Why Aspartame Isn't Scary
Replies
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bikinilinds wrote: »Why even risk it? After all, it still is a possible carcinogen. I stay away from all artificial sweeteners. I only eat the real stuff.
Your diet is probably loaded with plenty of naturally-occurring carcinogens. See:
http://news.heartland.org/newspaper-article/2002/11/01/naturally-occurring-mutagens-and-carcinogens-found-foods-and-beverages
...and likely the most prevalent carcinogen of all is sunshine.2 -
If it caused insulin issues, diet sodas wouldn't be a recommended option for diabetics according to the American Diabetics Association.Are there any studies about the effects of aspartame (and other sweeteners I guess) on dental hygiene?
Also, I've heard that artificial sweeteners can increase insulin production unnecessarily; are there studies of such things, and if so do you know of any you can point out to those of us that are curious?
Ok, so what are the studies that the ADA refered to when they made their decision to recommend diet sodas?
ADA - we are research leaders
Here's the research they are funding, which is more focused on finding a cure
A literature review and conclusion from the ADA and the American Heart Association.
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/35/8/1798.short
In other words, Aspartame is not scary. I for one am glad the ADA is focusing it's research elsewhere.
Thanks for the links. I already know aspartame isn't scary, I just want to know what research has been done about this specific topic.0 -
If you are a biochemist, you should know that a properly conducted scientific study holds WAY more credibility that your own "logic" as a scientist. What you wrote is a hypothesis. Unfortunately, the actual research on aspartame shows it is harmful. https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=aspartame+journal+articles&btnG=&hl=en&as_sdt=0,10&as_vis=12
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dougfarrar1 wrote: »If you are a biochemist, you should know that a properly conducted scientific study holds WAY more credibility that your own "logic" as a scientist. What you wrote is a hypothesis. Unfortunately, the actual research on aspartame shows it is harmful. https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=aspartame+journal+articles&btnG=&hl=en&as_sdt=0,10&as_vis=1
Have you read ANY part of this thread? At all?1 -
"Food additive approval is based on a robust hazard and risk characterization, leading to the establishment of an ADI and often a maximum permitted level (MPL) in foods. They must be subjected to a wide range of tests, devised to assess potential risks to the consumer, before they are allowed in food. Tests assess how the additive reacts in the body and also look for any toxic effects at and above the levels the additive is to be used in food. This includes testing to see if there is any chance of genetic damage or cancers being caused by the long-term use of the additive. A formal process for safety evaluation exists at national and international levels for analysing the test data on food additives, setting the ADIs and publishing the results.
In Europe, food additives permitted before 20 January 2009 must go through a new risk assessment by EFSA; furthermore, at any time, the authority can revise its decision on the basis of new data reporting toxicological effects. In the case of aspartame, this process was undertaken almost every year, with the production of a relevant number of opinions and statements, all confirming no safety concerns below the established ADI."
http://www.obesityday.org/usr_files/news/aspartame_low-calorie_sweeteners.pdf1 -
Many years ago I read a 'very American' article that claimed that some people don't break down aspartame and it builds up in muscles. True or not, it persuaded me to cut it out and I described the difference (I have fibromyalgia) as I no longer walked through mud, I walked through water. My daughter says it gives her a sore throat. Let's face it. Omitting it from our diet is not depriving us of a vital food group. Perhaps people should experiment. If cutting it out feels better then leave it out. If you don't notice a difference, the science confirms it will be doing you no harm, so go back to using products that contain it without worry.2
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Makes me jittery.0
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You can say all you want not to be afraid of it but ever since I quit it I haven't had a single migraine. I used to get them frequently1
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Husband is a molecular biologist, and agrees wit everything OP said.
Which is good, because you will pry my cherry coke zero out of my cold dead hands.1 -
dougfarrar1 you appear to have simply done a google search. I am not sure how you think that demonstrates aspartame is harmful. Perhaps you can point to a specific scientific study, one you have actually read, that you believe indicates that aspartame is harmful to humans.
While you are at it perhaps you can explain what is wrong with this review from the journal of Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology as it seems to contradict your viewpoint that studies have concluded that aspartame represents a safety risk
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273230002915424
Fact is due to unwarranted concern much MUCH more time (and money and scientific resource) has been spent studying the safety of aspartame than was at all warranted. It has been studied more than any other food additive and the results are clear. Not only is there no reason to suspect it is unsafe based on the biochemistry that I outlined but there is no evidence of harm when it is actually tested in humans.
Please link to a specific study that makes you feel that there is evidence of harm in humans. If you want me to comment on it you should be able to say that this is a study that you have personally read cover to cover and that you believe is evidence that aspartame is dangerous to humans. This requirement is in place simply because I am tired of spending 5 hours reading a study someone links to me from a 5 second google search they did without having bothered to read it themselves.
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redraidergirl2009 wrote: »You can say all you want not to be afraid of it but ever since I quit it I haven't had a single migraine. I used to get them frequently
I don't think anyone is denying that some people may be sensitive to it or have reactions to it. But that doesn't make it harmful to everyone else.
I know people who get reactions from seafood, kiwi fruit, oranges, peanuts, dairy products, gluten. .......... That does not mean everyone else should avoid those things.
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paperpudding wrote: »redraidergirl2009 wrote: »You can say all you want not to be afraid of it but ever since I quit it I haven't had a single migraine. I used to get them frequently
I don't think anyone is denying that some people may be sensitive to it or have reactions to it. But that doesn't make it harmful to everyone else.
I know people who get reactions from seafood, kiwi fruit, oranges, peanuts, dairy products, gluten. .......... That does not mean everyone else should avoid those things.
But it's in no way healthy or beneficial to the body...seafood and kiwi is unless you're allergic/sensitive
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redraidergirl2009 wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »redraidergirl2009 wrote: »You can say all you want not to be afraid of it but ever since I quit it I haven't had a single migraine. I used to get them frequently
I don't think anyone is denying that some people may be sensitive to it or have reactions to it. But that doesn't make it harmful to everyone else.
I know people who get reactions from seafood, kiwi fruit, oranges, peanuts, dairy products, gluten. .......... That does not mean everyone else should avoid those things.
But it's in no way healthy or beneficial to the body...seafood and kiwi is unless you're allergic/sensitive
diet soda is 99% water.2 -
redraidergirl2009 wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »redraidergirl2009 wrote: »You can say all you want not to be afraid of it but ever since I quit it I haven't had a single migraine. I used to get them frequently
I don't think anyone is denying that some people may be sensitive to it or have reactions to it. But that doesn't make it harmful to everyone else.
I know people who get reactions from seafood, kiwi fruit, oranges, peanuts, dairy products, gluten. .......... That does not mean everyone else should avoid those things.
But it's in no way healthy or beneficial to the body...seafood and kiwi is unless you're allergic/sensitive
Personally I don't take issue with anyone who wants to be so purist with their diet that they avoid anything that is not "of benefit to the body". I have found though that that is not so easily defined and if you attempt that seriously you are either fooling yourself or you are going to have a road to frustration. Being healthy does not require that you avoid absolutely everything that is not of immediate nutritional benefit.
That said the only thing I really take issue with are people who make the false claim that aspartame is somehow toxic or carcinogenic. It isn't. If you want to avoid it on some sort of "clean eating" principle then okay. Realize however that it is not that you are "right" and others are "wrong" it is just that you feel that an approach to dieting whereby you avoid anything that is not "of benefit" is what works for you. If that actually works for you then great, if you struggle with it then you might want to seriously consider if there is a legitimate reason to be putting so much effort into something like that when it doesn't have any real effect on the outcome of your health.
As for the nutritional benefit of aspartame it breaks down into phenylalanine, aspartate and methanol so its nutritional benefit is equivalent to getting those from any other source in that amount. The amount is so low that it basically amounts to very little which is why it only has a couple of calories in something the size of a soda. Its basically easily ignored. Neither of benefit nor of drawback. In my opinion going out of your way to either avoid it or obtain it makes no sense as neither will really have any effect on your diet or health.0 -
What about the excitotoxicity of aspartic acid? Won't aspartame be metabolized into D-Aspartate?1
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schibsted750 wrote: »What about the excitotoxicity of aspartic acid? Won't aspartame be metabolized into D-Aspartate?
Why would D-aspartate cause neurological damage? D-aspartate is just one of the 20 amino acids present in all proteins. There is significantly more D-aspartate in a chicken breast than there is in a can of diet soda.
I did a google search just to see if I could figure out what you were getting at and I found neurological issues with N-methyl-D-aspartatic acid but that is a different compound.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N-Methyl-D-aspartic_acid0 -
Aaron_K123 wrote: »schibsted750 wrote: »What about the excitotoxicity of aspartic acid? Won't aspartame be metabolized into D-Aspartate?
Why would D-aspartate cause neurological damage? D-aspartate is just one of the 20 amino acids present in all proteins. There is significantly more D-aspartate in a chicken breast than there is in a can of diet soda.
If I remember correctly from when I read up in it, this originated in some chain E-Mail back in the day. Funny how that still floats around together with the "it was supposed to be Rat poison" myth.0 -
stevencloser wrote: »Aaron_K123 wrote: »schibsted750 wrote: »What about the excitotoxicity of aspartic acid? Won't aspartame be metabolized into D-Aspartate?
Why would D-aspartate cause neurological damage? D-aspartate is just one of the 20 amino acids present in all proteins. There is significantly more D-aspartate in a chicken breast than there is in a can of diet soda.
If I remember correctly from when I read up in it, this originated in some chain E-Mail back in the day. Funny how that still floats around together with the "it was supposed to be Rat poison" myth.
Broscience never dies.0 -
Aaron_K123 wrote: »schibsted750 wrote: »What about the excitotoxicity of aspartic acid? Won't aspartame be metabolized into D-Aspartate?
Why would D-aspartate cause neurological damage? D-aspartate is just one of the 20 amino acids present in all proteins. There is significantly more D-aspartate in a chicken breast than there is in a can of diet soda.
I did a google search just to see if I could figure out what you were getting at and I found neurological issues with N-methyl-D-aspartatic acid but that is a different compound.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N-Methyl-D-aspartic_acid
Alright, thanks. What about the claim that hydrolyzing whey protein converts these amino acids from their safe form to an excitotoxic form? I'm guessing there's no truth to that, either.0 -
To whom? Those with issues like PKU or intolerance to it? Or are you speaking about just general public?dougfarrar1 wrote: »If you are a biochemist, you should know that a properly conducted scientific study holds WAY more credibility that your own "logic" as a scientist. What you wrote is a hypothesis. Unfortunately, the actual research on aspartame shows it is harmful. https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=aspartame+journal+articles&btnG=&hl=en&as_sdt=0,10&as_vis=1
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Great thread - thanks for all the scientific info. Have to re-read it again to make sure I understood but your explanation seems very comprehensive!
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Drink enough water and it can become toxic to the body. Dosage matters and it seems there needs to be a high high high dosage. Like 2 or more cases of diet soda a day for consumption.schibsted750 wrote: »What about the excitotoxicity of aspartic acid? Won't aspartame be metabolized into D-Aspartate?
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I see. I've heard that the original work on the excitotoxicity of MSG was a rat study, I assume they used insanely high doses.0
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KareninLux wrote: »Great thread - thanks for all the scientific info. Have to re-read it again to make sure I understood but your explanation seems very comprehensive!
I still pop on now and again, let me know if you have any questions happy to try to answer to best of my ability.0 -
stevencloser wrote: »Aaron_K123 wrote: »schibsted750 wrote: »What about the excitotoxicity of aspartic acid? Won't aspartame be metabolized into D-Aspartate?
Why would D-aspartate cause neurological damage? D-aspartate is just one of the 20 amino acids present in all proteins. There is significantly more D-aspartate in a chicken breast than there is in a can of diet soda.
If I remember correctly from when I read up in it, this originated in some chain E-Mail back in the day. Funny how that still floats around together with the "it was supposed to be Rat poison" myth.
"Falsehood flies, and the Truth comes limping after it; so that when Men come to be undeceiv’d, it is too late; the Jest is over, and the Tale has had its Effect…"
-Jonathan Swift0 -
Oh wow! Very informative. I had been wondering about aspartame myself. A guy I know said he cut out aspartame and sucralose and what he calls "fake sugars" and claimed to lose 40 pounds in a month. (He was about 290.) I didn't tell him this, but I think he lost that weight because he cut way down on calories, but he attributed the loss to the cutting out of fake sugars instead.
So you are saying he cut his calories because the decrease of "fake sugars"? If so, haven't ever looked at the calories on a diet coke? It's 0 calories because of the "fake sugars" used. Fake sugars are not a contributing factor of a high calorie diet.
I definitely noticed when diet coke was a part of my diet (contains aspartame) even with my recommended water intake, I had ton of cravings. After cutting out "fake sugars", I don't have cravings like that anymore.
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redraidergirl2009 wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »redraidergirl2009 wrote: »You can say all you want not to be afraid of it but ever since I quit it I haven't had a single migraine. I used to get them frequently
I don't think anyone is denying that some people may be sensitive to it or have reactions to it. But that doesn't make it harmful to everyone else.
I know people who get reactions from seafood, kiwi fruit, oranges, peanuts, dairy products, gluten. .......... That does not mean everyone else should avoid those things.
But it's in no way healthy or beneficial to the body...seafood and kiwi is unless you're allergic/sensitive
True - diet sodas are not healthy or nutritionally beneficial the way seafood and kiwi fruit and other common allergens I mentioned are. It isn't unhealthy or detrimental either.
And??
My original statement about there being no reason for everybody to avoid aspartame because some people have an allergy/ sensitivity to it any more than everyone should avoid seafood, kiwi fruit etc because some people have an allergy/ sensitivity to them still stands.
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schibsted750 wrote: »I see. I've heard that the original work on the excitotoxicity of MSG was a rat study, I assume they used insanely high doses.
Yes they did. Something like up to 4 grams per kg/bodyweight. So for a human that would be insanely high amounts. To contrast, 8 oz of diet coke has .1 gram of aspartame.0 -
wow cant believe you have so much time to discuss aspartame, basically it tastes like *kitten* any way , so why don't you use a little honey and concentrate on the bee problem
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GiseleSwanson wrote: »wow cant believe you have so much time to discuss aspartame, basically it tastes like *kitten* any way , so why don't you use a little honey and concentrate on the bee problem
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