aspertame - Message Donna Wanted Us To Have But Couldn't Get to the List

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Aspartame... the BAD news!

Article courtesy of: Mark Gold mgold@...

(researcher for twenty years on such subjects)

Aspartame was not approved until 1981, in dry foods. For over

eight years the FDA refused to approve it because of the seizures and brain

tumors this drug produced in lab animals. The FDA continued to refuse to approve

it until President Reagan took office (a friend of Searle) and fired the FDA

Commissioner who wouldn't approve it. Dr. Arthur Hull was appointed as

commissioner. Even then there was so much opposition to approval that a Board of

Inquiry was set up. The Board said: " Do not approve aspartame " . Dr.

OVERRULED his own Board of Inquiry.

Shortly after Commissioner Arthur Hull , Jr., approved

the use of

aspartame in carbonated beverages, he left for a position with

G.D. Searle's Public Relations firm.

Long-Term Damage. It appears to cause slow, silent damage in

those unfortunate enough to not have immediate reactions and a reason to avoid

it. It may take one year, five years, 10 years, or 40 years, but it seems to

cause some reversible and some irreversible changes in health over long-term

use.

METHANOL (AKA WOOD ALCOHOL/POISON) (10% OF ASPARTAME)

Methanol/wood alcohol is a deadly poison. People may recall that methanol was

the poison that has caused some " skid row " alcoholics to end up blind or dead.

Methanol is gradually released in the small intestine when the methyl group of

aspartame encounter the enzyme chymotrypsin.

The absorption of methanol into the body is sped up

considerably when free methanol is ingested. Free methanol is created from

aspartame when it is heated to above 86 Fahrenheit (30 Centigrade). This would

occur when aspartame-containing product is improperly stored or when it is

heated (e.g., as part of a " food " product such as Jello).

Methanol breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde in the

body. Formaldehyde is a deadly neurotoxin. An EPA assessment of methanol states

that methanol " is considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of

excretion once it is absorbed. In the body, methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde

and formic acid; both of these metabolites are toxic. " The recommend a limit of

consumption of 7.8 mg/day. A one-liter (approx. 1 quart) aspartame-sweetened

beverage contains about 56 mg of methanol. Heavy users of aspartame-containing

products consume as much as 250 mg of methanol daily or 32 times the EPA limit.

The most well known problems from methanol poisoning are

vision problems. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen, causes retinal damage,

interferes with DNA replication, and causes birth defects. Due to the lack of a

couple of key enzymes, humans are many times more sensitive to the toxic effects

of methanol than animals. Therefore, tests of aspartame or methanol on animals

do not accurately reflect the danger for humans. As pointed out by Dr Woodrow C.

Monte, Director of the Food Science and Nutrition Laboratory at Arizona State

University, " There are no human or mammalian studies to evaluate the possible

mutagenic, teratogenic, or carcinogenic effects of chronic administration of

methyl alcohol. "

It has been pointed out that fruit juices and alcoholic

beverages contain small amounts of methanol. It is important to remember, that

the methanol in natural products never appears alone. In every case, ethanol is

present, usually in much higher amounts. Ethanol is an antidote for methanol

toxicity in humans. The troops of Desert Storm were " treated " to large amounts

of aspartame-sweetened beverages which had been heated to over 86 degrees F. in

the Saudi Arabian sun. Many of them returned home with numerous disorders

similar to what has been seen in persons who have been chemically poisoned by

formaldehyde. The free methanol in the beverages may have been a contributing

factor in these illnesses. Other breakdown products of aspartame such as DKP,

may also have been a factor.

In a 1993 act that can only be described as " unconscionable " ,

the FDA approved aspartame as an ingredient in numerous food items that would

always be heated to above 86°degrees F (30°Degrees C).

Much worse, on 27 June 1996, without public notice, the FDA

removed all restrictions from aspartame allowing it to be used in everything,

including all heated and baked goods.

The truth about aspartame's toxicity is far different than

what the NutraSweet Company would have you readers believe. In February of 1994,

the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released the listing of adverse

reactions reported to the FDA (DHHS 1994). Aspartame accounted for more than 75%

of all adverse reactions reported to the FDA's Adverse Reaction Monitoring

System (ARMS). By the FDA's own admission fewer then ONE PERCENT of those who

have problems with something they consume ever report it to the FDA. This

balloons the almost 10,000 complaints they once had to around a million.

However, the FDA has a record keeping problem (they never did respond to the

certified letter from the WEBMASTER of this site... a

major victim!) and they tend to discourage or even misdirect

complaints, at least on aspartame. The fact remains, though, that MOST victims

don't have a clue that aspartame may be the cause of their many problems! Many

reactions to aspartame were very serious including seizures and death. Those

reactions included:

DORway documents now linked to SYMPTOM!

Abdominal Pain

Anxiety attacks

arthritis

asthma

Asthmatic Reactions

Bloating, Edema (Fluid Retention)

Blood Sugar Control Problems (Hypoglycemia or Hyperglycemia)

Brain Cancer (Pre-approval studies in animals)

Breathing difficulties

burning eyes or throat

Burning Urination

can't think straight

Chest Pains

chronic cough

Chronic Fatigue

Confusion

Death

Depression

Diarrhea

Dizziness

Excessive Thirst or Hunger

fatigue

feel unreal

flushing of face

Hair Loss (Baldness) or Thinning of Hair

Headaches/Migraines dizziness

Hearing Loss

Heart palpitations

Hives (Urticaria)

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

Impotency and Sexual Problems

inability to concentrate

Infection Susceptibility

Insomnia

Irritability

Itching

Joint Pains

laryngitis

" like thinking in a fog "

Marked Personality Changes

Memory loss

Menstrual Problems or Changes

Migraines and Severe Headaches (Trigger or Cause From Chronic

Intake)

Muscle spasms

Nausea or Vomiting

Numbness or Tingling of Extremities

Other Allergic-Like Reactions

Panic Attacks

Phobias

poor memory

Rapid Heart Beat

Rashes

Seizures and Convulsions

Slurring of Speech

Swallowing Pain

Tachycardia

Tremors

Tinnitus

Vertigo

Vision Loss

Weight gain

Aspartame Disease Mimics Symptoms or Worsens the Following

Diseases

Fibromyalgia

Arthritis

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Parkinson's Disease

Lupus

Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS)

Diabetes and Diabetic Complications

Epilepsy

Alzheimer's Disease

Birth Defects

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Lymphoma

Lyme Disease

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)

Panic Disorder

Depression and other Psychological Disorders

How it happens:

Methanol, from aspartame, is released in the small intestine

when the methyl group of aspartame encounters the enzyme chymotrypsin (Stegink

1984, page 143). Free methanol begins to form in liquid aspartame-containing

products at temperatures above 86 degrees F.. also within the human body.

The methanol is then converted to formaldehyde. The

formaldehyde converts to formic acid, ant sting poison. Toxic formic acid is

used as an activator to strip epoxy and urethane coatings. Imagine what it does

to your tissues!

Phenylalanine and aspartic acid, 90% of aspartame, are amino

acids normally used in synthesis of protoplasm when supplied by the foods we

eat. But when unaccompanied by other amino acids we use [there are 20], they are

neurotoxic.

That is why a warning for Phenylketonurics is found on EQUAL

and other aspartame products. Phenylketenurics are 2% of the population with

extreme sensitivity to this chemical unless it's present in food. It gets you

too, causing brain disorders and birth defects! Finally, the phenyalanine breaks

down into DKP, a brain tumor agent.

In other words: Aspartame converts to dangerous byproducts

that have no natural countermeasures. A dieter's empty stomach accelerates these

conversions and amplifies the damage. Components of aspartame go straight to the

brain, damage that causes headaches, mental confusion, seizures and faulty

balance. Lab rats and other test animals died of brain tumors.

Despite the claims of Monsanto and bedfellows:

1. Methanol from alcohol and juices does not get converted to

formaldehyde to any significant extent. There is very strong evidence to confirm

this fact for alcoholic beverages and fairly strong evidence for juices.

2. Formaldehyde obtained from methanol is very toxic in " very

small " doses as seen by recent research.

3. Aspartame causes chronic toxicity reactions/damage due to

the methanol to formaldehyde and other break down products despite what is

claimed otherwise by the very short, industry-funded experiments using a test

substance that is chemically different and absorbed differently than what is

available to the general public. " Strangely enough " , almost all independent

studies show that aspartame can cause health problems.

4. A common ploy from Monsanto is to claim that aspartame is

" safe " yet a few select people may have " allergic " reactions to it. This is

typical Monsanto nonsense, of course. Their own research shows that it does not

cause " allergic " reactions. It is there way of trying to minimize and hide the

huge numbers of toxicity reactions and damage that people are experiencing from

the long-term use of aspartame.

Summary

Given the following points, it is definitely premature for

researchers to discount the role of methanol in aspartame side effects:

1. The amount of methanol ingested from aspartame is

unprecedented in human history. Methanol from fruit juice ingestion does not

even approach the quantity of methanol ingested from aspartame, especially in

persons who ingest one to three liters (or more) of diet beverages every day.

Unlike methanol from aspartame, methanol from natural products is probably not

absorbed or converted to its toxic metabolites in significant amounts as

discussed earlier.

2. Lack of laboratory-detectable changes in plasma formic acid

and formaldehyde levels do not preclude damage being caused by these toxic

metabolites. Laboratory-detectable changes in format levels are often not found

in short exposures to methanol.

3. Aspartame-containing products often provide little or no

nutrients which may protect against chronic methanol poisoning and are often

consumed in between meals. Persons who ingest aspartame-containing products are

often dieting and more likely to have nutritional deficiencies than persons who

take the time to make fresh juices.

4. Persons with certain health conditions or on certain drugs

may be much more susceptible to chronic methanol poisoning.

5. Chronic diseases and side effects from slow poisons often

build silently over a long period of time. Many chronic diseases which seem to

appear suddenly have actually been building in the body over many years.

6. An increasing body of research is showing that many people

are highly sensitive to low doses of formaldehyde in the environment.

Environmental exposure to formaldehyde and ingestion of methanol (which converts

to formaldehyde) from aspartame likely has a cumulative deleterious effect.

7. Formic acid has been shown to slowly accumulate in various

parts of the body. Formic acid has been shown to inhibit oxygen metabolism.

8. There is a very large and growing number of people that are

experiencing chronic health problems similar to the side effects of chronic

methanol poisoning when ingesting aspartame-containing products for a

significant length of time. This includes many cases of eye damage similar to

the type of eye damage seen in methanol poisoning cases.

Toxicity Effects of Aspartame Use Selection of Health Effects

from Short-term and/or Long-Term Use Note: It often takes at least sixty days

without any aspartame NutraSweet to see a significant improvement. Check all

labels very carefully (including vitamins and pharmaceuticals). Look for the

word " aspartame " on the label and avoid it. (Also, it is a good idea to avoid

" acesulfame-k " or " sunette. " ) Finally, avoid getting nutrition information from

junk food industry PR organizations such as IFIC or organizations that accept

large sums of money from the junk and chemical food industry such as the

American Dietetic Association.

If you are a user of any products with aspartame, and you have

physical, visual, mental problems... take the 60-day no aspartame test. If,

after two months with no aspartame your symptoms are either gone, or are much

less severe, please get involved to get this neurotoxin off the market. Write a

letter to the FDA, with a copy to Betty i (for proof of how the FDA

doesn't keep proper records). Write your congressmen. Return products containing

aspartame to the point of purchase... for a FULL refund. Make a big stink if

they WON'T give you a full refund! Tell all your friends and family... and if

they stop using aspartame and also " wake up well " ... get them involved

in the same way.

Aspartame is an " approved sweetener " because of a few greedy

and dishonest people who place profits above human life and well-being. With the

FDA and our Congress culpable, only an INFORMED and ACTIVE public will affects

its reclassification from " food additive " to TOXIC DRUG, and removed from the

human food chain.

Need to view some of the FDA original documentation? View it

at:

http://www.presidiotex.com/aspartame/Facts/92_Symptoms/92_symptoms.gif

Addresses:

Commissioner

Food and Drug Administration

5600 Fishers Lane

Rockville, land 20857

Mrs. Betty i

Mission Possible International

9270 River Club Parkway

Duluth, Georgia 30097

Internet E-mail: bettym19@...

Links for additional information:

http://www.dorway.com Front door to everything!

http://www.dorway.com/possible.html Mission Possible Files

http://www.dorway.com/asprlink.html Links to more sites/source

information

http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame More in-depth Information

http://www.trufax.org/menu/chem.html#aspartame More good

articles

Links for books:

http://www.dorway.com/books.html

http://www.dorway.com/amazon.html DORway Amazon Bookshelf

NOW... that you are aware of the 92 FDA recognized symptoms

(that required a Freedom Of Information Act request to pry from their reluctant

hands) and HOW aspartame does its dirty work, change to the Official Dogma page.

On this page Mark Gold has taken the IFIC " Official " aspartame safety myth and

shot it full of holes using all of the smoking guns that were used

by the FDA to approve this poison as a food additive, along

with information they either ignored or discounted. This excellent debunking of

the official FDA/Monsanto/Searle/Nutrasweet/Nutrasweet Kelco/AMA/ADA/IFIC/???

chain of lies and half truths includes a long history of this " product's " sordid

trail to the marketplace and the sweet tooth.