Aspartame - Artificial Sweetener

From Truth Exposed

If you're reading this then you've probably heard that there are some concerns with this popular artificial sweetener. It seems there are as many websites claiming aspartame as perfectly safe for human consumption as there are those detailing the dangers of ingesting it. This can make it difficult to make sense of what's fact and what's not and why the media supports it but then some nutritionists tell you to stay away from it! We know you you're here to get all the information on the matter in true unbiased form and that's exactly what truthexposed.com will present. (Oh by the way, we're not going to sugar-coat the results either!)

Contents 1 What Is Aspartame? 2 FDA Approval and Health Risks 3 What aspartame gets broken down to - phenylalanine 3.1 Does autism ring a bell? 4 What would be an ideal alternative? 5 Conclusion

What Is Aspartame?

Aspartame, also known under the trade names "NutraSweet" and "Equal" was discovered by James Schlatter, a chemist working for G.D. Searle & Company in 1965 Schlatter was working on an anti-ulcer drug when some of the powder he was working with spilled on his fingers, he later licked his fingers and discovered the sweet taste. Aspartame is made up of aspartic acid (40%), phenylalanine (50%) and methanol (10%), aspartame is between 150 and 200 times sweeter than natural sugar (depending on concentration) which is what makes it such an attractive product to be used in diet beverages. In fact, aspartame is used in more than 4000 food products today.

FDA Approval and Health Risks

Aspartame was not approved for public release for many years due to results in tests showing the chemical to cause cancer in rats. In 1980 the F.D.A. approved aspartame for use in dry goods even though there still were concerns and inconclusive results. In 1983 the F.D.A. further approved aspartame to be used in carbonated beverages and 1993 saw approval for use in baked goods and confections. In 1996 the FDA removed all restrictions, allowing it to be used in any food liquid or solid. In some countries aspartame is also sold as a table condiment. The dangers of ingesting aspartame are well documented. The FDA has established at least 92 medical/health problems that have symptoms associated with Aspartame. These include (among many others):

• Anxiety attacks
• Brain cancer
• Chronic fatigue
• Confusion
• Depression
• Diarrhoea
• Dizziness
• Excessive thirst or hunger
• Headaches/migraines
• Dizziness
• Hypertension
• Impotency and sexual problems
• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Menstrual problems or changes
• Migraines and severe headaches
• Muscle spasms
• Tremors
• Tinnitus
• Weight gain

Now, that's quite a list! This is the part that any people who drink diet soft drinks should pay attention to, especially as the consumption of these beverages will be very high for some people and will serve to increase the chances of experiencing symptoms of excess Aspartame consumption.

What aspartame gets broken down to - phenylalanine

One of the greatest concerns about aspartame and its effects on the body is what the digestive system breaks it down to. Basically, aspartame gets broken down to aspartic acid, phenylalanine, methanol, and further breakdown products including formaldehyde (I shouldn't have to tell you how incredibly toxic formaldehyde is to living tissue - it's used to embalm the dead!)

One of these products most people don't know much about is phenylalanine. This is a hidden danger to anyone consuming aspartame. Most consumers don't know that too much Phenylalanine is a neurotoxin and excites the neurons in the brain to the point of cellular death. Phenylalanine is one of the essential amino acids found in proteins, amino acids, however, should be eaten in combination, not in isolated form. Nature provides amino acids in combination; only man isolates them for processing purposes. In most countries, manufacturers must include a warning on any product that contains phenylalanine. This is for those who suffer from the genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU), which is the inability to metabolize phenylalanine. This dietary restriction also applies to pregnant women with hyperphenylalanine (high levels of phenylalanine in blood) because they do not metabolize the amino acid phenylalanine properly.

Additionally, phenylalanine is structurally close to dopamine and adrenaline and as such is able to cross the blood-brain barrier where in large quantities, is known to interfere with the production of serotonin. Neurosurgeon Dr. Russell Blaylock, M.D. has stated that phenylalanine interferes and kills the neurotransmitters of the brain by "exciting them to death." In 1987, Dr. Louis J. Elsas, then Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the Division of Medical Genetics at Emory University testified at the hearing before the United States Senate Committee on Labour and Human Resources, concerning "NUTRASWEET HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS." Dr. Elsas told the Senators, "In the developing fetus such a rise in maternal blood phenylalanine could be magnified four to six fold by the concentrative efforts of the placental and fetal blood brain barrier and this concentration kills such cells in tissue culture. The effect of such an increased fetal brain concentrations in vivo would probably be much more subtle and expressed as mental retardation, microcephaly, or potential certain birth defects."

Does autism ring a bell?

When Dr. Elsas told the senate this significant fact about phenylalanine, in 1987, infant autism rates were 1 in 1500; today they are 1 in 150 and rising.

PHENYLALANINE converts to DKP, diketopiperazine, a tumour agent. The suspicious study of DKP by Searle Pharmaceuticals prompted the FDA to audit the experiment, the results of which are documented in the Bressler Report.

In August 1977, the Bressler Report involving three key aspartame studies (E5, E77/78 and E89) was released. Some of the findings from these three studies reviewed by the Bressler-led FDA Task Force included:

1. In one study, 98 of the 196 animals participating died but were not autopsied until as much as one year later. Because of this delay, most of the animal tissue could not be used. At least 20 animals had to be excluded from post-mortem examinations.
2. There was a discrepancy between the original pathology sheets and the pathology sheets submitted to the FDA. There were differences shown for 30 animals.
3. One animal was actually reported alive at week 88, dead between weeks 92 and 104, and then alive again at week 108 and finally permanently dead at week 112.
4. An outbreak of an infectious disease was not included in the report to the FDA.
5. Tissue from some animals was noted to be unavailable for analysis on the pathology sheets. However, the results from an analysis of this "unavailable" tissue were submitted to the FDA.
6. There was evidence that the diet mix was not homogeneous (allowing the animals to eat around the test substance). This evidence included a picture as well as statements by a lab technician.
7. Fifteen fetuses from animals involved in one experiment were missing.
8. Some sections from the animals were too thick for examination.
9. There was no documentation about the age or source of the animals.
10. For one study, there was no protocol until it was well underway.
11. Animals were not adequately tagged to prevent mistakes.
12. Some laboratory methods were changed during the study but this was not documented.

How did aspartame ever get approved? You might want to look at the financial side of this matter. The artificial sweetener industry is worth billions is dollars, and when money talks, politics usually answers.

What would be an ideal alternative?

For many years the herb stevia, being up to 300 times sweeter than sugar, has been a natural contender for the sweetener market but due to political and financial decisions has largely been avoided. The FDA banned stevia in 1990 unless labelled as a supplement (i.e. not used as a sweetener) although it has been used in Japan since 1971 as a sweetener with no reports of any ill effects whatsoever.

Since Jun 2008 stevia has been approved as a sweetener for food and beverages in Australia and New Zealand. In South American countries, stevia may also be used as a food additive. Stevia is still currently banned for use in food in the European Union, Singapore and Hong Kong.

In 1991, at the request of an anonymous complaint, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) labelled stevia as an "unsafe food additive" and restricted its import. The FDA's stated reason was "toxicological information on stevia is inadequate to demonstrate its safety." This ruling was controversial; as stevia proponents pointed out that this designation violated the FDA's own guidelines under which any natural substance used prior to 1958 with no reported adverse effects should be generally recognized as safe.

Stevia occurs naturally, requiring no patent to produce it. As a consequence, since the import ban in 1991, marketers and consumers of stevia have shared a belief that the FDA acted in response to industry pressure. Arizona congressman Jon Kyl, for example, called the FDA action against stevia "a restraint of trade to benefit the artificial sweetener industry." Citing privacy issues, the FDA has not revealed the source of the original complaint in its responses to requests filed under the Freedom of Information Act. Which makes you wonder, does the document even exist?

Stevia remained banned until after the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act forced the FDA in 1995 to revise its stance to permit stevia to be used as a dietary supplement, although not as a food additive - a position that stevia proponents regard as contradictory because it simultaneously labels stevia as safe and unsafe, depending on how it is sold. Which really is ridiculous.

Recently, a new product manufactured by NutraSweet has entered the market. Neotame was approved by the FDA in 2002 and is a mighty 8000 to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar. Although Neotame is not yet widely used, it can be identified by its food additive code 961. Opponents of artificial sweeteners have dubbed this new product "Aspartame without the warning" and advise consumers to avoid it where possible due to the lack of long term study and scarce information.

• New Update*

Artificial sweetener company Ajinomoto has announced a new product: AminoSweet Be warned: The sweetener is exactly the same as aspartame but with a new brand. Feel free to take a look at their site http://www.aminosweet.info/index.asp check the FAQs and you'll see the E-number is E-951, the same as aspartame.

Conclusion

Fortunately, more and more people are becoming more aware that aspartame is dangerous and poses risks to their health, but people still consume it anyway as there is no alternative artificial sweetener in most countries. Most health professionals will tell you to avoid aspartame-sweetened soft drinks unless you are diabetic. (Actually, most health professionals will tell you to avoid soft drinks altogether) Most products containing Aspartame are not healthy anyway, so you really should do what you can to cut these foods out of your diet in favour of natural alternatives.

With all the evidence showing the dangers of aspartame and the only reason it's used is because it tastes sweet, it should be obvious that you should avoid aspartame wherever you can. It is of course up to you whether you think drinking aspartame-sweetened soft drinks is better than sugared versions. But if you've read this far, at least your decision will be an informed one and if you're fortunate enough to live in a country that permits the use of stevia to sweeten food and beverages then all the better.

Check out this text file of testimonials from people who have discovered the dangers of aspartame: Warning 1.2mb file - aspartame reactions.txt

"After completely quitting ...most all of my symptoms immediately disappeared and I have not been having any seizure activity."..."Almost immediately upon giving up Nutrasweet, my symptoms went away. No more fatigue and fog in the morning, and a clearer head throughout the day." "...My joints no longer ache, memory is better and I feel great." "...I have been waking up feeling rested. I'm not as achy. I'm not as tired. I don't crave sweets anymore."

"My memory loss had dramatically improved, the burning in my head stopped, extreme fatigue was gone, arm pain gone, eye pain gone, loss of vision completely stopped, numbness never progressed since the day I stopped drinking diet coke and many more..."