Aspartame

carl1738

I have seen several posts made by people talking about the horrible health risks of aspartame. According to some people, it causes everything from cancer, diabites and lupus to Gulf War Syndrome. I came across this article in Time magazine (a generally well regarded publication) about the supposed risks associated with aspartame, so I thought that I would share it. I realize that some people will try to discredit this article. If you do so, could you please include a reference to an actual scientific study, not just ancedotal evidence, to back up your claims? Thank you.


A Web of Deceit
By Christine Gorman Monday, Feb. 08, 1999
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Heard the one about the common shampoo ingredient that causes cancer? Or how about the epidemic of blindness among toddlers who accidentally get waterproof sunscreen in their eyes? These absurd fictions used to be the stock-in-trade of ninth-graders bent on frightening the younger kids. But now such tall tales are appearing on the Internet, and many adults are taking them seriously.

Consider the latest electronic health scare: about the artificial sweetener aspartame, which is found in everything from Equal to Diet Coke. A widely disseminated e-mail by a "Nancy Markle" links aspartame to Alzheimer's, birth defects, brain cancer, diabetes, Gulf War syndrome, lupus, multiple sclerosis and seizures. Right away, the long list warrants skepticism. Just as no single chemical cures everything, none causes everything.

In this and similar cases, all the Nancy Markles of the world have to do to fabricate a health rumor is post it in some Usenet news groups and let ordinary folks, who may already distrust artificial products, forward it to all their friends and e-mail pals. I received several copies last week, as have many doctors and health organizations.

When I searched Altavista www.altavista.com for aspartame AND brain AND seizure AND sclerosis, I learned that Markle's message is almost identical to an antiaspartame screed first penned under a different name in 1995. None of the specific allegations pan out, however. Among the more outrageous claims:

--Aspartame leads to "methanol toxicity." Not even close. Trace amounts of methanol exist naturally in many fruits and vegetables, and a tiny amount is released whenever the body digests aspartame. But there's four times as much methanol in a glass of tomato juice as in a can of aspartame-sweetened soda, and our bodies have no trouble handling such a tiny amount.

--Aspartame triggers headaches. Wrong again, says Susan Shiffman, a medical psychologist at Duke University who conducted a double-blind placebo-controlled trial of 40 "aspartame sensitive" people. A little probing often revealed the real trouble. One woman, who often ate peanuts with her diet soda, was allergic to peanuts. Another drank too much caffeine.

--Aspartame is responsible for the recent uptick in brain-cancer rates. So how do you explain that the trend dates back to 1973, eight years before aspartame was approved in the U.S.?

Curiously, Markle didn't warn against aspartame's single known health risk. Folks with an uncommon genetic disorder called phenylketonuria shouldn't consume the sweetener because they cannot metabolize one of its ingredients.

Before you decide to believe or, worse, forward an e-mail with serious health claims, do a little checking. Start on the Web with urbanlegends.miningco.com which catalogues the more persistent rumors. Then go to reliable health sites, like mayohealth.org (for general health), www.medhelp.org (especially good for cardiology), www.oncolink.org or cancernet.nci.nih.gov (for cancer) or www.navigator.tufts.edu (for nutrition). Otherwise, you might get caught in a web of confusion.

For more Web resources on Internet health rumors, see time.com/personal You can e-mail Christine at gorman@time.com



Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,990167,00.html#ixzz1G7Aqt3zC

Snopes is another excellent website that addresses urban legends and rumours.

jipper44

Always good to do research on your own! All I know is, I used to use it in my coffee and when I switched to a different sweetener one day (by mistake), I didn't have a headache and haven't had any since!

pyro13g

And what scientific research did this author do? There are studies that go both ways.

TripleJ3

Well I just know what I have personally experienced but I just can't stand the taste. blechh.

I've tried all the artificial sweetners and can always taste it. Even when I buy something and not realize its in there I can taste it. I bought the cafe mocha K-cups and only did a quick glance, seen it contained real sugar so didn't think to check the ingredient list. Took my first sip and could taste it . Fake stuff is in there.

So disappointing

Teresa652

I wish I had as good taste buds as everyone else because I can't taste the difference.

carl1738

And what scientific research did this author do? There are studies that go both ways.

I'm not saying that you're wrong, but could you provide any links to these studies? I believe that the author provided some links to websites that would seem to debunk the many myths about aspartame. Also, check out Snopes, under food additives, for more information. As I said, I'm not saying that you're wrong, but I've never seen anybody actually provide proof by credible sources. Certainly, if the risks that are associated with aspartame are true, somebody will know of an actual study that took place in the 12 years since this article was published, that can prove any of these claims.

ShrinkinMel

I avoid it just by theory and the unknowns. I'd much rather limit the regular age old sugar than have all the artificial sugar I would want. I mean the "artificial" name alone is enough to make me logically not want it.

It is said to be 100 times sweeter and more addicting which I'm sure is hard to actually put numbers on it.

ethel64

BRAVO and thank you for this article...

pyro13g

And what scientific research did this author do? There are studies that go both ways.

I'm not saying that you're wrong, but could you provide any links to these studies? I believe that the author provided some links to websites that would seem to debunk the many myths about aspartame. Also, check out Snopes, under food additives, for more information. As I said, I'm not saying that you're wrong, but I've never seen anybody actually provide proof by credible sources. Certainly, if the risks that are associated with aspartame are true, somebody will know of an actual study that took place in the 12 years since this article was published, that can prove any of these claims.

Just google it, there's plenty. You may want to look into the Ramazzini Institute. Keep in mind billions upon billions of pills are prescribed every year that could actually kill you, cause other grave health issues, and shorten your life. The air where i live may kill me, but I'm not sensitive to the pollution, Aspartame I am. The FDA agreed to a long list of symptoms experienced among aspartame users. It's even suggested you actually should detox off aspartame, much like other substances.

TIFFYBABY83

Aspartame gives me a migraine, I think it's evil stuff! Just my opinion tho

carl1738

Thanks, pyro. I'll check that out. As with anything, if you find yourself sensitive to certain foods or additives, it certainly makes sense to avoid them.

jbrown01

There are lots of things that cause lots of problems for lots of people. That doesn't mean they should be banned or are inherently bad. Saccharin was taken off the market, and then put back on when it became clear that if you ate pounds of the stuff you might get something. After all the lawsuits, there was no scientific evidence silicone breast implants caused any problems. Incorrect assertions really cause problems when they result in altering behavior for the worse. The best recent example is the fallacious association of autism with vaccines resulting in scores of unvaccinated children and considerable suffering from preventable diseases.

twinwolf

Just my two cents.. I don't believe everything the FDA says or stands for, but there has to be something in the list under the link I post here:

http://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/aspartame-side-effects.html

twinwolf

Just my two cents.. I don't believe everything the FDA says or stands for, but there has to be something in the list under the link I post here:

http://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/aspartame-side-effects.html

Also, this is just one of many sites listing the side effects. For more info, try the FDA website. They will break down their finds.

astovey

I've been putting Equal on my cereal since I was 5. I drink Diet coke....and I love it. I'm completely healthy and couldn't have lost/ kept off the weight without Equal. I don't see anything wrong with it....it seems like people just need something to b*tch about sometimes.

Thanks for this post

amycal

Well I was just at a seminar about disease prevention by a local doctor who said Aspartame is not food and our body cannot metabolize it properly. He said in the Netherlands it is not allowed.

Here is a link to his credentials:
Adrian J. den Boer, DC, ND
Educated in both the Netherlands and the United States, Dr. Adrian den Boer is a board-certified and licensed Naturopathic and Chiropractic physician. In addition, Dr. den Boer is fully certified as a functional medicine doctor. His unique international background allows him to provide his patients with care incorporating both old and proven natural approaches and the latest in cutting-edge natural health care.

With more than 18 years of experience treating a variety of both common and life-threatening conditions, Dr. den Boer is dedicated to offering the very best in natural treatment methods - all with a personal touch. His vast knowledge and caring, hands-on approach provides his patients with many options that lead to improved health. His patients often come from long distances and complain of a wide variety of ailments, such as athletic injuries, difficult to treat chronic and acute conditions such as cancer, inflammatory diseases, acute immune diseases, and destructive neuro-musculoskeletal disorders. Ages range from the very young to the very elderly.

Dr. den Boer is the "research engine" behind DBC. He regularly attends seminars and lectures in the United States as well as internationally in order to continue incorporating the latest research from both Europe and North America. Dr. den Boer utilizes his worldwide resources when preparing research for the practice and adjusting nutrient formulas and recommendations.

He and his wife have five children and currently reside in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area.

Dr. den Boer is available for e-mail correspondence at doc@drdenboer.com


I gave up Diet Coke years ago and have no intention of intenionally putting that poison in my body. I avoid all artificial sweetners and prefer to put real food with nutritive value in my body. I will believe this doctor over just about any other "research" or major media article since the major media is controlled by large corporations who make a lot of money off selling this stuff - they don't necessarily care about my health, but I know this doctor does!

ngr1973

Bump

JennsLosing

thanks for making me feel better about my twice a week coke zero :drinker:

astovey

FDA officials describing aspartame as "one of the most thoroughly tested and studied food additives the agency has ever approved" and its safety as "clear cut"


I think that if more people suported the use of aspartame, obesity would be less of a problem. I understand the concept of eating healthy foods, but it doesn't mean you can't add a little something to make it taste better. Get over yourself hippies, it's time to evolve.

stormieweather

The other side of Aspartame (toxicity) - http://www.alaskawellness.com/AspartameArchive.htm

Note links to studies and documentation on effects.

Personally, I think society is conditioned to crave sweet things (by all the sweeteners added to processed foods) and this masks the natural flavors of real food and thus, contributes to obesity. Real food tastes good! There is no need to make everything sweet.

JennsLosing

Get over yourself hippies, it's time to evolve.

lmao!

dietcoke281

I highly doubt that if Aspartame was really as dangerous as everyone made out, it would not be in a lot of things such as Diet Coke.

mikeyml

Ugh we just had a thread about this that I know you read because you were in it lol. I don't understand the issue personally. If it affects you in a negative way then avoid it. If it doesn't then consume it in moderation. For the vast majority of people it is perfectly fine to have in your diet as long as you don't drink more than 21 diet sodas a day...that's right...21 sodas.

wolfchild59

I don't have any articles or scientific research. But I do know that the hubby brought home some yogurt one night that, before I ate it, I felt great. After I ate it I was queasy, got a horrific headache and my stomach totally cramped up. Being me, I jumped online to look up the symptoms and possible causes and saw that aspartame could cause all of those. So I pulled the yogurt container out of the trash and looked at the ingredients, sure enough, aspartame.

I never, ever drink or eat anything at all with aspartame (and very strictly limit anything that even has Splenda/sucralose or Stevia), so it's possible I was just extra sensitive to it, but I've definitely avoided that stuff like the plague ever since then.

SHBoss1673

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-truth-about-seven-common-food-additives?page=2


http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodIngredientsPackaging/FoodAdditives/ucm208580.htm

ilvpsu

People like to make gross generalizations about things, however, my mom was a heavy diet pepsi drinker...had a seizure. She had to get an EEG done, and the technician at the time randomly asked her if she drank diet pop. Sure enough......

kevanos

This guy assembled a whole bunch of studies on aspartame: http://aspartame.mercola.com/sites/aspartame/studies.aspx

i do consume it occasionally, mainly in gatorade, but I'm not a fan of it at all.

astovey

Personally, I think society is conditioned to crave sweet things (by all the sweeteners added to processed foods) and this masks the natural flavors of real food and thus, contributes to obesity. Real food tastes good! There is no need to make everything sweet.

Sugar contributes to obesity. Equal= 0 calorie


You're right, not everything needs to be sweet, for example: salty things.

Real food: Grapefruit......really nasty without Equal

pyro13g

Personally, I think society is conditioned to crave sweet things (by all the sweeteners added to processed foods) and this masks the natural flavors of real food and thus, contributes to obesity. Real food tastes good! There is no need to make everything sweet.

Sugar contributes to obesity. Equal= 0 calorie


You're right, not everything needs to be sweet, for example: salty things.

Real food: Grapefruit......really nasty without Equal

"Fake Sweet" (zero calorie sweeteners) are suspected of sending a false signal to the brain that results in strong cravings for the real thing.

Real food : Grapefruit, perfect with out man made chemicals on top

mikeyml

I drink about 1 diet soda a day. I eat something sweet maybe twice per year - Thanksgiving and Christmas. I have zero cravings for chocolates, desserts, cookies, or any of that. My family is all the same way.

carl1738

Ugh we just had a thread about this that I know you read because you were in it lol. I don't understand the issue personally. If it affects you in a negative way then avoid it. If it doesn't then consume it in moderation. For the vast majority of people it is perfectly fine to have in your diet as long as you don't drink more than 21 diet sodas a day...that's right...21 sodas.

It bothers me when people make outrageous claims against a product (like one person the other day claiming it is used as rat poison!) without presenting any facts to back them up. If aspartame caused as much harm as some people claim it does, it would have been banned years ago. I agree, if it bothers you, don't consume it. And I'll try not to drink more than 21 cans of soda in a day, just to be on the safe side!