aspartame poisoning?

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mammiehorn
mammiehorn Posts: 119 Member
in Food and Nutrition
My mother-in-law sent me an article on aspartame poisoning and I just wanted to get the opinions of some of you on how you feel about it. Some people believe it's real some don't. Anyone have any good info on this subject?
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Replies

  • CristinaL1983
    CristinaL1983 Posts: 1,119 Member
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    For people who have PKU it is real. Otherwise, it's a myth unless you are consuming your bodyweight in aspartame a day. If you just do a search on this board or the general diet board, you will find a ton of long threads about it.

    I have yet to see any credible research that shows that aspartame in moderate amounts is harmful in any way.
  • meganshort11
    meganshort11 Posts: 48 Member
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    i drink diet pop almost every day...usually not more than a can or two. and i've also heard the rumors that its harmful...upon further research, it seems like for it to really hurt you, you would have to drink 36 cans of diet pop a day....for years. that is 432 oz, or 54 glasses of water a day. do you drink that much? because i certainly do not...no where close, actually.
    i think a lot of people use it as an excuse to not drink diet pop...because they don't like the taste. i have a friend who is also trying to lose weight, but refuses to give up pop, and will not drink diet. and aspartame poisioning is her excuse...and a poor one, if you ask me. regular pop is much, much worse for you. and full of empty, unfilling calories.
    obviously, water is the best choice. but a diet coke isn't going to hurt you...it actually helps me. it gives me a little kick of energy, and it makes dieting easier. i also use sweet and low in green tea.
    people will tell you its poisionous and will hurt you. but there is no actual proof. unless, of course, you drink 36 cans of diet pop a day for years. then you are up poo creek without a paddle. good luck!
  • iquiltoo
    iquiltoo Posts: 246 Member
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    There are some sodas that use Splenda now instead of Aspartame. Orange Crush is one, but I am in Canada, so I don't know if you have it where you are. I have found "rainbow" packs of Orange, Grape, Creme Soda, and Rootbeer that use Splenda instead of Aspartame. I try to avoid it, but if all they have is a diet drink with it, one once in a while won't hurt.
  • angelashurtleff
    angelashurtleff Posts: 4
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    Snopes.com is a myth busting website that delves into common stories like this and it says the stories are false. Unless you have a sensitivity to aspartame or PKU (phenylketonuria-usually diagnosed at birth) it would be hard to really poison yourself. I personally go by the theory to eat/drink everything in moderation.
  • maegmez
    maegmez Posts: 341 Member
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    Personally, for me, there is too much conflicting information out there so I won't consume anything that contains it. Not easy because I actually like it as well as the diet sodas.

    My biggest trust issues about it is that it was approved after Monsanto bought the company. Monsanto is one huge corrupt corp and they have or at least had executives in congress and other big roles in the govt. They have deep pockets and run to lobbyists as soon as they don't get their way.
  • Carnivor0us
    Carnivor0us Posts: 1,752 Member
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    Personally, for me, there is too much conflicting information out there so I won't consume anything that contains it. Not easy because I actually like it as well as the diet sodas.

    My biggest trust issues about it is that it was approved after Monsanto bought the company. Monsanto is one huge corrupt corp and they have or at least had executives in congress and other big roles in the govt. They have deep pockets and run to lobbyists as soon as they don't get their way.

    Aspartame was approved for use in beverages in 1983. Monsanto bought Searle in 1985.
  • _noob_
    _noob_ Posts: 3,306 Member
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    For people who have PKU it is real. Otherwise, it's a myth unless you are consuming your bodyweight in aspartame a day. If you just do a search on this board or the general diet board, you will find a ton of long threads about it.

    I have yet to see any credible research that shows that aspartame in moderate amounts is harmful in any way.

    And it's not like aspartame is the only source of phenylalanine for someone with PKU...or even a significant one in the grand scheme of things.
  • MissJanet55
    MissJanet55 Posts: 457 Member
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    Personally, for me, there is too much conflicting information out there so I won't consume anything that contains it. Not easy because I actually like it as well as the diet sodas.

    My biggest trust issues about it is that it was approved after Monsanto bought the company. Monsanto is one huge corrupt corp and they have or at least had executives in congress and other big roles in the govt. They have deep pockets and run to lobbyists as soon as they don't get their way.

    I didn't know that, thanks for posting it. I share your feeling about Monsanto,and I worry that food lobbyists have far too much say in what is considered safe or unsafe.

    Yet one more reason to kill my diet coke habit.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    For people who have PKU it is real. Otherwise, it's a myth unless you are consuming your bodyweight in aspartame a day. If you just do a search on this board or the general diet board, you will find a ton of long threads about it.

    I have yet to see any credible research that shows that aspartame in moderate amounts is harmful in any way.
    And if you have PKU, you KNOW it.
  • anaquay
    anaquay Posts: 150 Member
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    Aspartame put me in hospital but my mate doesn't have a problem with it.
  • annepage
    annepage Posts: 585 Member
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    It's in a lot of chewing gum-'regular' and sugar-free as well. Unsure on the poisoning aspect.
  • chillmcgren
    chillmcgren Posts: 31 Member
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    Every time I eat anything with aspartame in it I get sick. Not 'i've been poisoned' sick. I come down with a cold. I can taste when aspartame is in something without it being listed (a lot of alcohols have aspartame and don't list their ingredients) and it can give me a headache as well as a sore throat.

    I think it's terrible for you and it should be avoided, which is hard because it hides in things with 'healthy' labels.
  • holly1283
    holly1283 Posts: 741 Member
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    I really don't have any scientific info but my dausghter gets severe headaches whenever she starts drinking diet drinks with it in and the High School chemistry teacher claimed it was more poisonous than formaldehyde.
  • jaygreen55
    jaygreen55 Posts: 315 Member
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    Here is the link to the mentioned aricle in snopes.com. Makes sense to me

    http://snopes.com/medical/toxins/aspartame.asp
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
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    Snopes.com is a myth busting website that delves into common stories like this and it says the stories are false. Unless you have a sensitivity to aspartame or PKU (phenylketonuria-usually diagnosed at birth) it would be hard to really poison yourself. I personally go by the theory to eat/drink everything in moderation.

    I think the key phrase there is the one about sensitivity. Don't be so quick to dismiss something as an utter myth based on the typical reaction to it.

    I'm someone who is very ill on days when the air pollution is even a bit above low. I get sick before we hit 'yellow' days, much less the so-called danger days. So I'm perfectly willing to believe that I can guzzle diet soda by the gallon and not be ill while a friend might genuinely suffer horrible side effects.

    Of course I'll never test this theory because diet drinks taste disgusting and I'd rather either do without or drink them and be obese than suffer the horrible aftertaste of artificial sweeteners.
  • Tiffanie0407
    Tiffanie0407 Posts: 112
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    I use splenda with almost everything people try to preach to me about stopping but at the sametime they are eating meat and other bad things so...... dog on hypocrites!!!!!!!
  • sally_jeffswife
    sally_jeffswife Posts: 766 Member
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    I have heard that its only harmful if it is stored above 90 degrees farenheit. So I suppose if it sat in a warm car than someone drank it or on an unrefridgerated shelf or something. But I don't like it all too much just cuz it makes you have to pee alot and it makes you crave sugar more than other types of drinks.
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
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    I have heard that its only harmful if it is stored above 90 degrees farenheit. So I suppose if it sat in a warm car than someone drank it or on an unrefridgerated shelf or something. But I don't like it all too much just cuz it makes you have to pee alot and it makes you crave sugar more than other types of drinks.

    Oooh that reminds me, someone on here mentioned the show 'Secret Eaters' so I was watching it for a couple of days. Most of it is just people eating crap and not counting the calories but in one case they did mention diet soda as a possible appetite trigger. Like I need anything else to make me hungry. Thanks, if I want to be mysteriously hungry I'll drink vodka like a real man...er...woman. Or something.
  • lsegatti
    lsegatti Posts: 77 Member
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    Please note that any substance can have an ill effect for all of us. If you consume too much of anything, one day you will eat it and have a reaction. There are cases where those who use too much artificial sugars of any kind have MS like symptoms, my secretary was one of them. Numbness in the hands, not able to hold heavy items, etc. she went off all artificial sugars a little over a month ago and all those symptoms have disappeared for her.

    Everything in moderation and pay close attention to how you feel, weight gained or lost etc as you continue on your journey. There are such things a sensitivities that do not show up in allergy testing. What makes you feel bloated, burpy etc after you consume it? Stay off of that for a week or more, then consume it again....do your own testing. We are each individual in our bio chemistry and until modern science measures that fully for each one of us.....we are on our own for finding things out.

    Best of luck!
  • dlcam61
    dlcam61 Posts: 228 Member
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    I haven't read it, where's the link to the article?

    I can say from my personal experience that it does give me horrible migraines and I have read it is an endocrine disruptor. Anything artificial like that isn't really healthy for your body, and I avoid sweeteners as much as possible. :flowerforyou:

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