Is aspartame harmful? + Related Articles

[Guest guest]

Is aspartame harmful?

 

Moderation is wise when consuming diet drinks, as research on the safety

of artificial sweeteners remains controversial

 

 

Dr. Peter Carlen

From Tuesday's Globe and Mail, Tuesday, Jun. 23, 2009

_http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/is-aspartame-harmful/article1192

630/_

(http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/is-aspartame-harmful/article1192630/\

)

 

 

We ask the experts to settle common questions we've all wondered about.

 

 

QUESTION

Aspartame has long been the subject of controversy. Is there any truth to

claims that the artificial sweetener can cause problems of the central

nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis, or trigger other ill effects?

 

 

ANSWER

For many people, information about the human diet may seem like a

revolving door. We are constantly hearing contradictory information about which

types of foods or additives are good or bad.

 

 

This is the case with the artificial sweetener known as aspartame. Since

artificial sweeteners have become a mainstay in our diet there has been

controversy over its safety.

 

 

Artificial sweeteners give foods and beverages the taste of sugar without

the calories. This is considered to be beneficial, especially in light of

the obesity epidemic. But even in the case for weight reduction, it's not

certain that these products really achieve long-lasting weight loss. In fact,

there are arguments that intense sweeteners can actually increase one's

appetite for sweet foods, promote overeating, and may even lead to weight

gain. And over the years scientists have felt compelled to look at the

relationships between sweeteners and a variety of illnesses.

 

 

Two recent reviews of scientific literature on aspartame have endorsed its

safety.

 

 

One published in the journal Critical Reviews in Toxicology in 2007 and

led by Bernadene Magnuson, who has ties to the artificial sweetener industry,

concluded that there was no link between illnesses of the central nervous

system and aspartame. (Dr. Magnuson was at the University of Maryland when

the study was published.)

 

 

Similarly, Harriett Butchko and colleagues at NutraSweet Co., reported in

the journal Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology that there is no

concrete evidence that aspartame affects brain function or behaviour, or causes

any form of brain damage.

 

 

Both reviews also concluded there was no evidence to support an

association between aspartame and cancer.

 

 

On the other hand, Petro Humphries, a researcher at the University of

Pretoria in South Africa who reported no links with the artificial sweetener

industry, led another review of the literature that found that consumption of

aspartame could cause neurological and behavioural disturbances in

sensitive individuals.

 

 

These included headaches, insomnia and seizures, and could in part be

attributed to changes in regional brain concentrations of certain

neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers, according to the findings published

in the

Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2008.

 

 

Dr. Humphries and colleagues concluded that excessive aspartame ingestion

could, in sensitive individuals, be involved in cell and tissue changes

that lead to certain mental disorders and also compromise learning and

emotional function. They suggested that serious further testing and research be

undertaken to eliminate the controversy over this product.

 

 

Even without further study, there are already recommended limits on how

much aspartame a person should ingest each day.

 

 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has established acceptable daily

intake of 50 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day. The European Food

Safety Authority has set daily intake levels of 40 milligrams per kilogram

of body weight.

 

 

Given this information, it is important for people to remember that our

consumption of foods and beverages that contain artificial sweeteners should

always be guided by moderation.

 

 

Dr. Peter Carlen is a neurologist at the Krembil Neuroscience Centre,

University Health Network in Toronto and head of the Division of Fundamental

Neurobiology of the Toronto Western Research Institute.

 

 

So, Is aspartame harmful? Industry says no, independent scientists say

yes.

 

RELATED ARTICLES

 

 

Aspartame Is By Far, the Most Dangerous Substance On the Market That Is

Added To Foods

Aspartame is the technical name for the brand names, NutraSweet, Equal,

Spoonful, and Equal-Measure. A few of the 90 different documented symptoms

listed in the report as being caused by aspartame include:

Headaches/migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms,

weight gain,

rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, insomnia, vision

problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety

attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and

joint

pain. Aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to

food additives reported to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

_http://www.mercola.com/article/aspartame/nutrasweet_scandal.htm_

(http://www.mercola.com/article/aspartame/nutrasweet_scandal.htm)

 

 

THE BITTER TRUTH ABOUT ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS

NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure - just a few brand names of

aspartame. Aspartame sugar substitutes cause worrying symptoms from memory

loss to brain tumours. But despite US FDA approval as a 'safe' food

additive, aspartame is one of the most dangerous substances ever to be foisted

upon an unsuspecting public

_http://curezone.com/foods/aspartame.asp_

(http://curezone.com/foods/aspartame.asp)

 

 

The Connection between Aspartame (Artificial Sweetener) and Panic Attacks,

Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Memory Problems, and Other Mental Symptoms

_http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/aspartame.htm_

(http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/aspartame.htm)

 

 

The link between aspartame and brain tumors: What the FDA never told you

about artificial sweeteners

_http://www.naturalnews.com/011804.html_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/011804.html)

 

 

Aspartame consumption strongly associated with migraines and seizures

_http://www.naturalnews.com/008797.html_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/008797.html)

 

 

Aspartame promotes grand mal seizures, say health experts

_http://www.naturalnews.com/008952.html_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/008952.html)

 

 

Aspartame found to cause breast cancer, leukemia and lymphomas in latest

animal experiments

_http://www.naturalnews.com/021920.html_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/021920.html)

 

 

1995 list of aspartame reactions

_http://www.mpwhi.com/92_aspartame_symptoms.pdf_

(http://www.mpwhi.com/92_aspartame_symptoms.pdf)

 

 

My Aspartame Experiment

Includes many graphic pictures also. This is a must read.

 

_http://www.anomalicresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/my-aspartame-exp

eriment.pdf_

(http://www.anomalicresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/my-aspartame-experim\

ent.pdf)

 

My Aspartame Experiment

Includes many pictures including the experimental set-up, pictures of the

rats, etc.

_http://myaspartameexperiment.com/_ (http://myaspartameexperiment.com/)