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Is Aspartame the Most Dangerous and Deadly
Food Additive On the Market?
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Aspartame is the technical name for the brand names,
NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure. Aspartame was discovered by
accident in 1965, when James Schlatter, a chemist of G.D. Searle Company was
testing an anti-ulcer drug. Aspartame was approved for dry goods in 1981 and
for carbonated beverages in 1983. It was originally approved for dry goods
on July 26, 1974, but objections filed by neuroscience researcher Dr John W.
Olney and Consumer attorney James Turner in August 1974 as well as
investigations of G.D. Searle's research practices caused the US Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) to put approval of aspartame on hold (December 5,
1974). In 1985, Monsanto purchased G.D. Searle and made Searle
Pharmaceuticals and The NutraSweet Company separate subsidiaries.
Aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food
additives reported to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Many of
these reactions are very serious including seizures and death as recently
disclosed in a February 1994 Department of Health and Human Services
report.(1) 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.
According to researchers and physicians studying the adverse effects of
aspartame, the following chronic illnesses can be triggered or worsened by
ingesting of aspartame:(2) Brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy,
chronic fatigue syndrome, parkinson's disease, alzheimer's, mental
retardation, lymphoma, birth defects, fibromyalgia, and diabetes.
Aspartame is made up of three chemicals: Aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and
methanol. The book, Prescription for Nutritional Healing, by James and
Phyllis Balch, lists aspartame under the category of "chemical poison." As
you shall see, that is exactly what it is.
ASPARTIC ACID (40% OF ASPARTAME)
Dr Russell L. Blaylock, a professor of Neurosurgery at the Medical
University of Mississippi, recently published a book thoroughly detailing
the damage that is caused by the ingestion of excessive aspartic acid from
aspartame. [Ninety nine percent of monosodium glutamate 9MSG) is glutamic
acid. The damage it causes is also documented in Blaylock's book.] Blaylock
makes use of almost 500 scientific references to show how excess free
excitatory amino acids such as aspartic acid and glutamic acid in our food
supply are causing serious chronic neurological disorders and a myriad of
other acute symptoms.(3)
SUMMARY OF HOW ASPARTATE (AND GLUTAMATE) CAUSE DAMAGE
Aspartate and glutamate act as neurotransmitters in the brain by
facilitating the transmission of information from neuron to neuron. Too much
aspartate or glutamate in the brain kills certain neurons by allowing the
influx of too much calcium into the cells. This influx triggers excessive
amounts of free radicals which kill the cells. The neural cell damage that
can be caused by excessive aspartate and glutamate is why they are referred
to as "excitotoxins." They "excite" or stimulate the neural cells to death.
Aspartic acid is an amino acid. Taken in its free form (unbound to proteins)
it significantly raises the blood plasma level of aspartate and glutamate.
The excess aspartate and glutamate in the blood plasma shortly after
ingesting aspartame or products with free glutamic acid (glutamate
precursor) leads to a high level of those neurotransmitters in certain areas
of the brain.
The blood brain barrier (BBB) which normally protects the brain from excess
glutamate and aspartate as well as toxins 1) is not fully developed during
childhood, 2) does not fully protect all areas of the brain, 3) is damaged
by numerous chronic and acute conditions, and 4) allows seepage of excess
glutamate and aspartate into the brain even when intact.
The excess glutamate and aspartate slowly begin to destroy neurons. The
large majority (75%+) of neural cells in a particular area of the brain are
killed before any clinical symptoms of a chronic illness are noticed. A few
of the many chronic illnesses that have been shown to be contributed to by
long-term exposure excitatory amino acid damage include:
Multiple sclerosis (MS), ALS, memory loss, hormonal problems, hearing loss,
epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, hypoglycemia, AIDS
dementia, brain lessions, and neuroendocrine disorders.
The risk to infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly, and persons with
certain chronic health problems from excitotoxins are great. Even the
Federation of American Societies For Experimental Biology (FASEB), which
usually understates problems and mimics the FDA party-line, recently stated
in a review that "it is prudent to avoid the use of dietary supplements of
L-glutamic acid by pregnant women, infants, and children. The Existence of
evidence of potential endocrine responses, i.e., elevated cortisol and
prolactin, and differential responses between males and females, would also
suggest a neuroendocrine link and that supplemental L-glutamic acid should
be avoided by women of childbearing age and individuals with affective
disorders."(4) Aspartic acid from aspartame has the same deleterious effects
on the body as glutamic acid.
The exact mechanism of acute reactions to excess free glutamate and
aspartate is currently being debated. As reported to the FDA, those
reactions include:(5) Headaches/migraines, nausea, abdominal pains, fatigue
(blocks sufficient glucose entry into brain), sleep problems, vision
problems, anxiety attacks, depression, and asthma/chest tightness.
One common complaint of persons suffering from the effect of aspartame is
memory loss. Ironically, in 1987, G.D. Searle, the manufacturer of
aspartame, undertook a search for a drug to combat memory loss caused by
excitatory amino acid damage. Blaylock is one of many scientists and
physicians who are concerned about excitatory amino acid damage caused by
ingestion of aspartame and MSG. A few of the many experts who have spoken
out against the damage being caused by aspartate and glutamate include
Adrienne Samuels, Ph.D., an experimental psychologist specializing in
research design. Another is Olney, a professor in the department of
psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University, a neuroscientist and
researcher, and one of the world's foremost authorities on excitotoxins. (He
informed Searle in 1971 that aspartic acid caused holes in the brain of
mice.).
Isn't It OK If the FDA Approves It?
While the FDA approval may signal the green light for safe
consumption, 85 percent of all complaints registered with the FDA are for
adverse reactions to aspartame, including five reported deaths. A closer
look at the unscientific studies, suspicious approval methods, and its
harmful ingredients, reveal the hidden dangers of this artificial sweetener.
In reality, aspartame poses a public health threat.
Ailments Resulting From Aspartame
The components of aspartame can lead to a wide variety of ailments. Some of
these problems occur gradually while others are immediate, acute reactions.
A few of the many disorders associated with aspartame
include the following:
Birth Defects
A study funded by Monsanto to study possible birth defects caused by
consuming aspartame was cut off after preliminary data showed damaging
information about aspartame. Additionally, in the book, While Waiting: A
Prenatal Guidebook, it is stated that aspartame is suspected of causing
brain damage in sensitive individuals. A fetus may be at risk for these
effects. Some researchers have suggested that high doses of aspartame may be
associated with problems ranging from dizziness and subtle brain changes to
mental retardation.
Cancer (Brain Cancer)
In 1981, an FDA statistician stated that the brain tumor data on aspartame
was so "worrisome" that he could not recommend approval of NutraSweet.(14)
In a two-year study conducted by the manufacturer of aspartame, twelve of
320 rats fed a normal diet and aspartame developed brain tumors while none
of the control rats developed tumors, and five of the twelve tumors were in
rats given a low dose of aspartame.(15)
The approval of aspartame was a violation of the Delaney Amendment, which
was supposed to prevent cancer-causing substances such as methanol (formaldehye)
and DKP from entering our food supply. A late FDA toxicologist testified
before the U.S. Congress that aspartame was capable of producing brain
tumors. This made it illegal for the FDA to set an allowable daily intake at
any level. He stated in his testimony that Searle's studies were "to a large
extent unreliable" and that "at least one of those studies has established
beyond any reasonable doubt that aspartame is capable of inducing brain
tumors in experimental animals ... " He concluded his testimony by asking,
"What is the reason for the apparent refusal by the FDA to invoke for this
food additive the so-called Delaney Amendment to the Food, Drug and Cosmetic
Act? ... And if the FDA itself elects to violate the law, who is left to
protect the health of the public?"(16)
In the mid-1970s it was discovered that the manufacturer of aspartame
falsified studies in several ways. One of the techniques used was to cut
tumors out of test animals and put them back in the study. Another technique
used to falsify the studies was to list animals that had actually died as
surviving the study. Thus, the data on brain tumors was likely worse than
discussed above. In addition, a former employee of the manufacturer of
aspartame told the FDA on July 13, 1977 that the particles of DKP were so
large that the rats could discriminate between the DKP and their normal
diet.(12)
Diabetes
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is actually recommending this
chemical poison to persons with diabetes, but according to research
conducted by a diabetes specialist, aspartame: 1) Leads to the precipitation
of clinical diabetes. 2) Causes poorer diabetic control in diabetics on
insulin or oral drugs. 3) Leads to the aggravation of diabetic complications
such as retinopathy, cataracts, neuropathy and gastroparesis. 4) Causes
convulsions.
In a statement concerning the use of products containing aspartame by
persons with diabetes and hypoglycemia, the researchers says:
"Unfortunately, many patients in my practice, and others seen in
consultation, developed serious metabolic, neurologic and other
complications that could be specifically attributed to using aspartame
products. This was evidenced by the loss of diabetic control, the
intensification of hypoglycemia, the occurrence of presumed 'insulin
reactions' (including convulsions) that proved to be aspartame reactions,
and the precipitation, aggravation or simulation of diabetic complications
(especially impaired vision and neuropathy) while using these products ...
Dramatic improvement of such features after avoiding aspartame, and the
prompt predictable recurrence of these problems when the patient resumed
aspartame products, knowingly or inadvertently."
Another researcher stated that excitotoxins such as those found in aspartame
can precipitate diabetes in persons who are genetically susceptible to the
disease.(5)
Emotional Disorders
In a double blind study of the effects of aspartame on persons with mood
disorders, findings showed a large increase in serious symptoms for persons
taking aspartame. Since some of the symptoms were so serious, the
Institutional Review Board had to stop the study. Three of the participants
had said that they had been "poisoned" by aspartame. Researchers concluded
that "individuals with mood disorders are particularly sensitive to this
artificial sweetener; its use in this population should be discouraged."(18)
One researcher stated about aspartame, "I know it causes seizures. I'm
convinced also that it definitely causes behavioral changes. I'm very angry
that this substance is on the market. I personally question the reliability
and validity of any studies funded by the NutraSweet Company."(19)
Additionally, there are numerous reported cases of low brain serotonin
levels, depression and other emotional disorders that have been linked to
aspartame and often are relieved by stopping the intake of aspartame.
Epilepsy/Seizures
With the large and growing number of seizures caused by aspartame, it is sad
to see that the Epilepsy Foundation is promoting the "safety" of aspartame.
At Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 80 people who had suffered
seizures after ingesting aspartame were surveyed. Community Nutrition
Institute concluded the following about the survey:
"These 80 cases meet the FDA's own definition of an imminent hazard to the
public health, which requires the FDA to expeditiously remove a product from
the market."
Both the Air Force's magazine, Flying Safety, and the Navy's magazine, Navy
Physiology, published articles warning about the many dangers of aspartame
including the cumulative delirious effects of methanol and the greater
likelihood of birth defects. The articles note that the ingestion of
aspartame can make pilots more susceptible to seizures and vertigo. Twenty
articles sounding warnings about ingesting aspartame while flying have also
appeared in the National Business Aircraft Association Digest (NBAA Digest
1993), Aviation Medical Bulletin (1988), The Aviation Consumer (1988),
Canadian General Aviation News (1990), Pacific Flyer (1988), General
Aviation News (1989), Aviation Safety Digest (1989), and Plane & Pilot
(1990) and a paper warning about aspartame was presented at the 57th Annual
Meeting of the Aerospace Medical Association (Gaffney 1986).
A hotline was even set up for pilots suffering from acute reactions to
aspartame ingestion. Over 600 pilots have reported symptoms including some
who have reported suffering grand mal seizures in the cockpit due to
aspartame.(21)
Why don't we hear about these things?
The reason many people do not hear about serious reactions to aspartame is
twofold: 1) Lack of awareness by the general population. Aspartame-caused
diseases are not reported in the newspapers like plane crashes. This is
because these incidents occur one at a time in thousands of different
locations across the United States. 2) Most people do not associate their
symptoms with the long-term use of aspartame. For the people who have killed
a significant percentage of their brain cells and thereby caused a chronic
illness, there is no way that they would normally associate such an illness
with aspartame consumption.
How aspartame was approved is a lesson in how chemical and pharmaceutical
companies can manipulate government agencies such as the FDA, "bribe"
organizations such as the American Dietetic Association, and flood the
scientific community with flawed and fraudulent industry-sponsored studies
funded by the makers of aspartame.
Erik Millstone, a researcher at the Science Policy Research Unit of Sussex
University has compiled thousands of pages of evidence, some of which have
been obtained using the freedom of information act 23, showing: 1.
Laboratory tests were faked and dangers were concealed. 2. Tumors were
removed from animals and animals that had died were "restored to life" in
laboratory records. 3. False and misleading statements were made to the FDA.
4. The two US Attorneys given the task of bringing fraud charges against the
aspartame manufacturer took positions with the manufacturer's law firm,
letting the statute of limitations run out. 5. The Commissioner of the FDA
overruled the objections of the FDA's own scientific board of inquiry.
Shortly after that decision, he took a position with Burson-Marsteller, the
firm in charge of public relations for G.D. Searle.
A Public Board of Inquiry (PBOI) was conducted in 1980. There were three
scientists who reviewed the objections of Olney and Turner to the approval
of aspartame. They voted unanimously against aspartame's approval. The FDA
Commissioner, Dr Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr. then created a 5-person Scientific
Commission to review the PBOI findings. After it became clear that the
Commission would uphold the PBOI's decision by a vote of 3 to 2, another
person was added to the Commission, creating a deadlocked vote. This allowed
the FDA Commissioner to break the deadlock and approve aspartame for dry
goods in 1981. Dr Jacqueline Verrett, the Senior Scientist in an FDA Bureau
of Foods review team created in August 1977 to review the Bressler Report (a
report that detailed G.D. Searle's abuses during the pre-approval testing)
said: "It was pretty obvious that somewhere along the line, the bureau
officials were working up to a whitewash." In 1987, Verrett testified before
the US Senate stating that the experiments conducted by Searle were a
"disaster." She stated that her team was instructed not to comment on or be
concerned with the overall validity of the studies. She stated that
questions about birth defects have not been answered. She continued her
testimony by discussing the fact that DKP has been shown to increase uterine
polyps and change blood cholesterol and that increasing the temperature of
the product leads to an increase in production of DKP.(13)
Source: ©Dr. Joseph Mercola - mercola.com
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