Aspartame

[Raven1]

Aspartame is the most controversial food additive in history, and its approval for use in food was one of the most hotly contested in FDA history. The artificial sweetener was approved, not on scientific grounds, but because of strong political and financial pressures.

With all the research now available on aspartame and its various ingredients, it's hard to believe such a chemical would be allowed into the food supply, but it is, and it's been silently wreaking havoc with people's health for the past 30 years.

Just to refresh your memory, aspartame has been linked to the following health concerns:

Lymphomas, leukemias, and brain cancer Asthma
Neurological symptoms including headaches, depressed and anxious mood, seizures, memory loss, hallucinations, and dizziness Visual changes
Weakness and fatigue Joint pain
Sleep disorders Weight gain and diabetes
Abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea Rashes and hives

[Raven1]

Aspartame is made with genetically modified bacteria—E. coli, to be specific. Monsanto uses GM bacteria in the process of making aspartame in their American factories—and insists it is completely safe.

According to an article in The Independent:

"Aspartame is made by combining phenylalanine, which is naturally produced by bacteria, with another amino acid. Monsanto has genetically engineered the bacteria to make them produce more phenylalanine. Scientists fear that other unknown compounds, which may end up in food, are produced by the genetic engineering process."

[WeatherWoman]

I quit asparatame years ago. I don't drink pop either.

[Bsuds]

Quote
"Main article: Aspartame controversy

Aspartame has been the subject of several controversies, hoaxes[39] and health scares[40] since its initial approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1974. Critics allege that conflicts of interest marred the FDA's approval of aspartame, question the quality of the initial research supporting its safety,[41][42][43] and postulate that numerous health risks may be associated with aspartame.

The validity of these claims has been examined and dismissed.[3][41][44] In 1987, the U.S. Government Accountability Office concluded the food additive approval process had been followed properly for aspartame.[41][45] Aspartame has been found to be safe for human consumption by more than ninety countries worldwide,[46][47] with FDA officials describing aspartame as "one of the most thoroughly tested and studied food additives the agency has ever approved" and its safety as "clear cut".[48] The weight of existing scientific evidence indicates that aspartame is safe at current levels of consumption as a non-nutritive sweetener.[3]"

[WeatherWoman]

Having no colon, I need to be really careful about eating sugar as it will give me diarehea (sp?). But I found the same with aspartame and I wasn't having a huge amount either.

I switched the splenda with no issues.

[Bsuds]

The sweetener used in no sugar chocolate does the same to me. Being Diabetic and also only 1/2 of my intestines, I am careful of my diet.
As with any claim, you need to research for yourself and form your own opinions. Don't believe everything you hear.

[mee-mo87]

Have you tried Steevia? I have a huge sweet tooth and this was recommended to me in place of sugar... its natural and does a good job... doesn't taste great to lick (as this is how I tried it) it not mixed in with something (tasted really weird) BUT when in something its pretty good.

[Lady tehMa]

I like stevia, use it in place of sugar. It has a faint licorice aftertaste, but I like it.

[dirtrider]

Aspartame is the most controversial food additive in history, and its approval for use in food was one of the most hotly contested in FDA history. The artificial sweetener was approved, not on scientific grounds, but because of strong political and financial pressures.

With all the research now available on aspartame and its various ingredients, it's hard to believe such a chemical would be allowed into the food supply, but it is, and it's been silently wreaking havoc with people's health for the past 30 years.

Just to refresh your memory, aspartame has been linked to the following health concerns:

Lymphomas, leukemias, and brain cancer Asthma
Neurological symptoms including headaches, depressed and anxious mood, seizures, memory loss, hallucinations, and dizziness Visual changes
Weakness and fatigue Joint pain
Sleep disorders Weight gain and diabetes
Abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea Rashes and hives

I've done a lot of research into aspartame as I have been a consumer for decades and I'm pretty sure like anything else, if you don't abuse it, it is as safe as anthing else we ingest on a daily basis.

".......Hypotheses of adverse health effects have focused on the three metabolites of aspartame, which are methanol, phenylalanine and aspartic acid. Aspartame is rapidly hydrolyzed in the small intestines. Even with ingestion of very high doses of aspartame (over 200 mg/kg), no aspartame is found in the blood due to the rapid breakdown.[8] These metabolites have been studied in a wide range of populations including infants, children, adolescents, and healthy adults. In healthy adults and children, even enormous doses of aspartame do not lead to plasma levels of metabolites that are a concern for safety. People with the genetic disorder phenylketonuria are advised to avoid aspartame as they have a decreased ability to metabolize phenylalanine. Common foods such as milk, meat, and fruits provide far greater amounts of these metabolites in a diet than aspartame.[53]

The methanol produced by the metabolism of aspartame is absorbed and quickly converted into formaldehyde and then completely converted to formic acid.[53] The methanol from aspartame is unlikely to be a safety concern for several reasons. The amount of methanol in aspartame is less than that found in fruit juices and citrus fruits, and there are other dietary sources for methanol such as fermented beverages. Therefore, the amount of methanol produced from aspartame is likely to be less than that from natural sources. With regards to formaldehyde, it is rapidly converted in the body, and the amounts of formaldehyde from the metabolism of aspartame is trivial when compared to the amounts produced routinely by the human body and from other foods and drugs.[8] Ingesting aspartame at the 90th percentile of intake would produce 25 times less methanol than would be considered toxic.[53]

Phenylalanine is one of the essential amino acids and is required for normal growth and maintenance of life. Concerns about the safety of phenylalanine from aspartame largely centers around hypothetical changes in neurotransmitter levels as well as ratios of neurotransmitters to each other in the blood and brain that could lead to neurological symptoms. Reviews of the literature have found no consistent findings to support such concerns,[53] and while high doses of aspartame consumption may have some biochemical effects, these effects are not seen in toxicity studies to suggest aspartame can adversely affect neuronal function.[8] Like methanol, the typical diet will lead to ingestion of significantly higher amounts of phenylalanine than would be expected from aspartame consumption.[53]

Aspartic acid (aspartate) is one of the most common amino acids in the typical diet but nevertheless has been implicated as a possible source for neurotoxic effects of aspartame. As with methanol and phenylalanine, intake of aspartic acid from aspartame is less than would be expected from other dietary sources. At the 90th percentile of intake, aspartame provides only between 1% and 2% of the daily intake of aspartic acid. There has been some speculation that aspartame, in conjunction with other amino acids like glutamate, may lead to excitotoxicity, inflicting damage on brain and nerve cells. However, clinical studies have shown no signs of neurotoxic effects,[8] and studies of metabolism suggests it is not possible to ingest enough aspartic acid and glutamate through food and drink to levels that would be expected to be toxic.[53]...."

[Fancy]

*bump

I thought I'd heard some time ago that one health agency was deeming aspartame as a possible carcinogenic but at any rate here's W.H.O. about to make a formal announcement that they are classifying Aspartame as a possible carcinogenic.

One of the world's most common artificial sweeteners is set to be declared a possible carcinogen next month by a leading global health body, according to two sources with knowledge of the process, pitting it against the food industry and regulators.

Aspartame, used in products from Coca-Cola diet soda to Mars' Extra chewing gum and some Snapple drinks, will be listed in July as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" for the first time by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer research arm of the World Health Organization (WHO), the sources said.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/who-aspa ... -1.6892589

I'm all about moderation and can't get over people drinking a case or two a day.

Aspartame may be linked with cancer, but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily dangerous — it depends how much you consume.

For a 60 kg individual (or about 130 lb), “the threshold for adverse health effects (of aspartame) is something on the order of 12 to 36 cans of diet soda,” Ma said. “That’s a lot — so it’s overall a low risk based on today’s science.”

https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/202 ... veals.html

[GordonH]

I’ve tried all of sweeteners for my tea and only one that doesn’t make my tea taste like has aspartame.

[the truth]

the WHO and govt have been pushing this poison on you people since 1974 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame ... 0in%201974.

[Fancy]

It was invented in the ‘60’s and lots of information true and false have been circulating for decades.
Pepsi took it out and lost sales so it was put back into the drink.
Moderation.
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prev ... aspartame).

[hozzle]

Aspertame is owned by Monsanto.... hmmm... oh ya... it's parent company is big, big pharma.... Bayer

[the truth]

Aspertame is owned by Monsanto.... hmmm... oh ya... it's parent company is big, big pharma.... Bayer

says it all does it not, every thing that makes people sick is linked to big pharma