Yummy ! The link between aspartame and brain tumors: What the FDA never told you about artificial sweeteners

[Guest guest]

NewsTarget.com <http://www.newstarget.com/index.html> printable article The

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

artificial sweeteners On September 30, 1980, a public Board of Inquiry

advised against the approval of

aspartame<http://www.newstarget.com/001522.html>,

stating: " The Board has not been presented with proof of a reasonable

certainty that aspartame (NutraSweet <http://www.newstarget.com/008952.html>)

is safe for use as a food additive under its intended conditions of use. " In

1981, however, the FDA approved aspartame for consumer use based on studies

that seem tainted by heavy financial interest in its approval. To many

medical practitioners and consumer interest groups, the approval was a gross

betrayal of public trust. " To think that there is even a reasonable doubt

that aspartame can induce brain tumors in the American population is

frightening. And to think that the FDA has lulled them into a false sense of

security is a monumental crime, " writes Dr. Russell L. Blaylock in *

Excitotoxins*. In 2005, twenty-five years after the initial Board of

Inquiry's caution against approval, numerous adults and children consume

aspartame-sweetened products on a daily basis, despite reservations

regarding its safety.

 

Drinking Formaldehyde The next time you pop open a can of diet

soda<http://www.newstarget.com/007794.html>,

pause for a moment to consider what exactly you're drinking. As the

aspartame gets broken down in your digestive tract, a metabolic by-product

called DKP appears. According to Dr. Blaylock, when your stomach processes

DKP, it produces a compound very similar to N-nitrosourea, a powerful brain

tumor-causing chemical. In addition, aspartame contains methanol, which the

body breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is one of

the main substances pumped into a dead body during the embalming process.

 

Now, when I'm dead, the morticians can pump formaldehyde into my body.

Before then, however, I don't want to be pumped full of any chemical used in

the embalming process, and I'm sure you don't, either. According to Dr.

Blaylock, formaldehyde accumulates near

DNA<http://www.newstarget.com/005524.html>and causes serious damage.

" Drinking even one diet cola a day can cause

formaldehyde buildup in cells, so that the amount of the toxin increases

daily, " he writes in *Health and Nutrition (see related ebook on

nutrition<http://www.truthpublishing.com/7laws.html>)

Secrets*.

 

" Urban myths " of the aspartame industry You can visit the website for

Equal, which says that aspartame-induced tumors, migraines, seizures

and nervous

system <http://www.newstarget.com/011514.html> disorders are just " urban

myths. " If you believe that, you probably also believe the aspartame

industry's argument that the studies that resulted in the condemnation of

their products were based on lab rats instead of humans. Just take note,

however, that " spontaneous brain tumors in laboratory rats are extremely

rare, " according to Dr. H.J. Roberts in *Aspartame (NutraSweet): Is It Safe?

*. So before you believe what the manufacturers of aspartame products would

like to tell you, consider first the fact that for extensively-studied,

generic laboratory rats, " brain tumors are extremely rare before age one and

one-half, " according to Dr. Blaylock. Afterward, compare that observation to

study results cited by Dr. Blaylock that indicate " aspartame-fed rats

developed two tumors by 60 weeks of age and five tumors by 70 weeks. " Now,

do you still believe it's an " urban myth? "

 

In light of the truth regarding the safety of aspartame products, it is

ironic that consumers often turn to no-calorie diet products because of

concern for their health, especially in regard to

obesity<http://www.newstarget.com/001424.html>.

The aspartame industry promises consumers a reduction in calories without

having to drastically change their diet. Unfortunately, misinformed

consumers believe this. To the more informed readers out there: Don't

beguile yourselves chasing false promises. You can lose weight by

maintaining a healthy lifestyle

<http://www.newstarget.com/007579.html>through exercise and good food

choices. The

NewsTarget <http://www.newstarget.com/> website can provide you with

information you need to start making these changes. Additionally, if you

want a truly natural way to sweeten your foods and drinks, try

stevia<http://www.newstarget.com/001112.html>.

You can learn more about stevia at NewsTarget's stevia

archive<http://www.newstarget.com/stevia.html>.

The right information is available to you, but it's up to you to discern the

good from the bad and make healthy lifestyle

choices<http://www.newstarget.com/001546.html>.

 

 

*The experts speak on aspartame and brain tumors:*

 

* " September 30, 1980: A public Board of Inquiry advises against aspartame " *

 

A Public Board of Inquiry (PBOI) advised against the approval of aspartame

on September 30, 1980 pending further testing relative to induced brain

tumors. It asserted: " The Board has not been presented with proof of a

reasonable certainty that aspartame (nutrasweet) is safe for use as a food

additive under its intended conditions of use. "

*aspartame - Is It Safe by H J Roberts MD, page 19*

 

* " Results of studies prior to the FDA's approval of aspartame " *

 

…. The fact that 320 aspartame fed rats developed six brain tumors by

seventy-six weeks indicates an " incredible and unprecedented'' occurrence.

...

*Excitotoxins by Russell L Blaylock MD, page 213*

 

This particularly nasty substance should have never even been approved for

human use. In fact, had it not been for some fancy footwork by those in

power in the FDA, it never would have. Early experiments using low, medium

and high doses with aspartame all found dramatic tumor increases in test

animals. These included brain, pancreas, and breast tumors…

*Health And Nutrition Secrets by Russell L Blaylock MD, page 196*

 

Importantly, brain tumors are extremely rare before age one and one-half in

the rat. So in truth the incidence of spontaneously occurring brain tumors

would be even less than cited above. Yet, the aspartame fed rats developed

two tumors by sixty weeks of age and five tumors by seventy weeks.

*Excitotoxins by Russell L Blaylock MD, page 213*

 

Dr. M. Adrian Gross, a respected FDA scientist-pathologist, listed dozens of

" serious deficiencies " by a manufacturer and its representatives concerning

the prelicensing evaluation of aspartame in animal studies . . . the most

serious pertaining to brain tumors.

*aspartame - Is It Safe by H J Roberts MD, page 11*

 

When Dr. John Olney pointed out these findings to the FDA " aspartame Board

of Inquiry " he was told that the high incidence of tumors was the result of

spontaneous development of brain tumors in rats. .. He reviewed the

incidence of spontaneously occurring brain tumors in rats and found that out

of seven studies using a total of 59,000 rats, only 0.08% developed brain

tumors—the aspartame fed rats had a forty-seven fold higher incidence. But

to be fair, he even accepted G.D. Searle's references for spontaneously

developing brain tumors in rats and arrives at a figure of 0.15%. This was

still a twenty-five fold higher incidence in the aspartame fed rats than in

the controls.

*Excitotoxins by Russell L Blaylock MD, page 212*

 

There has been virtually no outcry by health professionals, the FDA or the

public over the approval of aspartame-containing products for human

consumption when pre-licensing animal studies showed brain and uterine

tumors in rats (Cornell 1984). …

*aspartame - Is It Safe by H J Roberts MD, page 225*

 

The study divided the rats into those exposed to low doses of aspartame and

those exposed to a high dose. In the low dose group five of the rats

developed brain tumors for and incidence of 3.13%. In the high dose group,

seven developed brain tumors (4.38%). This indicates a dose related

incidence of brain tumors. The higher the dose of aspartame, the more brain

tumors were induced.

*Excitotoxins by Russell L Blaylock MD, page 212*

 

* " The FDA approved aspartame in 1981: Why? " *

 

It is interesting to note that the first experiments done to test the safety

of aspartame before its final approval in 1981 disclosed a high incidence of

brain tumors in the animals fed nutrasweet® .4S4 In fact, this study was

done by the manufacturer of nutrasweet®, G.D. Searle. In this study 320 rats

were fed aspartame and 120 rats were fed a normal diet and used as controls.

The study lasted two years. At the end of the study twelve of the aspartame

fed rats had developed brain tumors (astrocytomas), while none of the

control rats had. This represented a 3.75% incidence of brain tumors in the

rats fed aspartame, which was twenty-five times higher than the incidence of

spontaneous brain tumors developing in rats (0.15%) …

*Excitotoxins by Russell L Blaylock MD, page 212*

 

Despite concerns over the safety of this new sweetener, including brain

tumor induction in experimental animals,

seizures<http://www.newstarget.com/008952.html>,

precipitation of headaches <http://www.newstarget.com/009727.html>, and an

adverse effect on the developing brain, the FDA approved its use as an

artificial sweetener. Sales began to grow immediately. The nutrasweet®

company spent over 60 million dollars on advertising alone during its first

three years.

*Excitotoxins by Russell L Blaylock MD, page 218*

 

…. What is ironic is that the FDA would accept studies from a company with

an obvious heavy financial interest in having aspartame approved. But even

more amazing is that they would depend on this same company to provide

studies that they, FDA, knew beforehand were highly questionable and

possibly fraudulent upon which they would make such an important public

safety decision.

*Excitotoxins by Russell L Blaylock MD, page 214*

 

" In view of all these indications that the cancer-causing potential of

aspartame is a matter that has been established way beyond any reasonable

doubt, one can ask: 'What is the reason for the apparent refusal by the FDA

to invoke for this food additive the Delaney Amendment to the Food, Drug,

and Cosmetic Act?' "

*aspartame - Is It Safe by H J Roberts MD, page 225*

 

…. To think that there is even a reasonable doubt that aspartame can induce

brain tumors in the American population is frightening. And to think that

the FDA has lulled them into a false sense of security is a monumental

crime.

*Excitotoxins by Russell L Blaylock MD, page 214*

 

* " How aspartame possibly causes tumors " *

 

But the story gets even more interesting. Dr. Olney hypothesized that one

possible cause of the tumor induction was a by-product of aspartame

metabolism <http://www.newstarget.com/009701.html> called diketopiperazine

(DKP). When nitrosated by the gut it produces a compound closely resembling

a powerful brain tumor causing chemical— N-nitrosourea.

*Excitotoxins by Russell L Blaylock MD, page 213*

 

Several possibilities explain the high rate of

cancer<http://www.newstarget.com/004795.html>in these animals. One is

that aspartame breaks down in the body into a

substance called diketopiperizine or DKP, which chemically closely resembles

a group of cancer-causing chemicals. aspartame also contains methanol, which

breaks down in the body into formaldehyde and formic acid. Formaldehyde had

been shown to accumulate near DNA, causing serious damage that is

accumulative. That means that drinking even one diet cola a day can cause

formaldehyde buildup in cells, so that the amount of the toxin increases

daily.

*Health And Nutrition Secrets by Russell L Blaylock MD, page 197*

 

* " Results and accuracy of animal studies " *

 

…. The study showed that in 320 nutrasweet-fed rats there were 12 brain

tumors whereas in a group of concurrent control rats which were not exposed

to nutrasweet, there were no brain tumors. Being a neuropathologist, I know

that spontaneous brain tumors in laboratory rats are extremely rare. The

archival literature documents an incidence not exceeding 0.6%. Since the

above incidence in nutrasweet-fed rats is 3.75%, this suggests that

nutrasweet may cause brain tumors and certainly suggests the need for

additional in-depth research to rule out that possibility . . .

*aspartame - Is It Safe by H J Roberts MD, page 226*

 

Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats fed aspartame in the diet at various

levels for up to 2 years were observed for the incidence of brain tumors (G.

D. Searle and Co., 1973b). After the study was completed, the FDA appointed

an independent board of inquiry to review the data. The board concluded that

aspartame was a possible carcinogen, based on three of the study's findings:

The incidence of brain neoplasms in aspartame-fed rats was greater than that

in controls, …

*Diet Nutrition Cancer by National Research Council, page 311*

 

…. Dr. Lampert personally examined the microscopic slides pertaining to the

brain tumor studies and told me a year or so after the PBOI report was

completed that he had been surprised at the large size of the brain tumors

in the nutrasweet-fed rats. "

*aspartame - Is It Safe by H J Roberts MD, page 226*

 

… brain tumors in all age groups jumped by greater than ten percent….Dr. H.

J. Roberts, who has written an excellent book on the dangers of aspartame,

has collected some evidence that one particular type of brain tumor may be

associated with nutrasweet®.488 This tumor is known as a primary lymphoma of

the brain. It is a particularly nasty tumor with a high mortality rate.

*Excitotoxins by Russell L Blaylock MD, page 215*

 

Other observations in both animals studies and aspartame reactors should

evoke concern about the potential tumor-causing role of aspartame-containing

products.

*aspartame - Is It Safe by H J Roberts MD, page 221*

 

* " Should you consume aspartame? " *

 

…and aspar-tame (nutrasweet) …. Some experts suspect them of promoting

cancer and having toxic effects on the nervous system. You are much better

off eating moderate amounts of sugar

<http://www.newstarget.com/011535.html>than any of these unnatural

compounds.

*8 Weeks To Optimum Health By Andrew Weil MD, page 51*

 

ACTIONS TO aspartame-CONTAINING products may pose potential public health

threats. This chapter will address some of these possibilities—including

aspartame-related accidents, suicide, criminality, cancer, and excessive

diagnostic radiation.

*aspartame - Is It Safe by H J Roberts MD, page 222*

 

…. Avoid all nutrasweet®, Equal®, and aspartame in any form. There is

evidence that this sweetener can impair your genetic structure, increase cancer

risk <http://www.newstarget.com/009750.html> and can be toxic to your

nervous system.

*Health And Nutrition Secrets by Russell L Blaylock MD, page 395*

 

" I would view the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) set by the FDA for aspartame

(50 mg/kg body weight/ day) as totally unwarranted and extremely high in

that it can be associated with completely unacceptable risks as far as the

induction of such (brain) tumors is concerned. It is clear that risks of

this magnitude for what the FDA regards as a 'safe' level of exposure to

aspartame represent an outright calamity or disaster. " (Italics supplied)

*aspartame - Is It Safe by H J Roberts MD, page 237*

 

and extremely high in that it can be associated with completely unacceptable

risks as far as the induction of such (brain) tumors is concerned- It is

clear that risks of this magnitude for what the FDA regards as a ' " safe' "

level of exposure to aspartame represents an outright calamity or

disaster.23

*Miracle Of Stevia by James A May, page 188*

 

Some primary brain lymphomas are associated with immune depression seen with

AIDS. One would expect these to increase. But there is also a dramatic

increase in these previously rare tumors in individuals without

AIDS.489Some have suggested that the recent increase in brain tumors

merely reflects

better diagnostic methods. But a recent study found this not to be true; the

increase is real.490 Dr. Roberts feels that an association with the

tremendous rise in the use of aspartame products in the last decade may hold

the answer.

*Excitotoxins by Russell L Blaylock MD, page 215*

* " Aspartame and other disorders " *

 

A 57-year-old executive developed severe insomnia. His physician attributed

it to " jet lag " because of his frequent travels abroad. He was consuming 10

to 12 cans of an aspartame cola and 4 to 6 packets of an aspartame powdered

sweetener daily. A tranquilizer (Halcion®) was prescribed—but only

intensified the insomnia. He was referred to a psychiatrist for possible

depression . . . then to an endocrinologist for a possible brain tumor. The

psychiatrist treated him for three years, during which time he was " ..

becoming significantly more moody, nervous, and experiencing memory loss and

speech difficulties (frustrating to me, but really not that noticeable to

others). " Low doses of the antidepressant

drug<http://www.newstarget.com/001465.html>Tofranil(r) triggered " a near

panic attack. " within two weeks after

discontinuing aspartame products, he was markedly improved.

*aspartame - Is It Safe by H J Roberts MD, page 120*

 

.... Phenylalanine is the toxic component seen in the childhood disorder

called phenylketonuria or PKU. In this disorder, phenylalanine accumulates

in the blood and hence brain, in very high concentrations. Carriers for the

gene develop blood levels of phenylalanine twice as high as those of normal

people, when consuming an equal amount of aspartame. … In addition, the

metabolic breakdown of aspartame yields about a dozen toxic compounds, some

of which have been associated with cancer induction and alteration of brain

function <http://www.newstarget.com/000057.html>. The fewer of these toxins

and foreign chemicals you expose your unborn child to the better. This also

applies to newborns, toddlers, adolescents and adults as well. All of the

toxins produced by ingesting aspartame must be detoxified and this puts a

strain on the body's ability to cope.

*Health And Nutrition Secrets by Russell L Blaylock MD, page 24*

 

A 30-year-old woman consumed an average of five to six cups or glasses of

aspartame beverages daily for 17 months. Ringing and pain in both ears,

dizziness, and a severe headache began after the tenth month. Audiometric

studies revealed considerable loss of hearing in the left ear. When brain

tumor was ruled out by CT scan, the otology and neurology consultants

diagnosed her problem as Meniere's disease. The patient herself, however,

finally deduced that the aspartame drinks caused these symptoms because she

could predictably reproduce them on rechallenge.

*aspartame - Is It Safe by H J Roberts MD, page 141*

 

I hope not, but ignoring the long-term problems seemingly associated with

use of aspartame-containing products might portend another " thalidomide

revolution " . It is imperative that researchers who are not influenced by

producer-corporations gather detailed data concerning the incidence rates of

epilepsy <http://www.newstarget.com/007465.html>, visual problems,

allergies, Parkinsonism, brain tumors and Alzheimer's disease among

aspartame consumers. The same applies to other disorders—including the

frequency of birth defects, seizures, impaired intelligence and behavioral

abnormalities among the children of women who ingested aspartame products at

conception and during pregnancy <http://www.newstarget.com/008303.html>.

*aspartame - Is It Safe by H J Roberts MD, page 214*

 

Many people believe that the real enemy among the sweeteners is aspartame —

several Web sites are devoted to attacking it (among them

holisticmed.com<http://holisticmed.com>).

It's been linked to everything from headaches, multiple

sclerosis<http://www.newstarget.com/007269.html>,

loss of brain function, epilepsy, chronic fatigue

syndrome<http://www.newstarget.com/006625.html>,

Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, brain tumors, lymphoma, and lupus to

diabetes<http://www.newstarget.com/007421.html>itself. Some people may

be sensitive to aspartame, which most commonly

causes headaches. …

*Living Low-Carb by Fran McCullough, page 107*

 

Another food additive to avoid is aspartame, also called nutrasweet, …. More

important, evidence now exists that aspartate affects the nervous system and

spinal cord, promoting brain neurons to die, and thus leading to neurologic

diseases, such as Parkinson's <http://www.newstarget.com/009520.html>,

Alzheimer's, and Lou Gehrig's disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). It

also damages the brains of infants and children, who then have a higher that

normal propensity for suffering neurologic diseases later in their lives….

*Lupus by Sharon Moore, page 133*

 

When the complainants stop using the product, the symptoms go away,

returning only when they resume use of aspartame or products containing it.

Many physicians <http://www.newstarget.com/010618.html> refer to these

symptoms as " aspartame disease. " Some physicians and scientists believe it

to be an underlying cause of brain tumors, comas, and death. The

manufacturer of aspartame and the FDA deny any association between aspartame

and these conditions.

*Miracle Of Stevia by James A May, page 175*

 

*Overview:*

 

- The link between aspartame and brain

tumors<http://www.newstarget.com/011294.html>:

What the FDA never told you about artificial

sweeteners<http://www.newstarget.com/007420.html>

 

Source:

http://www.newstarget.com/011804.html<http://www.newstarget.com/011804.html>

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

 

All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected

under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all

content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the

recommendation of products. Newstarget.com <http://Newstarget.com> is

presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be

construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. It is not

intended as a substitute for the diagnosis, treatment or advice of a

qualified professional. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the

use or misuse of this material.