Posted by Larry Hoover on May 22, 2005, at 8:59:00
In reply to Aspartame is HORRIBLE!, posted by Sarah T. on May 21, 2005, at 23:16:20
> I stopped eating/drinking artificially sweetened foods and beverages about six or seven years ago. I decided that sugar isn't so bad after all, especially when compared with the dangers of artificial sweeteners. Several days ago, I accidentally ingested a large amount of aspartame, on and off throughout the day. For two days after that, I felt absolutely horrid. I had severe joint pains, mental fog and confusion and irritabiity. I had forgotten how terrible that stuff is. Frankly, I think it's worse than monosodium glutamate. That stuff should be banned. I'll take sugar any day.
It should at least come with a warning label.
The following study was prematurely terminated because of the severity of adverse reactions in one of the study groups, the unipolar depressives. Although this study was done over a decade ago, I have seen no follow-ups. You can bet that there was massive behind the scenes suppressive activity, from the food companies (Searle, and users of this sweetener, e.g. Coca-Cola). Instead of scientific review, you get advertising masquerading as science (second abstract, all authors from 'The NutraSweet Company'). Why couldn't they publish in a journal with internet access to full-text?Biol Psychiatry. 1993 Jul 1-15;34(1-2):13-7.
Adverse reactions to aspartame: double-blind challenge in patients from a vulnerable population.
Walton RG, Hudak R, Green-Waite RJ.
Department of Psychiatry, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Youngstown.
This study was designed to ascertain whether individuals with mood disorders are particularly vulnerable to adverse effects of aspartame. Although the protocol required the recruitment of 40 patients with unipolar depression and a similar number of individuals without a psychiatric history, the project was halted by the Institutional Review Board after a total of 13 individuals had completed the study because of the severity of reactions within the group of patients with a history of depression. In a crossover design, subjects received aspartame 30 mg/kg/day or placebo for 7 days. Despite the small n, there was a significant difference between aspartame and placebo in number and severity of symptoms for patients with a history of depression, whereas for individuals without such a history there was not. We conclude that individuals with mood disorders are particularly sensitive to this artificial sweetener and its use in this population should be discouraged.
Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2002 Apr;35(2 Pt 2):S1-93.Aspartame: review of safety.
Butchko HH, Stargel WW, Comer CP, Mayhew DA, Benninger C, Blackburn GL, de Sonneville LM, Geha RS, Hertelendy Z, Koestner A, Leon AS, Liepa GU, McMartin KE, Mendenhall CL, Munro IC, Novotny EJ, Renwick AG, Schiffman SS, Schomer DL, Shaywitz BA, Spiers PA, Tephly TR, Thomas JA, Trefz FK.
Medical and Scientific Affairs, The NutraSweet Company, Mt Prospect, Illinois 60056, USA. harriett.h.butchko@nutrasweet.com
Over 20 years have elapsed since aspartame was approved by regulatory agencies as a sweetener and flavor enhancer. The safety of aspartame and its metabolic constituents was established through extensive toxicology studies in laboratory animals, using much greater doses than people could possibly consume. Its safety was further confirmed through studies in several human subpopulations, including healthy infants, children, adolescents, and adults; obese individuals; diabetics; lactating women; and individuals heterozygous (PKUH) for the genetic disease phenylketonuria (PKU) who have a decreased ability to metabolize the essential amino acid, phenylalanine. Several scientific issues continued to be raised after approval, largely as a concern for theoretical toxicity from its metabolic components--the amino acids, aspartate and phenylalanine, and methanol--even though dietary exposure to these components is much greater than from aspartame. Nonetheless, additional research, including evaluations of possible associations between aspartame and headaches, seizures, behavior, cognition, and mood as well as allergic-type reactions and use by potentially sensitive subpopulations, has continued after approval. These findings are reviewed here. The safety testing of aspartame has gone well beyond that required to evaluate the safety of a food additive. When all the research on aspartame, including evaluations in both the premarketing and postmarketing periods, is examined as a whole, it is clear that aspartame is safe, and there are no unresolved questions regarding its safety under conditions of intended use.
They claim no unresolved questions?
How about a study showing that unipolar depressives can safely use aspartame? I have presented a study that was terminated because they couldn't.
How about what a doctor is calling Aspartame Disease?
http://www.pubmedcentral.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=387446
I don't know if adverse reactions are widespread, or not. But that's the whole point. We don't know.
I just emailed the lead author of the Nutrasweet report, to see if I could get a copy. I'm darned curious what it says. And I contacted Dr. Walton, the psychiatrist who did that damning report. I'd like to understand this more clearly.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:501003
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/health/20050411/msgs/501138.html