Aspartame & Pilots

[Guest guest]

Aspartame & Pilots JoAnn Guest Apr 25, 2003 22:24 PDT

betty martini

US-

 

ASPARTAME AND PILOTS -

Position paper by Russell Blaylock,

M.D., neurosurgeon (permission to publish

and add to web)

Cc: jane.g-

 

In light of the deaths of three American Airline pilots who were heavy

users of aspartame (and one had a stroke), Dr. Blaylock has provided

the position paper below which is being added to the Aviation Page on

www.dorway.com

 

Mission Possible continually gets complaints from pilots

about seizures, cardiac problems, vision loss, vertigo, confusion,

disorientation, etc. triggered by the use of aspartame

(NutraSweet/Equal/Spoonful, etc.)

 

ASPARTAME AND PILOTS

 

I have reviewed some of the reports from airline and private pilots

concerning adverse effects of aspartame on various physiological

systems. It is interesting to note that several of these complaints are

related to the nervous system which puts this in a category of great

concern to the pilot as well as the general public.

 

Some of the more common complaints include, disorientation, difficulty

thinking and

concentrating, visual blurring or even monocular blindness, seizures

and heart failure.

 

It is well known that the ingredients in aspartame,

as well as its breakdown products, have deleterious effects on the

nervous system and retina.

 

For example, phenylalanine is a precursor of

the catecholamine neurotransmitters in the brain and elevated levels

inthe brain have been associated with seizures. It should also be

pointedout that these catecholamines are metabolized to form other

excitotoxinsand peroxide products that can lead to elevated free radical

formation and lipid peroxidation within the neurons.

 

Likewise, aspartic acid (an excitotoxin) acts as an excitatory

neurotransmitter and can lower the seizure threshold making a seizure

more likely.

The additive effect of aspartic acid and phenylalanine

would significantly increase the likelihood of a seizure, especially

under hypoglycemic conditions.

 

This would occur if a diet drink is substituted for meal, or if one is

on a stringent diet. It is well

known that hypoglycemia greatly magnifies the excitotoxic effects of

these ingredients.

 

The combination of hypoglycemia and aspartame would also increase the

likelihood of mental confusion and disorientation. In the pilot's

situation, this could be disastrous.

 

It must be recognized that pilots

would also be frequently exposed to other excitotoxins, such as MSG,

hydrolyzed proteins, etc, that have a synergistic effect that greatly

increases the likelihood of an adverse reaction.

 

One of the intriguing associations with excitotoxins of all types is the

occurrence of sudden death. For example, we know that one of the

primary sites of action of these excitatory substances is the

hypothalamus and that sudden cardiac death can be induced by

stimulatingthe hypothalamus.

 

It is entirely possible that excitotoxic stimulation of these

hypothalamic centers could also lead to cardiac arrhythmia and sudden

death.

 

Hypothalamic stimulation has also been shown to produce an ECG pattern

exactly like that of a myocardial infarction.

 

Combinations of excitotoxins, such as aspartic acid and glutamate,

greatly increased the risk.

 

Finally, a recent scientific study demonstrated that aspartame exposure

significantly increases the level of formaldehyde in all tissue,

including brain and retina and that this breakdown product of

aspartame,is very toxic to proteins and DNA, leading to permanent injury

to these vital cellular components.

 

Even more important, was the finding that

this highly toxic substance accumulates in these tissues with chronic

exposure to aspartame.

 

This could lead to significant injury to the

brain, retina and other organs long after the exposure. Also, the

effects appear to be dose related. That is, the more aspartame you

consume, the greater the danger.

 

It should be appreciated that formaldehyde is a powerful carcinogenic

agent.

 

In my book on excitotoxins, (Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills), I

explain in detail how excitotoxins damage the nervous system, leading

to severe disorders, and what can be done to reduce your risk.

 

It is my opinion that aspartame is a dangerous neurotoxin, as well as a

significant carcinogen for many organs, and that it should be avoided at

all cost.

 

Russell L. Blaylock, M.D.

 

Mission Possible Aviation

http://www.dorway.com/possible.html

Betty Martini

9270 9270 River Club Parkway

Duluth, Ga. 30097

770 242-2599 Voice

 

 

 

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