Why Aspartame Isn't Scary

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Replies

  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    They have no clue why a person consuming aspartame ended up with migraines, seizures or brain tumors (just to name a few) after some time consuming it!
    Occam's razor would suggest they would have gotten it regardless.

    What Occam's razor would have suggested had I told you that most side effects reversed once they stop consuming aspartame? Clearly, that it was caused by aspartame, the simplest hypotheses!
    I would want some actual sources for what you're saying. And with sources I obviously don't mean blog posts.

    Well, I have my own story with aspartame and cyclamate but I guess is not good enough for you.
    So, you can google: site:fda.gov aspartame reported cases recovery after stop consuming

    This is an excerpt of one of many documents reported to the FDA:

    "A 16-year-old girl (Case III-2) had recurrent seizures that
    baffled several neurologists. Her convulsions stopped after
    avaoiding aspartame products. An attack was then reproduced
    within three hours following rechallenge with one small serving
    of an aspartame pudding.

    [This paragraph epitomizes the 1200 case reports that are the
    foundation of this text.]"

    This is the link to that doc: http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dailys/02/aug02/080602/98f-0052-sup0005-vol5.txt

    So no, then.

    Hint: An email from an anti-aspartame blogger isn't really what I would call a "source".

    Clearly you don't need a source. Otherwise, you would have found it out yourself.

    "Seek, and ye shall find"

    I cannot help you with the answers that you need.
    "I can't be bothered to show sources for my claims" is not a good stance in an argument.
  • Pirate_chick
    Pirate_chick Posts: 1,216 Member
    I find it's aftertaste disgusting. Not something I want to get used too.
  • LauraRose03
    LauraRose03 Posts: 140
    Aspartame has never scared me. I will never stop drinking Diet Pepsi. Never!

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17828671

    http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/athome/aspartame

    Same here!!!^^^ :D
  • thingest
    thingest Posts: 19 Member
    I get headaches from all artificial sweeteners, so obviously my body has a problem with it.

    IMO, it's better to have an early adverse reaction to artificial sweeteners than later in your life.
    In the first case, you quickly take action and stop consuming them, so that any side effects is reversed and there is no consequences. In the second case (my case), when your body tolerate the sweetener, you end up consuming them for long periods and having permanent side effects with more serious consequences.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    "I can't be bothered to show sources for my claims" is not a good stance in an argument.

    Indeed.

    However, very popular...

    ...especially when someone realizes that all of the "support" for their argument is in opinion pieces.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    I get headaches from all artificial sweeteners, so obviously my body has a problem with it.

    No offense but do you find it odd that you get the same symptom from "all artificial sweetners" given how different sweeteners have very different chemical structure? Saying you get headaches from all sweeteners suggests to me that the cause is actually something else.

    If someone said to me "I get headaces from all pills" I would not blame the active ingredient of each individual pill id look for something in common between them such as the ingredients in the gel cap casing.

    Artificial sweeteners currently on the market are too chemically distinct from one another to be likely that all of them would cause the same symptom in an individual.
  • thingest
    thingest Posts: 19 Member
    I get headaches from all artificial sweeteners, so obviously my body has a problem with it.

    No offense but do you find it odd that you get the same symptom from "all artificial sweetners" given how different sweeteners have very different chemical structure? Saying you get headaches from all sweeteners suggests to me that the cause is actually something else.

    If someone said to me "I get headaces from all pills" I would not blame the active ingredient of each individual pill id look for something in common between them such as the ingredients in the gel cap casing.

    Artificial sweeteners currently on the market are too chemically distinct from one another to be likely that all of them would cause the same symptom in an individual.

    Regardless, they are all trying to do the same thing. Tricking your mind into thinking it's getting actual caloric sugars!
  • terramurray
    terramurray Posts: 3 Member
    totally LOVED THE ORIGINAL POST HERE. Wanted to add that aspartame is one of the most heavily researched food products in history....and there is NO LINK between aspartame and cancer and other "health" problems. Some people do seem to be sensitive to it (headaches) and just as some people are sensitive to caffeine and other food products. So avoid if that is you or you don't like thae taste.

    But I think problem the OP is discussing is that there are lots of claims about artificial sweeteners that re NOT based on evidence.... it is scare tactics based on no evidence or really lousy evidence.

    And Dr Oz's claim that it tricks your mind into wanting to eat more is NOT based on substantive evidence either. Just an FYI for all those wondering about that one.
  • thingest
    thingest Posts: 19 Member
    totally LOVED THE ORIGINAL POST HERE. Wanted to add that aspartame is one of the most heavily researched food products in history....and there is NO LINK between aspartame and cancer and other "health" problems. Some people do seem to be sensitive to it (headaches) and just as some people are sensitive to caffeine and other food products. So avoid if that is you or you don't like thae taste.

    But I think problem the OP is discussing is that there are lots of claims about artificial sweeteners that re NOT based on evidence.... it is scare tactics based on no evidence or really lousy evidence.

    And Dr Oz's claim that it tricks your mind into wanting to eat more is NOT based on substantive evidence either. Just an FYI for all those wondering about that one.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/23/brain-artificial-sweeteners-calories_n_3976115.html

    There is an study for everything now and the world is full of evidences. It's your perception of the evidence what make the difference!
  • MichelleLaree13
    MichelleLaree13 Posts: 865 Member
    Just curious and maybe you can explain...
    Why doesn't the process produce ATP (energy). If these compounds are similar to the breakdown of protein, do they enter the citric acid cycle and go through the electon transport chain? Are not calories just the amount of ATP that results? But aspartame is calorie (energy) free. Why?
  • Heath_Wharton
    Heath_Wharton Posts: 1 Member
    I love all the science but can only speak from experience. Aspartame in just about anything for me equates to muscle twitches, light headaches, and ocular migraines. I experience these side effects for the next 24 hours, almost without fail...even after eating something as simple as chewing gum. While I appreciate all of the scientific evidence and chemistry provided here, its not a compelling argument. There are things going on chemically that are simply not being explained. I think all of the scientists would do better to tackle those issues of common and frequent side effects, voiced by many, many people than in trying to tell us all that the stuff is harmless. Two cents...based on my experience as an aviator who was grounded for six months after experiencing an ocular migraine attributed to a response to artificial sweetener.
  • darkguardian419
    darkguardian419 Posts: 1,302 Member
    I think you're no longer arguing the validity of the science and research, but are now up agains the cognative dissonance of individuals.
  • robertbowden
    robertbowden Posts: 2 Member
    Interesting analysis, I think part of the problem with aspartame was the underhanded political path that the government approval process took with Donald Rumsfeld, GD Searle and the politics of big business and government working together. If the product was that good, why did they have to literally force it through a rigged approval process? It makes the whole product suspect.
  • terramurray
    terramurray Posts: 3 Member
    True
    - which is why I stated "substantive" evidence. A single study, performed on mice, who were starved, is hardly convincing to me.

    Your point is spot on, there is a study for everything - which is why one should, generally speaking, not change a thing based on the results of one study or even a handful of studies. The "proof" is not in every single study. the "proof" ( I hate to use that word) is in a substantive body of evidence, or consensus.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/23/brain-artificial-sweeteners-calories_n_3976115.html

    There is an study for everything now and the world is full of evidences. It's your perception of the evidence what make the difference!
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Just curious and maybe you can explain...
    Why doesn't the process produce ATP (energy). If these compounds are similar to the breakdown of protein, do they enter the citric acid cycle and go through the electon transport chain? Are not calories just the amount of ATP that results? But aspartame is calorie (energy) free. Why?

    It technically is not calorie free. IIRC it is still roughly 4 calories per gram of aspartame, but because such a small amount produces sweet flavor, the caloric contribution is negligible.
  • Tla0126
    Tla0126 Posts: 207 Member
    EAT ALL THE EQUAL!
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    Just curious and maybe you can explain...
    Why doesn't the process produce ATP (energy). If these compounds are similar to the breakdown of protein, do they enter the citric acid cycle and go through the electon transport chain? Are not calories just the amount of ATP that results? But aspartame is calorie (energy) free. Why?

    It would go through that process, it would produce ATP and it would have a caloric yield as a result. Thing is in a can of soda is 180mg of aspartame. If we considered aspartame to be protein, which it pretty much is, and protein has 4 calories per gram that means its caloric yield in an entire can of soda is 0.18 * 4 or 0.7 calories. 0.7 calories is below the threshold for reporting caloric value set by the FDA so they just call it zero.

    The reason aspartame is "diet" is not because it has no caloric value, it actually has the same caloric value as sugar by weight...it is that it is 700 times more "sweet" than sugar so you need substantially less of it. Weight by weight aspartame and sugar have the same caloric value.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    Just curious and maybe you can explain...
    Why doesn't the process produce ATP (energy). If these compounds are similar to the breakdown of protein, do they enter the citric acid cycle and go through the electon transport chain? Are not calories just the amount of ATP that results? But aspartame is calorie (energy) free. Why?

    It technically is not calorie free. IIRC it is still roughly 4 calories per gram of aspartame, but because such a small amount produces sweet flavor, the caloric contribution is negligible.

    Yeah this.
  • April_KT
    April_KT Posts: 332 Member
    Yeah, Mr. White, science!

    This is a great post, thanks!


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[/img]
  • thingest
    thingest Posts: 19 Member
    True
    - which is why I stated "substantive" evidence. A single study, performed on mice, who were starved, is hardly convincing to me.

    Your point is spot on, there is a study for everything - which is why one should, generally speaking, not change a thing based on the results of one study or even a handful of studies. The "proof" is not in every single study. the "proof" ( I hate to use that word) is in a substantive body of evidence, or consensus.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/23/brain-artificial-sweeteners-calories_n_3976115.html

    There is an study for everything now and the world is full of evidences. It's your perception of the evidence what make the difference!
    Even with the proliferation of studies everywhere and for everything. I still think that what is important is the quality and the intention of the study or their supporters, not the quantity.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member

    Even with the proliferation of studies everywhere and for everything. I still think that what is important is the quality and the intention of the study or their supporters, not the quantity.

    It is not an either/or. Both the quality of a study and the quantity of research available on a given topic are things to consider when evaluating evidence for or against something.
  • MichelleLaree13
    MichelleLaree13 Posts: 865 Member
    That makes sense. I feel a little more educated today. Thank you!
    Just curious and maybe you can explain...
    Why doesn't the process produce ATP (energy). If these compounds are similar to the breakdown of protein, do they enter the citric acid cycle and go through the electon transport chain? Are not calories just the amount of ATP that results? But aspartame is calorie (energy) free. Why?

    It would go through that process, it would produce ATP and it would have a caloric yield as a result. Thing is in a can of soda is 180mg of aspartame. If we considered aspartame to be protein, which it pretty much is, and protein has 4 calories per gram that means its caloric yield in an entire can of soda is 0.18 * 4 or 0.7 calories. 0.7 calories is below the threshold for reporting caloric value set by the FDA so they just call it zero.

    The reason aspartame is "diet" is not because it has no caloric value, it actually has the same caloric value as sugar by weight...it is that it is 700 times more "sweet" than sugar so you need substantially less of it. Weight by weight aspartame and sugar have the same caloric value.
  • thingest
    thingest Posts: 19 Member

    Even with the proliferation of studies everywhere and for everything. I still think that what is important is the quality and the intention of the study or their supporters, not the quantity.

    It is not an either/or. Both the quality of a study and the quantity of research available on a given topic are things to consider when evaluating evidence for or against something.

    By quantity I meant the number of studies.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member

    Even with the proliferation of studies everywhere and for everything. I still think that what is important is the quality and the intention of the study or their supporters, not the quantity.

    It is not an either/or. Both the quality of a study and the quantity of research available on a given topic are things to consider when evaluating evidence for or against something.


    By quantity I meant the number of studies.

    Yes, and if you have 1 study with a few design limitations you can't necessarily conclude anything from it. And if you have 100 of these studies that all have a mix of various design limitations but the majority of them point in one direction then this becomes potentially meaningful.

    Which is why in some cases number of studies can be important.

    I wouldn't claim that quantity does not matter.
  • davesands
    davesands Posts: 2
    As a science teacher, I appreciate what you are saying. However, I discovered, quite accidentally without knowing it was a thing, that aspartame gives me headaches.

    I was getting headaches. It wasn't for a while that I realized I got them after drinking Crystal Light or Coke Zero. After I stopped consuming those beverages, I stopped getting headaches. Could be a coincidence, I agree. However, maybe a few months later, I was getting headaches again. Remembering the Coke Zero, I looked at anything new I had been eating. Turns out some low sugar granola bars had aspartame in them. Stopped eating, headaches went away. This happened once more with aspartame containing yogurt. I finally got the message and now I usually check. Once in a while I'll get a headache and sure enough, something has slipped by, some product I wasn't expecting aspartame to be in so I didn't check. The last offender was a Ricola cough drop.

    I don't believe the hype about it. But I have had it happen too many times to ignore the fact that it gives me headaches.
  • davesands
    davesands Posts: 2
    Could aspartame cause headaches for some people? I don't see how really but that is just to say I don't see how (in the literal sense). That doesn't mean it doesn't, I just don't see what the mechanism would be and I haven't heard anyone or any study propose or substantiate a mechanism.

    In these cases I'd agree with the doctor who responds toa patient that says "Doctor, it hurts when I do this" by saying "Then don't do that."

    It's actually very frustrating for me. I was happy that I found a low cal soda I could enjoy in Coke Zero. Now I'm stuck drinking water like a dog. :P
  • Atishi87
    Atishi87 Posts: 51 Member
    Great post!
  • rosehips60
    rosehips60 Posts: 1,030 Member
    I've never thought aspartame is scary, but all the chemistry and math gives me shivers!:tongue: But I appreciate the effort you put into your post, thank you
  • cmrwdk
    cmrwdk Posts: 1 Member
    Just in case anyone would like to read more about the actual evidence involved here, specifically humans, rather than rats, this is quite a nice review

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23891579

    Although note this is not a systematic review and is therefore open to bias, as all reviews are, I think given that we have cohort studies which seem to be powered, and a randomised control trial is not feasible in this area, i think we have to focus on other more important areas of research. I think the studies say with 95% confidence it does not cause cancer (statistically speaking it is very difficult to be more certain than this, and would require a ridiculous amount of money and time)

    It would be lovely to research everything until we were 100% certain of something but in a world of finite resources, you have to stop and ask yourself, If I spend x trying to answer a question I think has already been answered, what am I not researching which could potentially have a far greater impact on society.

    This returns nicely to the OPs point that, rather than focussing on problems which are unlikely to exist due to public pressure, we should focus on problems we don't know exist yet or on solutions to problems.

    However of course people should always make choices for themselves, I think the point is to not ask others to do the same unless you have evidence to support it.

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