What's so bad about aspartame....

[Guest guest]

From Oxygen Magazine (no online reference available at this time)

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Could There Be Evils Lurking In Aspartame Consumption?

By Lydon, MD

I have used aspartame for years. I've also wholeheartedly recommended

products containing NutraSweet to my clients, as well as promoting its use

in recipes. So, when I was recently contacted by a sports nutrition company

to do some consulting work on the health risks associated with aspartame

ingestion, was understandably reluctant to accept the assignment. I

questioned their marketing director, What if I don't think there are any

significant health risks associated with aspartame? " His response was to

send me a couple of scientific publications. " Just read the articles. If, in

your medical opinion, aspartame poses no health risks, then we won't pursue

it further. "

The next day I sat down with a pile of literature two inches thick. After

making it through the first 10 pages, I stormed into my kitchen and fed

every item of food containing aspartame to the garbage. Since that time, I

have not had so much as a stick of aspartame sweetened gum.

Sweet Beginnings

Scientifically known as 1-aspartyl 1-phenylalanine methyl ester, consumers

recognize aspartame in the forms of Equal, NutraSweet and Spoonful.

Aspartame has three components: phenylalanine (50 percent), aspartic acid

(40 percent) and methanol, also termed wood alcohol (10 percent). Those in

support of this popular artificial sweetener, state that the two primary

amino acids, which comprise 90 percent of aspartame by weight, are a

harmless and natural part of our diet. They insist that aspartic acid is a

naturally occurring neurotransmitter, which is present in the human central

nervous system. This is only a partial truth.

Phenylalanine and aspartic acid are amino acids that are normally supplied

by the foods we eat; however, they can only be considered natural and

harmless when consumed in combination with other amino acids. On their own,

they enter the central nervous system in abnormally high concentrations,

causing aberrant neuronal firing and potential cell death. The neurotoxic

effects of these amino acids, when consumed as isolates, can be linked to

headaches, mental confusion, balance problems and possibly seizures.

The damage caused by excitotoxin food additives is not usually dramatic. In

most instances, the effects are subtle, cumulative and develop over a

prolonged period of time.

Excitotoxins have also been shown to stimulate the generation of free

radicals (charged oxygen molecules with an unpaired electron). These can

have a negative impact on tissues and organs outside the central nervous

system. Evidence indicates that free radical production accelerates many

degenerative illnesses such as atherosclerosis, cancer, coronary artery

disease and arthritis. It comes as no surprise that joint pain is a major

complaint among aspartame reactors (individuals who have reported adverse

reactions).

Potentially more worrisome is the 10 percent of aspartame that is absorbed

into the bloodstream as methanol (wood alcohol). The Environmental

Protection Agency defines safe consumption as no more than 7.8 milligrams

per day of this dangerous substance. A one-liter beverage, sweetened with

aspartame, contains about 56 milligrams of wood alcohol, or eight times the

EPA limit!

Aspartame's breakdown products, or metabolites, are even scarier than its

components. Phenylalanine decomposes into diketopiperazine (DKP) a known

carcinogen, when exposed to warm temperatures or prolonged storage. Even if

products are consistently kept at cooler temperatures we are not safe. At

cold temperatures, methanol will spontaneously give rise to a colorless

toxin known as formaldehyde. Independent studies have shown formaldehyde

formation, resulting from aspartame ingestion, to be extremely common. It

accumulates within the cells, and reacts with cellular proteins such as

enzymes and DNA. This cumulative reaction could spell grave consequences for

those who consume aspartame-laden diet drinks and foods on a daily basis.

Are We All at Risk?

The blood-brain barrier is a system of specialized capillary structures that

are designed to prevent toxic substances from entering the brain. There are

a number of medical conditions from diabetes, hypertension and smoking, to

simple aging which can render the blood-brain barrier incompetent.

Therefore, aspartame reactions have a tendency to be magnified

among individuals who fit these profiles.

Prior to birth and during the first 12 months of life, the blood-brain

barrier is incomplete; thereby allowing dangerous excitotoxins, such as

aspartic acid and phenylalanine, free access to the nervous system.

Additionally, the concentrating effects of the placenta are able to magnify

the levels of phenylalanine in the blood by as much as four-to six-fold in a

fetus. Fetal phenylalanine has the potential to reach levels that kill cells

in tissue culture. It's not much of a stretch to presume these

concentrations harbor the threat of birth defects in the developing infant.

Experimentally, it has been determined that infants are four times more

sensitive to excitotoxins than adults. During the first year of life,

irreversible brain damage can occur through agents contained in breast

milk. Despite this, the American Dietetic Association still recommends

aspartame for pregnant and nursing women.

Aspartame Disease

Aspartame disease refers to a constellation of symptoms attributed to the

use of products containing aspartame. Common occurrences include: headaches,

dizziness, and everything from confusion to ringing in the ears and slurred

speech. Since its introduction as a food additive in 1981, aspartame has

accounted for more than 75 percent of all complaints reported to the FDA's

Adverse Reaction Monitoring System. In February 1994, the US Department of

Health and Human Services released this extensive list of aspartame-induced

reactions which encompassed everything from chronic fatigue syndrome and

seizures to infertility and death. By the FDAs own admission, less than one

percent of those who experience a reaction to a product ever report it. This

expands the 10,000 documented accounts to roughly a million people who have

experienced reactions to aspartame. Moreover, most victims don't have any

idea that aspartame may be at the root of their problems.

Brain Damage and Seizures

Cerebral disfunction, resulting from aspartame, is believed to occur through

flooding the brain with large amounts of phenylalanine, disturbances of your

endogenous neurotransmitters, methanol-induced cerebral edema and other

additional resulting irregularities Aspartic acid is a neuroexcitatory toxin

present in damaging amounts even at the accepted daily intake for aspartame.

Formaldehyde, which is derived from methanol, accumulates in certain areas

of the brain which correspond to the neurodegenerative symptoms of

Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and ALS (Lou Gerig's Disease). These conditions are

all associated with free radical injury, a known effect of the excitotoxins

phenylalanine and aspartic acid. Although aspartame is probably not a

primary cause of neurodegenerative diseases, it may precipitate these

disorders and certainly exacerbates their symptoms.

Recent studies have established that aspartame has seizure-promoting

activity in animal models. It is believed that the sweetener can increase

seizure frequency among epileptics and even initiate seizures in susceptible

individuals with no prior history.

Brain Tumors

According to the National Cancer Institute, there has been a 10 percent

increase in the incidence of common primary malignant brain cancer since

1985, and perhaps as early as 1984. This phenomenon occurred one to two

years following the licensing of aspartame for beverages in July 1983. It

includes a disproportionately high rise in alioblastoma, astrocvtoma and

primary lymphoma among young woman known to consume considerable amounts of

aspartame. There has also been an increased occurrence of glioma among

children whose mothers consumed aspartame throughout their pregnancy. The

significance of this escalation is underscored by the high incidence of

brain tumors in rats after the experimental administration of aspartame.

Vision Impairment

The individual components of aspartame, as well as their multiple breakdown

products are potentially toxic to the retina and optic nerves. Methanol

poisoning is notorious for causing vision impairment leading to blindness.

Formaldehyde, its primary metabolite, is also known to cause retinal damage.

Aspartame has been linked to visual disturbances which include blindness in

one or both eyes, blurred visibility, eye pain and more.

Dr. H.J. of West Palm Beach, FL has treated hundreds of aspartame

reactors. One fourth of his patients experienced decreased vision or

blindness; which, in Dr. opinion, is " the most serious

complication. " According to Dr. , optic nerve swelling, retinal

degeneration and visual impairment, that is associated with heavy aspartame

use, is identical to the pathology observed in recorded cases of methanol

toxicity from drinking wood alcohol throughout the days of prohibition.

If you haven't been frightened off aspartame yet, take a lesson from the

armed services. In the May 1992 edition of their journal, flying Safety, the

United States Air Force warned all pilots to stay off aspartame, stating:

some people have suffered aspartame related disorders with doses as small as

that carried in a single stick of chewing gum. This could mean a pilot who

drinks diet sodas is more susceptible to flicker vertigo, or flicker-induced

epileptic activity. It also means that all pilots are potential victims of

sudden memory loss, dizziness during instrument flight and gradual loss of

vision. "

Multiple Sclerosis

Consumption of significant amounts of aspartame has been known to cause

vocal slurring, loss of equilibrium and other neurological sequelae.

Methanol toxicity secondary to aspartame has been so frequently misdiagnosed

as multiple sclerosis, that some experts recommend deferring diagnosis of MS

for several months following an abstinence from NutraSweet and related

products. In the cases of methanol toxicity, the neurological symptoms

resolve once aspartame has been eliminated from the system.

Diabetes Mellitus

Many diabetics experience difficulties specifically attributed to ingestion

of aspartame products. Effects include the loss of diabetic control,

intensification of hypoglycemia, the occurrence of presumed insulin

reactions (including convulsions) and the precipitation, aggravation or

simulation of impaired vision and neuropathy. In most cases, symptoms

improve once aspartame products are discontinued. Despite overwhelming

evidence that aspartame use can worsen diabetic complications, the American

Diabetic Association continues to promote aspartame use for diabetics.

Headaches

Headaches are the most frequently reported adverse reaction to aspartame

products. It is a major complaint in half of all aspartame reactors.

Aspartame products must be considered as a causative agent and/or

aggravating factor in people with unexplained headaches. Similarly, patients

who are subject to migraine and other types of recurrent headaches should

avoid exposure to all products containing aspartame.

Hypertension

Dozens of aspartame reactors, with no previous history of hypertension,

experience elevated blood pressure after ingesting products containing the

sweetener Others with known hypertension are not adequately controlled on

their maintenance medication when using even small amounts of aspartame. The

elevation in blood pressure presumably reflects the effects of

phenylalanine and its metabolic products, which include norepinephrine,

epinephrine and dopamine.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Unintentionally, the United States government, in conjunction with soda

companies, has succeeded in performing a large scale aspartame experiment on

humans. During the Persian Gulf War, truckloads of diet soda were sent to

the troops. The cans sat for up to eight weeks on pallets in the 120+ degree

Arabian sun. Thirsty soldiers drank it up, bottle after bottle. Is it any

surprise that Desert Storm Syndrome symptoms are identical to aspartame

disease? Thousands of troops returned home complaining of memory loss,

vision problems, chronic fatigue syndrome, confusion, dizziness, joint pain,

headaches, equilibrium problems and manic depression. The Chronic Fatigue

Syndrome and Immunologic Disease Society (CFIDS) claim 6000 troops, to date,

have perished as a result of the Desert Storm Syndrome.

Dieting Without Aspartame?

In a cruel and ironic twist, aspartame may actually cause weight gain.

Phenylalanine and aspartic acid, found in aspartame, stimulate the release

of insulin. Rapid, strong spikes in insulin remove all glucose from the

blood-stream and store it as fat. This can result in hypoglycemia and sugar

cravings. Additionally, it has been demonstrated to inhibit carbohydrate

induced synthesis of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which signals that the

body is satiated. Inhibition of serotonin leads to food cravings, increased

carbohydrate consumption and, ultimately, weight gain. In a recent study, a

control group switching to an aspartame-free diet resulted in an average

weight loss of 19 pounds.

True Lies

The consumption of aspartame has vastly exceeded expectations at the time of

the original toxicology testing in the early 1970s, by the Illinois-based

and patent owning, Searle & Company. Sold in 1985 to the St Louis-based

Monsanto Corporation; today it sells close to one billion dollars annually,

through its subsidiary NutraSweet. Many would argue that the current

ingestion of aspartame products by over half the adult population in the

United States constitutes an imminent public health

hazard. Even so, the industrial-medical complex fails to warn even

high-risk groups about potential dangers. You may wonder how this stuff was

ever approved by the FDA in the first place.

For over eight years, the FDA refused to approve aspartame because it was

known to produce seizures and brain tumors in lab animals. One pivotal study

by Searle's researchers, known as the " Waisman Study, " initially indicated

that ingestion of aspartame caused convulsions and death in primates.

However, official conclusions could not be reached because the study was

never completed. Searle blamed -limitations in adequately skilled laboratory

personnel- for their decision to terminate the study. By Searle's own

acknowledgement, his team lacked competent research staff. Two FDA

investigative task forces presented scathing reports on the quality of the

company's research and in 1976, the FDA's general counsel requested a

federal grand jury investigation of the company. For reasons unknown, the

investigation was never undertaken.

Initially, even the National Soft Drink Association (NSDA) rallied against

the use of aspartame. An excerpt of a protest submitted for congressional

review in 1983 reads:

" Searle has not characterized the decomposition products of aspartame in

soft drinks under temperature conditions to which the beverages are likely

to be exposed in the United States. Collectively, the extensive deficiencies

in the stability studies conducted by Searle to demonstrate that aspartame

and its degradation products are safe in soft drinks intended to be sold in

the United States, render those studies inadequate and unreliable. "

Soon after President Reagan took office, he appointed Dr. Arthur Hull

as the new FDA commissioner. In 1980, a Public Board of Inquiry asked to

review scientific data on aspartame voted three to zero to keep it off the

market pending further studies on the brain cancer issue. The board of

inquiry was overruled, and in 1981, aspartame was licensed by the FDA for

use as a tabletop sweetener. In July 1983 it was approved for use in

beverages.

Of approximately 100 independent studies conducted on aspartame, over 90

percent have demonstrated significant health risks. This would lead to the

question " why hasn't aspartame been banned? " In 1996, ignoring the fact that

aspartame breaks down faster when heated above 86 degrees Fahrenheit, the

FDA decided to remove any remaining limitations on its use. Presently, there

are thousands of companies using aspartame in diet sodas, powdered drinks,

gelatin, tea, coffee, cocoa, juices, frozen desserts and even vitamins and

medications. This translates to billions of dollars worldwide.

Unfortunately, this is more than enough to provide agency officials with

lucrative future employment, politicians with campaign funds, non-profit

foundations with endowments, scientists with research grants and the media

with advertising dollars.

Presently, FDA officials continue to resist proposals from concerned

scientists, physicians and other groups for comprehensive studies regarding

the safety of aspartame.