MD RECOGNIZES THE EVILS OF ASPARTAME COMSUMPTION

[Guest guest]

Evils Lurking In

Aspartame Consumption?

By Christine Lydon, MD

Oxygen Magazine - October

10-3-5

 

I have used aspartame for years. I've also wholeheartedly recommended

products containing NutraSweet to my clients, as well as promoting

its use in recipes. So, when I was recently contacted by a sports

nutrition company to do some consulting work on the health risks

associated with aspartame ingestion, was understandably reluctant to

accept the assignment.

 

I questioned their marketing director, What if I don't think there

are any significant health risks associated with aspartame? " His

response was to send me a couple of scientific publications. " Just

read the articles. If, in your medical opinion, aspartame poses no

health risks, then we won't pursue it further. "

 

The next day I sat down with a pile of literature two inches thick.

After making it through the first 10 pages, I stormed into my kitchen

and fed every item of food containing aspartame to the garbage. Since

that time, I have not had so much as a stick of aspartame sweetened

gum.

 

Sweet Beginnings

 

Scientifically known as 1-aspartyl 1-phenylalanine methyl ester,

consumers recognize aspartame in the forms of Equal, NutraSweet and

Spoonful. Aspartame has three components: phenylalanine (50 percent),

aspartic acid (40 percent) and methanol, also termed wood alcohol (10

percent). Those in support of this popular artificial sweetener,

state that the two primary amino acids, which comprise 90 percent of

aspartame by weight, are a harmless and natural part of our diet.

They insist that aspartic acid is a naturally occurring

neurotransmitter, which is present in the human central nervous

system. This is only a partial truth.

 

Phenylalanine and aspartic acid are amino acids that are normally

supplied by the foods we eat; however, they can only be considered

natural and harmless when consumed in combination with other amino

acids. On their own, they enter the central nervous system in

abnormally high concentrations, causing aberrant neuronal firing and

potential cell death. The neurotoxic

effects of these amino acids, when consumed as isolates, can be

linked to headaches, mental confusion, balance problems and possibly

seizures.

 

The damage caused by excitotoxin food additives is not usually

dramatic. In most instances, the effects are subtle, cumulative and

develop over a prolonged period of time.

 

Excitotoxins have also been shown to stimulate the generation of free

radicals (charged oxygen molecules with an unpaired electron). These

can have a negative impact on tissues and organs outside the central

nervous system. Evidence indicates that free radical production

accelerates many degenerative illnesses such as atherosclerosis,

cancer, coronary artery disease and arthritis. It comes as no

surprise that joint pain is a major complaint among aspartame

reactors (individuals who have reported adverse reactions).

 

Potentially more worrisome is the 10 percent of aspartame that is

absorbed into the bloodstream as methanol (wood alcohol). The

Environmental Protection Agency defines safe consumption as no more

than 7.8 milligrams per day of this dangerous substance. A one-liter

beverage, sweetened with aspartame, contains about 56 milligrams of

wood alcohol, or eight times the

EPA limit!

 

Aspartame's breakdown products, or metabolites, are even scarier than

its components. Phenylalanine decomposes into diketopiperazine (DKP)

a known carcinogen, when exposed to warm temperatures or prolonged

storage. Even if products are consistently kept at cooler

temperatures we are not safe. At cold temperatures, methanol will

spontaneously give rise to a colorless toxin known as formaldehyde.

Independent studies have shown formaldehyde formation, resulting from

aspartame ingestion, to be extremely common. It accumulates within

the cells, and reacts with cellular proteins such as enzymes and DNA.

This cumulative reaction could spell grave consequences for those who

consume aspartame-laden diet drinks and foods on a daily basis.

 

Are We All at Risk?

 

The blood-brain barrier is a system of specialized capillary

structures that are designed to prevent toxic substances from

entering the brain. There are a number of medical conditions from

diabetes, hypertension and smoking, to simple aging which can render

the blood-brain barrier incompetent. Therefore, aspartame reactions

have a tendency to be magnified

among individuals who fit these profiles.

 

Prior to birth and during the first 12 months of life, the blood-

brain barrier is incomplete; thereby allowing dangerous excitotoxins,

such as aspartic acid and phenylalanine, free access to the nervous

system. Additionally, the concentrating effects of the placenta are

able to magnify the levels of phenylalanine in the blood by as much

as four-to six-fold in a fetus. Fetal phenylalanine has the potential

to reach levels that kill cells in tissue culture. It's not much of a

stretch to presume these concentrations harbor the threat of birth

defects in the developing infant. Experimentally, it has been

determined that infants are four times more sensitive to excitotoxins

than adults. During the first year of life, irreversible brain damage

can occur through agents contained in breast milk. Despite this, the

American Dietetic Association still recommends aspartame for pregnant

and nursing women.

 

Aspartame Disease

 

Aspartame disease refers to a constellation of symptoms attributed to

the use of products containing aspartame. Common occurrences include:

headaches, dizziness, and everything from confusion to ringing in the

ears and slurred speech. Since its introduction as a food additive in

1981, aspartame has accounted for more than 75 percent of all

complaints reported to the FDA's Adverse Reaction Monitoring System.

In February 1994, the US Department of Health and Human Services

released this extensive list of aspartame-induced reactions which

encompassed everything from chronic fatigue syndrome and seizures to

infertility and death. By the FDAs own admission, less than one

percent of those who experience a reaction to a product ever report

it. This expands the 10,000 documented accounts to roughly a million

people who have experienced reactions to aspartame. Moreover, most

victims don't have any idea that aspartame may be at the root of

their problems.

 

Brain Damage and Seizures

 

Cerebral disfunction, resulting from aspartame, is believed to occur

through flooding the brain with large amounts of phenylalanine,

disturbances of your endogenous neurotransmitters, methanol-induced

cerebral edema and other additional resulting irregularities Aspartic

acid is a neuroexcitatory toxin present in damaging amounts even at

the accepted daily intake for aspartame.

 

Formaldehyde, which is derived from methanol, accumulates in certain

areas of the brain which correspond to the neurodegenerative symptoms

of Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and ALS (Lou Gerig's Disease). These

conditions are all associated with free radical injury, a known

effect of the excitotoxins phenylalanine and aspartic acid. Although

aspartame is probably not a primary cause of neurodegenerative

diseases, it may precipitate these disorders and certainly

exacerbates their symptoms.

Recent studies have established that aspartame has seizure-promoting

activity in animal models. It is believed that the sweetener can

increase seizure frequency among epileptics and even initiate

seizures in susceptible individuals with no prior history.

 

Brain Tumors

 

According to the National Cancer Institute, there has been a 10

percent increase in the incidence of common primary malignant brain

cancer since 1985, and perhaps as early as 1984. This phenomenon

occurred one to two years following the licensing of aspartame for

beverages in July 1983. It includes a disproportionately high rise in

alioblastoma, astrocvtoma and primary lymphoma among young woman

known to consume considerable amounts of aspartame. There has also

been an increased occurrence of glioma among children whose mothers

consumed aspartame throughout their pregnancy. The significance of

this escalation is underscored by the high incidence of brain tumors

in rats after the experimental administration of aspartame.

 

Vision Impairment

 

The individual components of aspartame, as well as their multiple

breakdown products are potentially toxic to the retina and optic

nerves. Methanol poisoning is notorious for causing vision impairment

leading to blindness. Formaldehyde, its primary metabolite, is also

known to cause retinal damage. Aspartame has been linked to visual

disturbances which include blindness in one or both eyes, blurred

visibility, eye pain and more.

 

Dr. H.J. Roberts of West Palm Beach, FL has treated hundreds of

aspartame reactors. One fourth of his patients experienced decreased

vision or blindness; which, in Dr. Roberts opinion, is " the most

serious complication. " According to Dr. Roberts, optic nerve

swelling, retinal degeneration and visual impairment, that is

associated with heavy aspartame use, is identical to the pathology

observed in recorded cases of methanol toxicity from drinking wood

alcohol throughout the days of prohibition.

 

If you haven't been frightened off aspartame yet, take a lesson from

the armed services. In the May 1992 edition of their journal, flying

Safety, the United States Air Force warned all pilots to stay off

aspartame, stating:

some people have suffered aspartame related disorders with doses as

small as that carried in a single stick of chewing gum. This could

mean a pilot who drinks diet sodas is more susceptible to flicker

vertigo, or flicker-induced epileptic activity. It also means that

all pilots are potential victims of sudden memory loss, dizziness

during instrument flight and gradual loss of vision. "

 

Multiple Sclerosis

 

Consumption of significant amounts of aspartame has been known to

cause vocal slurring, loss of equilibrium and other neurological

sequelae. Methanol toxicity secondary to aspartame has been so

frequently misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis, that some experts

recommend deferring diagnosis of MS for several months following an

abstinence from NutraSweet and related products. In the cases of

methanol toxicity, the neurological symptoms resolve once aspartame

has been eliminated from the system.

 

Diabetes Mellitus

 

Many diabetics experience difficulties specifically attributed to

ingestion of aspartame products. Effects include the loss of diabetic

control, intensification of hypoglycemia, the occurrence of presumed

insulin reactions (including convulsions) and the precipitation,

aggravation or simulation of impaired vision and neuropathy. In most

cases, symptoms improve once aspartame products are discontinued.

Despite overwhelming evidence that aspartame use can worsen diabetic

complications, the American Diabetic Association continues to promote

aspartame use for diabetics.

 

Headaches

 

Headaches are the most frequently reported adverse reaction to

aspartame products. It is a major complaint in half of all aspartame

reactors. Aspartame products must be considered as a causative agent

and/or aggravating factor in people with unexplained headaches.

Similarly, patients who are subject to migraine and other types of

recurrent headaches should avoid exposure to all products containing

aspartame.

 

Hypertension

 

Dozens of aspartame reactors, with no previous history of

hypertension, experience elevated blood pressure after ingesting

products containing the sweetener Others with known hypertension are

not adequately controlled on their maintenance medication when using

even small amounts of aspartame. The elevation in blood pressure

presumably reflects the effects of

phenylalanine and its metabolic products, which include

norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine.

 

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

 

Unintentionally, the United States government, in conjunction with

soda companies, has succeeded in performing a large scale aspartame

experiment on humans. During the Persian Gulf War, truckloads of diet

soda were sent to the troops. The cans sat for up to eight weeks on

pallets in the 120+ degree Arabian sun. Thirsty soldiers drank it up,

bottle after bottle. Is it any surprise that Desert Storm Syndrome

symptoms are identical to aspartame disease? Thousands of troops

returned home complaining of memory loss, vision problems, chronic

fatigue syndrome, confusion, dizziness, joint pain, headaches,

equilibrium problems and manic depression. The Chronic Fatigue

Syndrome and Immunologic Disease Society (CFIDS) claim 6000 troops,

to date, have perished as a result of the Desert Storm Syndrome.

 

Dieting Without Aspartame?

 

In a cruel and ironic twist, aspartame may actually cause weight

gain. Phenylalanine and aspartic acid, found in aspartame, stimulate

the release of insulin. Rapid, strong spikes in insulin remove all

glucose from the blood-stream and store it as fat. This can result in

hypoglycemia and sugar cravings. Additionally, it has been

demonstrated to inhibit carbohydrate induced synthesis of the

neurotransmitter serotonin, which signals that the body is satiated.

Inhibition of serotonin leads to food cravings, increased

carbohydrate consumption and, ultimately, weight gain. In a recent

study, a control group switching to an aspartame-free diet resulted

in an average weight loss of 19 pounds.

 

True Lies

 

The consumption of aspartame has vastly exceeded expectations at the

time of the original toxicology testing in the early 1970s, by the

Illinois-based and patent owning, Searle & Company. Sold in 1985 to

the St Louis-based Monsanto Corporation; today it sells close to one

billion dollars annually, through its subsidiary NutraSweet. Many

would argue that the current ingestion of aspartame products by over

half the adult population in the United States constitutes an

imminent public health hazard. Even so, the industrial-medical

complex fails to warn even high-risk groups about potential dangers.

You may wonder how this stuff was ever approved by the FDA in the

first place.

 

For over eight years, the FDA refused to approve aspartame because it

was known to produce seizures and brain tumors in lab animals. One

pivotal study by Searle's researchers, known as the " Waisman Study, "

initially indicated that ingestion of aspartame caused convulsions

and death in primates. However, official conclusions could not be

reached because the study was never completed. Searle blamed -

limitations in adequately skilled laboratory personnel- for their

decision to terminate the study. By Searle's own acknowledgement, his

team lacked competent research staff.

 

Two FDA investigative task forces presented scathing reports on the

quality of the company's research and in 1976,the FDA's general

counsel requested a federal grand jury investigation of the company.

For reasons unknown, the investigation was never undertaken.

 

Initially, even the National Soft Drink Association (NSDA) rallied

against the use of aspartame. An excerpt of a protest submitted for

congressional review in 1983 reads:

 

" Searle has not characterized the decomposition products of aspartame

in soft drinks under temperature conditions to which the beverages

are likely to be exposed in the United States. Collectively, the

extensive deficiencies in the stability studies conducted by Searle

to demonstrate that aspartame and its degradation products are safe

in soft drinks intended to be sold in the United States, render those

studies inadequate and unreliable. "

 

Soon after President Reagan took office, he appointed Dr. Arthur Hull

Hayes as the new FDA commissioner. In 1980, a Public Board of Inquiry

asked to review scientific data on aspartame voted three to zero to

keep it off the market pending further studies on the brain cancer

issue. The board of inquiry was overruled, and in 1981, aspartame was

licensed by the FDA for use as a tabletop sweetener. In July 1983 it

was approved for use in beverages.

 

Of approximately 100 independent studies conducted on aspartame, over

90 percent have demonstrated significant health risks. This would

lead to the question " why hasn't aspartame been banned? " In 1996,

ignoring the fact that aspartame breaks down faster when heated above

86 degrees Fahrenheit, the FDA decided to remove any remaining

limitations on its use. Presently, there are thousands of companies

using aspartame in diet sodas, powdered drinks, gelatin, tea, coffee,

cocoa, juices, frozen desserts and even vitamins and medications.

This translates to billions of dollars worldwide. Unfortunately, this

is more than enough to provide agency officials with lucrative future

employment, politicians with campaign funds, non-profit foundations

with endowments, scientists with research grants and the media with

advertising dollars.

 

Presently, FDA officials continue to resist proposals from concerned

scientists, physicians and other groups for comprehensive studies

regarding the safety of aspartame.