OT/ FMS and neurotoxins, excitotoxins

[Guest guest]

Hiya all

I only post this here because a number of us deal with this gawdawfyl

syndrome.

mjh

 

 

 

 

> New evidence has shown that fibromyalgia is caused by excitotoxins,

> such as MSG

> and phenylalanine (an ingredient in aspartame).

>

> The study " Smith JD, Terpening CM, Schmidt SO, Gums JG. Relief of

> fibromyalgia

> symptoms following discontinuation of dietary excitotoxins. Ann

> Pharmacother

> 2001 Jun;35(6):702-6. " indicated that " Avoidance of excitotoxins like

> MSG and

> aspartame have been found to eliminate symptoms in some with

> fibromyalgia. "

> http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/id/3305

>

> " Most patients do better if they give up caffeine, alcohol and other

> stimulants

> or excitotoxins like monosodium glutamate, aspartame and hydrolyzed

> protein

> entirely. " says By Dr. Zoltan P. Rona, M.D., MSc in

> http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/id/3364

>

> http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/3202/

> describes a

> double study from a peer reviewed publication, entitled Relief of

> Fibromyalgia

> Symptoms Following Discontinuation of Dietary Excitotoxins - 11-28-

> 2001

> Published in Ann Pharmacother 2001 Jun;35(6):702-6. Smith JD,

> Terpening CM,

> Schmidt SO, Gums JG. Malcolm Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center,

> Gainesville, FL, USA. PMID: 11408989.

>

> This reports states that all of the test subjects " had complete, or

> nearly

> complete, resolution of their symptoms within months after eliminating

> monosodium glutamate (MSG) or MSG plus aspartame from their diet. All

> patients

> were women with multiple comorbidities prior to elimination of MSG.

> All have

> had recurrence of symptoms whenever MSG is ingested. "

>

> The report describes how " Excitotoxins are molecules, such as MSG and

> aspartate, that act as excitatory neurotransmitters, and can lead to

> neurotoxicity when used in excess. "

>

> http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/1561/

> describes the

> case of a woman who recovered form fibromyalgia, and it states " She

> won't eat

> or drink anything with aspartame in it, such is diet sodas, because

> the

> artificial sweetener aggravates most FMS symptoms. "

>

> None of these articles describe the mechanism of aspartame's effect on

> fybromyalgia, but I will now show the links to that:

>

> Serotonin in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & Fibromyalgia is the title of

> an article

> found at http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/id/3420

> which

> indicates that " serotonin metabolism appears to play a role in both

> chronic

> fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia " .

>

> It goes on to say that " Tryptophan is the dietary precursor to

> serotonin and,

> for fibromyalgia, there is some evidence that tryptophan levels are

> depressed.

> For example, in a study of fibromyalgia patients suffering from

> severe pain,

> plasma free tryptophan levels were inversely related to the severity

> of their

> pain. [1] Moreover, when fibromyalgia patients were compared to

> normals, plasma

> tryptophan levels tended to be lower in the patient group, and their

> transport

> ratio of tryptophan to the other competing amino acids was

> significantly

> decreased, suggesting that brain serotonin levels may also be

> depressed. [2] "

>

> (the references were to

> (1.) Moldofsky H, warsh JJ. Plasma tryptophan and musculoskeletal

> pain in

> non-articular rheumatism ('fibrositis syndrome'). Pain 5(1):65-71,

> 1978

>

> (2.) Yunus MB et al. Plasma tryptophan and other amino acids in

> primary

> fibromyalgia: a controlled study. J Rheumatol 19(1):90-4, 1992 )

>

> I will now indicate other material that speaks to this:

>

> Dr. JAMES D. BOWEN, M.D. indicates that consumption of aspartame

> will " cause a

> reversal of the phenylalnine/tyrosine ratios in the human brain. This

> has

> profoundly bad implications for the human being, including dopamine

> and

> serotonin synthesis inhibition, causing depression, appetite changes,

> mental

> inabilities, increased susceptibility to seizures and a host of

> neurohormonal

> problems " , in http://nancymarkle.com/drbowen.txt

>

> As we can see from the previous article, it is precisely this

> inhibition of the

> production of serotonin that is the problem; and the culprit, in the

> case of

> aspartame, is phenylalanine.

>

> In the report " Possible Neurologic Effects of Aspartame, a Widely

> Used Food

> Additive " , by Timothy J. Maher (Department of Pharmacology,

> Massachusetts

> College of Pharmacy, 179 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115) and

> Richard J.

> Wurtman (Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts

> Institute of

> Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139), we read that " phenylalanine can

> also diminish

> the production of brain catecholamines and serotonin by competing

> with their

> precursor amino acids for transport across the blood-brain barrier. "

>

> So, if we combine this new information concerning the link between the

> diminished levels of the chemicals needed by the brain for the

> production of

> serotonin with the older studies showing that aspartame causes this

> problem,

> the link, as far as I am concerned, is crystal clear.

>

> ***************

>

> ASPARTAME (NUTRASWEET®) ADDICTION

> H. J. Roberts, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.C.C.P.

> ____________________

> Staff, St. Mary's Hospital and Good Samaritan Hospital, West Palm

> Beach;

> Director, Palm Beach Institute for Medical Research

> Address: 6708 Pamela Lane, West Palm Beach, FL 33405

>

> SUMMARY

>

> The habitual consumption of " diet " products containing the chemical

> aspartame not only risks aspartame disease but also clinical

> addiction.

> Thirty-three (5.6 percent) of 540 aspartame reactors in the author's

> recent series found it difficult or impossible to discontinue them

> because of severe withdrawal effects. They or their reporting

> relatives

> (especially parents of afflicted children) specifically used the terms

> " addict " and " addiction. " Others who used comparable terms were

> excluded even though they experienced similar withdrawal symptoms. The

> FDA and members of Congress have been repeatedly urged by me and

> thousands of outraged aspartame reactors to declare aspartame products

> an " imminent public health hazard, " and remove them from the market.

> The

> mounting evidence for their causation or aggravation of headache,

> seizures, depression, many neurologic disorders (most notably multiple

> sclerosis), visual difficulty, allergies, diabetic complications, and

> a

> host of other conditions - coupled with the potential for addiction -

> can be ignored no longer.

>

> " The beginning of wisdom is to call things by the right names. "

> Chinese Proverb

>

> " I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp

> of experience. " Patrick Henry (Speech to the Virginia Convention,

> 1775)

>

> Over half the adult population currently consumes products containing

> aspartame (NutraSweet®, Equal®). A multibillion-dollar industry

> aggressively promotes thousands of items containing this chemical

> sweetener that consumers use in prodigious amounts to avoid sugar or

> lose weight... even though the latter intent often proves a delusion.

>

> I have described many serious side effects and medical/public health

> hazards attributable to aspartame products(1-4). The neurologic,

> psychologic, eye, endocrine, metabolic and pediatric ravages in my

> data

> base of over 1,200 aspartame reactors, comprised of both patients and

> correspondents, are impressive. Additionally, it is my increasing

> conviction that aspartame products can cause, aggravate or accelerate

> migraine (5), seizures (6), multiple sclerosis (3), diabetes and its

> complications (7), Alzheimer's disease (8,9), and even brain tumors

> (10). The clinical and scientific basis for these assertions have been

> detailed previously.

>

> Unfortunately, another tragic problem has been neglected: addiction to

> aspartame products. Persons consuming large amounts not only may

> suffer

> aspartame disease, but also have difficulty stopping them because of

> violent and prolonged withdrawal reactions... the hallmark of

> addiction.

> Recovered alcoholic patients repeatedly stated that they felt worse

> after avoiding aspartame than alcohol, and asserted that they had

> traded

> one addiction for another. My experience, coupled with more than

> 10,000

> consumers who volunteered their complaints to the Food and Drug

> Administration (FDA) and manufacturers, reflects the magnitude of this

> widespread unrecognized affliction.

>

> In view of the controversial nature and implications of this subject,

> clarification of my status at the outset is relevant. I practised many

> years as a primary care internist and medical consultant prior to

> encountering aspartame disease. I continue to remain corporate neutral

> - that is, no grants, monies or other inducements were received from

> industry, government or other institutions.

>

> DATA

>

> This report focuses on 33 persons (5.6 percent) among the most recent

> 540 aspartame reactors in my series. The terms " addict " or " addiction "

> were specifically used either by patients or reporting relatives and

> friends - notwithstanding the absence of these words in my 9-page

> Aspartame Reaction Questionnaire Survey (3). Persons using other terms

> implying addiction (e.g., " severe craving " ) were excluded

> notwithstanding the suffering of withdrawal symptoms.

>

> Subjects

>

> There were 22 females and 11 males. Most were between 25 and 50 at the

> time of consultation or correspondence. Four children - ages 2-1/2, 3,

> 6, and 9-1/2 - were included (see Discussion).

>

> The amounts of aspartame products consumed daily ranged up to six

> liters

> or 12 cans of sodas, 20 or more tabletop packets, and considerable

> gum.

> A number of persons gave the history of ingesting considerable iced

> tea

> mixes containing aspartame, especially in hot weather, prior to the

> onset of clinical aspartame disease.

>

> The manifestations of aspartame disease and the pathos of such

> addiction

> appear in the case summaries. The withdrawal symptoms (e.g., severe

> irritability, tension, depression, tremors, nausea, sweating) usually

> abated promptly on resuming aspartame, along with an intense craving

> for these products. One woman noted: " This was as bad as when I quit

> smoking 13 years ago. " Examples of other pertinent clinical aspects

> are

> briefly cited.

>

> . As with other addictions, denial and distortion were encountered.

> The mother of two young children stated: " I didn't want to believe

> aspartame was the cause of my problems. Even though anything with it

> made me crave carbohydrates, I dismissed this as my imagination. "

>

> . Several patients experienced severe withdrawal symptoms when they

> traveled abroad and were unable to purchase aspartame sodas. On the

> possibility these features represented caffeine withdrawal, they tried

> drinking more caffeine... but to no avail.

>

> . Some developed severe reactions when they also drank alcohol. One

> stated: " My memory would just go completely. "

>

> REPRESENTATIVE HISTORIES

>

> A. The anguished friend of an aspartame addict stated: " She could

> hardly walk. She could hardly see. She was already going to a

> neurologist because they thought she had multiple sclerosis. But she

> told me not to talk about it even though her physician already told

> her

> that aspartame was the problem, especially after he started

> researching

> its role in brain tumors - because two persons in her family died from

> brain tumors! When told aspartame would kill her, she said: 'I'm

> addicted to it and can't live without it. If they try to take it off

> the market, I'll get it on the black market!' "

>

> B. The wife of an addicted aspartame reactor wrote: " I've told my

> husband over and over again, as have several physicians, that his

> problems would probably go away if he got off aspartame. But he says

> he

> is addicted and can't. " Provoked by her continued purchase of

> aspartame

> sodas, the daughter-in-law asked whether she would hand him a gun if

> he

> said he wanted to commit suicide. She responded: " Please don't say

> anything else. It's hard enough to watch him lose his memory, fall,

> and

> hardly be able to walk. I just want to make him happy. "

>

> C. A mother stated: " My children are no longer allowed to drink diet

> sodas or anything else with aspartame in it. Unfortunately, I am

> addicted to it. I will try and wean myself-but boy, oh boy, it's not

> going to be easy! "

>

> D. A previous alcoholic patient expressed concern that he had traded

> alcoholism for aspartame addiction. He observed in a letter: " There

> are MANY just like me. You will rarely see a recovered alcoholic

> without a drink in hand, day or night, whether it be coffee or soda...

> usually DIET. We can hardly keep sweeteners on hand at our meetings.

> MANY of us suffer from tremendous mood bouts. If aspartame has

> contributed to the difficulties I have had with depression and mood

> swings, I WANT TO KNOW! "

>

> E. The wife of a man consuming up to six liters of diet cola daily

> concluded: " He is truly addicted and unable to help himself... When

> not

> drinking it, he is like a new person, or at least the person I once

> knew. But when he then drinks it after abstaining for a week (as a

> result of incredible determination), I see depression, verbal

> aggression, a sense of hopelessness, inability to sleep, poor

> concentration, trouble with eyesight, chest problems, and weight

> gain. "

>

> F. A female correspondent with aspartame-related panic attacks and

> palpitations wrote: " I heard about this problem and will be taking the

> abstinence test. It will be hard because I am addicted to diet cola.

> Something has to be done! It seems to me that capitalism is getting in

> the way of our lives. "

>

> G. A woman with an " addiction to diet cola " refused to admit the

> " ridiculous amounts I have been using, even to my husband. I have the

> symptom of always being thirsty from aspartame. What do I do? "

>

> H. A woman with aspartame disease was misdiagnosed as having multiple

> sclerosis. She stated: " I am convinced that aspartame was at the root

> of my problem. It is hard to convey just how much of this stuff I was

> using. I used at least one large box of aspartame a week... for

> myself!

> After my husband heard on a radio broadcast that it was bad, he told

> me

> not to use it, and refused to buy it for me any longer. I then

> literally bought it weekly, hid it in the kitchen, and used it when he

> was out of the room. And people still don't believe it is

> addictive??? "

>

> I. An addicted young man with longstanding symptoms he ascribed to

> aspartame sodas wrote: " I drank a lot of pop with aspartame when I was

> a kid in the 1980s, and felt bad. After reading a page on the net

> about

> insomnia, being lightheaded, having ringing in the ears, and feeling

> unreal 'like I was on something,' I stopped. But it's hard to make

> yourself stop. It took about two months before I felt better. I think

> most people who drink diet pop get addicted to it... like me. At first

> you don't seem to like the taste; then you crave it. "

>

> J. A 28-year-old woman previously drank as much as two liters of an

> aspartame cola daily. She stated: " I was 'addicted' to it, and

> suffered terrible muscle spasms, vertigo, dizziness, nausea,

> depression,

> slurred speech, etc. I stumbled across an article about the dangers of

> aspartame, and was absolutely horrified. Within seven days after

> stopping, most of these symptoms disappeared. I have had no

> recurrences

> to date. "

>

> K. A hospital pharmacist with considerable knowledge about addictive

> substances and drug abuse wrote: " I have been a chronic user of diet

> drinks for years, and always joked that I was 'addicted' to aspartame.

> Recently, I decided to stop them, but I can't do it no matter how

> hard I

> try. When I'm not drinking these drinks, the people I work with and my

> family have all commented that I act as if I'm going through heroin

> withdrawal. I also experience many problems while drinking them, the

> most profound of which is joint pain " (see 11).

>

> L. The mother of an aspartame addict gave a poignant followup of her

> daughter's case, which I described previously (1, p. 98), when her

> addiction recurred. She had been incapacitated with aspartame disease

> as a 23-year-old student. In her own words, " My epileptic-type

> seizures, and drastic personality and intellectual changes were so

> severe as to end my marriage, nearly ruin my academic standing, and

> caused me to lose my job. " After stopping her excessive consumption of

> aspartame sodas, she evidenced clinical normalization, and then

> bought a

> beautiful home. The mother described her subsequent relapse.

>

> " About eight months ago, unknown to me, she began drinking

> considerable diet soda. I learned a few days ago that she started

> drinking alcohol, plans to leave her fiance, and bought a motorcycle

> - exactly as she had done 12 years previously when drinking diet

> soda. Her aspartame addiction makes her totally irrational. She

> crusaded against aspartame for 12 years, and is now drinking it.

> I don't know where to go for help, especially because most

> doctors I know think aspartame is just wonderful! "

>

> M. A woman wrote: " I am probably one of the many 'aspartame addicts'

> you have come in contact with. I have had a terrible diet cola habit

> of

> drinking at least a 12-pack/day for many years. I would love to change

> because I believe my particular ailments could be related to

> aspartame.

> Where do I go from here? Please help!! "

>

> N. The brother of a " recovered aspartame addict " related the details

> of

> his sibling's case to a neighbor who was beginning to drink excessive

> amounts of diet sodas. He stated: " I am hoping that he doesn't face

> severe withdrawal the way my brother did. After 5 or 6 bad bouts of

> withdrawal, he was finally able to kick the habit. "

>

> O. An aspartame reactor invited her neighbors to a block party aimed

> at

> urging them to avoid aspartame which would not be on the premises. A

> " very addicted " woman with severe dermatitis and fatigue had tried to

> do

> so previously at the urging of her daughter, but resumed diet cola in

> two weeks. She went to the block party with a can hidden under her

> jacket... but was promptly spotted. She confessed: " I'm sorry, I just

> can't break the addiction. I can't get off of it! "

>

> P. A 36-year-old computer programmer experienced many symptoms

> attributable to aspartame disease after he began using " a line of

> products containing aspartame. " He would ingest as much as three or

> four quarts of an instant iced tea in several flavors on weekend

> afternoons during the summer. Nearly one month of abstinence was

> required before his symptoms abated.

>

> Q. A 47-year-old female sought consultation by the author for

> increasingly severe problems over the previous 1-1/2 years, during

> which

> time she consumed large amounts of aspartame. She began the day by

> drinking three cups of coffee to each of which an aspartame tabletop

> sweetener was added. She then ingested 10-12 glasses or cups of

> aspartame-sweetened beverages, and ate considerable amounts of

> aspartame

> puddings.

>

> This patient gave a history of alcoholism and excessive amphetamine

> use

> decades earlier. (Amphetamines had been taken for extreme fatigue and

> weight reduction.) She joined Alcoholics Anonymous 20 years

> previously.

> She was now happily married, and had taken only a single social drink

> in

> five years.

>

> Her main concern was increasing confusion and memory loss over the

> past

> year -- especially because she prided herself on a " photographic

> memory. " During this time, she also suffered severe headaches ( " never

> a

> problem before " ), hearing difficulty ( " as if my ears were covered " ),

> " lightheadedness with staggering, " vertigo on lying down ( " the room

> was

> actually spinning " ), attacks of severe nervousness and agitation,

> intense hunger, a craving for sugar and sweets, intense muscle cramps,

> pains in the legs and thighs, aching and stiffness of various joints,

> marked intolerance to cold, and elevation of her blood pressure (noted

> for the first time). Dryness of the eyes became so bothersome that she

> required one bottle of artificial tears a week.

>

> Another distressing symptom was severe depression. The patient

> considered committing suicide on several occasions. She had the good

> fortune of belonging to a circle of caring friends who thwarted such

> an

> action.

>

> The family history was also pertinent. Both parents had been

> alcoholics. Her mother was " a potential diabetic, " and her nephew a

> juvenile diabetic.

>

> After learning of the possible cause or aggravation of similar

> problems

> in other persons from aspartame, she promptly stopped all such

> products.

> She emphasized, however, that the ensuing " withdrawal symptoms " were

> far

> worse than those experienced after discontinuing alcohol or

> amphetamines. On a regimen of an appropriate diet, supportive measures

> and continued aspartame avoidance, her symptoms improved. She no

> longer

> needed the artificial tears. An entire subsequent visit was devoted to

> discussing her lifelong " fear of fat " that had initiated the use of

> aspartame products.

>

> DISCUSSION

>

> Addiction to aspartame products is as real as abuse of tobacco,

> alcohol

> and drugs. The foregoing experience of a single alerted physician

> attests to this clinical phenomenon. In effect, the United States has

> been the innocent victim of regulatory shortcomings related to the

> initial and continued approval of aspartame products.

>

> To my knowledge, this is the first report that addresses aspartame

> addiction. I have challenged colleagues to cite comparable instances

> of gross denial in contemporary medicine concerning widely used drugs

> or

> chemicals classified " Generally Recognized As Safe " (GRAS). (Aspartame

> was developed initially as a drug to treat peptic ulcer.) Moreover, I

> have repeatedly asserted that aspartame should not have been approved

> for human use in view of the high incidence of brain and other tumors

> found in animal studies, and the absence of long-term trials in humans

> using " real world " products exposed to prolonged storage and heat.

>

> The plight of aspartame addicts has been compounded by (a)

> footdragging

> of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) despite its own data base

> (12,

> 13), (b) the brainwashing of health professionals (especially doctors

> and dieticians) from constant reiteration by pro-industry advocates

> that

> aspartame disease does not exist, and © the refusal of some

> addictionologists even to consider this issue. The thousands of

> complaints volunteered to the FDA, along with my independent data on

> over 1,200 aspartame reactors, indicate the gravity of such

> disinformation.

>

> Exclusion of Related Terminology

>

> This report clearly underestimates the prevalence of aspartame

> addiction. I purposely excluded aspartame reactors who continued to

> consume large amounts despite debilitating symptoms because they used

> expressions other than " addict " and " addiction. " Some examples:

>

> . Many aspartame reactors described their " unnatural craving " for

> aspartame products. It was not limited to diet sodas - e.g., a woman

> with a severe " craving " for aspartame chewing gum, especially after

> meals. In fact, the habitual chewing of such gum poses a unique great

> threat (see below).

>

> . " Recovered alcoholics, " and former smokers and substance abusers

> tended to use considerable amounts of aspartame products. One chain

> smoker averred that he became a " chain drinker " of diet sodas in this

> switch of addictions.

>

> . An aspartame reactor referred to herself as " a 10-year-plus

> aspartame

> junkie. " Another stated she had been " a diet colaholic for 12 years. "

>

> . Three women indicated that each was " hooked " on diet sodas for over

> a

> decade.

>

> This correspondence from a 29-year-old woman with severe aspartame

> disease, who was referred by her physician to confirm the diagnosis,

> bridges the terminology of " addiction " and " craving. "

>

> " As I do not use any sugar, I have used aspartame and saccharin.

> The disturbing phenomenon is that I now have intense and

> abnormal cravings for aspartame, and find myself using more and

> more of it... like an addictive cycle. Without it, food seems flat.

> I have tried eliminating it altogether, and find that this actually

> intensifies the cravings even a week later! I would like to know

> if you have ever heard of anything like this before, or have advice

> as to dealing with it. Besides the aspartame cravings, I have also

> continued to have inexplicable bouts of itchy skin, hives, and quite

> a bit of swelling in the face and legs. The legs are often numb, and

> I am extremely fatigued most of the time. "

>

> The enormous consumption of aspartame products by these individuals

> also could be considered as part of their addiction.

>

> . A 54-year-old woman was phoned by her daughter who had just learned

> about aspartame disease. " When I called her with the information, she

> had already taken 15 aspartame packets. Mother told me this was usual

> for her since the product came on the market. "

>

> . One " huge consumer of aspartame " conjectured that such sodas are

> ideal for addiction because " they first quench thirst, and then cause

> thirst. " His side effects of dry mouth and dry eyes are experienced by

> many aspartame reactors (2-4, 14), even in the absence of marked

> sweating or hot weather.

>

> The Female Preponderance

>

> Female aspartame reactors consistently outnumbered men in prior

> analyses of both my data (2,3) and that of the FDA (12, 13). Some of

> the metabolic and endocrine factors that may contribute to this gender

> vulnerability have been discussed (2,3,8).

>

> More women are trying to avoid aspartame during pregnancy on the

> advice

> of peers, chiefly out of concern for fetal harm (1-3). Obstetricians

> increasingly concur, albeit partly to avoid medicolegal situations

> predicated on the absence of informed consent. Unfortunately, some

> pregnant women in this series resumed aspartame products,

> notwithstanding their great misgivings, after experiencing severe

> withdrawal symptoms during attempted abstinence.

>

> A 27-year-old woman with an " addiction " to aspartame products,

> especially a popular lemonade, suffered headache, irritability and

> dizziness. Attempting to become pregnant, she stated: " It will be the

> hardest to let go. "

>

> Children

>

> The apparent addiction of four children was disconcerting. Their case

> histories warrant summary.

>

> . A 9-1/2-year old boy exhibited " extreme hyperactivity. " Every time

> he opened the refrigerator and found only regular cola sodas, he would

> exclaim: " I can't believe they didn't get even one diet cola! "

>

> . A 2-1/2-year-old girl had been weaned off baby fruit juices and

> begun

> on aspartame drinks to prevent sugar-induced dental problems. She

> developed an extensive rash that subsided after stopping aspartame.

> Her

> mother wrote: " For the first five days, she was like someone in

> withdrawal - aggressive and craving the substance. "

>

> . A 6-year-old girl was diagnosed by a pediatric neurologist as having

> attention deficit disorder and a " mild encephalopathy of unknown

> origin. " Her mother drank an aspartame beverage during the pregnancy

> because of marked morning sickness and a severe yeast infection. She

> wrote: " Little did I realize what I was doing to myself, let alone my

> fetus who also developed the yeast infection. By the time she was

> three

> years old, we were both using sugar-free products - including yogurt,

> popsicles, gum, soda pop, candy, ice cream, pies, puddings and hot

> chocolate. (She also sneaked them in.) I developed a brain tumor

> (oligodendroglioma), and underwent surgery and radiation. Fortunately,

> my mom came across two articles on aspartame a year ago, after which

> we

> quit these products. "

>

> . A 3-year-old girl repeatedly developed a rash and behavior problems

> after taking aspartame products. Her mother stated: " For at least five

> days after stopping them, she craved the former drink, and was

> extremely

> hyperactive and aggressive. "

>

> Comments on Addiction

>

> The continued heavy consumption of aspartame in these reactors

> qualifies as " substance abuse " relative to causing, aggravating or

> prolonging their physical, mental and behavioral disorders.

> As with other forms of chemical dependency, aspartame abusers are

> likely

> to deny or distort symptoms. The assertion that the addiction solely

> represents caffeinism is erroneous.

>

> Health professionals and other groups recognize the numerous

> psychologic, sociologic, economic, medical and environmental

> complexities of substance abuse and addictive behavior. Unlike the

> well-known addiction to alcohol, tobacco and drugs, aspartame products

> continue to be marketed aggressively to uninformed consumers by a

> multibillion dollar industry. Most regard this " supplement " as safe

> because of its approval by the FDA. They include pregnant women, the

> fetus, young children, and patients with many diseases who are highly

> vulnerable to the ravages of this potent neurotoxin. Anthropologists

> could equate the matter with " our intoxicated destiny " (15).

>

> In his classic description of " addictive eating and drinking, "

> Randolph

> (16) also emphasized that small quantities of a specific excitant can

> perpetuate an addiction response owing to the extreme degrees of

> specific sensitivity commonly involved. He included various sugars,

> alcoholic beverages and monosodium glutamate (MSG).

>

> Consumer Pleas For Help and Outrage

>

> As noted in the case summaries, aspartame addicts have pleaded for

> help

> because of their suffering. Some additional examples:

>

> . A 39-year-old mother wrote: " How in the world do you get off

> aspartame? I've wanted to get off of the stuff for years. "

>

> . A 40-year-old receptionist had consumed 4-6 cans of a caffeine-free

> diet cola plus two large diet colas with caffeine daily since their

> introduction. Every time she tried to stop, she experienced " terrible "

> withdrawal anxiety - with associated exhaustion, dizziness,

> palpitations, and presumed hypoglycemia attacks. She summarized her

> dilemma: " I just can't seem to get off the treadmill! "

>

> The outrage of these aspartame victims has been intense (3,4). Indeed,

> it generated several groups of consumer activists.

>

> . A 28-year-old mother concisely expressed her anger: " In a sentence,

> I could say that aspartame effectively ruined my physical and

> emotional

> health for the better part of ten years. "

>

> . A 28-year-old Australian woman " addicted " to diet cola wrote: " It is

> an absolute crime that this substance has been offered to an

> unsuspecting and ill-informed public. It must be stopped! "

>

> . A male aspartame reactor reflected: " I guess it IS going to take a

> bloody epidemic of blindness, diabetes and multiple sclerosis to get

> this poison off the market. "

>

> . A 43-year-old woman with multiple aspartame reactions - notably

> joint

> pain, loss of hair, severe fatigue, aggravated hypoglycemia,

> allergies,

> and mouth lesions - expressed extreme concern " about this unnerving

> 'addiction' to aspartame. "

>

> Each of the three components of aspartame -- phenylalanine (50%),

> aspartic acid (40%), and the methyl ester (10%) that promptly becomes

> free methyl alcohol (methanol) after ingestion - and their multiple

> breakdown products following exposure to heat or during storage are

> potentially neurotoxic and addictive (1 - 4). (They also have been

> invoked relative to the allergenicity and carcinogenicity of aspartame

> and its metabolities.) Some of the mechanisms may involve dopamine,

> cerebral cholecystokinin (CCK), serotonin, endorphins, other important

> neurotransmitters, insulin, and the unique permeability of the blood-

> brain barrier to phenylalanine.

>

> The transformation of phenylalanine to dopamine and dopamine

> metabolites

> assumes relevance in addictive states. Addictive drugs flood synapses

> with dopamine, which carries a " pleasure message " from one nerve cell

> to

> another in the " reward pathway " ... thereby creating a " high. " For

> instance, cocaine blocks the reuptake of dopamine, thereby acting as

> an

> indirect dopamine agonist. Such repeated rushes can result in

> desensitization of the brain to dopamine.

>

> . During et al (17) demonstrated that changes in brain phenylalanine

> may selectively affect production of th