Frequently Asked Questions
How was aspartame tested before it was approved for use in foods?
Aspartame is one of the most thoroughly studied ingredients in the food supply. It was tested in more than 100 scientific studies before the FDA approved it in 1981. The studies were conducted in laboratory animals and several subpopulations of humans, including healthy infants, children, and adults, lactating women, people with diabetes, obese individuals, and people who are carriers of the rare genetic disease phenylketonuria (PKU). Individuals with PKU cannot properly metabolize phenylalanine, one of aspartame’s components. After approval, extensive additional research was done. The results further confirmed the safety of aspartame for the general population.
How is aspartame handled in the body?
Upon digestion, aspartame breaks down into three components (aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol), which are then absorbed into the blood and used in normal body processes. Neither aspartame nor its components accumulate in the body. These components are used in the body in the same ways as when they are derived from common foods. Further, the amounts of these components from aspartame are small compared to the amounts from other food sources. For example, a serving of nonfat milk provides about 6 times more phenylalanine and 13 times more aspartic acid compared to an equivalent amount of diet beverage sweetened 100% with aspartame. Likewise, a serving of tomato juice provides about 6 times more methanol compared to an equivalent amount of diet beverage with aspartame.
What is methanol and is it a problem in consuming aspartame?
Methanol is a natural and harmless breakdown product of many commonly consumed foods. The methanol produced during the digestion of aspartame is identical to that which is provided in much larger amounts from many fruits, vegetables and their juices and is part of the normal diet. In fact, a glass of tomato juice provides about 6 times as much methanol as an equivalent amount of diet beverage sweetened with aspartame. Regardless of the source, after methanol is formed it is further broken down through normal body processes. Numerous scientific studies have shown that the amount of methanol one could consume from aspartame-containing foods and beverages could not reach harmful levels.
What is the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of aspartame?
The ADI, expressed on a mg/kg body weight/day basis, is a very conservative estimate of the amount of a sweetener that can safely be consumed on a daily basis over a person’s lifetime. The FDA has set the ADI for aspartame at 50 mg/kg of body weight/day. The ADI for aspartame is the equivalent of a 70 kg (154 lb.) person consuming about 20 cans of aspartame-sweetened beverage or about 100 sachets of tabletop sweetener with aspartame per day.
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- What is aspartame?
- What is aspartame composed of?
- Why is aspartame used?
- What types of products contain aspartame?
- How can you tell there is aspartame in a product?
- Can aspartame be used in cooking or baking?
- How do foods and beverages sweetened with aspartame fit into healthful eating?
- Can aspartame help people lose weight?
- Is aspartame safe?
- Have other regulatory bodies reviewed aspartame's safety?
- Have independent health organizations reviewed the safety of aspartame?
- How was aspartame tested before it was approved for use in foods?
- How is aspartame handled in the body?
- What is methanol and is it a problem in consuming aspartame?
- What is the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of aspartame?
- Is it safe to consume more aspartame than the ADI?
- How much aspartame would a person have to consume to reach the ADI?
- How much aspartame are people actually consuming?
- How much aspartame are children consuming?
- What is phenylketonuria (PKU) and why is there a statement regarding PKU on products sweetened with aspartame?
- Can women who are pregnant or breastfeeding consume aspartame?
- Can people with diabetes consume aspartame?
- Does aspartame affect blood sugar control in people with diabetes?
- Does aspartame cause adverse health effects?
- Does aspartame cause allergic reactions?
- Is there a relationship between aspartame and headaches?
- Is aspartame safe for people with epilepsy?
- Does aspartame cause changes in mood, thought processes or behavior?
- Does aspartame affect children's behavior?
- Does aspartame increase appetite or cause weight gain?
- Is there any relationship between aspartame and cancer or brain tumors?
- Can aspartame affect vision?
- Is it true that aspartame is an "excitotoxin?"
- Is there any truth to the negative information about aspartame on the Internet or in the media?
- Is there a relationship between aspartame and multiple sclerosis?
- Is there a relationship between aspartame and Parkinson's disease?
- Is there a relationship between aspartame and Alzheimer's disease?
- Is there a relationship between aspartame and lupus?