040923 H2H John Edwards, President Bush, and aspartame toxicity research: Glenn Kessler, Robin Wright: Murray 2004.09.16

September 18, 2004

Dear Rich,

Kent Snyder of the Liberty Committee has agree to speak on this week's

broadcast for 30 minutes. Would you like to call in to discuss this? Thanks,

Dr. Sandra Lance, D.C.

John Edwards, President Bush, and aspartame toxicity research: Glenn

Kessler, Robin Wright: Murray 2004.09.16

http://www.news14charlotte.com/content/special_edition/carolina_decides/?ArID=73\

382 & SecID=136

Edwards goes on attack 9/2/2004 8:43 AM By: Associated Press

" What we heard from the Republicans in that hall last night was an enormous

amount of anger, " Edwards said on CBS's " The Early Show. " " If you got up and

went to the refrigerator to get a Diet Coke, you would have missed any

discussion of what they're going to do about health care, what they're going

to do about jobs, what they plan to do about this mess in Iraq. "

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5464076/ Health

John Edwards' political rocket ride

Senator has come out of nowhere to be No. 2 on ticket

The Associated Press Updated: 3:39 p.m. ET Aug. 28, 2004

By NANCY BENAC Associated Press Writer

Posted July 21, 2004, 3:19 PM EDT

" Friends say Edwards never met a dessert that he didn't think could be

improved by heaping some ice cream on top, but his diet has improved since

his lawyering days when he was " probably McDonald's best customer in

America, " says Kirby.

Now, Edwards says, Diet Coke is probably his biggest junk food vice. "

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45216-2004Aug29.html

Edwards Says Kerry Plans to Confront Iran on Weapons

By Glenn Kessler and Robin Wright Washington Post Staff Writers

Monday, August 30, 2004; Page A01

" Edwards, interviewed yesterday in the living room of his Georgetown

townhouse as he sipped a Diet Coke, said that in Afghanistan, Kerry would

push to expand NATO forces beyond Kabul to enhance security and would double

the $123 million in funds to counter the drug trade that the administration

spent in 2004 in Afghanistan. "

Glenn Kessler: kesslerg

National staff writer/State Department

**************************************************************

relevance of aspartame toxicity research to Bill Clinton, President Bush,

Senator John Edwards: Murray 2004.09.08

The 11% methanol component of aspartame is readily fully released into the

GI tract, and largely converted within hours into formaldehyde and formic

acid. Six cans daily of diet soda provides a chronic dose over sixty times

the EPA limit for formaldehyde in daily drinking water, 2 mg per 2 liters.

The same level of methanol impurity in dark wines and liquors is the

principle cause of " morning after " hangover, due to its conversion to

formaldehyde and formic acid.

Rich Murray, MA Room For All rmforall

1943 Otowi Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505 USA 505-501-2298

aspartameNM/message/927

Donald Rumsfeld, 1977 head of Searle Corp., got aspartame FDA approval:

Turner: Murray 2002.12.23 rmforall

A very detailed, highly credible account of the dubious approval process for

aspartame in July, 1981 is part of the just released two-hour documentary

" Sweet Misery, A Poisoned World: An Industry Case Study of a Food Supply

In Crisis " by Cori Brackett: cori

http://www.soundandfuryproductions.com/ 520-624-9710

2301 East Broadway, Suite 111 Tucson, AZ 85719

**************************************************************

aspartameNM/message/1088

Murray, full plain text & critique:

chronic aspartame in rats affects memory, brain cholinergic receptors, and

brain chemistry, Christian B, McConnaughey M et al, 2004 May:

2004.06.05 rmforall

Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2004 May; 78(1): 121-7.

Chronic aspartame affects T-maze performance, brain cholinergic receptors

and Na(+),K(+)-ATPase in rats.

Christian B, McConnaughey K, Bethea E, Brantley S, Coffey A, Hammond L,

Harrell S, Metcalf K, Muehlenbein D, Spruill W, Brinson L, McConnaughey M.

Department of Pharmacology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina

University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA;

North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, Durham, NC 27811.

http://www.ecu.edu/pharmacology/faculty/mcconnaughey.html

Mona M. McConnaughey, Ph.D. Research Assistant Professor

Department: PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY

Office: Brody Medical Science 6E-120A 252-744-2756

MCCONNAUGHEYM

This study demonstrated that chronic aspartame consumption in rats can lead

to altered T-maze performance and increased muscarinic cholinergic receptor

densities in certain brain regions.

Control and treated rats were trained in a T-maze to a particular side and

then periodically tested to see how well they retained the learned response.

Rats that had received aspartame (250 mg/kg/day) in the drinking water for 3

or 4 months showed a significant increase in time to reach the reward in the

T-maze, suggesting a possible effect on memory due to the artificial

sweetener. Using [(3)H]quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) (1 nM) to label

muscarinic cholinergic receptors and atropine (10(-6) M) to determine

nonspecific binding in whole-brain preparations,

aspartame-treated rats showed a 31% increase in receptor numbers when

compared to controls.

In aspartame-treated rats, there was a significant increase in muscarinic

receptor densities in the frontal cortex, midcortex, posterior cortex,

hippocampus, hypothalamus and cerebellum of 80%, 60%, 61%, 65%,

66% and 60%, respectively.

The midbrain was the only area where preparations from aspartame-treated

rats showed a significant increase in Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity.

It can be concluded from these data that long-term consumption of aspartame

can affect T-maze performance in rats and alter receptor densities or

enzymes in brain. PMID: 15159141

aspartameNM/message/1067

eyelid contact dermatitis by formaldehyde from aspartame, AM Hill & DV

Belsito, Nov 2003: Murray 2004.03.30 rmforall [ 150 KB ]

" A 60-year-old Caucasian woman presented with a 6-month history of eyelid

dermatitis...

By strictly avoiding formaldehyde and all formaldehyde releasers for the

next 3 weeks, she improved only slightly.

Her problem, however, was subsequently solved when a local pharmacist

advised her to avoid aspartame.

She had begun using an aspartame-based artificial sweetener 5 months prior

to the onset of her dermatitis. [ 12 months of low-level aspartame use until

stopping. ]

Within 1 week of discontinuing the aspartame, her eyelid dermatitis resolved

completely and has not recurred over 18 months without specific

treatment....

Our patient was consuming an average of 80 mg (1.13 mg/kg) of aspartame

daily, well below the levels previously studied. "

[ A packet of tabletop sweetener gives 37 mg aspartame, while a 12 oz diet

soda gives 200 mg aspartame. An aspartame reactor can have immediate strong

symtoms from an under-the-tongue wafer with 4 mg aspartame. ]

**************************************************************

aspartameNM/message/1016

President Bush & formaldehyde (aspartame) toxicity: Ramazzini Foundation

carcinogenicity results Dec 2002: Soffritti: Murray 2003.08.03 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/874

re " dry drunk " : Bisbort: danger to President Bush from aspartame toxicity:

Murray: 2002.02.24 2002.09.29 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1065

politicians and celebrities hooked on diet sodas (aspartame):

Murray 2004.03.24 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1101

John Edwards gives up Diet Coke: The Cult of Diet Coke, Eric Gillin:

Murray 2004.07.12 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1102

John Edwards still drinks Diet Coke (aspartame): TIME Europe July 19 issue:

Murray 2004.07.12 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/876

hyperthyroidism (Graves disease) in George and Barbara Bush, 1991--

aspartame toxicity? Roberts 1997: Murray 2002.10.09 rmforall

http://www.dorway.com/upipart1.txt

aspartameNM/message/262

aspartame expose 96K Oct 1987 Part 1/3: Gregory Gordon, UPI reporter:

Murray 2000.07.10 rmforall

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

aspartameNM/message/53

aspartame history Part 1/4 1964-1976: Gold: Murray 1999.11.06 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/928

revolving door, Monsanto, FDA, EPA: NGIN: Murray 2002.12.23 rmforall

**************************************************************

aspartameNM/message/1106

hangover research relevant to toxicity of 11% methanol in aspartame

(formaldehyde, formic acid): Calder I (full text): Jones AW: also some

methanol from fruit pectin in colon: Murray 2004.09.08 rmforall

Rich Murray, MA Room For All rmforall

1943 Otowi Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505 USA 505-501-2298

[ NutraSweet, Equal, Canderel, Benevia, E951 ]

Since no adaquate data has ever been published on the exact disposition of

the toxic metabolites, formaldehyde and formic acid, in specific tissues in

humans of the readily released 11% methanol component of aspartame, the many

studies on morning-after hangover from the methanol impurity in alcohol

drinks are the main available resource to date.

Jones AW (1987) found next-morning hangover from red wine with

100 to 150 mg methanol

(9.5% w/v ethanol; 100 mg/l methanol = 0.01%, one part in ten thousand).

The expert review by Monte WC (1984) states: " An alcoholic consuming 1500

calories a day from alcoholic sources alone may consume between 0 and 600 mg

of methanol each day depending on his choice of beverages (Table 1).... "

Table 1 lists red wine as having 128 mg/l methanol, about one part in ten

thousand.

Fully 11% of aspartame is methanol -- 1,120 mg aspartame in 2 L diet soda,

almost six 12-oz cans, gives 123 mg methanol (wood alcohol) -- the same

amount that produces hangover from red wine.

Other strong formaldehyde sources are tobacco and wood smoke, and the

particleboard and new furniture, carpet, and drapes especially concentrated

in mobile homes.

Similar potent levels of methanol, and its inevitable products in the human

body, formaldehyde and formic acid, can also ensue from degradation of

fruit pectins in the colon:

Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1997 Aug; 21(5): 939-43.

Endogenous production of methanol after the consumption of fruit.

Lindinger W, Taucher J, Jordan A, Hansel A, Vogel W.

Institut fur Ionenphysik, Leopold Franzens Universitat Innsbruck, Austria.

After the consumption of fruit, the concentration of methanol in the human

body increases by as much as an order of magnitude.

This is due to the degradation of natural pectin (which is esterified with

methyl alcohol) in the human colon.

In vivo tests performed by means of proton-transfer-reaction mass

spectrometry show that consumed pectin in either a pure form (10 to 15 g)

or a natural form (in 1 kg of apples) induces a significant increase of

methanol in the breath (and by inference in the blood) of humans.

The amount generated from pectin (0.4 to 1.4 mg)

is approximately equivalent to the total daily endogenous production

(measured to be 0.3 to 0.6 mg/day)

or that obtained from 0.3 liters of 80-proof brandy

(calculated to be 0.5 mg).

[ typos corrected, g actually is mg for ethanol, methanol ]

This dietary pectin may contribute to the development

of nonalcoholic cirrhosis of the liver. PMID: 9267548

Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1995 Oct; 19(5): 1147-50.

Methanol in human breath.

Taucher J, Lagg A, Hansel A, Vogel W, Lindinger W.

Institut fur Ionenphysik, Universitat Innsbruck, Austria.

Using proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry for trace gas analysis of

the human breath, the concentrations of methanol and ethanol have been

measured for various test persons consuming alcoholic beverages and various

amounts of fruits, respectively.

The methanol concentrations increased from a natural (physiological) level

of approximately 0.4 ppm up to approximately 2 ppm a few hours after eating

about 1/2 kg of fruits,

and about the same concentration was reached after drinking of 100 ml brandy

containing 24% volume of ethanol and 0.19% volume of methanol.

[ 24 ml = 64 mg ethanol and 0.19 ml = 0.33 mg methanol ] PMID: 8561283

These three potent dietary sources of methanol, formaldehyde, and formic

acid, which impact many people, and cause the same symptoms in vulnerable

and sensitized people, are ignored in the following prestigious, official

source:

aspartameNM/message/1108

faults in 1999 July EPA 468-page formaldehyde profile:

Elzbieta Skrzydlewska PhD, Assc. Prof., Medical U. of Bialystok, Poland,

abstracts -- ethanol, methanol, formaldehyde, formic acid, acetaldehyde,

lipid peroxidation, green tea, aging, Lyme disease:

Murray 2004.08.08 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1109

Toxicological Profile for Formaldehyde 1/4 plain text, start to 111 of 468

pages USA DHHS PHS ATSDR 1999 July: Murray 2004.08.30 rmforall

An editorial review by Ian Calder, F.R.C.A., " Hangovers: not the ethanol--

perhaps the methanol " , British Medical Journal 1997 Jan 4; 314(7073): 2

[ Tel/Fax: 0171 720 9279 Consultant Anaesthetist at the National Hospital

for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London WCIN 3BG, UK ]

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/search.dtl search to get free full text ] ,

states:

" In fact, ethanol itself may play only a minor part in producing the thirst,

headache, fatigue, nausea, sweating, tremor, remorse, and anxiety that

hangover sufferers report.... [ Also, dizziness is common. ]

" Between a quarter and a half of drinkers claim not to experience hangover

symptoms despite having been intoxicated. (three citations) "

The symptom list is similar to reports by aspartame reactors.

If only a fraction of aspartame users happen to be vulnerable to the

methanol, that would account well for the disbelief by those who are not

aspartame reactors, as well as the scientific difficulty in proving

aspartame toxicity in the general population.

Research can study whether the hangover prone are also vulnerable to

aspartame, methanol, formaldehyde, and formic acid, and determine the

specific biochemistry for different groups.

Hangover treatments may help aspartame reactors. For instance, adaquate

folic acid (folate) helps humans eliminate toxic products from methanol.

Reprod Toxicol. 1996 Nov-Dec; 10(6): 455-63.

Influence of dietary folic acid on the developmental toxicity of methanol

and the frequency of chromosomal breakage in the CD-1 mouse.

Fu SS, Sakanashi TM, Rogers JM, Hong KH, Keen CL.

Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis 95616, USA.

" These results show that marginal folate deficiency in pregnant dams

significantly increases the teratogenicity of MeOH. " PMID: 8946559

There are no reports of hangover from heavy use of orange juice, 34 mg/l

methanol, since the methanol in many fruits and vegetables is locked up in

complex pectin molecules, not released by human digestion. (Monte WC 1984)

I've never found any reports by aspartame reactors, who are often sensitive

even to a single breath mint or stick of chewing gum

(0.4 to 0.8 mg methanol),

of having the same symptoms from fruits or vegetables.

Pharmacol Toxicol. 1987 Mar; 60(3): 217-20.

Elimination half-life of methanol during hangover.

Jones AW.

Department of Forensic Toxicology, University Hospital, SE-581 85 Linkoping,

Sweden. wayne.jones

This paper reports the elimination half-life of methanol in human

volunteers. Experiments were made during the morning after the subjects had

consumed 1000-1500 ml red wine (9.5% w/v ethanol, 100 mg/l methanol)

the previous evening. [ 100 to 150 mg methanol ]

The washout of methanol from the body coincided with the onset of hangover.

The concentrations of ethanol and methanol in blood were determined

indirectly by analysis of end-expired alveolar air.

In the morning when blood-ethanol dropped below the Km of liver alcohol

dehydrogenase (ADH) of about 100 mg/l (2.2 mM), the disappearance half-life

of ethanol was 21, 22, 18 and 15 min. in 4 test subjects respectively.

The corresponding elimination half-lives of methanol were 213, 110, 133 and

142 min. in these same individuals.

The experimental design outlined in this paper can be used to obtain useful

data on elimination kinetics of methanol in human volunteers without undue

ethical limitations.

Circumstantial evidence is presented to link methanol or its toxic metabolic

products, formaldehyde and formic acid, with the pathogenesis of hangover.

PMID: 3588516

aspartameNM/message/1047

Avoiding Hangover Hell 2003.12.31 Mark Sherman, AP writer:

Robert Swift, MD [ formaldehyde from methanol in aspartame ]:

Murray 2004.01.16 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1048

hangovers from formaldehyde from methanol (aspartame?):

Schwarcz: Linsley: Murray 2004.01.18

aspartameNM/message/1099

Diagnose-Me.com: formaldehyde from 11 % methanol part of aspartame:

recent abstracts for methanol and hangovers: Murray 2004.07.10 rmforall

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/search.dtl search to get free full text

British Medial Journal 1997 (4 January); 314(7073): 2.

Ian Calder, F.R.C.A. [ Tel/Fax: 0171 720 9279 Consultant Anaesthetist at

the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery,

London WCIN 3BG, UK ]

Editorials Hangovers: Not the ethanol - perhaps the methanol

" Wine is only sweet to happy men, " wrote an unhappy John Keats to his

sweetheart.(1) His observation seems to have been vindicated.

Harburg et al found that psychosocial factors such as guilt about drinking,

a neurotic personality, becoming angry or depressed while drinking, and

having suffered " negative life events " in the past 12 months are better

predictors of symptoms of hangover than the amount of ethanol drunk.(2)

In fact, ethanol itself may play only a minor part in producing the thirst,

headache, fatigue, nausea, sweating, tremor, remorse, and anxiety that

hangover sufferers report.

Hangover symptoms are worst at a time when almost all ethanol and its

metabolite acetaldehyde have been cleared from the blood, and peak blood

ethanol or acetaldehyde levels are not related to the severity of

hangover.(3 )

Between a quarter and a half of drinkers claim not to experience hangover

symptoms despite having been intoxicated.(2, 3, 4)

Congeners - complex organic molecules such as polyphenols, higher alcohols

including methanol, and histamine, which occur in varying amounts in

ethanolic drinks - are probably more to blame than ethanol.

Chapman found that hangover symptoms were almost twice as common in

volunteers who drank 1.5 ml/kg [ body weight ] of bourbon whiskey - which

has methanol concentrations of 26 mg/l - as in those drinking the same dose

of vodka ( 3.9 mg of methanol per litre ). (5) [ For a 60 kg person, this

would be 90 mg bourbon, 0.09 l, giving 2.34 mg methanol, which led to twice

as many symptoms as the 0.35 mg methanol from vodka. The bourbon gave as

about as much methanol as an ounce of diet soda. ]

Pawan compared the hangover produced by different types of drink (but only

one brand of each) in his study of 20 volunteers. The severity of hangover

symptoms declined in the order of brandy, red wine, rum, whisky, white wine,

gin, vodka, and pure ethanol.(6) Vodka and pure ethanol caused only mild

headaches in two volunteers.

Jones has suggested that it is the metabolism of methanol to formaldehyde

and formic acid that causes symptoms of hangover, with quicker methanol

metabolisers suffering more.(7) The justification for this suggestion is

threefold:

the types of drink associated with more severe hangovers contain higher

levels of methanol;

the time course of methanol metabolism corresponds to the onset of symptoms;

and a small dose of ethanol, which blocks the formation of formaldehyde and

formic acid, provides an effective treatment for hangovers ( " the hair of the

dog " ).

The economic and social consequences of hangovers are probably considerable

but difficult to quantify. Performance accuracy is impaired synergistically

by sleep deprivation and hangover.(8)

Drivers perform less well in simulators when tested the morning after

drinking ethanol.(9)

Making driving with a hangover a criminal offence might be logical, but is

probably impractical in the absence of a simple diagnostic test like breath

alcohol.

Many pathophysiological disturbances occur during hangover, including

dehydration; metabolic acidosis; hypoglycaemia; disturbed prostaglandin

synthesis; abnormal secretion of vasopressin, cortisol, aldosterone,

renin, and testosterone; increased cardiac output; tachycardia; and

vasodilatation.

Hypoglycaemia and acidosis can be treated with fructose or glucose,(9) and

the cardiovascular abnormalities with ß blockade,(10) but symptoms are not

alleviated.

However, rehydration and anti-inflammatory analgesics are helpful,

particularly if treatment is started before bedtime.(11)

A completely effective treatment is probably unattainable (since so many

factors - such as lack of sleep, active or passive smoking, dietary

indiscretions, unaccustomed physical activity, intermittent upper airway

obstruction, and emotional disturbances - must play a part) and is arguably

undesirable since the fear of hangover prompts most people to moderate their

ethanol intake.(4 )

Even moderate amounts of ethanol can be damaging,(12) so a penalty for

consumption is in our interests. Perhaps those who aspire to be one of Dr

Johnson's " heroes " by drinking brandy (13) are sensible as well as brave.

Ian Calder, Consultant anaesthetist, Department of Neuroanaesthesia,

National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery,

Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG UK

1. Keats J. Letter to Fanny Brawne. In: Tripp RT, ed. The international

thesaurus of quotations. England: Penguin, 1976: 266.

2. Harburg E, Gunn R, Gleiberman L, DiFranceisco W, Schork A.

Psychosocial factors, alcohol use and hangover signs among social drinkers:

a reappraisal.

J Clin Epidemiol 1993; 46: 413-22. [Medline]

3. Ylikahri RH, Huttunen M, Eriksson CJ, Nikkila EA.

Metabolic studies on the pathogenesis of hangover.

Eur J Clin Invest 1974; 4: 93-100.

4. Smith CM, Barnes GM.

Signs and symptoms of hangover; prevalence and relationship to alcohol use

in a generally adult population.

Drug Alcohol Depend 1983; 11: 249-69. [Medline]

5. Chapman LF.

Experimental induction of hangover.

Q J Stud Alcohol 1970; 5: 67-85. [Medline]

6. Pawan GLS.

Alcoholic drinks and hangover effects.

Proc Nutr Soc 1973; 32: 15A.

7. Jones AW.

Elimination half-life of methanol during hangover.

Pharmacol Toxicol 1987; 60; 217-20.

8. Peeke SC, Callaway E, Jones RT, Stone GC, Doyle J.

Combined effect of alcohol and sleep deprivation in normal young adults.

Psychopharmacol 1980; 67: 279-87. [Medline]

9. Seppala T, Leino T, Linnoila M, Huttunen MO, Ylikahri RH.

Effects of hangover on psychomotor skills related to driving: modification

by fructose and glucose.

Acta Pharmacol Toxicol 1976; 38: 209-18.

10. Bogin RM, Nostrant TT, Young MJ.

Propranolol for the treatment of the alcoholic hangover.

Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 1986; 12: 279-84.

11. Khan MA, Jensen K, Krogh HJ.

Alcohol induced hangover. A double blind comparison of pyritinol and placebo

in preventing hangover symptoms.

Q J Stud Alcohol 1973; 34: 1195-201. [Medline]

12. Karhunen PJ, Erkinjuntti T, Laippala P.

Moderate alcohol consumption and loss of cerebellar Purkinje cells.

BMJ 1994; 308: 1663-7.

13. Boswell J.

Life of Johnson. April 7th 1779. Oxford University Press: Oxford, 1970.

This article has been cited by other articles:

M. H. Pittler, A. R. White, C. Stevinson, and E. Ernst.

Effectiveness of artichoke extract in preventing alcohol-induced hangovers:

a randomized controlled trial

Can. Med. Assoc. J., December 9, 2003; 169(12): 1269 - 1273.

[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

W. T Thompson, M. E Cupples, C. H Sibbett, D. I Skan, and T. Bradley.

Challenge of culture, conscience, and contract to general practitioners'

care of their own health: qualitative study

BMJ, September 29, 2001; 323(7315): 728 - 731.

[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

**************************************************************

aspartameNM/message/1100

research on aspartame (methanol, formaldehyde, formic acid) toxicity:

Murray 2004.09.15 rmforall

Rich Murray, MA Room For All rmforall

1943 Otowi Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505 USA 505-501-2298

[ NutraSweet, Equal, Canderel, Benevia, E951 ]

aspartameNM/message/927

Donald Rumsfeld, 1977 head of Searle Corp., got aspartame FDA approval:

Turner: Murray 2002.12.23 rmforall

A very detailed, highly credible account of the dubious approval process for

aspartame in July, 1981 is part of the just released two-hour documentary

" Sweet Misery, A Poisoned World: An Industry Case Study of a Food Supply

In Crisis " by Cori Brackett: cori

http://www.soundandfuryproductions.com/ 520-624-9710

2301 East Broadway, Suite 111 Tucson, AZ 85719

aspartameNM/messages

126 members, 1,113 posts in a public searchable archive

aspartame/messages

827 members, 17,348 posts in a public, searchable archive

Poor memory is one of the main early complaints of aspartame reactors, who

are often people who use over 6 cans ( 2 L) diet soda daily for years.

The 6 experimental rats in this recent economical, focused study by

McConnaughey M et al (2004 May), drank a comparable level for 4 months,

about 13% of a 30-month lifespan. It is an excellent introduction to the

main issues.

Only after 3 months did the 6 aspartame rats show almost a doubling of time

to run a single-choice maze.

At 4 months, there was almost another doubling of delay: " ...two of the

treated rats even went to the wrong side of the T-maze, totally forgetting

where the reward was. " These are very powerful, worrisome results.

There were highly significant, neurologically relevant changes in certain

brain receptor densities, and changes in brain chemistry.

With 70 citations, the relevant scientific literature is well summarized.

Many other studies, often industry funded, often used single doses or

too short durations of exposure, along with lower doses, thus rarely proving

memory deficits.

The funding source for this extremely valuable study is not given.

It used a team of talented high school students.

The fact that certain brain receptor densitities increased, and that memory

deficit increase took 3 months to be significant, may reflect the paradox of

hormesis, the complex ability of organisms to make themselves stronger in

response to low levels of toxins:

aspartameNM/message/1055

hormesis: possible benefits of low-level aspartame (methanol, formaldehyde)

use: Calabrese: Soffritti: Murray 2004.03.11 rmforall

The most toxic part of the fragile aspartame molecule is its 11% methanol

component.

It is an open secret, admitted in a number of published studies for three

decades, that methanol is converted within hours by the liver into

formaldehyde and formic acid, both potent, cumulative toxins that affect all

cell types.

Few know that the classic " morning after " hangover from dark wines and

liquors is largely due to formaldehyde and formic acid from methanol

contamination, not the ethanol itself.

The actual disposition of these toxins in the tissues of human aspartame

reactors has never been determined, or, if determined, never publicly

published.

The study should be replicated, using methanol, formaldehyde, and formic

acid to verify if the same results obtain.

If blood and tissue samples have been stored, then the fast, cheap,

automated, highly sensitive Comet assay, often used to prove DNA damage from

formaldehyde, can be used to replicate the results by Yu F. Sakaki (2002),

whose intripid and much published team in Japan has found DNA damage,

testing 8 tissues from single non-lethal doses of aspartame

(near-significant high levels of DNA damage in 5 tissues) and 38 other

additives in groups of just 4 mice:

aspartameNM/message/935

Comet assay finds DNA damage from sucralose, cyclamate, saccharin in

mice: Sasaki YF & Tsuda S Aug 2002: Murray 2003.01.01 rmforall

[ Also borderline evidence, in this pilot study of 39 food additives,

using test groups of 4 mice, for DNA damage from for stomach, colon,

liver, bladder, and lung 3 hr after oral dose of 2000 mg/kg aspartame--

a very high dose. Methanol is the only component of aspartame that can lead

to DNA damage. ]

aspartameNM/message/1108

faults in 1999 July EPA 468-page formaldehyde profile:

Elzbieta Skrzydlewska PhD, Assc. Prof., Medical U. of Bialystok, Poland,

abstracts -- ethanol, methanol, formaldehyde, formic acid, acetaldehyde,

lipid peroxidation, green tea, aging, Lyme disease:

Murray 2004.08.08 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1088

Murray, full plain text & critique:

chronic aspartame in rats affects memory, brain cholinergic receptors, and

brain chemistry, Christian B, McConnaughey M et al, 2004 May:

2004.06.05 rmforall

Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2004 May; 78(1): 121-7.

Chronic aspartame affects T-maze performance, brain cholinergic receptors

and Na(+),K(+)-ATPase in rats.

Christian B, McConnaughey K, Bethea E, Brantley S, Coffey A, Hammond L,

Harrell S, Metcalf K, Muehlenbein D, Spruill W, Brinson L, McConnaughey M.

Department of Pharmacology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina

University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA;

North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, Durham, NC 27811.

http://www.ecu.edu/pharmacology/faculty/mcconnaughey.html

Mona M. McConnaughey, Ph.D. Research Assistant Professor

Department: PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY

Office: Brody Medical Science 6E-120A 252-744-2756

MCCONNAUGHEYM

This study demonstrated that chronic aspartame consumption in rats can lead

to altered T-maze performance and increased muscarinic cholinergic receptor

densities in certain brain regions.

Control and treated rats were trained in a T-maze to a particular side and

then periodically tested to see how well they retained the learned response.

Rats that had received aspartame (250 mg/kg/day) in the drinking water for 3

or 4 months showed a significant increase in time to reach the reward in the

T-maze, suggesting a possible effect on memory due to the artificial

sweetener. Using [(3)H]quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) (1 nM) to label

muscarinic cholinergic receptors and atropine (10(-6) M) to determine

nonspecific binding in whole-brain preparations,

aspartame-treated rats showed a 31% increase in receptor numbers when

compared to controls.

In aspartame-treated rats, there was a significant increase in muscarinic

receptor densities in the frontal cortex, midcortex, posterior cortex,

hippocampus, hypothalamus and cerebellum of 80%, 60%, 61%, 65%,

66% and 60%, respectively.

The midbrain was the only area where preparations from aspartame-treated

rats showed a significant increase in Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity.

It can be concluded from these data that long-term consumption of aspartame

can affect T-maze performance in rats and alter receptor densities or

enzymes in brain. PMID: 15159141

aspartameNM/message/1067

eyelid contact dermatitis by formaldehyde from aspartame, AM Hill & DV

Belsito, Nov 2003: Murray 2004.03.30 rmforall [ 150 KB ]

" A 60-year-old Caucasian woman presented with a 6-month history of eyelid

dermatitis...

By strictly avoiding formaldehyde and all formaldehyde releasers for the

next 3 weeks, she improved only slightly.

Her problem, however, was subsequently solved when a local pharmacist

advised her to avoid aspartame.

She had begun using an aspartame-based artificial sweetener 5 months prior

to the onset of her dermatitis. [ 12 months of low-level aspartame use until

stopping. ]

Within 1 week of discontinuing the aspartame, her eyelid dermatitis resolved

completely and has not recurred over 18 months without specific

treatment....

Our patient was consuming an average of 80 mg (1.13 mg/kg) of aspartame

daily, well below the levels previously studied. "

[ A packet of tabletop sweetener gives 37 mg aspartame, while a 12 oz diet

soda gives 200 mg aspartame. An aspartame reactor can have immediate strong

symtoms from an under-the-tongue wafer with 4 mg aspartame. ]

aspartameNM/message/1039

three-page review: aspartame (methanol, formaldehyde) toxicity:

Murray 2003.11.22 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1026

brief aspartame review: formaldehyde toxicity: Murray 2003.09.11 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1025

aspartame & formaldehyde toxicity: Murray 2003.09.09 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1094

the 11% methanol component of aspartame becomes formaldehyde, now ruled a

carcinogen by WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer: Murray

2004.06.16 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1084

26 stevia safety abstracts since 1993: aspartame vs stevia debate on

alt.support.diabetes, George Schmidt, OD: Murray 2004.05.25 rmforall

A Searle Laboratories team in 1976 reported that in 4 monkeys fed aspartame,

by 12 hours: " ...the major fraction (70%) of the [aspartate] label appeared

in the expired air (Fig.6)...Urinary and fecal 14C [ aspartate derived ]

amounted to 4--6% of the administered [ aspartate ] label. "

This gives a total of a maximum 76% excreted aspartate from the aspartame,

indicating that 24% of this excitotoxin was retained in the body. It is

reasonable to conclude that daily use of aspartame must lead to substantial

accumulation of this excitotoxin, aspartate, in body tissues.

Their 1979 review said: " Aspartame... is hydrolyzed in the gut to yield

aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol....

Aspartate may also be incorporated into body constitutents such as other

amino acids, proteins, pyrimidines, asparagine, and N-acetylaspartic acid. "

J Environ Pathol Toxicol. 1979 Mar-Apr; 2(4): 979-85.

A review of the metabolism of the aspartyl moiety of aspartame in

experimental animals and man.

Ranney RE, Oppermann JA.

Department of Drug Metabolism and Radiochemistry, Searle Laboratories,

Skokie, Illinois. Division of G.D. Searle and Co. Box 5110, Chicago, IL

60680

Aspartame (3-amino-N-(alpha-carboxyphenethyl) succinamic acid, methyl ester;

the methyl ester of aspartylphenylalanine, SC-18862) is hydrolyzed in the

gut to yield aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol.

This review of the literature describes the metabolic paths followed by

aspartate in its conversion to CO2 or its incorporation into body

constituents. About 70 percent of 14C from [asp-14C]-aspartame is converted

in the monkey to 14CO2.

Some of the aspartate is converted at the intestinal mucosal level to

alanine by decarboxylation.

This amino acid may be oxidized to CO2 by entering the tricarboxylic acid

cycle via pyruvate and acetyl CoA.

In addition, transamination of aspartate to oxaloacetate permits this

product also to enter the tricarboxylic acid cycle.

Aspartate may also be incorporated into body constitutents such as other

amino acids, proteins, pyrimidines, asparagine, and N-acetylaspartic acid.

It is concluded that the aspartate moiety of aspartame is metabolized in a

manner similar to that of dietary aspartic acid.

Publication Types: Review PMID: 376770

It is certain that high levels of aspartame use, above 2 liters daily for

months and years, must lead to chronic formaldehyde-formic acid toxicity.

Fully 11% of aspartame is methanol-- 1,120 mg aspartame in 2 L diet soda,

almost six 12-oz cans, gives 123 mg methanol (wood alcohol).

The methanol is immediately released into the body after drinking--

unlike the large levels of methanol locked up in complex molecules inside

many fruits and vegetables.

Within hours, the liver turns much of the methanol into formaldehyde, and

then much of that into formic acid, both of which in time are partially

eliminated as carbon dioxide and water.

However, about 30% of the methanol remains in the body as cumulative

durable toxic metabolites of formaldehyde and formic acid-- 37 mg daily,

a gram every month, accumulating in and affecting every tissue.

If only 10% of the methanol is retained daily as formaldehyde, that would

give 12 mg daily formaldehyde accumulation-- about 60 times more than the

0.2 mg from 10% retention of the 2 mg EPA daily limit for formaldehyde in

drinking water.

Bear in mind that the EPA limit for formaldehyde in drinking water is

1 ppm, or 2 mg daily for a typical daily consumption of 2 L of water.

aspartameNM/message/835

ATSDR: EPA limit 1 ppm formaldehyde in drinking water July 1999:

Murray 2002.05.30 rmforall

This long-term low-level chronic toxic exposure leads to typical patterns of

increasingly severe complex symptoms, starting with headache, fatigue, joint

pain, irritability, memory loss, rashes, and leading to vision and eye

problems, and even seizures. In many cases there is addiction. Probably

there are immune system disorders, with a hypersensitivity to these toxins

and other chemicals.

J. Nutrition 1973 Oct; 103(10): 1454-1459.

Metabolism of aspartame in monkeys.

Oppermann JA, Muldoon E, Ranney RE.

Dept. of Biochemistry, Searle Laboratories,

Division of G.D. Searle and Co. Box 5110, Chicago, IL 60680

They found that about 70% of the radioactive methanol in aspartame put into

the stomachs of 3 to 7 kg monkeys was eliminated within 8 hours, with little

additional elimination, as carbon dioxide in exhaled air and as water in

the urine. They did not mention that this meant that about 30% of the

methanol must transform into formaldehyde and then into formic acid, both of

which must remain as toxic products in all parts of the body.

They did not report any studies on the distribution of radioactivity in body

tissues, except that blood plasma proteins after 4 days held 4% of the

initial methanol. This study did not monitor long-term use of aspartame.

The low oral dose of aspartame and for methanol was 0.068 mmol/kg, about 1

part per million [ppm] of the acute toxicity level of 2,000 mg/kg, 67,000

mmol/kg, used by McMartin (1979).

Two L daily use of diet soda provides 123 mg methanol, 2 mg/kg for a 60 kg

person, a dose of 67 mmole/kg, a thousand times more than the dose in this

study. By eight hours excretion of the dose in air and urine had leveled off

at 67.1 +-2.1% as CO2 in the exhaled air and 1.57+-0.32% in the urine,

so 68.7% was excreted, and 31.3% was retained.

This data is the average of 4 monkeys.

" ...the 14C in the feces was negligible. "

" That fraction not so excreted (about 31%) was converted to body

constituents through the one-carbon metabolic pool. "

" All radioactivity measurements were counted to +-1% accuracy... "

This indicates that the results could not be claimed to have a precision of

a tenth of a percent. OK, so this is a nit-pick-- but I believe espousing

spurious accuracy is a sign of scientific insecurity.

The abstract ends,

" It was concluded that aspartame was digested to its three constituents that

were then absorbed as natural constituents of the diet.

Thus, the concept is very subtly insinuated that methanol, as a constituent

of aspartame, is absorbed as a natural constituent of the diet. "

" Dietary methanol is derived in large part from fresh fruits and

vegetables. "

This is a serious error, since the large amounts of methanol in fresh

fruits and vegetables, locked up in complex pectin molecules, are not

released by normal human digestion. ( Monte WC, 1984) Nowhere in this

report are mentioned the dread words, " formaldehyde " and " formic acid " .

Of course, methanol and formaldehyde toxicity studies are highly relevant to

the issue of aspartame toxicity. [ Aspartame has to be turned into its

toxic products, formaldehyde and formic acid, in the body, before it is

toxic, so some pro-aspartame reseach studies test aspartame outside the

body, and then proclaim that they have proved that it is not toxic. ]

aspartameNM/message/915

formaldehyde toxicity: Thrasher & Kilburn: Shaham: EPA: Gold:

Wilson: CIIN: Murray 2002.12.12 rmforall

Thrasher (2001): " The major difference is that the Japanese demonstrated

the incorporation of FA and its metabolites into the placenta and fetus.

The quantity of radioactivity remaining in maternal and fetal tissues

at 48 hours was 26.9% of the administered dose. " [ Ref. 14-16 ]

Arch Environ Health 2001 Jul-Aug; 56(4): 300-11.

Embryo toxicity and teratogenicity of formaldehyde. [100 references]

Thrasher JD, Kilburn KH. toxicology

Sam-1 Trust, Alto, New Mexico, USA.

http://www.drthrasher.org/formaldehyde_embryo_toxicity.html full text

http://www.drthrasher.org/formaldehyde_1990.html full text Jack Dwayne

Thrasher, Alan Broughton, Roberta Madison. Immune activation and

autoantibodies in humans with long-term inhalation exposure to formaldehyde.

Archives of Environmental Health. 1990; 45: 217-223. " Immune activation,

autoantibodies, and anti-HCHO-HSA antibodies are associated with long-term

formaldehyde inhalation. " PMID: 2400243

Confirming evidence and a general theory are given by Pall (2002):

aspartameNM/message/909

testable theory of MCS type diseases, vicious cycle of nitric oxide &

peroxynitrite: MSG: formaldehyde-methanol-aspartame:

Martin L. Pall: Murray: 2002.12.09 rmforall

Environ Health Perspect. 2003 Sep; 111(12): 1461-4.

Elevated nitric oxide/peroxynitrite theory of multiple chemical sensitivity:

central role of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in the sensitivity mechanism.

Pall ML.

School of Molecular Biosciences, 301 Abelson Hall, Washington State

University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA. martin_pall

The elevated nitric oxide/peroxynitrite and the neural sensitization

theories of multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) are extended here to propose

a central mechanism for the exquisite sensitivity to organic solvents

apparently induced by previous chemical exposure in MCS.

This mechanism is centered on the activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)

receptors by organic solvents producing elevated nitric oxide and

peroxynitrite, leading in turn to increased stimulating of and

hypersensitivity of NMDA receptors.

In this way, organic solvent exposure may produce progressive sensitivity to

organic solvents.

Pesticides such as organophosphates and carbamates may act via muscarinic

stimulation to produce a similar biochemical and sensitivity response.

Accessory mechanisms of sensitivity may involve both increased blood-brain

barrier permeability, induced by peroxynitrite, and cytochrome P450

inhibition by nitric oxide.

The NMDA hyperactivity/hypersensitivity and excessive nitric

oxide/peroxynitrite view of MCS provides answers to many of the most

puzzling aspects of MCS while building on previous studies and views of this

condition. PMID: 12948884

Prof. Pall describes processes by which an initial trigger exposure, such as

carbon monoxide or formaldehyde, can generate hypersensitivity to many

substances. He himself had recovered from a sudden, debilitating attack of

multiple chemical sensitivity in June/July 1997.

aspartameNM/message/1055

hormesis: possible benefits of low-level aspartame (methanol, formaldehyde)

use: Calabrese: Soffritti: Murray 2004.03.11 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1056

disorders of NMDA glutamate receptors in brain range from high activity

(MCS, CF, PTSD, FM, from carbon monoxide or formaldehyde (methanol,

aspartame)-- Pall)

to low activity (schizophrenia-- Coyle, Goff, Javitts):

Murray 2004.03.13 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1090

aspartame, MSG, excitotoxins, NMDA glutamate receptors, multiple sclerosis:

Blaylock: Martini: Murray 2004.06.09 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/97

Lancet website aspartame letter 1999.07.29:

Excitotoxins 1999 Part 1/3 Blaylock: Murray 2000.01.14 rmforall

The Medical Sentinel Journal 1999 Fall; (95 references)

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

aspartameNM/message/946

Functional Therapeutics in Neurodegenerative Disease Part 1/2:

Perlmutter 1999.07.15: Murray 2003.01.10 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1034

Brain cell damage from amino acid isolates (aspartame releases

phenylalanine, aspartate, methanol [formaldehyde, formic acid] Bowen &

Evangelista May 6 2002: Murray 2003.11.10 rmforall

http://www.aspartame.ca/Brain%20Cell%20Damage.pdf

Brain cell damage from amino acid isolates 5.6.2 41 references

detailed 22 page review by James D. Bowen, MD and Arthur M. Evangelista,

former FDA Investigator orwilly

aspartameNM/message/628

Professional House Doctors: Singer: EPA: CPSC:

formaldehyde toxicity: Murray 2001.06.10 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1052

DMDC: Dimethyl dicarbonate 200mg/L in drinks adds methanol 98 mg/L

( becomes formaldehyde in body ): EU Scientific Committee on Foods

2001.07.12: Murray 2004.01.22 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/782

RTM: Smith, Terpening, Schmidt, Gums:

full text: aspartame, MSG, fibromyalgia 2002.01.17 rmforall

Jerry D Smith, Chris M Terpening, Siegfried OF Schmidt, and John G Gums

Relief of Fibromyalgia Symptoms Following

Discontinuation of Dietary Excitotoxins.

The Annals of Pharmacotherapy 2001; 35(6): 702-706.

Malcolm Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Gainesville, FL, USA.

BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia is a common rheumatologic disorder that is

often difficult to treat effectively.

CASE SUMMARY: Four patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome

for two to 17 years are described.

All had undergone multiple treatment

modalities with limited success. All 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.

Siegfried O. Schmidt, MD Asst. Clinical Prof. siggy

Community Health and Family Medicine, U. Florida, Gainesville, FL

Shands Hospital West Oak Clinic Gainesville, FL 32608-3629

352-376-5071

http://www.perque.com/ info 800-525-7372

http://www.perque.org/Fibromyalgia.pdf

A Novel Treatment for Fibromyalgia Imrpoves Clinical Outcomes in a

Community-Based Study.

Patricia A. Deuster, Russell M. Jaffe. RJaffe

Journal of Musculoskeletal Pain. 1998; Vol. 6(2): 133-149.

Using blood tests, the researchers ran a panel of 350 antigens including

environmental chemicals, food additives and preservatives, crustaceans,

diary products, fish, fruits, grains, meats, mollusks, and oils.

Normal, healthy people react to only two or less of this panel. The greatest

offenders were:

MSG 42.5 % (17 out of 40 patients)

Candida albicans 37.5

Caffeine 37

Chocolate/cocoa 37

Food colorings 37

Cola beverages 37

Cow Dairy Products 25

Sulfite/metabisulfite 22.5

Xylene 22.5

Yogurt 22.5

Aspartame 20

BHA 20

Cadmium 20

Lead 20

Tylenol 20

Yeast 20

Sodium benzoate 20

Orange 20

C. Trocho (1998):

" In all, the rats retained, 6 hours after administration, about 5% of the

label, half of it in the liver. "

They used a very low level of aspartame ingestion, 10 mg/kg, for rats, which

have a much greater tolerance for aspartame than humans.

So, the corresponding level for humans would be about 1 or 2 mg/kg.

Many headache studies in humans used doses of about 30 mg/kg daily.

aspartameNM/message/925

aspartame puts formaldehyde adducts into tissues, Part 1/2

full text, Trocho & Alemany 1998.06.26: Murray 2002.12.22 rmforall

http://ww.presidiotex.com/barcelona/index.html full text

Formaldehyde derived from dietary aspartame binds to tissue components in

vivo.

Life Sci June 26 1998; 63(5): 337-49.

Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular,

Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.

http://www.bq.ub.es/cindex.html Línies de Recerca: Toxicitat de

l'aspartame http://www.bq.ub.es/grupno/grup-no.html

Sra. Carme Trocho, Sra. Rosario Pardo, Dra. Immaculada Rafecas,

Sr. Jordi Virgili, Dr. Xavier Remesar, Dr. Jose Antonio

Fernandez-Lopez, Dr. Marià Alemany [male]

Fac. Biologia Tel.: (93)4021521, FAX: (93)4021559

Sra. Carme Trocho " Trok-ho " Fac. Biologia Tel.: (93)4021544,

FAX: (93)4021559

alemany ; bioq

Abstract:

Adult male rats were given an oral dose of 10 mg/kg aspartame,

14C-labeled in the methanol carbon.

At timed intervals of up to 6 hours, the radioactivity in plasma and several

organs was investigated.

Most of the radioactivity found (>98% in plasma, >75% in liver) was bound to

protein.

Label present in liver, plasma and kidney was in the range of 1-2% of total

radioactivity administered per g or mL, changing little with time.

Other organs (brown and white adipose tissues, muscle, brain, cornea and

retina) contained levels of label in the range of 1/12th to 1/10th of that

of liver.

In all, the rats retained, 6 hours after administration, about 5% of the

label, half of it in the liver.

The specific radioactivity of tissue protein, RNA and DNA was quite uniform.

The protein label was concentrated in amino acids, different from

methionine, and largely coincident with the result of protein exposure to

labeled formaldehyde.

DNA radioactivity was essentially in a single different adduct base,

different from the normal bases present in DNA.

The nature of the tissue label accumulated was, thus, a direct consequence

of formaldehyde binding to tissue structures.

The administration of labeled aspartame to a group of cirrhotic rats

resulted in comparable label retention by tissue components, which suggests

that liver function (or its defect) has little effect on formaldehyde

formation from aspartame and binding to biological components.

The chronic treatment of a series of rats with 200 mg/kg of non-labeled

aspartame during 10 days results in the accumulation of even more label when

given the radioactive bolus, suggesting that the amount of formaldehyde

adducts coming from aspartame in tissue proteins and nucleic acids may be

cumulative.

It is concluded that aspartame consumption may constitute a hazard because

of its contribution to the formation of formaldehyde adducts. PMID: 9714421

[ Extracts ]

" The high label presence in plasma and liver is in agreement with the

carriage of the label from the intestine to the liver via the portal vein.

The high label levels in kidney and, to a minor extent, in brown adipose

tissue and brain are probably a consequence of their high blood flows (45).

Even in white adipose tissue, the levels of radioactivity found 6 hours

after oral administration were 1/25th those of liver.

Cornea and retina, both tissues known to metabolize actively methanol

(21,28) showed low levels of retained label.

In any case, the binding of methanol-derived carbon to tissue proteins was

widespread, affecting all systems, fully reaching even sensitive targets

such as the brain and retina....

The amount of label recovered in tissue components was quite high in all the

groups, but especially in the NA rats.

In them, the liver alone retained, for a long time, more than 2 % of the

methanol carbon given in a single oral dose of aspartame, and the rest of

the body stored an additional 2 % or more.

These are indeed extremely high levels for adducts of formaldehyde, a

substance responsible of chronic deleterious effects (33), that has also

been considered carcinogenic (34,47).

The repeated occurrence of claims that aspartame produces headache and other

neurological and psychological secondary effects-- more often than not

challenged by careful analysis-- (5, 9, 10, 15, 48) may eventually find at

least a partial explanation in the permanence of the formaldehyde label,

since formaldehyde intoxication can induce similar effects (49).

The cumulative effects derived from the incorporation of label in the

chronic administration model suggests that regular intake of aspartame may

result in the progressive accumulation of formaldehyde adducts.

It may be further speculated that the formation of adducts can help to

explain the chronic effects aspartame consumption may induce on sensitive

tissues such as brain (6, 9, 19, 50).

In any case, the possible negative effects that the accumulation of

formaldehyde adducts can induce is, obviously, long-term.

The alteration of protein integrity and function may needs some time to

induce substantial effects.

The damage to nucleic acids, mainly to DNA, may eventually induce cell death

and/or mutations.

The results presented suggest that the conversion of aspartame methanol into

formaldehyde adducts in significant amounts in vivo should to be taken into

account because of the widespread utilization of this sweetener.

Further epidemiological and long-term studies are needed to determine the

extent of the hazard that aspartame consumption poses for humans. "

aspartameNM/message/864

Butchko, Tephly, McMartin: Alemany: aspartame formaldehyde

adducts in rats: Murray 2002.09.08 rmforall

Prof. Alemany vigorously affirms the validity of the Trocho study

against criticism:

Butchko, HH et al [24 authors], Aspartame: review of safety.

Regul. Toxicol. Pharmacol. 2002 April 1; 35 (2 Pt 2): S1-93, review

available for $35, [an industry paid organ]. Butchko:

" When all the research on aspartame, including evaluations in both the

premarketing and postmarketing periods, is examined as a whole, it is

clear that aspartame is safe, and there are no unresolved questions

regarding its safety under conditions of intended use. "

[ They repeatedly pass on the ageless industry deceit that the methanol

in fruits and vegetables is as as biochemically available as that in

aspartame-- see the 1984 rebuttal by W.C. Monte. ]

In the same report, Schiffman concludes on page S49, not citing any

research after 1997, " Thus, the weight of the scientific evidence

indicates that aspartame does not cause headache. "

Dr. Susan S. Schiffman, Dept. of Psychiatry, Duke University

sss 919-684-3303, 660-5657

aspartameNM/message/911

RTP ties to industry criticized by CSPI: Murray: 2002.12.09 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/846

aspartame in Merck Maxalt-MLT worsens migraine,

AstraZeneca Zomig, Eli Lilly Zyprexa,

J & J Merck Pepcid AC (Famotidine 10mg) Chewable Tab,

Pfizer Cool Mint Listerine Pocketpaks: Murray 2002.07.16 rmforall

Migraine MLT-Down: an unusual presentation of migraine

in patients with aspartame-triggered headaches.

Newman LC, Lipton RB Headache 2001 Oct; 41(9): 899-901.

[ Merck 10-mg Maxalt-MLT, for migraine, has 3.75 mg aspartame,

while 12 oz diet soda has 200 mg. ]

Headache Institute, St. Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY

Department of Neurology newmanache

Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY

Innovative Medical Research RLipton

aspartameNM/message/855

Blumenthall & Vance: aspartame chewing gum headaches Nov 1997:

Murray 2002.07.28 rmforall

Harvey J. Blumenthal, MD, Dwight A Vance, RPh

Chewing Gum Headaches. Headache 1997 Nov-Dec; 37(10): 665-6.

Department of Neurology, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine,

Tulsa, USA. neurotulsa

Aspartame, a popular dietetic sweetener, may provoke headache in some

susceptible individuals. Herein, we describe three cases of young women

with migraine who reported their headaches could be provoked by chewing

gum sweetened with aspartame. [ 6-8 mg aspartame per stick chewing gum ]

Re: Murray: Butchko:

Tephly: critique of Trocho report Apr 2002 8.29.2

Fri, 30 Aug 2002 09:49:56 +0200

Marià Alemany alemany

Rich Murray rmforall

References: 1

Dear Rich,

Thank you for the opportunity to say something about the " paper " by Tephly

that followed our study on the incorporation of aspartame-derived methanol

label into DNA and protein of rats.

I don't know if responding to that publication is worth the effort.

Surprisingly, a serious journal, such as Life Sciences published a rebuttal

of our previous paper as a normal " research paper " , but including no new

information neither experimental work.

This is only a sample of the " scientific " power of the advocates of

aspartame.

Anybody can extract conclusions from this anomaly, but it seems to me that

there was nothing new in that pamphlet that may add information to what we

already explained in our paper.

The responses to the questions raised by Tephly are already in our paper,

which means that either that it was not read or, worst, it was misread.

The presence of aspartame-derived label in DNA and protein adducts is

unquestionable and unquestioned, and agrees with previous studies.

Then, what importance has the mechanism of incorporation?

There were adducts, and they represent loss of function and mutation.

That was our thesis.

The reference to previous studies showing very low levels of formaldehyde in

blood do not refute our data.

First of all, measuring formaldehyde is tricky,

and in any case, the circulating levels would be below the current limit of

detection for most of the methods used.

That is the current explanation for the low levels of methanol in plasma

after aspartame loading: they are zero, using most of the methods available

for methanol, since the expected levels are currently below the limit of

detection...

In addition, it is not logical to expect to find measurable levels of

formaldehyde in a medium (blood) containing a huge amount of protein.

Formaldehyde reacts immediately with proteins because it is highly reactive:

that is the reason why we have found it in cell protein and DNA.

It is absurd to expect it to forfeit binding with cell proteins and go all

the way into the bloodstream!

Remember that formaldehyde is used to preserve corpses precisely because it

binds protein (including those of putrefactive bacteria) and prevents its

degradation.

The " alternative " point expressed by Tephly, suggesting that aspartame

methanol-label goes all the way into formic acid and the C1 pathway was

thoroughly refuted by us, using experimental data.

There was no labelled methionine nor thymine in protein and DNA respectively

in the rat protein we recovered from rats treated with aspartame.

This means--unequivocally-- that the label present in DNA and protein

adducts was NOT incorporated into amino acids or nucleic acid bases.

The only explanation for our data was that the label was in the form of

formaldehyde adducts.

If this explanation does not satisfy other scientists, they are free to

repeat the experiment and show where we went wrong, or to probe and prove

experimentally their hypotheses. Otherwise, our results stand unchecked

and, consequently, should be deemed true.

I hope that this information will help any attentive reader understand why

we have left for good this field of study.

Best regards.

------------------------------

Prof. Dr. Marià Alemany

Grup de Recerca Nitrogen-Obesitat

Departament de Nutrició i Bromatologia

Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona

Av. Diagonal, 645; 08028 Barcelona Espanya/España/Spain

tel. +34 93 403 4606; fax: +34 93 403 7064; E-mail: alemany

Life Sci 1999; 65(13): PL157-60. [ letter, usually not peer reviewed ]

Comments on the purported generation of formaldehyde and adduct

formation from the sweetener aspartame.

Tephly TR Thomas R. Tephly 319-335-7979 thomas-tephly

ttephly Department of Pharmacology

The University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242, USA.

A recent paper by Trocho et al. (1) describes experiments meant to show that

formaldehyde adducts are formed when rats are administered the sweetener

aspartame.

These authors assume that the methanol carbon of aspartame generates

formaldehyde which then forms adducts with protein, DNA, and RNA.

Doses employed range widely.

In this letter, studies which have been published previously and which were

not cited by these authors are reviewed in order to put into perspective the

disposition of methanol and formaldehyde in monkeys and humans, species

relevant to the toxicity of methanol and its toxic metabolite, formic acid.

PMID: 10503962, UI: 99431287

[ A number of pro-aspartame studies by Tephly and associates, invariably

funded by the aspartame industry (Monsanto, NutraSweet) are criticized in

detail at:

http://www.HolisticMed.com/aspartame mgold

Aspartame Toxicity Information Center Mark D. Gold

12 East Side Drive #2-18 Concord, NH 03301 603-225-2100

http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/abuse/methanol.html

" Scientific Abuse in Aspartame Research "

Gold points out that industry methanol assays were too insensitive to

properly measure blood methanol levels. ]

aspartameNM/message/1016

President Bush & formaldehyde (aspartame) toxicity: Ramazzini Foundation

carcinogenicity results Dec 2002: Soffritti: Murray 2003.08.03 rmforall

p. 88 " The sweetening agent aspartame hydrolyzes in the gastrointestinal

tract to become free methyl alcohol, which is metabolized in the liver

to formaldehyde, formic acid, and CO2. (11) "

Medinsky MA & Dorman DC. 1994; Assessing risks of low-level

methanol exposure. CIIT Act. 14: 1-7.

Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2002 Dec; 982: 87-105.

Results of long-term experimental studies on the carcinogenicity of

formaldehyde and acetaldehyde in rats.

Soffritti M, Belpoggi F, Lambertin L, Lauriola M, Padovani M, Maltoni C.

Cancer Research Center, European Ramazzini Foundation for Oncology and

Environmental Sciences, Bologna, Italy. crcfr

Formaldehyde was administered for 104 weeks in drinking water supplied

ad libitum at concentrations of 1500, 1000, 500, 100, 50, 10, or 0 mg/L

to groups of 50 male and 50 female Sprague-Dawley rats beginning at

seven weeks of age.

Control animals (100 males and 100 females) received tap water only.

Acetaldehyde was administered to 50 male and 50 female Sprague-Dawley

rats beginning at six weeks of age at concentrations of 2,500, 1,500,

500, 250, 50, or 0 mg/L.

Animals were kept under observation until spontaneous death.

Formaldehyde and acetaldehyde were found to produce an increase in total

malignant tumors in the treated groups and showed specific carcinogenic

effects on various organs and tissues. PMID: 12562630

Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2002 Dec; 982: 46-69.

Results of long-term experimental studies on the carcinogenicity of

methyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol in rats.

Soffritti M, Belpoggi F, Cevolani D, Guarino M, Padovani M, Maltoni C.

Cancer Research Center, European Ramazzini Foundation for Oncology and

Environmental Sciences, Bologna, Italy. crcfr

Methyl alcohol was administered in drinking water supplied ad libitum at

doses of 20,000, 5,000, 500, or 0 ppm to groups of male and female

Sprague-Dawley rats 8 weeks old at the start of the experiment.

Animals were kept under observation until spontaneous death.

Ethyl alcohol was administered by ingestion in drinking water at a

concentration of 10% or 0% supplied ad libitum to groups of male and

female Sprague-Dawley rats; breeders and offspring were included in the

experiment.

Treatment started at 39 weeks of age (breeders), 7 days before mating,

or from embryo life (offspring) and lasted until their spontaneous death.

Under tested experimental conditions, methyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol

were demonstrated to be carcinogenic for various organs and tissues.

They must also be considered multipotential carcinogenic agents.

In addition to causing other tumors, ethyl alcohol induced malignant

tumors of the oral cavity, tongue, and lips.

These sites have been shown to be target organs in man by epidemiologic

studies. Publication Types: Review Review, Tutorial PMID: 12562628

Surely the authors deliberately emphasized that aspartame is well-known

to be a source of formaldehyde, which is an extremely potent, cumulative

toxin, with complex, multiple effects on all tissues and organs.

This is even more significant, considering that they have already tested

aspartame, but not yet released the results:

p. 29-32 Table 1: The Ramazzinni Foundation Cancer Program

Project of [200] Long-Term Carcinogenicity Bioassays: Agents Studied

No. No. of Bioassays Species No. Route of Exposure

108. " Coca-Cola " 4 Rat 1,999 Ingestion, Transplantal Route

109. " Pepsi-Cola " 1 Rat 400 Ingestion

110. Sucrose 1 Rat 400 Ingestion

111. Caffeine 1 Rat 800 Ingestion

112. Aspartame 1 Rat 1,800 Ingestion

http://members.nyas.org/events/conference/conf_02_0429.html

Soffritti said that Coca-Cola showed no carcinogenicity.

It may be time to disclose these important aspartame results.

Finally, an intripid and much published team in Japan has found DNA damage

in 8 tissues from single non-lethal doses of aspartame (near-significant

high levels of DNA damage in 5 tissues) and many other additives in groups

of just 4 mice:

Mutat Res 2002 Aug 26; 519(1-2): 103-19

The comet assay with 8 mouse organs: results with 39 currently used food

additives.

Sasaki YF, Kawaguchi S, Kamaya A, Ohshita M, Kabasawa K, Iwama K,

Taniguchi K, Tsuda S.

Laboratory of Genotoxicity, Faculty of Chemical and Biological

Engineering, Hachinohe National College of Technology,

Tamonoki Uwanotai 16-1, Aomori 039-1192, Japan.

yfsasaki-c ; s.tsuda

We determined the genotoxicity of 39 chemicals currently in use as food

additives.

They fell into six categories-dyes, color fixatives and

preservatives, preservatives, antioxidants, fungicides, and sweeteners.

We tested groups of four male ddY mice once orally with each additive at

up to 0.5xLD(50) or the limit dose (2000 mg/kg) and performed the comet

assay on the glandular stomach, colon, liver, kidney, urinary bladder, lung,

brain, and bone marrow 3 and 24 h after treatment.

Of all the additives, dyes were the most genotoxic.

Amaranth, Allura Red, New Coccine, Tartrazine, Erythrosine, Phloxine, and

Rose Bengal induced dose-related DNA damage in the glandular stomach, colon,

and/or urinary bladder.

All seven dyes induced DNA damage in the gastrointestinal organs at a low

dose (10 or 100 mg/kg).

Among them, Amaranth, Allura Red, New Coccine, and Tartrazine induced

DNA damage in the colon at close to the acceptable daily intakes (ADIs).

Two antioxidants (butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated

hydroxytoluene (BHT)), three fungicides (biphenyl, sodium

o-phenylphenol, and thiabendazole), and four sweeteners (sodium

cyclamate, saccharin, sodium saccharin, and sucralose) also induced DNA

damage in gastrointestinal organs.

Based on these results, we believe that more extensive assessment of

food additives in current use is warranted. PMID: 12160896

aspartameNM/message/934

24 recent formaldehyde toxicity [Comet assay] reports:

Murray 2002.12.31 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/935

Comet assay finds DNA damage from sucralose, cyclamate, saccharin in

mice: Sasaki YF & Tsuda S Aug 2002: Murray 2003.01.01 rmforall

[ Also borderline evidence, in this pilot study of 39 food additives,

using test groups of 4 mice, for DNA damage from for stomach, colon,

liver, bladder, and lung 3 hr after oral dose of 2000 mg/kg aspartame--

a very high dose. Methanol is the only component of aspartame that can lead

to DNA damage. ]

aspartameNM/message/961

genotoxins, Comet assay in mice: Ace-K, stevia fine; aspartame poor;

sucralose, cyclamate, saccharin bad: Y.F. Sasaki Aug 2002:

Murray 2003.01.27 rmforall [A detailed look at the data] ]

J Toxicol Sci. 2002 Dec; 27 Suppl 1: 1-8.

[Genotoxicity studies of stevia extract and steviol by the comet assay]

[Article in Japanese]

Sekihashi K, Saitoh H, Sasaki Y. yfsasaki-c

Safety Research Institute for Chemical Compounds Co., Ltd., 363-24 Shin-ei,

Kiyota-ku, Sapporo 004-0839, Japan.

The genotoxicity of steviol, a metabolite of stevia extract, was evaluated

for its genotoxic potential using the comet assay.

In an in vitro study, steviol at 62.5, 125, 250, and 500 micrograms/ml did

not damage the nuclear DNA of TK6 and WTK1 cells in the presence and absence

of S9 mix.

In vivo studies of steviol were conducted by two independent organizations.

Mice were sacrificed 3 and 24 hr after one oral administration of steviol at

250, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg.

DNA damage in multiple mouse organs was measured by the comet assay as

modified by us.

After oral treatment, stomach, colon, liver, kidney and testis DNA were not

damaged.

The in vivo genotoxicity of stevia extract was also evaluated for its

genotoxic potential using the comet assay.

Mice were sacrificed 3 and 24 hr after oral administration of stevia extract

at 250, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg.

Stomach, colon and liver DNA were not damaged.

As all studies showed negative responses, stevia extract and steviol are

concluded to not have DNA-damaging activity in cultured cells and mouse

organs. PMID: 12533916

aspartameNM/message/1018

aspartame toxicity coverup increases danger of corporate meltdown:

Michael C. Carakostas of Coca-Cola: Murray 2003.08.11 rmforall

http://www.isrtp.org/new_members/members1.htm

The International Society of Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology

Carakostas, Michael C., DVM, PhD Director/Scientific & Regulatory

Affairs The Coca-Cola Company PO Drawer 1734 Atlanta, GA 30301

T. 404/676-4234 F. 404/676-7166 E-mail: mcarakostas

http://www2.coca-cola.com/ourcompany/columns_aspartame.html [photo]

Aspartame: The world agrees it's safe By Michael Carakostas, DVM, PhD, Scientific and Regulatory Affairs, Coca-Cola

It is commendable that Carakostas mentions the core problem, albeit

disparagingly, and overlaid with multiple untruths: " During digestion,

aspartame yields a very small amount of methanol-- as do many other food

substances. The body converts this methanol to formaldehyde, which is

instantly converted to formate. Formate is quickly eliminated as carbon

dioxide and water. "

Carakostas deceptively make claims, unsupported by research, that the amount

of methanol from aspartame is " very small " , that many foods release as much,

and that little of the inevitable formaldehyde or formic acid toxic products

accumulate in body tissues. This executive, with a PhD in veterinary

science, is deceiving people about very serious multiple toxicities.

Thus, there is evidence here cited from 1973 to 2004 that research and

reviews by immense vested interests about aspartame must be scrutinized with

the greatest skepticism. The greatest Internet myth about aspartame is

this: " Aspartame is the most thoroughly tested food additive in history. "

aspartameNM/message/857

www.dorway.com: original documents and long reviews of flaws in

aspartame toxicity research: Murray 2002.07.31 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/858

Samuels: Strong: Roberts: Gold: flaws in double-blind studies re

aspartame and MSG toxicity: Murray 2002.08.01 rmforall

" Survey of aspartame studies: correlation of outcome and funding

sources, " 1998, unpublished: http://www.dorway.com/peerrev.html

Walton found 166 separate published studies in the peer reviewed

medical literature, which had relevance for questions of human safety.

The 74 studies funded by industry all (100%) attested to aspartame's

safety, whereas of the 92 non-industry funded studies, 84 (91%)

identified a problem. Six of the seven non-industry funded studies

that were favorable to aspartame safety were from the FDA, which

has a public record that shows a strong pro-industry bias.

Ralph G. Walton, MD, Prof. of Clinical Psychology, Northeastern Ohio

Universities, College of Medicine, Dept. of Psychiatry, Youngstown,

OH 44501, Chairman, The Center for Behavioral Medicine,

Northside Medical Center, 500 Gypsy Lane, P.O. Box 240 Youngstown,

OH 44501 330-740-3621 rwalton193

http://www.neoucom.edu/DEPTS/Psychiatry/walton.htm

aspartameNM/message/622

Gold: Koehler: Walton: Van Den Eeden: Leon:

aspartame toxicity: Murray 2001.06.04 rmforall four double-blind studies

Headache 1988 Feb; 28(1): 10-4

The effect of aspartame on migraine headache.

Koehler SM, Glaros A PMID: 3277925, UI: 88138777

Shirley M. Koehler, Ph.D. Department of Psychology

Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital

3599 University Boulevard, South Jacksonville, Florida 32216

(904) 858-7650 shirley.koehler

Alan Glaros glarosa 816-235-2074

They conducted a double-blind study of patients, ages 18-55, who had

a medical diagnosis of classical migraines (normally having 1-3

migraines in 4-weeks), who were not on medications (other than

analgesics), and who suspected that aspartame had a negative effect on

their migraine headaches. The subjects were given 1200 mg daily,

aspartame or placebo, for four weeks, about 17 mg/kg. The placebo

group had no increase in headaches. Approximately half of the subjects

(5 of 11) who took aspartame had a large, statistically significant

(p = 0.02), increase in migraine headache frequency, but not in

intensity or duration, compared to baseline or placebo. Only 11 of

25 subjects completed the program: 8 dropped out, 4 began new

medications, 2 had incomplete records. They were at home.

Since 1/3 of the subjects dropped out, they may have been choosing

to avoid headaches-- were they unpaid? To achieve statistical

signifance with only 11 subjects hints that the incidence rate from

aspartame is very high, about 1/2, for migraine cases who believe

that they are hurt by aspartame.

aspartameNM/message/1077

eight depressed people react strongly to aspartame, Prof. Ralph G. Walton,

MD, 1993 double-blind study, full text: Murray 2004.04.26 rmforall

Walton, RG, " Adverse reactions to aspartame: double-blind challenge in

patients from a vulnerable population, " 1993, with Robert Hudak and

Ruth J. Green-Waite, Biological Psychiatry, 34 (1), 13-17.

Ralph G. Walton, MD, Prof. of Clinical Psychology, Northeastern Ohio

Universities, College of Medicine, Dept. of Psychiatry, Youngstown,

OH 44501, Chairman, The Center for Behavioral Medicine,

Northside Medical Center, 500 Gypsy Lane, P.O. Box 240 Youngstown,

OH 44501 330-740-3621 rwalton193

http://www.neoucom.edu/DEPTS/Psychiatry/walton.htm

Eight depressed patients, ages 24-60, and five non-depressed controls,

ages 24-56, employed at the hospital, were given for 7 days either

aspartame or a placebo, and then after a 3 day break, given the

opposite. Each got 2100 mg aspartame daily, 30 mg/kg bodyweight,

equal to 10-12 cans of diet soda daily, about a gallon. Despite the

very small number of subjects, the results were dramatic and

statistically significant. The eight depressed patients reported with

aspartame, compared to placebo, much higher levels of nervousness,

trouble remembering, nausea, depression, temper, and malaise. (For each

symptom, p<0.01) The five normals did not report strong enough

differences between aspartame and placebo to be significant.

Initially, the study was to be on a group of 40, but was halted by the

Institutional Review Board because of severe reactions among 3 of the

depressed patients.

Again, statistical significance with only 8 depressed patients:

" In this study, patients most often began to report significant

symptoms after day 2 or 3. " The incidence rate is very high,

indeed, about 1/3. The most common symptoms are entirely typical

of thousands of case histories.

Stephen K. Van Den Eeden, T.D. Koepsell, W.T. Longstreth, Jr,

G. van Belle, J.R. Daling, B. McKnight, " Aspartame ingestion and

headaches: a randomized crossover trial, " 1994, Neurology, 44, 1787-93

Steven K. Van Den Eeden,PhD 550-450-2202 skv

Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program

3505 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94611-5714

http://www.dor.kaiser.org/dorhtml/investigators/Stephen_Van_Den_Eeden.html

In their introduction, they comment:

" In addition, the FDA had received over 5,000 complaints as of July,

1991 in a passive surveillance system to monitor adverse side effects.

(17) Neurologic problems constitute the primary complaints in these

and several other case series, with headaches accounting for

18 to 45 %,depending on the case series reported. (17-19) "

Subjects, ages 18-57, were recruited who believed they got headaches

from aspartame, but were otherwise mentally and physically healthy.

They were paid $ 15 total, and were at home. Of the 44 subjects, 32

contributed data to the 38-day trials: a week of inert placebo, a week

of either aspartame or placebo, followed by a week of the opposite, and

then this two-week cycle repeated. The daily dose was about 30 mg/kg.

" The proportion of days subjects reported having a headache was

higher during aspartame treatment compared with placebo treatment

(aspartame = 0.33, placebo = 0.24; p = 0.04) (table 5) " .

Of the 12 subjects not included in the data, 7 reported adverse

symptoms before withdrawing.

Again, statistical significance with a moderate number of healthy

subjects, willing to be recruited by a newspaper ad, who believed

aspartame hurt them. The number of headaches for each subject

for each treatment week are given: it appears that 4 subjects

had the strongest increase in headaches from the run-in week

or placebo week to their first week on aspartame, jumping from 0 to 5,

1 to 6, 1 to 4, 0 to 5 headaches per week. So, about 4 of the 44

healthy people recruited for the study, who believed aspartame hurt

them, had a stong increase in headaches from the first week of daily

asparame exposure, while 7 reported adverse symptoms before leaving,

a total of 11 out of 44, an incidence ratio of 1/4.

This is sky high, if we consider that, if the incidence ratio for the

about two hundred million users in the USA is 1 of 100, that is 2

million cases. It is plausible that the incidence ratio lies between 1

and 10 out of 100 for continuous daily exposure. These three flames

should have set off alarm bells, with extensive follow-up studies and

much more careful study of thousands of case histories. But these

little flares were adroitly smothered by thick blankets of industry

funded fluff:

aspartameNM/message/623

Simmons: Gold: Schiffman: Spiers:

aspartame toxicity: Murray 2001.06.04 rmforall two double-blind studies

http://www.dorway.com/tldaddic.html 5-page review

Roberts HJ Aspartame (NutraSweet) addiction.

Townsend Letter 2000 Jan; HJRobertsMD

http://www.sunsentpress.com/ sunsentpress

Sunshine Sentinel Press P.O.Box 17799 West Palm Beach, FL 33416

800-814-9800 561-588-7628 561-547-8008 fax

aspartameNM/message/669

1038-page medical text " Aspartame Disease: An Ignored Epidemic "

published May 30 2001 $ 60.00 postpaid data from 1200 cases

available at http://www.amazon.com

over 600 references from standard medical research

aspartameNM/message/790

Moseley: review Roberts " Aspartame Disease: An Ignored Epidemic " :

Murray 2002.02.07 rmforall

Roberts, Hyman J., 1924- ,

Useful insights for diagnosis, treatment and public heath: an updated

anthology of original research, 2002, 798 pages,

aspartame disease, pages 627-685, 778-780

aspartameNM/message/859

Roberts: the life work of a brilliant clinician: aspartame toxicity:

Murray 2002.08.02 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1070

critique of aspartame review, French Food Safety Agency AFSSA 2002.05.07

aspartamgb.pdf (18 pages, in English), Martin Hirsch:

Murray 2004.04.13

aspartameNM/message/957

safety of aspartame Part 1/2 12.4.2: EC HCPD-G SCF:

Murray 2003.01.12 rmforall EU Scientific Committee on Food, a whitewash

aspartameNM/message/1045

http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/scf2002-response.htm

Mark Gold exhaustively critiques European Commission Scientific

Committee on Food re aspartame ( 2002.12.04 ): 59 pages, 230 references

aspartameNM/message/989 On 2003.04.10

the European Union Parliament voted 440 to 20 to approve sucralose,

limit cyclamates & reevaluate aspartame & stevia: Murray 2003.04.12 rmforall

There is an astonishing amount of positive research about stevia, banned in

the EU, and not allowed to be claimed as a sweetener in the USA:

http://www.eatright.org/Nutritive(1).pdf

J Am Diet Assoc. 2004 Feb; 104(2): 255-75.

Position of the American Dietetic Association: use of nutritive and

nonnutritive sweeteners. American Dietetic Association.

aspartameNM/message/1068

critique of aspartame review by American Dietetic Association Feb 2004,

Valerie B. Duffy & Madeleine J. Sigman-Grant: Murray 2004.05.14 rmforall

http://www.dorway.com ( David O. Rietz, died 2003 ) over 12,000 print

pages Mission-Possible-USA Betty Martini 770-242-2599

Bettym19 http://www.dorway.com/asprlink.html many links

http://www.dorway.com/nslawsuit.txt Jeff Martin, Attorney

http://www.dorway.com/doctors.txt

What many informed doctors are saying/have said about aspartame

Mary Nash Stoddard

Toxicology Sourcebook: " Deadly Deception Story of Aspartame "

Aspartame Consumer Safety Network and Pilot Hotline [since 1987]

PO Box 780634 Dallas TX 75378-0634

phone: 214.387.4001 marystod http://www.aspartamesafety.com

http://www.sweetpoison.com/

http://www.sweetpoison.com/food-additives-to-avoid.html

Dr. Janet Starr Hull, PhD, CN jshull

aspartameNM/message/805

Ive: UK Daily Mirror Magazine: aspartame toxicity:

Murray 2002.02.18 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1016

President Bush & formaldehyde (aspartame) toxicity: Ramazzini Foundation

carcinogenicity results Dec 2002: Soffritti: Murray 2003.08.03 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/874

re " dry drunk " : Bisbort: danger to President Bush from aspartame toxicity:

Murray: 2002.02.24 2002.09.29 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1065

politicians and celebrities hooked on diet sodas (aspartame):

Murray 2004.03.24 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1101

John Edwards gives up Diet Coke: The Cult of Diet Coke, Eric Gillin:

Murray 2004.07.12 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1102

John Edwards still drinks Diet Coke (aspartame): TIME Europe July 19 issue:

Murray 2004.07.12 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/876

hyperthyroidism (Graves disease) in George and Barbara Bush, 1991--

aspartame toxicity? Roberts 1997: Murray 2002.10.09 rmforall

http://www.dorway.com/upipart1.txt

aspartameNM/message/262

aspartame expose 96K Oct 1987 Part 1/3: Gregory Gordon, UPI reporter:

Murray 2000.07.10 rmforall

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

aspartameNM/message/53

aspartame history Part 1/4 1964-1976: Gold: Murray 1999.11.06 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/928

revolving door, Monsanto, FDA, EPA: NGIN: Murray 2002.12.23 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/841

RTM: Merisant Co., MSD Capital, Dell Computer Corp., NutraSweet Co.,

JW Childs Assc.: aspartame-neotame toxicity 2002.07.10 rmforall

http://google.com gives 247,000 websites for " aspartame " , with the top

8 of 10 listings being anti-aspartame, while

http://groups.google.com finds on 700 MB of posts from 20 years of

Usenet groups, 92,300 posts, the top 10 being anti-aspartame.

http://news.google.com 33 recent aspartame items from 4500 sources.

http://www.AllTheWeb.com gives 43,913, the top 8 of 10 anti.

http://teoma.com/index.asp gives 78,200 websites, top 8 of 10 anti.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed lists 763 aspartame items.

Many scientific studies and case histories report: * headaches * many body

and joint pains (or burning, tingling, tremors, twitching, spasms, cramps,

stiffness, numbness, difficulty swallowing) * fever, fatigue, swollen

glands * " mind fog " , " feel unreal " , poor memory, confusion, anxiety,

irritability, depression, mania, insomnia, dizziness, slurred speech, sexual

problems, poor vision, hearing (deafness, tinnitus), or taste * red face,

itching, rashes, allergic dermatitis, hair loss, burning eyes or throat, dry

eyes or mouth, mouth sores, burning tongue * obesity, bloating, edema,

anorexia, poor appetite or excessive hunger or thirst * breathing

problems, shortness of breath * nausea, diarrhea or constipation * coldness

* sweating * racing heart, low or high blood pressure, erratic blood sugar

levels * hypothryroidism or hyperthyroidism * seizures * birth defects

* brain cancers * addiction * aggrivates diabetes, autism, allergies,

lupus, ADHD, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple chemical

sensitivity, multiple sclerosis, pseudotumor cerebri and interstitial

cystitis (bladder pain).

***********************************************************

aspartameNM/message/870

Aspartame: Methanol and the Public Interest 1984: Monte:

Murray 2002.09.23 rmforall

Dr. Woodrow C. Monte Aspartame: methanol, and the public health.

Journal of Applied Nutrition 1984; 36 (1): 42-54.

(62 references) Professsor of Food Science [retired 1992]

Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287 woodymonte

The methanol from 2 L of diet soda, 5.6 12-oz cans, 20 mg/can, is

112 mg, 10% of the aspartame.

The EPA limit for water is 7.8 mg daily for methanol (wood alcohol), a

deadly cumulative poison.

Many users drink 1-2 L daily.

The reported symptoms are entirely consistent with chronic methanol

toxicity. (Fresh orange juice has 34 mg/L, but, like all juices, has 16

times more ethanol, which strongly protects against methanol.)

" The greater toxicity of methanol to man is deeply rooted in the limited

biochemical pathways available to humans for detoxification.

The loss of uricase (EC 1.7.3.3.),

formyl-tetrahydrofolate synthetase (EC 6.3.4.3.) (42)

and other enzymes (18) during evolution sets man apart from all

laboratory animals including the monkey (42).

There is no generally accepted animal model for methanol toxicity (42, 59).

Humans suffer " toxic syndrome " (54) at a minimum lethal dose

of <1 gm/kg, much less than that of monkeys, 3-6 g/kg (42, 59).

The minimum lethal dose of methanol

in the rat, rabbit, and dog is 9.5, 7.0 , and 8.0 g/kg, respectively (43);

ethyl alcohol is more toxic than methanol to these test animals (43). "

" Fruit and vegetables contain pectin with variable methyl ester content.

However, the human has no digestive enzymes for pectin (6, 25) particularly

the pectin esterase required for its hydrolysis to methanol (26).

Fermentation in the gut may cause disappearance of pectin (6) but the

production of free methanol is not guaranteed by fermentation (3).

In fact, bacteria in the colon probably reduce methanol directly to formic

acid or carbon dioxide (6) (aspartame is completely absorbed before

reaching the colon).

Heating of pectins has been shown to cause virtually no demethoxylation;

even temperatures of 120 deg C produced only traces of methanol (3).

Methanol evolved during cooking of high pectin foods (7) has been accounted

for in the volatile fraction during boiling and is quickly lost to the

atmosphere (49).

Entrapment of these volatiles probably accounts for the elevation in

methanol levels of certain fruits and vegetable products during canning (31,

33). "

" An alcoholic consuming 1500 calories a day from alcoholic sources alone may

consume between 0 and 600 mg of methanol each day depending on his choice of

beverages (Table 1).... " Table 1 lists red wine as having 128 mg/l

methanol, about one part in ten thousand.

Recent research [see links at end of post] supports his focus on the

methanol to formaldehyde toxic process:

" The United States Environmental Protection Agency in their Multimedia

Environmental Goals for Environmental Assessment recommends a minimum

acute toxicity concentration of methanol in drinking water at 3.9 parts

per million, with a recommended limit of consumption below 7.8 mg/day (8).

This report clearly indicates that methanol:

" ...is considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion

once it is absorbed. In the body, methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde

and formic acid; both of these metabolites are toxic. " (8)...

Recently the toxic role of formaldehyde (in methanol toxicity) has been

questioned (34).

No skeptic can overlook the fact that, metabolically, formaldehyde must be

formed as an intermediate to formic acid production (54).

Formaldehyde has a high reactivity which may be why it has not been found in

humans or other primates during methanol poisoning (59)....

If formaldehyde is produced from methanol and does have a reasonable half

life within certain cells in the poisoned organism the chronic toxicological

ramifications could be grave.

Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen (57) producing squanous-cell carcinomas

by inhalation exposure in experimental animals (22).

The available epidemiological studies do not provide adequate data for

assessing the carcinogenicity of formaldehyde in man (22, 24, 57).

However, reaction of formaldehyde with deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) has

resulted in irreversible denaturation that could interfere with DNA

replication and result in mutation (37)... "

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

Dr. J. Barua (ophthalmic surgeon), Dr. Arun Bal (surgeon)

Emerging facts about aspartame.

Journal Of The Diabetic Association Of India 1995; 35 (4):

(79 references) barua

" ...the total amount of methanol absorbed will be approximately 10% of

aspartame ingested. An EPA assessment of methanol states that methanol, 'is

considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion once it is

absorbed. The absorbed methanol is then slowly converted to

formaldehyde...' "

" Reaction of formaldehyde with DNA has been observed, by spectrophotometry

and electron microscopy, to result in irreversible denaturation. "

" DKP [from aspartame] has been implicated in the occurence of brain

tumors. "

**************************************************************

aspartameNM/message/939

aspartame (aspartic acid, phenylalanine) binding to DNA:

Karikas July 1998: Murray 2003.01.05 rmforall

Karikas GA, Schulpis KH, Reclos GJ, Kokotos G

Measurement of molecular interaction of aspartame and

its metabolites with DNA. Clin Biochem 1998 Jul; 31(5): 405-7.

Dept. of Chemistry, University of Athens, Greece

http://www.chem.uoa.gr gkokotos

K.H. Schulpis inchildh ; G.J. Reclos reklos

aspartameNM/message/960

aspartame & MSG: possible role in autoimmune hepatitis:

Prandota Jan 2003: Murray 2003.01.15 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/938

aspartame harms mice brain cells: Hetle & Eltervaag: 2001 thesis

abstract: Sonnewald 1995 study, full text: Murray 2003.01.05 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/346

WebMD: Barclay: Barth:

survey shows aspartame hurts memory in students 2000.11.09

Timothy M. Barth Department of Psychology t.barth

Texas Christian University TCU Box 298920 Fort Worth, TX 76129

Chairman, Physiological Psychology 817-921-7410

aspartameNM/message/760

Kovatsi L, Tsouggas M

The effect of oral aspartame administration on the

balance of magnesium in the rat.

Magnes Res 2001 Sep;14(3): 189-94.

Laboratory of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece kovatsi

aspartameNM/message/943

aspartame, cell phones, brain cancer July 1999 Hardell:

Murray 2003.01.09 rmforall

http://www.medscape.com/MedGenMed/braintumors

Lennart Hardell, M.D., PhD, in 1999 reported in Sweden that both

cell phone use and heavy aspartame use correlate with increased

brain cancers lennart.hardell +46 19 602 15 46

aspartameNM/message/31

Wurtman: aspartame & seizures 1985.11.09: Murray 1999.10.30

Wurtman RJ Aspartame: possible effect on seizure susceptibility.

Lancet 1985 Nov 9; 2(8463): 1060.

Richard J. Wurtman, Ph.D. dick 617-253-3091

Professor of Neuroscience

Prof. of Health Sciences and Technology

Massachusetts Institute of Technlogy Cambridge, Mass. 02139

http://www.truthinlabeling.org/ Truth in Labeling Campaign [MSG]

Adrienne Samuels, PhD The toxicity/safety of processed

free glutamic acid (MSG): a study in suppression of information.

Accountability in Research 1999; 6: 259-310. 52-page review

P.O. Box 2532 Darien, Illinois 60561

858-481-9333 adandjack

Russell L. Blaylock, MD 601-982-1175 Madison, Mississippi

" Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills " , 1977, 298 p., 493 references.

" Health and Nutrition Secrets that can save your life " , 2002, 459 p.,

558 + 30 references, $ 30 http://www.russellblaylockmd.com/

George R. Schwartz, MD " In Bad Taste: The MSG Syndrome " , 1988

http://www.healthpress.com/ goodbooks

PO Box 37470 Albuquerque, NM 87176 505-888-1394

Kathleen Frazier, Publisher

**************************************************************

http://www.readthelabel.org.uk/ Additives Survivors' Network (UK)

Geoff Brewer geoffbrewer

http://www.chem.ox.ac.uk/mom/aspartame/aspartame.html

http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/webprojects2000/srogers/sarah.html

Sarah Rogers sr8442

http://www.react.ie/Health/Nutrition/Aspartame.htm Ireland

http://members.tripod.com/~mission_possible/scotland_branch.html

http://www.aspartame.ca/indexa.html John T. Linnell admin

http://www.cybernaute.com/earthconcert2000/AspartaMalcache.htm

http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/ Australia FAILSAFE diet

http://www.bradymax.com/nzaa/ New Zealand

http://www.reseauproteus.net/therapies/nutritio/aspartame.htm France

http://ww2.grn.es/avalls/aspa1.htm Spain

http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Falls/8669/ Brazil

http://www.phd.com.br/aspartame.htm

http://hem.passagen.se/mission.possible.sweden/

http://home.online.no/~dusan/foods/aspartame.html Norway

http://www.ostara.org/aspartam/#menue Germany

http://www.aspartaam.nl/info/product.html Holland, in Dutch

http://www.laleva.org/ archimede Italy 9 languages

http://www.laleva.cc/alimenti/alimenti.html aspartame vs stevia 4.17.03

http://users.westnet.gr/~cgian/aspartame.htm Greece

http://www.cseindia.org/html/cola-indepth/index.htm India

**************************************************************

http://www.vegsource.com extensive vegan information

htttp://www.drmcdougall.com practical, delicious healthy diet guidance

http://www.vegsource.com/articles/kradjian_milk.htm

Robert Kradjian MD Discusses Milk

aspartameNM/message/971

Joel Fuhrman critique of Atkins diet in " Eat To Live " :

Murray 2003.03.01 rmforall

http://www.hyp.ac.uk/cash/index.htm

Consensus Action on Salt and Health

Substitute stevia (at health food stores).

Avoid all products with aspartame and MSG.

Gradually reduce alcohol, sugar, caffeine (coffee, cocoa, and teas), meat,

fish, eggs, milk, butter, and cheese, hydrogenated oils, trans fats,

food additives and colors, fluoride, city water, salt and sodium.

Enjoy organic rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, almond

butter, garlic, tumeric, with modest use of soy products and sprouted grain

breads, flax seed and olive oils, vitamins and minerals, 4-8 1,000 mg fish

oil capsules, and fill your jugs with deionized water.

**************************************************************

-

" Rich Murray " <rmforall

; <DrLance

Cc: <armageddon-or-newage >; <peterkawaja

Sign In

040923 H2H John Edwards, President Bush, and aspartame toxicity research: Glenn Kessler, Robin Wright: Murray 2004.09.16

Recommended Posts

Guest guest

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Join the conversation

Support the Ashram

Join Groups

Top Downloads