Aspartame and Cognitive Function?

TheDevastator

Go to his website, search for "Wakefield" or "vaccination" or "autism".
Quack, quack, quack.

I read the Wakefield article. I believe him. who's to say these triple vaccines that are used are completely safe? I also believe that the vaccine manufacturers would try to stop his research if it threatened their business.

jennifershoo

If, on the other hand, you happen to be a human being drinking a diet soda you'll be just fine.

Fine until when? Maybe in a few years, another study will prove that it does cause cancer.
It's been happening a lot in history.
Not long ago, they made thermometers with mercury...
Not long ago, they used lead in paint...
Humans discover new chemicals or new use to chemicals and they start using them as soon as possible to make the most profit of of them. They don't want to wait 30 years to research the long time side effects.
Anyway, it's your body. I don't want to take the chance to maybe ''be fine''.

Aperture_Science

Go to his website, search for "Wakefield" or "vaccination" or "autism".
Quack, quack, quack.

I read the Wakefield article. I believe him. who's to say these triple vaccines that are used are completely safe? I also believe that the vaccine manufacturers would try to stop his research if it threatened their business.

"The GMC have found he was “misleading” “dishonest” and “irresponsible” in the way he described where the children in the 1998 paper came from, by implying that they were routine clinic referrals. As the GMC have also found, these children were subjected to a programme of unpleasant and invasive tests which were not performed in their own clinical interest, but rather for research purposes, and these tests were conducted without ethics committee approval."

and

"Even if it had been immaculately well conducted – and it certainly wasn’t – Wakefield’s “case series report” of 12 children’s clinical anecdotes would never have justified the conclusion that MMR causes autism, despite what journalists claimed: it simply didn’t have big enough numbers to do so. "

Extract from Ben Goldacre's Report on "Bad Science" web site : http://www.badscience.net/2010/01/the-wakefield-mmr-verdict/

Well done on reading Wakefield's original paper (no sarcasm intended in that statement), you have done more than many, myself included. But his research has been discredited by the scientific community whilst being misreported by the media.

TheDevastator

Go to his website, search for "Wakefield" or "vaccination" or "autism".
Quack, quack, quack.

I read the Wakefield article. I believe him. who's to say these triple vaccines that are used are completely safe? I also believe that the vaccine manufacturers would try to stop his research if it threatened their business.

"The GMC have found he was “misleading” “dishonest” and “irresponsible” in the way he described where the children in the 1998 paper came from, by implying that they were routine clinic referrals. As the GMC have also found, these children were subjected to a programme of unpleasant and invasive tests which were not performed in their own clinical interest, but rather for research purposes, and these tests were conducted without ethics committee approval."

and

"Even if it had been immaculately well conducted – and it certainly wasn’t – Wakefield’s “case series report” of 12 children’s clinical anecdotes would never have justified the conclusion that MMR causes autism, despite what journalists claimed: it simply didn’t have big enough numbers to do so. "

Extract from Ben Goldacre's Report on "Bad Science" web site : http://www.badscience.net/2010/01/the-wakefield-mmr-verdict/

Well done on reading Wakefield's original paper (no sarcasm intended in that statement), you have done more than many, myself included. But his research has been discredited by the scientific community whilst being misreported by the media.

I would disapprove of the tests if they were for research (without knowledge and consent) and not diagnosis as well.

TheDevastator

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8373935

Another interesting study. Especially interesting to me, as I've had a history of depression and bipolar runs in my family.

At any rate, I'm gonna take Mercola with a pile of salt, or should I say aspartame, from now on. He didn't include a bibliography with one of his most controversial articles and I can find no evidence that the studies he's referencing actually took place! No evidence of it whatsoever. Considering some of the studies you've posted, I would've thought he could have at least referenced those. The results are less conclusive and dramatic, but they definitely give me something to think about. He keeps referring to this evidently nonexistent study that indicated it caused a 15% drop in children's IQs :mad:

I believe you have to take any doctor's opinion with a grain of salt. They are bombarded with conflicting ideas all the time. It comes down to either research (and a lot of it can be biased) or if there isn't enough to making an educated guess. I prefer natural sweeteners like stevia leaf or even better fresh fruit to man made chemicals.

fteale

How about stevia? It's just been licensed for use in the UK, and I have some but it tastes funny to me. Does it have the same possible side effects as aspartame?

castadiva

My mother is a bioscientist working in food-safety, with a PhD in pathology. All aspartame-containing products were banned from our home and diets from the time I was about 8, after several articles were published in leading international 'trade' periodicals about the abnormally-high incidence of Alzheimers, Parkinson's and other neurological diseases in workers in the plants that produced aspartame. These people were exposed to high levels of the product over an extended period of time, and the ocurrence of neurological disorders was markedly higher than among the general population. Admittedly, most people's consumption will be much lower, but over a lifetime of aspartame-sweetened diet drinks, diet foods etc., that's a LOT of aspartame buliding up in the system. As I was very young at the time, I'm afraid I don't remember precisely where the articles were published, but my mother is very disinclined to react so strongly to anything she feels is 'faddy' or scientifically illogical.

I have extremely low built-up tolerance for aspartame, because I have very rarely consumed it in the last 20-odd years (takes a LOT of label-reading to avoid it!). When I inadvertently drank a drink containing diet soda (aspartame-sweetened) several months ago, I rapidly developed a blinding headache, shaky hands and numbness in one side of my body that lasted for around 30 minutes. This chemical has not been around long enough for a conclusive study of what it does to human bodies, but based on my own experiences and the information that was around within the scientific community in the early-90s, I'd prefer not to risk it!

I hadn't realised it converted to formaldehyde - everyone does realise that this is what is used to pickle, in effect, body parts for study? You know those big jars with random organs, foetuses etc - they're all filled with formaldehyde. Not something I'd want in my body!

LabRat529

Ah man. I missed all the fun That's what I get for going to bed on time.

And alas, I've got a presentation due today, so only a moment to play on MFP and then I've got to get back to it.

I will provide this opinion for you to chew on: I work in neuroscience and pharmacology (a.k.a. drug development). A compound must pass through the blood-brain barrier to directly impact CNS function. I've seen no evidence that aspartame can do that, which means it's unlikely to directly impact cognitive function.

If aspartame has a negative impact on health, it is not likely via action on the CNS. It's effect would be peripheral, i.e. elsewhere in the body. And yes, you can get a headache due to peripheral effects.

That said, I've read the literature on aspartame and I am not at all convinced its harmful. Regarding its metabolism into formaldehyde... many things are metabolized into formaldehyde and in small doses, formaldehyde is easily metabolized and eliminated.

I find the inconsistencies in human behavior to be a touch amusing (Including my own inconsistencies! Yes, I can laugh at myself and do often). For those who avoid aspartame, do you also avoid green tea, black tea, coffee, and alcohol? All of those have compounds in them that are toxic to the human body when consumed in large enough concentrations. Alcohol in particular does some rather interesting things to the brain.

I'm not saying aspartame is the new health-food, but I really don't think it's dangerous at all... unless you're planning on directly injecting it into your brain, as mentioned, in which case you will be bypassing that blood-brain barrier and you're neurons will likely be upset.

LabRat529

I just think if it was created in a lab, I don't want to eat it.

I agree with you. I don't want any extra chemicals in my food.

If people want to drink diet soda, go ahead, but remember that these man made chemicals may have long term side effects.

Nature made chemicals may have long term side effects too.

That's probably the one thing that bugs me the most about the 'all natural' movement. No one seems to care that nature has been poisoning us far longer than we've been poisoning ourselves.

"Natural" is not always safe. With aspartame, at least I have clinical trials to examine, and I can choose for myself with education and information. Where are the clinical trials to prove that 'all natural' Stevia is safe?

ninerbuff

Asparatame has absolutely NO effect on cognitive function... unless maybe you were to inject it directly into the brain. That might sting a little (I'm joking! Please don't insert a cannula and inject the stuff into your brain).

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9734727

Am J Clin Nutr. 1998 Sep;68(3):531-7.
Aspartame: neuropsychologic and neurophysiologic evaluation of acute and chronic effects.
Spiers PA, Sabounjian L, Reiner A, Myers DK, Wurtman J, Schomer DL.
Source
Clinical Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 02139, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Neurobehavioral symptoms have been reported anecdotally with aspartame.
OBJECTIVE:
This study sought to determine whether aspartame can disrupt cognitive, neurophysiologic, or behavioral functioning in normal individuals.
DESIGN:
Forty-eight healthy volunteers completed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. The first month was aspartame free. Subjects then consumed sodas and capsules with placebo, aspartame, or sucrose for 20 d each. Order was randomized and subjects were assigned to either a high- (45 mg x kg body wt(-1) x d(-1)) or low- (15 mg x kg body wt(-1) x d(-1)) dose aspartame group. Neuropsychologic and laboratory testing was done on day 10 of each treatment period to determine possible acute effects and on day 20 for possible chronic effects.
RESULTS:
Plasma phenylalanine concentrations increased significantly during aspartame treatment. Neuropsychologic results; adverse experiences; amino acid, insulin, and glucose values; and electroencephalograms were compared by sex and by treatment. No significant differences were found for any dependent measure.
CONCLUSION:
Large daily doses of aspartame had no effect on neuropsychologic, neurophysiologic, or behavioral functioning in healthy young adults.



http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8277950

N Engl J Med. 1994 Feb 3;330(5):301-7.
Effects of diets high in sucrose or aspartame on the behavior and cognitive performance of children.
Wolraich ML, Lindgren SD, Stumbo PJ, Stegink LD, Appelbaum MI, Kiritsy MC.
Source
Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Both dietary sucrose and the sweetener aspartame have been reported to produce hyperactivity and other behavioral problems in children.
METHODS:
We conducted a double-blind controlled trial with two groups of children: 25 normal preschool children (3 to 5 years of age), and 23 school-age children (6 to 10 years) described by their parents as sensitive to sugar. The children and their families followed a different diet for each of three consecutive three-week periods. One diet was high in sucrose with no artificial sweeteners, another was low in sucrose and contained aspartame as a sweetener, and the third was low in sucrose and contained saccharin (placebo) as a sweetener. All the diets were essentially free of additives, artificial food coloring, and preservatives. The children's behavior and cognitive performance were evaluated weekly.
RESULTS:
The preschool children ingested a mean (+/- SD) of 5600 +/- 2100 mg of sucrose per kilogram of body weight per day while on the sucrose diet, 38 +/- 13 mg of aspartame per kilogram per day while on the aspartame diet, and 12 +/- 4.5 mg of saccharin per kilogram per day while on the saccharin diet. The school-age children considered to be sensitive to sugar ingested 4500 +/- 1200 mg of sucrose per kilogram, 32 +/- 8.9 mg of aspartame per kilogram, and 9.9 +/- 3.9 mg of saccharin per kilogram, respectively. For the children described as sugar-sensitive, there were no significant differences among the three diets in any of 39 behavioral and cognitive variables. For the preschool children, only 4 of the 31 measures differed significantly among the three diets, and there was no consistent pattern in the differences that were observed.
CONCLUSIONS:
Even when intake exceeds typical dietary levels, neither dietary sucrose nor aspartame affects children's behavior or cognitive function.

There are other studies. Go to http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/

Good luck!

|Nuff said.


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ninerbuff

I just think if it was created in a lab, I don't want to eat it.

Then don't eat seedless grapes or oranges.


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ninerbuff

Fine until when? Maybe in a few years, another study will prove that it does cause cancer.
It's been happening a lot in history.
Not long ago, they made thermometers with mercury...
Not long ago, they used lead in paint...
Humans discover new chemicals or new use to chemicals and they start using them as soon as possible to make the most profit of of them. They don't want to wait 30 years to research the long time side effects.
Anyway, it's your body. I don't want to take the chance to maybe ''be fine''.

Well I've been drinking diet soda for more than 30 years, so I don't think it's an issue if it hasn't popped up by now.


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jrich1

In moderation just like everything else

ninerbuff

I hadn't realised it converted to formaldehyde - everyone does realise that this is what is used to pickle, in effect, body parts for study? You know those big jars with random organs, foetuses etc - they're all filled with formaldehyde. Not something I'd want in my body!

Guess you didn't know that happens with fruits too?


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JanineHarrison

I'm not up to speed on scientific studies, nor do I really care to some degree because I'm more interested in how it effects me.

I used to drink diet sodas when I lost weight in college. Mostly is just took me a while to get used to the taste. Well after I got down to a comforatable I didnt have the need for fake sugar, i was eating in moderation and exercising regularly. When I got pregnant I would crave sodas and since I was allowed to have 1 or 2 a day based on caffine intake i let myself have one EVERYDAY, on of the main reasons I gained so much during pregnancy I'm sure. I wouldn't drink diet while pregnant but afterwards, when it was hard to put down the can, I tried switching to diet. I kept getting these nausea inducing headaches and tried several things, switching BC, watching my caffine, getting my eyes checked, but the headaches continued until i cut out fake sugar. It wasn't just diet soda, I couldn't drink lemonade made with Splenda or eat Yoplait Light, etc.

Now, I don't use fake sugar for anything and rely on moderation to allow the use of regular sugars. I even check the labels if I'm debating buying something light to make sure is isn't "light" because is uses aspartame. I also don't feed it to my daughter either, because she's 3 and i don't see the point. I try to make sure she eats well balanced meals and doesn't bringe on sweets so I'm not really worried about the extra calories she might get from real sugar, again... moderation.

JanineHarrison

But before I end up under fire, I'd also like to say I don't care if other people are pro-aspartame. I was just sharing my experience, I think some people do have a senitivity and others may develop one over time.... and no, I'm not a doctor.

sbeisel1

This is always a hot and cold topic. Here is a bit of personal and friend related experiances. it affects everyone differently as does most things in life, but I find if you think its probably bad it probably is. anything that goes in your body affects your entire body one way or another. I avoid it myself but sometimes I end up eating some and I get a headache.

Bad effects of fake sugars on myself or a friend
1. headaches within minutes or hours of consuming (myself, my dad, my best friend and son)
2. weight gain (how many people here claim to have consumed it all the time for years, and they are overwieght?) surprisingly if you google "artificial sugars and weight gain or loss" you will find plenty of support for this one and some very sad stories
3. mood - OMG this is a biggy, beleive it or not I have personally noted in people around me that those who drink a diet pop get pretty snarky and generally grumbly. My co worker has a diet coke, and he is the biggest turd for the rest of the day. My nephew has autism and if he has any asparatame, within minutes he gets uncontrolably volent THAT alone is enought evidence for me, I have seen it is is scary. Google asparatame and autism or mood. my best friend had aggression issues and severe mood swings, she was drinking a diet pop every day. she stopped after her doctor told her to stop consuming fake sugars and just like that her mood improved and her agression waned and she is back to normal. Oh and if she does have a diet pop her mood immediatly alters for the worst.
4. It tastes like crap its not even a real food. Eating crayons or playdoh might not kill you but that doesnt mean you should. OOOH if you want to read some interesting articles google. "sugar alcohols and death" warning the articles are sad and alarming.
5. poop. Some people like my dad get diarreah/cramps/vomiting etc from fake sugars. if he unknowingly has a large amount he ends up in the hospital.

I could go on, but really if you have to ask for evidence to support it one way or another becuase you are unsure, you are trying to tell yourself something.

castadiva

I hadn't realised it converted to formaldehyde - everyone does realise that this is what is used to pickle, in effect, body parts for study? You know those big jars with random organs, foetuses etc - they're all filled with formaldehyde. Not something I'd want in my body!

Guess you didn't know that happens with fruits too?


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No, I didn't, but thanks for pointing that out. It has lead me off into a little research, and my very imperfect understanding at this point suggests that, although pectins in fruit do convert to formaldehyde, via the expression of methanol, the simultaneous presence of natural ethanols counteracts this effectively. More research to be done - today is the first I have heard about aspartame (or fruit) converting to formaldehyde. The other interesting thing that has come up repeatedly in my little bit of digging around, is that humans are markedly evolutionarily different to all lab animals, including monkeys, in their relative inability to process methanols in the digestive system. This suggests to me that clinical trials performed on lab animals are not likely to be entirely credible/straightforward in relation to toxicity in humans.

castadiva

3. mood - OMG this is a biggy, beleive it or not I have personally noted in people around me that those who drink a diet pop get pretty snarky and generally grumbly. My co worker has a diet coke, and he is the biggest turd for the rest of the day. My nephew has autism and if he has any asparatame, within minutes he gets uncontrolably volent THAT alone is enought evidence for me, I have seen it is is scary. Google asparatame and autism or mood. my best friend had aggression issues and severe mood swings, she was drinking a diet pop every day. she stopped after her doctor told her to stop consuming fake sugars and just like that her mood improved and her agression waned and she is back to normal. Oh and if she does have a diet pop her mood immediatly alters for the worst.

I understand aspartame inhibits the production/reception of serotonin - the 'feel good' enzyme that exercise (and natural sugar!) releases. This would be borne out by your observations. My knowledge of this area is very limited, but I'm fairly vigilant about avoiding aspartame entirely, as a result of my own experiences.

msarro

The only alarming thing about aspartame that I've heard is that in some clinical trials it was linked to increased violence in lab mice, however looking through scholarly journals I have access to I can't see much. Looking at google, there is a ton of derp about it, but nothing scientific.

LabRat529

I understand aspartame inhibits the production/reception of serotonin - the 'feel good' enzyme that exercise (and natural sugar!) releases. This would be borne out by your observations. My knowledge of this area is very limited, but I'm fairly vigilant about avoiding aspartame entirely, as a result of my own experiences.

Probably not directly.

Indirectly, a lot of food/drink stimulates the release or serotonin, dopamine, etc... (that's why it's so difficult to modify our behavior when it comes to food). Aspartame is usually consumed with food/drink, so it's pretty unlikely it's going to significantly dampen the effect of food. But it's possible. There are studies that suggest aspartame decreases appetite, and that could be related to its effect on serotonin (if there is a real effect).

Unfortunately, there are also studies that suggest aspartame does the exact opposite- increase appetite...

Anyway, point is, the waters are muddy and it's just not clear whether aspartame can do any of the things that people say it does... and at any rate, decreasing serotoinin levels might not be a bad thing if it helps modify food-seeking behavior in the obese.

sbeisel1

The only alarming thing about aspartame that I've heard is that in some clinical trials it was linked to increased violence in lab mice, however looking through scholarly journals I have access to I can't see much. Looking at google, there is a ton of derp about it, but nothing scientific.

My nephew with autism has extreme violent behaviour within minutes of consuming asparatame, my brother followed the docotors "ellimination/addition" diet test to verify. It is really scary when it happens. After days with strict clean diet, makeing sure no sugars or asparatame or added sugar they gave him a drink with a small amount of asparatame in, and within minutes they were having to restrain him from hurting others and even hinmself. he goes from calm and quiet to violent and aggressive.
watch people for yourself many do exhibit behaviour changes after a diet pop or snack. my coworker gets cranky and snippy after his lunch diet coke. I can go on, its different for everyone but I have seen enough myself.

dwtouch4

Science > hearsay & anecdotes

Always approach things initially with skepticism.

yentess

I can only speak from my own experience and not any scientific evidence. I have an aversion to apartame. Previously I was using diet/nutritional products that had aspartame in them a couple times a day. I started to get blemishes on my chin (which I never had before, even when I was a teenager) and I was always very tired and moody. It was suggested to me by a very well educated friend who is a pharamcist and has TONS of nutritional knowledge that I might be allergic to aspartame. Once I removed all products with aspartame from my diet my skin cleared up and I had my normal energy back. If I unknowingly comsume products with aspartame, I experience the same reactions again. Until I started reading labels I didn't realize how prevelent aspartame is in food. Light yogurts, juice, coffee creamer, crystal light, and basically any low sugar or light food that is sweet has aspartame in it.

KimbersNewLife

The only alarming thing about aspartame that I've heard is that in some clinical trials it was linked to increased violence in lab mice, however looking through scholarly journals I have access to I can't see much. Looking at google, there is a ton of derp about it, but nothing scientific.

Oh good it's not PMS LOL Just kidding! HA
But I do get cranky sometimes and to be honest I do like diet soda. ; )

castadiva

Anyway, point is, the waters are muddy and it's just not clear whether aspartame can do any of the things that people say it does... and at any rate, decreasing serotoinin levels might not be a bad thing if it helps modify food-seeking behavior in the obese.

But surely, decreased serotonin-levels would lead to an increase in the consumption of serotonin-producing foods, often sugary or fatty, in obese people?! If the body/brain is used to a high serotonin level, and that is inhibited by artificial sweeteners, the person so affected is likely to want to eat both the artificially-sweetened product AND the sugary/fatty serotonin-producing item, to maintain their serotonin level. Hence, cravings...

LabRat529

Anyway, point is, the waters are muddy and it's just not clear whether aspartame can do any of the things that people say it does... and at any rate, decreasing serotoinin levels might not be a bad thing if it helps modify food-seeking behavior in the obese.

But surely, decreased serotonin-levels would lead to an increase in the consumption of serotonin-producing foods, often sugary or fatty, in obese people?! If the body/brain is used to a high serotonin level, and that is inhibited by artificial sweeteners, the person so affected is likely to want to eat both the artificially-sweetened product AND the sugary/fatty serotonin-producing item, to maintain their serotonin level. Hence, cravings...

Naw... it's way more complicated than that (the brain ALWAYS is :grumble: ). Besides, plenty of scientific studies demonstrate that aspartame does NOT increase appetite (and plenty of them show that it does... but the 'does not' out number the 'does').

People (including us silly neuroscientists) love to simplify everything into easy-to-understand signaling circuits. Alas, biology doesn't do the same. If the end-point (increased appetite) doesn't show a clear cause and effect, you just can't say there's a clear cause and effect. The best you can say is 'some studies...'

Also consider, most people aren't eating aspartame in the concentrations used in the lab. It's probably not doing anything to serotonin at all at the concentrations used.

sbeisel1

Naw... it's way more complicated than that (the brain ALWAYS is :grumble: ). Besides, plenty of scientific studies demonstrate that aspartame does NOT increase appetite (and plenty of them show that it does... but the 'does not' out number the 'does').

The fact that there is a "does" and there is a "does not" should be enough. one outnumbering the other is mute. Make up your own mind, studies or not, use your own deduction, it negatively affects some people and in others has no apparent effect. eating a crayon wont hurt you but it doesnt make it food.

castadiva

Anyway, point is, the waters are muddy and it's just not clear whether aspartame can do any of the things that people say it does... and at any rate, decreasing serotoinin levels might not be a bad thing if it helps modify food-seeking behavior in the obese.

But surely, decreased serotonin-levels would lead to an increase in the consumption of serotonin-producing foods, often sugary or fatty, in obese people?! If the body/brain is used to a high serotonin level, and that is inhibited by artificial sweeteners, the person so affected is likely to want to eat both the artificially-sweetened product AND the sugary/fatty serotonin-producing item, to maintain their serotonin level. Hence, cravings...

Naw... it's way more complicated than that (the brain ALWAYS is :grumble: ). Besides, plenty of scientific studies demonstrate that aspartame does NOT increase appetite (and plenty of them show that it does... but the 'does not' out number the 'does').

People (including us silly neuroscientists) love to simplify everything into easy-to-understand signaling circuits. Alas, biology doesn't do the same. If the end-point (increased appetite) doesn't show a clear cause and effect, you just can't say there's a clear cause and effect. The best you can say is 'some studies...'

Also consider, most people aren't eating aspartame in the concentrations used in the lab. It's probably not doing anything to serotonin at all at the concentrations used.

Silly neuroscientists :laugh: If I ever give up on my musical career and follow the family tradition back into medicine/medical science, it's either that or genetics for me! Fascinating stuff.

There's an increasing number of studies being reported over here in the UK at the moment that appear to indicate that aspartame does increase appetite, so maybe the do's will catch up to the don'ts sooner rather than later... I take your point about the concentrations, but I was under the impression that it's cumulative anyway, as we lack the ability to metabolise and dispose of the resulting waste product effectively?

Not sure why I'm debating this, actually, as I've avoided the stuff scrupulously for years, and my only recent encounter resulted in a blinding headache, the shakes and a numb right-hand side... It's interesting though! Learning all sorts of stuff.

RonSwanson66

The fact that there is a "does" and there is a "does not" should be enough.

If you've ever read a scientific study, you will never see these conclusions.

You will see a "may" or "no indication that...".