Aspartame, NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, Equal-Measure
THE BITTER TRUTH ABOUT
ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS
Originally published in Blazing Tattles, Vol. 4, Nos. 4, 5, 6,
April-June 1995
P.O. Box 8609, Tampa, FL 33674-8609, USA
by Claire W. Gilbert, Publisher & Editor
Blazing Tattles www.blazingtattles.com
© 1995 by Mark D. Gold, 35 Inman St, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
Phone: (617) 497 7843,
E-mail: mgold@holisticmed.com
Web page: http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/
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 is, by far, the most dangerous substance on the market that is added
to foods. 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
transmittion 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 mimmicks 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 excititory amino acid damage. Blaylock is one of many scientists and physicians who are concerned about excititory 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.) Also included is Francis J. Waickman, M.D., a recipient of the Rinkel and Forman Awards, and Board certified in Pediatrics, Allergy, and Immunology.
Other concerned scientists include: John R. Hain, M.D., Board Certified Forensic Pathologist, and H.J. Roberts, M.D., FACP, FCCP, Diabetic Specialist, and selected by a national medical publication as "The Best Doctor in the US"
John Samuels is concerned, also. He compiled a list of scientific research sufficient to show the dangers of ingesting excess free glutamic and aspartic acid.
And there are many more who can be added to this long list.
PHENYLALANINE (50% OF ASPARTAME)
Phenylalanine is an amino acid normally found in the brain. Persons with the genetic
disorder, phenylketonuria (PKU) cannot metabolize phenylalanine. This leads to dangerously
high levels of phenylalanine in the brain (sometimes lethal). It has been shown that
ingesting aspartame, especially along with carbohydrates can lead to excess levels of
phenylalanine in the brain even in persons who do not have PKU. This is not just a theory,
as many people who have eaten large amounts of aspartame over a long period of time and do
not have PKU have been shown to have excessive levels of phenylalanine in the blood.
Excessive levels of phenylalanine in the brain can cause the levels of seratonin in the
brain to decrease, leading to emotional disorders such as depression. It was shown in
human testing that phenylalanine levels of the blood were increased significantly in human
subjects who chronically used aspartame.(6) Even a single use of aspartame raised the
blood phenylalanine levels. In his testimony before the US Congress, Dr Louis J. Elsas
showed that high blood phenylalanine can be concentrated in parts of the brain, and is
especially dangerous for infants and fetuses. He also showed that phenylalanine is
metabolised much more effeciently by rodents than by humans.(7)
One account of a case of extremely high phenylalanine levels caused by aspartame was recently published the the "Wednesday Journal" in an article entitled "An Aspartame Nightmare." John Cook began drinking 6 to 8 diet drinks every day. His symptoms started out as memory loss and frequent headaches. He began to crave more aspartame-sweetened drinks. His condition deteriorated so much that he experienced wide mood swings and violent rages. Even though he did not suffer from PKU, a blood test revealed a phenylalanine level of 80 mg/dl. He also showed abnormal brain function and brain damage. After he kicked his aspartame habit, his symptoms improved dramatically.(8)
As Blaylock points out in his book, early studies measuring phenylalanine buildup in the brain were flawed. Investigators who measured specific brain regions and not the average throughout the brain notice significant rises in phenylalanine levels. Specifically the hypothalamus, medulla oblongata, and corpus striatum areas of the brain had the largest increases in phenylalanine. Blaylock goes on to point out that excessive buildup of phenylalanine in the brain can cause schizophrenia or make one more susceptible to seizures.
Therefore, long-term, excessive use of aspartame may provided a boost to sales of seratonin reuptake inhibitors such as Prozac and drugs to control schizophrenia and seizures.
METHANOL (AKA WOOD ALCOHOL/POISON) (10% OF ASPARTAME)
Methanol/wood alcohol is a deadly poison. Some people may remember methanol as the
poison that has caused some "skid row" alcoholics to end up blind or dead.
Methanol is gradually released in the small intestine when the methyl group of aspartame
encounter the enzyme chymotrypsin.
The absorption of methanol into the body is sped up considerably when free methanol is ingested. Free methanol is created from aspartame when it is heated to above 86 Fahrenheit (30 Centigrade). This would occur when aspartame-containing product is improperly stored or when it is heated (e.g., as part of a "food" product such as Jello).
Methanol breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde in the body. Formaldehyde is a deadly neurotoxin. An EPA assessment of methanol states that methanol "is considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion once it is absorbed. In the body, methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde and formic acid; both of these metabolites are toxic." The recommend a limit of consumption of 7.8 mg/day. A one-liter (approx. 1 quart) aspartame-sweetened beverage contains about 56 mg of methanol. Heavy users of aspartame-containing products consume as much as 250 mg of methanol daily or 32 times the EPA limit.(9)
Symptoms from methanol poisoning include headaches, ear buzzing, dizziness, nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances, weakness, vertigo, chills, memory lapses, numbness and shooting pains in the extremities, behavioral disturbances, and neuritis. The most well knowm problems from methanol poisoning are vision problems including misty vision, progressive contraction of visual fields, blurring of vision, obscuration of vision, retinal damage, and blindness. Formaldehye is a known carcinogen, causes retinal damage, interferes with DNA replication, causes birth defects.(10) Due to the lack of a couple of key enzymes, humans are many times more sensitive to the toxic effects of methanol than animals. Therefore, tests of aspartame or methanol on animals do not accurately reflect the danger for humans. As pointed out by Dr Woodrow C. Monte, Director of the Food Science and Nutrition Laboratory at Arizona State University, "There are no human or mammalian studies to evaluate the possible mutagenic, teratogenic, or carcinogenic effects of chronic administration of methyl alcohol."(11)
He was so concerned about the unresolved safety issues that he filed suit with the FDA requesting a hearing to address these issues. He asked the FDA to "slow down on this soft drink issue long enough to answer some of the important questions. It's not fair that you are leaving the full burden of proof on the few of us who are concerned and have such limited resources. You must remember that you are the American public's last defense. Once you allow usage (of aspartame) there is literally nothing I or my colleagues can do to reverse the course. Aspartame will then join saccharin, the sulfiting agents, and God knows how many other questionable compounds enjoined to insult the human constitution with governmental approval."(10) Shortly thereafter, the Commissioner of the FDA, Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr., approved the use of aspartame in carbonated beverages, he then left for a position with G.D. Searle's Public Relations firm.(11)
It has been pointed out that some fruit juices and alcoholic beverages contain small amounts of methanol. It is important to remember, however, that methanol never appears alone. In every case, ethanol is present, usually in much higher amounts. Ethanol is an antidote for methanol toxicity in humans.(9) The troops of Desert Storm were "treated" to large amounts of aspartame-sweetened beverages which had been heated to over 86o F. in the Saudi Arabian sun. Many of them returned home with numerous disorders similar to what has been seen in persons who have been chemically poisoned by formaldehyde. The free methanol in the beverages may have been a contributing factor in these illnesses. Other breakdown products of aspartame such as DKP (discussed below) may also have been a factor.
In a 1993 act that can only be described as "unconscionable," the FDA approved aspartame as an ingredient in numerous food items that would always be heated to above 86°ree;F (30°ree;C).
DIKETOPIPERAZINE (DKP)
DKP is a by-product of aspartame metabolism. DKP has been implicated in the occurance
of brain tumors. Olney noticed that DKP, when nitrosated in the gut, produced a compound
which was similar to N-nitrosourea, a powerful brain tumor causing chemical. Some authors
have said that DKP is produced after aspartame ingestion. I am not sure if that is
correct. It is definately true that DKP is formed in liquid aspartame-containing products
during prolonged storage.
G.D. Searle conducted animal experiments on the safety of DKP. The FDA found numerous experimental errors occured, including "clerical errors, mixed-up animals, animals not getting drugs they were supposed to get, pathological specimens lost because of improper handling," and many other errors.(12) These sloppy laboratory procedures may explain why both the test and control animals had sixteen times more brain tumors than would be expected in experiments of this length.
In an ironic twist, shortly after these experimental errors were discovered, the FDA used guidelines recommened by G.D. Searle to devlop the Industry-wide FDA standards for Good Laboratory Practies.(11)
DKP has also been implicated as a cause of uterine polyps and changes in blood cholesterol by FDA Toxicologist Dr Jacqueline Verrett in her testimony before the US Senate.(13)
AILMENTS RESULTING FROM ASPARTAME
The components of aspartame can lead to a wide variety of ailments. Some of these
problems occur gradually, others are immediate, acute reactions.
There is an enormous population of people who are suffering from symtpoms contributed to by aspartame, yet they have no idea why herbs or drugs are not helping relieve their problems. There are other users of aspartame who appear not to be suffering immediate reactions to aspartame. But even these individuals are susceptible to the long-term damage caused by excitatory amino acids, phenylalanine, methanol, and DKP. A few of the many disorders that are of particular concern to me include the following.
Birth Defects.
Dr Diana Dow Edwards, a researcher was funded by Monsanto to study possible birth
defects caused by the ingestion of aspartame. After preliminary data showed damaging
information about aspartame, funding for the study was cut off. A Gentetic Pediatrician at
Emory University has testified that aspartame is causing birth defects.7360-367.
In the book, While Waiting: A Prenatal Guidebook by George R. Verrilli, M.D. and Anne Marie Mueser, 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, Satya Dubey, 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
the 320 rats fed a normal diet and aspartame developed brain tumors while none of the
control rats had tumors. 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. The late Dr Adrian Gross, an FDA toxicologist, testified
before the US 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, Raymond Schroeder told the FDA on July 13, 1977 that the particles of DKP were so large that the rats could dicriminate between the DKP and their normal diet.(12)
It is interesting to note that the incidence of brain tumors in persons over 65 years of age has increase 67% between the years 1973 and 1990. Brain tumors in all age groups has jumped 10%. The greatest increase has come during the years 1985-1987.(17)
In his book, Aspartame (NutraSweet). Is it Safe?, Roberts gives evidence that aspartame can cause a particularly dangerous form of cancer - primary lymphoma of the brain.
Diabetes.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is actually recommending this chemical poison
to persons with diabetes. According to research conducted by H.J. Roberts, a diabetes
specialist, a member of the ADA, and an authority on artificial sweetners, aspartame:
1) Leads to the precipitation of clinical diabetes.
2) Causes poorer diabetic control in diebetics 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 aspartain by persons
with diabetes and hypoglycemia, Roberts 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."
Roberts goes on to say:
"I regret the failure of other physicians and the American Diabetes Association (ADA)
to sound appropriate warnings to patients and consumers based on these repeated findings
which have been described in my corporate-neutral studies and publications."
Blaylock stated that excitotoxins such as that found in aspartame can precipitate diabetes in persons who are genetically susceptible to the disease.(5)
Emotional Disorders.
A double blind study of the effects of aspartame on persons with mood disorders was
recently conducted by Dr Ralph G. Walton. Since the study wasn't funded/controlled by the
makers of aspartame, The NutraSweet Company refused to sell him the aspartame. Walton was
forced to obtain and certify it from an outside source.
The study 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. Walton concludes that "individuals with mood disorders are particularly sensitive to this artificial sweetener; its use in this population should be discouraged."(18) Aware that the experiment could not be repeated because of the danger to the test subjects, Walton was recently quoted as saying, "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)
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. Researchers have pointed out that increasing in phenylalanine levels in the brain, which can and does occur in persons without PKU, leads to a decreased level of the neurotransmitter, serotonin, which leads to a variety of emotional disorders. Dr William M. Pardridge of UCLA testified before the US Senate that a youth drinking four 16-ounce bottles of diet soda per day leads to an enormous increase in the phenylalanine level.
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 cumlative deliterious 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 and Pilot (1990) and a paper warning about aspartame was presented at the 57th Annual Meeting of the Aerospace Medical Association (Gaffney 1986).
Recently, a hotline was 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)
One of the original studies on aspartame was performed in 1969 by an independent scientist, Dr Harry Waisman. He studied the effects of aspartame on infant primates. Out of the seven infant monkeys, one died after 300 days and five others had grand mal seizures. Of course, these negative findings were not submitted to the FDA during the approval process.(22)
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 US.
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 the 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)
Revolving doors
The FDA and the manufacturers of aspartame have had a rovolving door of employment for
many years. In addition to the FDA Commissioner and two US Attorneys leaving to take
positions with companies connected with G.D. Searle, four other FDA officials connected
with the approval of aspartame took positions connected with the NutraSweet industry
between 1979 and 1982 including the Deputy FDA Commissioner, the Special Assistant to the
FDA Commissioner, the Associate Director of the Bureau of Foods and Toxicology and the
Attorney involved with the Public Board of Inquiry.(24)
It is important to realize that this type of revolving-door activity has been going on for decades. The Townsend Letter for Doctors (11/92) reported on a study revealing that 37 of 49 top FDA officials who left the FDA took positions with companies they had regulated. They also reported that over 150 FDA officials owned stock in drug companies they were assigned to manage. Many organizations and universities receive large sums of money from companies connected to the NutraSweet Association, a group of companies promoting the use of aspartame. In January 1993, the American Dietetic Association received a US$75,000 grant from the NutraSweet Company. The American Dietetic Association has stated that the NutraSweet Company writes their "Facts" sheets.(25)
Many other "independent" organizations and researchers receive large sums of money from the manufacturers of aspartame. The American Diabetes Association has received a large amount of money from Nutrasweet, including money to run a cooking school in Chicago (presumably to teach diabetes how to use Nutrasweet in their cooking).
A researcher in New England who has pointed out the dangers of aspartame in the past is now a Monsanto consultant. Another researcher in the Southeastern US had testified about the dangers of aspartame on fetuses. An investigative reporter has discovered that he was told to keep his mouth shut to avoid causing the loss of a large grant from a diet cola manufacturer in the NutraSweet Association.
What is the FDA doing to protect the consumer from the dangers of aspartame?
Less than nothing.
In 1992, the FDA approved aspartame for use in malt beverages, breakfast cereals, and refrigerated puddings and fillings. In 1993 the FDA approved aspartame for use in hard and soft candies, non-alcoholic favored beverages, tea beverages, fruit juices and concentrates, baked goods and baking mixes, and frostings, toppings and fillings for baked goods.
In 1991, the FDA banned the importation of stevia. The powder of the leaf has been used for hundreds of years as an alternative sweetner. It is used widely in Japan with no adverse effects. Scientists involved in reviewing stevia have declared it to be safe for human consumption - something which has been well known in many parts of the world where it is not banned. Everyone that I have spoken with in regards to this issue believes that stevia was banned to keep the product from taking hold in the US and cutting into sales of aspartame.(26)
What is the US Congress doing to protect the consumer from the dangers of aspartame?
Nothing.
What is the US Administration (President) doing to protect the consumer from the dangers of aspartame?
Nothing.
Aspartame consumption is not only a problem in the US. It is being sold in over 70 countries throughout the world.
ASPARTAME CAN BE FOUND IN:
- instant breakfasts
- breath mints
- cereals
- sugar-free chewing gum
- cocoa mixes
- coffee beverages
- frozen desserts
- gelatin desserts
- juice beverages
- laxatives
- multivitamins
- milk drinks
- pharmaceuticals and supplements
- shake mixes
- soft drinks
- tabletop sweeteners
- tea beverages
- instant teas and coffees
- topping mixes
- wine coolers
- yogurt
I have been told that aspartame has been found in products where it is not listed on the label. One must be particular careful of pharmaceuticals and supplements. I have been informed that even some supplements made by well-known supplement manufacturers such as Twinlabs contain aspartame.
The information I have related above is just the tip of the iceberg as far as damaging information about aspartame. In order for the reader to find out more, I have included some resources below.
Originally published in Blazing Tattles, Vol. 4, Nos. 4, 5, 6,
April-June 1995
P.O. Box 8609, Tampa, FL 33674-8609, USA
by Claire W. Gilbert, Publisher & Editor
Blazing Tattles www.blazingtattles.com
Extracted from Nexus Magazine, Volume 2, #28 (Oct-Nov '95) and Volume 3, #1 (Dec '95-Jan '96).
PO Box 30, Mapleton Qld 4560 Australia.
From web page at: www.nexusmagazine.com
REFERENCES
(1) Department of Health and Human Services, Report on All Adverse Reactions in the
Adverse Reaction Monitoring System, (February 25 and 28, 1994).
(2) Compiled by researchers, physicians, and artificial sweetner experts for Mission
Possible, a group dedicated to warning consumers about aspartame.
(3) Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills, by Russell L. Blaylock, M.D.
(4) Safety of Amino Acids, Life Sciences Research Office, FASEB, FDA Contract No.
223-88-2124, Task Order No. 8.
(5) FDA Adverse Reaction Monitoring System.
(6) Wurtman and Walker, "Dietary Phenylalanine and Brain Function,"
Proceedings of the First International Meeting on Dietary Phenylalanine and Brain
Function., Washington, D.C., May 8, 1987.
(7) Hearing Before the Committee On Labor and Human Resources United States Senate, First
Session on Examing the Health and Safety Concerns of Nutrasweet (Aspartame).
(8) Account of John Cook as published in Informed Consent Magazine. "How Safe Is
Your Artificial Sweetner" by Barbara Mullarkey, September/October 1994.
(9) Woodrow C. Monte, Ph.D., R.D., "Aspartame: Methanol and the Public Health,"
Journal of Applied Nutrition, 36 (1): 42-53.
(10) US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, No. 84-1153 Community
Nutrition Institute and Dr Woodrow Monte v. Dr Mark Novitch, Acting Commissioner, US FDA
(9/24/85).
(11) Aspartame Time Line by Barbara Mullarkey as published in Informed Consent
Magazine, May/June 1994.
(12) FDA Searle Investigation Task Force. "Final Report of Investigation of
G.D.
Searle Company." (March 24, 1976)
(13) Testimony of Dr Jacqueline Verrett, FDA Toxicologist before the US Senate Committee
on Labor and Human Resources, (November 3, 1987).
(14) Internal FDA memorandum.
(15) Analysis prepared by Dr John Olney as a statement before the Aspartame Board of
Inquire of the FDA. Also Excitotoxins by Russell Blaylock, M.D.
(16) Congressional Record SID835: 131 (August 1, 1985)
(17) National Cancer Institute SEER Program Data.
(18) Walton, Ralph G., Robert Hudak, Ruth Green-Waite "Adverse Reactions to
Aspartame: Double-Blind Challenge in Patients from a Vulnerable Population,"
Biological Psychiatry, 1993:34:13-17.
(19) Barbara Mullarkey, "How Safe Is Your Artificial Sweetner,"
September/October 1994 issue of Informed Consent Magazine.
(20) US Air Force. "Aspartame Alert." Flying Safety, 48 (5): 20-21 (May 1992).
(21) Reported by the Aspartame Consumer Safety Network.
(22) Barbara Mullarkey, Bittersweet Aspartame, A Diet Delusion.
(23) Millstone, Eric "Sweet and Sour." The Ecologist, 25 (March/April 1994).
(24) Mary Nash Stoddard, Editor, "The Deadly Deception," Aspartame Consumer
Safety Network.
(25) ADA Courier, January 1993, Volume 32, Number 1. (26) "FDA Rejects AHPA Stevia
Petition" by Mark Blumenthal, Whole Foods, April 1994.
ASPARTAME
World Environmental Conference and the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
F.D.A. Issuing For Collusion With Monsanto III
Article written by Betty Martini
"I have spent several days lecturing at the WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL CONFERENCE on "Aspartame marketed as 'NutraSweet', 'Equal', and 'Spoonful"'. In the keynote address by the EPA, they announced that there was an epidemic of multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus, and they did not understand what toxin was causing this to be rampant across the United States. I explained that I was there to lecture on exactly that subject.
When the temperature of Aspartame exceeds 86 degrees F, the wood alcohol in Aspartame coverts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid, which in turn causes metabolic acidosis. (Formic acid is the poison found in the sting of fire ants). The methanol toxicity mimics multiple sclerosis; thus people were being diagnosed with having multiple sclerosis in error.
The multiple sclerosis is not a death sentence, where methanol toxicity is. In the case of systemic lupus, we are finding it has become almost as rampant as multiple sclerosis, especially Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi drinkers. Also, with methanol toxicity, the victims usually drink three to four 12 oz. Cans of them per day, some even more.
In the cases of systemic lupus, which is triggered by Aspartame, the victim usually does not know that the aspartame is the culprit The victim continues its use aggravating the lupus to such a degree, that sometimes it becomes life threatening.
When we get people off the aspartame, those with systemic lupus usually become asymptomatic. Unfortunately, we can not reverse this disease. On the other hand, in the case of those diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, (when in reality, the disease is methanol toxicity), most of the symptoms disappear. We have seen cases where their vision has returned and even their hearing has returned. This also applies to cases of tinnitus.
During a lecture I said "If you are using Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc.) and you suffer from fibromyalgia symptoms, spasms, shooting pains, numbness in your legs, cramps, vertigo, dizziness, headaches, tinnitus, joint pain, depression, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, blurred vision, or memory loss -- you probably have Aspartame Disease!" People were jumping up during the lecture saying, "I've got this, is it reversible?" It is rampant. Some of the speakers at my lecture even were suffering from these symptoms.
In one lecture attended by the Ambassador of Uganda, he told us that their sugar industry is adding aspartame! He continued by saying that one of the industry leader's son could no longer walk - due in part by product usage!
We have a very serious problem. Even a stranger came up to Dr. Espisto (one of my speakers) and myself and said, '1Could you tell me why so many people seem to be coming down with MS?11 During a visit to a hospice, a nurse said that six of her friends, who were heavy Diet Coke addicts, had all been diagnosed with MS. This is beyond coincidence.
Here is the problem. There were Congressional Hearings when aspartame was included in 100 different products. Since this initial hearing, there have been two subsequent hearings, but to no avail. Nothing as been done> The drug and chemical lobbies have very deep pockets. Now there are over 5,000 products containing this chemical, and the PATENT HAS EXPIRED!!!!!
At the time of this first hearing, people were going blind. The methanol in the aspartame converts to formaldehyde in the retina of the eye. Formaldehyde is grouped in the same class of dmgs as cyanide and arsenic-- DEADLY POISONS!!!
Unfortunately, it just takes longer to quietly kill, but it is killing people and causing all kinds of neurological problems. Aspartame changes the brain's chemistry. It is the reason for severe seizures. This drug changes the dopamine level in the brain. Imagine what this drug does to patients suffering from Parkinson's Disease. This drug also causes Birth Defects.
There is absolutely no reason to take this product. It is NOT A DIET PRODUCT!!! The Congressional record said, "It makes you crave carbohydrates and will make you FAT". Dr. Roberts stated that when he got patients off aspartame, their average weight loss was 19 pounds per person. The formaldehyde stores in the fat cells, particularly in the hips and thighs.
Aspartame is especially deadly for diabetics. All physicians know what wood alcohol will do to a diabetic. We find that physicians believe that they have patients with retinopathy, when in fact, it is caused by the aspartame. The aspartame keeps the blood sugar level out of control, causing many patients to go into a coma. Unfortunately, many have died.
People were telling us at the Conference of the American College of Physicians, that they had relatives that switched from saccharin to an aspartame product and how that relative had eventually gone into a coma. Their physicians could not get the blood sugar levels under control. Thus, the patients suffered acute memory loss and eventually coma and death.
Memory loss is due to the fact that aspartic acid and phenylalanine are neurotoxic without the other amino acids found in protein. Thus it goes past the blood brain barrier and deteriorates the neurons of the brain. Dr. Russell Blaylock, neurosurgeon, said, "The ingredients stimulates the neurons of the brain to death, causing brain damage of varying degrees. Dr. Blaylock has written a book entitled "EXCITOTOXINS: THE TASTE THAT KILLS" (Health Press 1-800-643-2665).
Dr. H.J. Roberts, diabetic specialist and world expert on aspartame poisoning, has also written a book entitled "DEFENSE AGAINST ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE" (1-800-814-9800). Dr. Roberts tells how aspartame poisoning is escalating Alzheimer's Disease, and indeed it is. As the hospice nurse told me, women are being admitted at 30 years of age with Alzheimer's Disease.
Dr. Blaylock and Dr. Roberts will be writing a position paper with some case histories and will post it on the Internet. According to the Conference of the American College of Physicians, 'We are talking about a plague of neurological diseases caused by this deadly poison". Dr. Roberts realized what was happening when aspartame was first marketed. He said "his diabetic patients presented memory loss, confusion, and severe vision loss".
At the Conference of the American College of Physicians, doctors admitted that they did not know. They had wondered why seizures were rampant (the phenylalanine in aspartame breaks down the seizure threshold and depletes serotonin, which causes manic depression, panic attacks, rage and violence).
Just before the Conference, I received a fax from Norway, asking for a possible antidote for this poison because they are experiencing so many problems in their country. This poison is now available in 90 PLUS countries worldwide.
Fortunately, we had speakers and ambassadors at the Conference from different nations who have pledged their help. We ask that you help too. Print this article out and warn everyone you know. Take anything that contains aspartame back to the store. Take the "NO ASPARTAME TEST" and send us your case history.
I assure you that MONSANTO, the creator of aspartame, knows how deadly it is. They fund the American Diabetes Association, American Dietetic Association, Congress, and the Conference of the American College of Physicians. The New York Times, on November 15, 1996, ran an article on how the American Dietetic Association takes money from the food industry to endorse their products. Therefore, they can not criticize any additives or tell about their link to MONSANTO.
How bad is this? We told a mother who had a child on NutraSweet to get off the product. The child was having grand mal seizures every day. The mother called her physician, who called the ADA, who told the doctor not to take the child off the NutraSweet. We are still trying to convince the mother that the aspartame is causing the seizures. Every time we get someone off of aspartame, the seizures stop. If the baby dies, you know whose fault it is, and what we are up against.
There are 92 documented symptoms of aspartame, from coma to death. The majority of them are all neurological, because the aspartame destroys the nervous system. Aspartame Disease is partially the cause to what is behind some of the mystery of the Desert Storm health problems. The burning tongue and other problems discussed in over 60 cases can be directly related to the consumption of an aspartame product. Several thousand pallets of diet drinks were shipped to the Desert Storm troops. (Remember heat can liberate the methanol from the aspartame at 86 degrees F). Diet drinks sat in the 120 degree F. Arabian sun for weeks at a time on pallets. The service men and women drank them all day long. All of their symptoms are identical to aspartame poisoning.
Dr. Roberts says "consuming aspartame at the time of conception can cause birth defects". The phenylalanine concentrates in the placenta, causing mental retardation, according to Dr. Louis Elsas, Pediatrician Professor - Genetics, at Emory University in his testimony before Congress. In the original lab tests, animals developed brain tumors (phenylalanine breaks down into DXP, a brain tumor agent).
When Dr. Espisto was lecturing on aspartame , one physician in the audience, a neurosurgeon, said, "when they remove brain tumors, they have found high levels of aspartame in them". Stevia, a sweet food, NOT AN ADDITIVE, which helps in the metabolism of sugar, which would be ideal for diabetics, has now been approved as a dietary supplement by the F.D.A. For years, the F.D.A. has outlawed this sweet food because of their loyalty to MONSANTO. If it says "SUGAR FREE" on the label-- DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!!!!!l!
Senator Howard Hetzenbaum wrote a bill that would have wamed all infants, pregnant mothers and children of the dangers of aspartame. The bill would have also instituted independent studies on the problems existing in the population (seizures, changes in brain chemistry, changes in neurological and behavioral symptoms). It was killed by the powerful drug and chemical lobbies, letting loose the hounds of disease and death on an unsuspecting public.
Since the Conference of the American College of Physicians, we hope to have the help of some world leaders. Again, please help us too. There are a lot of people out there who must be warned, please let them know this information." -- Betty Martini
NOTE: The poison ASPARTAME is found in all DIET soft drinks, most brands of chewing gum and everything with nutrasweet. Whoever cleverly controls what is in our foods must be trying to control society- either that or make the doctors richer- if an average citizen as myself can find out these things this easily I am sure the government knows quite well these poisons are killing people.
Related books: Sugar & Aspartame
BOOKS
- Blaylock, Russell L., Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills (Health Press, Santa Fe, New Mexico, c1994). One of the best books available on excitotoxins. Well worth reading!
- H. J. Roberts, M.D., Aspartame (NutraSweet), Is it Safe? Available from the Aspartame Consumer Safety Network.
- Sweet'ner Dearest, Available from the Aspartame Consumer Safety Network
- Mary Nash Stoddard, The Deadly Deception, Available from the Aspartame Consumer Safety Network.
- Barbara Mullarkey, Editor, Bittersweet Aspartame - A Diet Delusion,
- Available from the Aspartame Consumer Safety Network.
- The Aspartame Consumer Safety Network, The Aspartame Consumer Safety Network Synopsis.
- Dennis Remington, M.D. and Barbara Higa, R.D., The Bitter Truth About Artificial Sweetners, Available from the Aspartame Consumer Safety Network
ASPARTAME CONSUMER SAFETY NETWORK
PO Box 780634
Dallas, Texas 75378, USA.
Phone: (214) 352-4268
Links:
http://www.aspartamekills.com/
http://web2.airmail.net/marystod/
http://www.tiac.net/users/mgold/aspartame/
http://www.lagunabeachca.com/foodsafe.htm
SURVEY OF ASPARTAME STUDIES: http://dorway.com/peerrev.html