroyed their central nervous systems, patients began being

misdiagnosed as having multiple sclerosis. Victims lost memory, and memory

loss is number eleven on a secret FDA list of 92 aspartame reactions. H.J.

, M.D., wrote Defense Against Alzheimer's Disease in l995, connecting

aspartame with this exploding twentieth-century disease.

Another congressional hearing in l987 exposed NutraSweet, but again ended

with no legislation to protect consumers. That year, Gordon of

United Press International conducted an eight-month investigation of

NutraSweet and the FDA's handling of the product. Gordon reported that

NutraSweet was at the center of intense controversy since the day

approved its use on July 18, l981, and that overrode six of the nine

scientists on two agency review panels who felt links to brain tumors in

rats had been ignored. Dr. Wurtman, one-time Searle consultant,

resigned to become a critic of NutraSweet. He told Gordon he had been

contacted by more than 200 people who suspected their seizures resulted from

the toxin.

[4 pages follow]

July 17, 2001

Putting aside scientific studies and the like, my personal experience

with aspartame is that definitely interfered with my intellectual

abilities -- it made me feel fuzzy and stupid. Now that diet sodas

(and all sodas) are out of my life, my head does feel clearer.

Just my two cents.

Jon in Tuscaloosa

MGB 11/22/00

263/171/150

> I think aspartame like many other things affects people

differently. I

> personally never seemed to have a problem with it - in moderation

of course.

> I agree that it will be interesting to see where all of this

research goes -

> especially now that Splenda is out too!

>

> in GA

>

> Aspartame article

> >

> > Hi guys,

> > The following is page 1 of a 5 page article at the following

URL:

> > http://www.disinfo.com/pages/article/id992/pg1/ . It doesn't

sound

> good,

> > folks, you may owe it to yourself to read this if you use

Aspartame.

> >

> > Steve

> >

> > -------------------------------------------

> > A worldwide epidemic is raging. The cause is a poisonous

chemical

> sweetener,

> > aspartame (marketed as NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful), the most

> controversial

> > food additive ever approved. In reality it is a drug which

interacts

> with

> > other drugs and changes brain chemistry.

> >

> > H.J. , M.D., describes interactions with drugs such as

Coumadin,

> > Dilantin, Inderal, methyldopa or Aldomet, insulin, and

lidocaine in

> > Aspartame (NutraSweet): Is It Safe? [1]

> >

> > From the paper Effects of Aspartame on the Brain: Neurologic

Effects of

> > Aspartame? by J. Wurtman and J.

Maher: " Compounds that

> do

> > affect physiological systems are classified as drugs by the

Food and

> Drug

> > Administration (FDA) and are subject to considerably more

demanding

> > regulatory procedures than food constituents. However, and

perhaps

> > paradoxically because food additives must be shown to be

physiologically

> > inert in order to win initial FDA approval, once they have

obtained this

> > approval they are thereafter exempted from the requirement

(imposed on

> all

> > drugs) that their safety continue to be monitored. The

companies that

> > manufacture and use them are not obligated to monitor adverse

reactions

> > associated with their product, nor to submit to the FDA reports

of such

> > adverse reactions; they also are not required to carry out

additional

> > government-mandated research programs to affirm their product's

> safety. " [2]

> >

> > So the question is, should aspartame be considered inert? The

National

> Soft

> > Drink Association (NSDA) reported in l983: " Aspartame is

inherently,

> > markedly and uniquely unstable in aqueous media. In a liquid,

such as a

> soft

> > drink, aspartame will degrade as a function of temperature and

pH.

> Higher

> > temperatures and more acidic liquids increase the rate of

degradation. "

> The

> > NSDA also knew the use of such an unstable chemical sweetener

is illegal

> and

> > said under Section 402 of the FDC Act 21 U.S.C. 342: " a food is

> adulterated

> > if it contains in whole or in part . . . a decomposed substance

or if it

> is

> > otherwise unfit for food. " [3] This report became part of the

> Congressional

> > Record in l985.

> >

> > The reason aspartame is so dangerous is that it is a molecule

composed

> of

> > three components, all of which are neurotoxic: aspartic acid (40

> percent),

> > methanol (10 percent), and phenylalanine (50 percent). Aspartic

acid and

> > phenylalanine are neurotoxic as isolates, unaccompanied by

other amino

> acids

> > in food to block them from going directly into the brain.

Methanol or

> wood

> > alcohol is a severe metabolic poison. Sax's Dangerous

Properties of

> > Industrial Materials states that methanol is " a human poison by

> ingestion. "

> > It's also classified as a narcotic. [4] Aspartame breaks down to

> > diketopiperazine, a brain-tumor agent. A confidential internal

memo at

> > Searle (the company that developed aspartame) indicated concern

over

> lack of

> > complete toxicological data on DKP. [5]

> >

> > FDA Commissioner Schmidt, M.D., approved aspartame

only for

> dry

> > foods on July 26, l974,[6] and the following month consumer

attorney

>

> > and Washington University researcher Dr. Olney filed

> objections

> > to the FDA's approval, citing evidence of brain lesions and

> neuroendocrine

> > disorders in animal studies and concerns the substance may

cause brain

> > damage and mental retardation in humans. They also requested a

hearing

> on

> > the safety of aspartame. [7] In December l975 and Olney

waived

> their

> > right to a public hearing and agreed to a Public Board of

Inquiry. On

> March

> > 24, l976, the FDA's task force reported: " At the heart of the

FDA's

> > regulatory process is its ability to rely upon the integrity of

the

> basic

> > safety data submitted by sponsors of regulated products. Our

> investigation

> > clearly demonstrates that, in the G.D. Searle Co., we have no

basis for

> such

> > reliance now . . . Some of our findings suggest an attitude of

disregard

> for

> > FDA's mission of protection of the public health by selectively

> reporting

> > the results of studies in a manner which allays the concerns of

> questions of

> > an FDA reviewer. " [8]

> >

> > On January 10, l977, in a 33-page letter, FDA Chief Counsel

> Merrill

> > recommended to US Attorney Sam Skinner that a grand jury

investigate

> Searle

> > for " apparent violations of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic

Act, 21

> > U.S.C. 331 (e), and the False Reports to the Government Act, l8

U.S.C.

> 355

> > (i) and for concealing material facts and making false

statements in

> reports

> > of animal studies conducted to establish the safety of

aspartame. " The

> FDA

> > called special attention to studies investigating the effect of

> NutraSweet

> > on monkeys and hamsters. [9] Searle was never indicted because

the

> statute

> > of limitations expired.

> >

> > In l981 President Reagan appointed Arthur Hull " who

> overruled a

> > Public Board of Inquiry in order to approve aspartame " as FDA

> Commissioner.

> > On July 1, l983, the National Soft Drink Association urged the

FDA to

> delay

> > approval of aspartame for carbonated beverages pending further

testing,

> but

> > on July 8, l983, it was approved anyway.

> >

> > Disregarding the protests and outcry by physicians and

scientists, a

> > chemical poison was blessed for human consumption. Poisoned

consumers

> were

> > outraged, and three congressional hearings were held. Senator

> > Metzenbaum sponsored bill S. 1557 (99th Congress), requiring

independent

> > studies on five of aspartame reported toxic effects: on brain

chemistry,

> on

> > pregnant women and fetuses, on increased probability of

seizures, its

> > behavioral and neurological effects (especially in children),

and its

> > interactions with drugs, including monoamine oxidase inhibitors.

> >

> > The bill called for a moratorium on aspartame, but because of

heavy

> lobbying

> > by Monsanto (the corporation that acquired Searle in l985), it

never got

> out

> > of committee. Senator Orrin Hatch protected Monsanto as we see

in a

> press

> > release (February 11, 1986) from Labor and Human Resources

titled Hatch

> Says

> > No to Committee Hearings on Aspartame. He said: " t would

serve no

> useful

> > purpose to commit Committee resources to this issue at this

time. "

> >

> > Consumers were going blind due to the wood alcohol from

aspartame. Many

> were

> > diagnosed by Raiford, M.D., a methanol toxicity

specialist. The

> > Chicago Sun Times (October 17, 1986) announced Consumer Group

Links

> > NutraSweet to Blindness. " Charging that aspartame, the widely

used

> > artificial sweetener marketed as NutraSweet-causes blindness, a

consumer

> > group yesterday petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to

ban it.

> The

> > petition was another step in a long and so far fruitless

campaign by the

> > Washington based Community Nutrition Institute against

aspartame.

> >

> > Consumer anti-aspartame organizations sprang up. Roth,

blinded

> in

> > one eye by aspartame, started Aspartame Victims and Their

Friends of

> Ocala,

> > Florida. Totally blinded, Joyce began Aspartame Victims

and Their

> > Friends of Georgia. Jeanette Soto, who wrote the brochure

Blinded Sight

> when

> > aspartame took her husband's vision, today is running Mission

Possible

> of

> > ville, Florida.

> >

> > As aspartame destroyed their central nervous systems, patients

began

> being

> > misdiagnosed as having multiple sclerosis. Victims lost memory,

and

> memory

> > loss is number eleven on a secret FDA list of 92 aspartame

reactions.

> H.J.

> > , M.D., wrote Defense Against Alzheimer's Disease in

l995,

> connecting

> > aspartame with this exploding twentieth-century disease.

> >

> > Another congressional hearing in l987 exposed NutraSweet, but

again

> ended

> > with no legislation to protect consumers. That year,

Gordon of

> > United Press International conducted an eight-month

investigation of

> > NutraSweet and the FDA's handling of the product. Gordon

reported that

> > NutraSweet was at the center of intense controversy since the

day

> > approved its use on July 18, l981, and that overrode six

of the

> nine

> > scientists on two agency review panels who felt links to brain

tumors in

> > rats had been ignored. Dr. Wurtman, one-time Searle

consultant,

> > resigned to become a critic of NutraSweet. He told Gordon he

had been

> > contacted by more than 200 people who suspected their seizures

resulted

> from

> > the toxin.

> > [4 pages follow]

> >

July 17, 2001

I do have an " elderly " friend who says the same thing. Since kicking the

Diet Coke habit she feels much better. I don't think it ever affected me

adversely - of course if it was affecting my brain how would I know?????

in GA

10/04/00

281.5/190.8/135-ish

Aspartame article

> > >

> > > Hi guys,

> > > The following is page 1 of a 5 page article at the following

> URL:

> > > http://www.disinfo.com/pages/article/id992/pg1/ . It doesn't

> sound

> > good,

> > > folks, you may owe it to yourself to read this if you use

> Aspartame.

> > >

> > > Steve

> > >

> > > -------------------------------------------

> > > A worldwide epidemic is raging. The cause is a poisonous

> chemical

> > sweetener,

> > > aspartame (marketed as NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful), the most

> > controversial

> > > food additive ever approved. In reality it is a drug which

> interacts

> > with

> > > other drugs and changes brain chemistry.

> > >

> > > H.J. , M.D., describes interactions with drugs such as

> Coumadin,

> > > Dilantin, Inderal, methyldopa or Aldomet, insulin, and

> lidocaine in

> > > Aspartame (NutraSweet): Is It Safe? [1]

> > >

> > > From the paper Effects of Aspartame on the Brain: Neurologic

> Effects of

> > > Aspartame? by J. Wurtman and J.

> Maher: " Compounds that

> > do

> > > affect physiological systems are classified as drugs by the

> Food and

> > Drug

> > > Administration (FDA) and are subject to considerably more

> demanding

> > > regulatory procedures than food constituents. However, and

> perhaps

> > > paradoxically because food additives must be shown to be

> physiologically

> > > inert in order to win initial FDA approval, once they have

> obtained this

> > > approval they are thereafter exempted from the requirement

> (imposed on

> > all

> > > drugs) that their safety continue to be monitored. The

> companies that

> > > manufacture and use them are not obligated to monitor adverse

> reactions

> > > associated with their product, nor to submit to the FDA reports

> of such

> > > adverse reactions; they also are not required to carry out

> additional

> > > government-mandated research programs to affirm their product's

> > safety. " [2]

> > >

> > > So the question is, should aspartame be considered inert? The

> National

> > Soft

> > > Drink Association (NSDA) reported in l983: " Aspartame is

> inherently,

> > > markedly and uniquely unstable in aqueous media. In a liquid,

> such as a

> > soft

> > > drink, aspartame will degrade as a function of temperature and

> pH.

> > Higher

> > > temperatures and more acidic liquids increase the rate of

> degradation. "

> > The

> > > NSDA also knew the use of such an unstable chemical sweetener

> is illegal

> > and

> > > said under Section 402 of the FDC Act 21 U.S.C. 342: " a food is

> > adulterated

> > > if it contains in whole or in part . . . a decomposed substance

> or if it

> > is

> > > otherwise unfit for food. " [3] This report became part of the

> > Congressional

> > > Record in l985.

> > >

> > > The reason aspartame is so dangerous is that it is a molecule

> composed

> > of

> > > three components, all of which are neurotoxic: aspartic acid (40

> > percent),

> > > methanol (10 percent), and phenylalanine (50 percent). Aspartic

> acid and

> > > phenylalanine are neurotoxic as isolates, unaccompanied by

> other amino

> > acids

> > > in food to block them from going directly into the brain.

> Methanol or

> > wood

> > > alcohol is a severe metabolic poison. Sax's Dangerous

> Properties of

> > > Industrial Materials states that methanol is " a human poison by

> > ingestion. "

> > > It's also classified as a narcotic. [4] Aspartame breaks down to

> > > diketopiperazine, a brain-tumor agent. A confidential internal

> memo at

> > > Searle (the company that developed aspartame) indicated concern

> over

> > lack of

> > > complete toxicological data on DKP. [5]

> > >

> > > FDA Commissioner Schmidt, M.D., approved aspartame

> only for

> > dry

> > > foods on July 26, l974,[6] and the following month consumer

> attorney

> >

> > > and Washington University researcher Dr. Olney filed

> > objections

> > > to the FDA's approval, citing evidence of brain lesions and

> > neuroendocrine

> > > disorders in animal studies and concerns the substance may

> cause brain

> > > damage and mental retardation in humans. They also requested a

> hearing

> > on

> > > the safety of aspartame. [7] In December l975 and Olney

> waived

> > their

> > > right to a public hearing and agreed to a Public Board of

> Inquiry. On

> > March

> > > 24, l976, the FDA's task force reported: " At the heart of the

> FDA's

> > > regulatory process is its ability to rely upon the integrity of

> the

> > basic

> > > safety data submitted by sponsors of regulated products. Our

> > investigation

> > > clearly demonstrates that, in the G.D. Searle Co., we have no

> basis for

> > such

> > > reliance now . . . Some of our findings suggest an attitude of

> disregard

> > for

> > > FDA's mission of protection of the public health by selectively

> > reporting

> > > the results of studies in a manner which allays the concerns of

> > questions of

> > > an FDA reviewer. " [8]

> > >

> > > On January 10, l977, in a 33-page letter, FDA Chief Counsel

>

> > Merrill

> > > recommended to US Attorney Sam Skinner that a grand jury

> investigate

> > Searle

> > > for " apparent violations of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic

> Act, 21

> > > U.S.C. 331 (e), and the False Reports to the Government Act, l8

> U.S.C.

> > 355

> > > (i) and for concealing material facts and making false

> statements in

> > reports

> > > of animal studies conducted to establish the safety of

> aspartame. " The

> > FDA

> > > called special attention to studies investigating the effect of

> > NutraSweet

> > > on monkeys and hamsters. [9] Searle was never indicted because

> the

> > statute

> > > of limitations expired.

> > >

> > > In l981 President Reagan appointed Arthur Hull " who

> > overruled a

> > > Public Board of Inquiry in order to approve aspartame " as FDA

> > Commissioner.

> > > On July 1, l983, the National Soft Drink Association urged the

> FDA to

> > delay

> > > approval of aspartame for carbonated beverages pending further

> testing,

> > but

> > > on July 8, l983, it was approved anyway.

> > >

> > > Disregarding the protests and outcry by physicians and

> scientists, a

> > > chemical poison was blessed for human consumption. Poisoned

> consumers

> > were

> > > outraged, and three congressional hearings were held. Senator

>

> > > Metzenbaum sponsored bill S. 1557 (99th Congress), requiring

> independent

> > > studies on five of aspartame reported toxic effects: on brain

> chemistry,

> > on

> > > pregnant women and fetuses, on increased probability of

> seizures, its

> > > behavioral and neurological effects (especially in children),

> and its

> > > interactions with drugs, including monoamine oxidase inhibitors.

> > >

> > > The bill called for a moratorium on aspartame, but because of

> heavy

> > lobbying

> > > by Monsanto (the corporation that acquired Searle in l985), it

> never got

> > out

> > > of committee. Senator Orrin Hatch protected Monsanto as we see

> in a

> > press

> > > release (February 11, 1986) from Labor and Human Resources

> titled Hatch

> > Says

> > > No to Committee Hearings on Aspartame. He said: " t would

> serve no

> > useful

> > > purpose to commit Committee resources to this issue at this

> time. "

> > >

> > > Consumers were going blind due to the wood alcohol from

> aspartame. Many

> > were

> > > diagnosed by Raiford, M.D., a methanol toxicity

> specialist. The

> > > Chicago Sun Times (October 17, 1986) announced Consumer Group

> Links

> > > NutraSweet to Blindness. " Charging that aspartame, the widely

> used

> > > artificial sweetener marketed as NutraSweet-causes blindness, a

> consumer

> > > group yesterday petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to

> ban it.

> > The

> > > petition was another step in a long and so far fruitless

> campaign by the

> > > Washington based Community Nutrition Institute against

> aspartame.

> > >

> > > Consumer anti-aspartame organizations sprang up. Roth,

> blinded

> > in

> > > one eye by aspartame, started Aspartame Victims and Their

> Friends of

> > Ocala,

> > > Florida. Totally blinded, Joyce began Aspartame Victims

> and Their

> > > Friends of Georgia. Jeanette Soto, who wrote the brochure

> Blinded Sight

> > when

> > > aspartame took her husband's vision, today is running Mission

> Possible

> > of

> > > ville, Florida.

> > >

> > > As aspartame destroyed their central nervous systems, patients

> began

> > being

> > > misdiagnosed as having multiple sclerosis. Victims lost memory,

> and

> > memory

> > > loss is number eleven on a secret FDA list of 92 aspartame

> reactions.

> > H.J.

> > > , M.D., wrote Defense Against Alzheimer's Disease in

> l995,

> > connecting

> > > aspartame with this exploding twentieth-century disease.

> > >

> > > Another congressional hearing in l987 exposed NutraSweet, but

> again

> > ended

> > > with no legislation to protect consumers. That year,

> Gordon of

> > > United Press International conducted an eight-month

> investigation of

> > > NutraSweet and the FDA's handling of the product. Gordon

> reported that

> > > NutraSweet was at the center of intense controversy since the

> day

> > > approved its use on July 18, l981, and that overrode six

> of the

> > nine

> > > scientists on two agency review panels who felt links to brain

> tumors in

> > > rats had been ignored. Dr. Wurtman, one-time Searle

> consultant,

> > > resigned to become a critic of NutraSweet. He told Gordon he

> had been

> > > contacted by more than 200 people who suspected their seizures

> resulted

> > from

> > > the toxin.

> > > [4 pages follow]

> > >

July 17, 2001

Everything in the world has somebody to bash it these days. It is a fact of

life that everything we eat, do and say has side effects but there are

always fanatics who blow the whole thing out of proportion. Note " She Who

Must Not Be Named " vs. MGB.

If we believe all this junk, we will soon not be able to do anything. None

of us would have success stories (or problems) from MGB.

Should I stop drinking water because I know someone who drank too much

water, ended up in intensive care and almost died?

Did you know that by today's standards, aspirin would never pass the rules

for new drug approval? It kills rats which are part of the approval testing

process.

If you look at some of the things said below, there are probably many things

unsaid too. Who has died from this in the 15 years it has been in use? How

many have lived better lives because " demon sugar " was much reduced in their

lives? Why are all the studies reporting safety ignored?

Anyway I guess you can tell by seeing me up here on my soap box that I am

tired of the never ending predictions of doom for everything we eat and use.

It happens so often that we no longer pay attention when something real is

said, like global warming.

Keath

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~```

Keath L Marx, DVM

Blacksburg, VA USA

drkeath@...

334/240/165

Aspartame article

Hi guys,

The following is page 1 of a 5 page article at the following URL:

http://www.disinfo.com/pages/article/id992/pg1/ . It doesn't sound good,

folks, you may owe it to yourself to read this if you use Aspartame.

Steve

-------------------------------------------

A worldwide epidemic is raging. The cause is a poisonous chemical sweetener,

aspartame (marketed as NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful), the most controversial

food additive ever approved. In reality it is a drug which interacts with

other drugs and changes brain chemistry.

H.J. , M.D., describes interactions with drugs such as Coumadin,

Dilantin, Inderal, methyldopa or Aldomet, insulin, and lidocaine in

Aspartame (NutraSweet): Is It Safe? [1]

>From the paper Effects of Aspartame on the Brain: Neurologic Effects of