| A carefully controlled clinical study with individuals who were
convinced that aspartame caused their headaches, published in the
New England Journal of Medicine, demonstrated that aspartame does
not cause headaches or migraines. The results showed that 35 percent
of the subjects had headaches after taking aspartame, compared with
45 percent who had headaches after taking the placebo, confirming
that aspartame does not trigger headaches.
Headaches are one of the most common human complaints. Many factors
can cause headaches, ranging from stress and sleep disturbances
to physical illnesses. It is potentially dangerous to assume that
a headache is related to aspartame, when the cause may be a serious
physical or psychological condition.
Additionally, aspartame does not cause cancer according to the
American Cancer Society. Both the Food and Drug Administration and
the National Cancer Institute have examined the allegation regarding
aspartame and human brain tumors and concluded that aspartame does
not increase the incidence of brain tumors.
Before the FDA approved aspartame in 1981, there was an extensive
evaluation of aspartame in four long term studies in rodents. The
animals studied received huge doses of aspartame, equal to more
than 1,000 cans of diet soft drink daily for an adult human for
up to two years. No increase in brain tumors or an other type of
tumor occurred.
Importantly, aspartame never enters the bloodstream and therefore
cannot travel to essential organs including the brain. Thus, there
is no physiological reason why aspartame would cause cancer. When
aspartame is digested, the body breaks it down into its components,
aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol. People consume much greater
amounts of these components in common foods, such as milk, meat,
dried beans, fruits and vegetables. The body handles the components
from aspartame in the same way it handles them when derived from
other foods.
Aspartame Myths: Phenylketonuria
Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a rare inherited disease that prevents
the essential amino acid phenylalanine from being properly metabolized.
(An essential amino acid is required for normal growth, development,
and body functioning and must be obtained from the diet, as the
body cannot make it.) Because of this, phenylalanine can accumulate
in the blood and the brain , and cause health problems including
mental retardation.
Now in the U.S. and many other countries, routine screening of
newborns for PKU is required. In the U.S., about 1 in 15,000 babies
is born with PKU. Early detection and treatment can help children
with PKU lead normal lives. People with PKU are placed on a phenylalanine-restricted
diet from birth to adolescence or after. Women with PKU must remain
on the diet throughout pregnancy. Phenylalanine is found naturally
in many protein containing foods such as chicken, hamburger, milk
and vegetables, and is a component of aspartame.
The body metabolizes the phenylalanine in aspartame in the same
way as the phenylalanine from protein in foods. The amount of phenylalanine
in aspartame is much smaller than that in other common foods eaten
every day. However, individuals with PKU must consider aspartame
as an additional source of phenylalanine so in the U.S. aspartame
containing foods must state "Phenylketonurics: Contains Phenylalanine."
The amount of phenylalanine derived from aspartame is small compared
to the amount of phenylalanine derived from other food sources.
For example, a 3-ounce portion of chicken contains about 1000 milligrams
of phenylalanine and 8 ounces of skim milk has about 400 milligrams,
while a 12-ounce can of diet carbonated soft drink contains about
90 milligrams.
Aspartame Myths: Weight Gain
Changes in body weight are related to many factors such as diet,
exercise and heredity. Products made with aspartame can help with
weight control because they are lower in calories than their sugar-sweetened
counterparts.
Several well-controlled scientific studies were conducted to determine
the effect of aspartame on hunger, satisfaction and food intake,
and body weight. Based on the overwhelming scientific evidence aspartame
does not increase appetite, food intake or weight gain.
Blackburn et al. (1997) conducted a study to investigate whether
the addition of aspartame to a multidisciplinary weight control
program would improve weight loss and long-term control of body
weight in obese women. The researchers found that aspartame consumption
was positively associated with weight loss. The researchers concluded
that aspartame, as part of a multidisciplinary weight control program,
may facilitate weight control.
Aspartame was associated with weight loss in two additional long-term
studies. Morris et al. (1989) investigated low-calorie sweetener
consumption patterns of 35 overweight individuals before and after
completing a 16-week weight loss program. At the end of the 16-week
period, women lost more than 15 pounds and men lost more than 20
pounds while consuming aspartame and saccharin. The researchers
concluded: “These results suggest that consumption of artificial
sweeteners is not a barrier to weight loss and that foods containing
artificial sweeteners can be incorporated into a weight-loss program.”
Drs. Tordoff and Alleva (1990) conducted a long-term study, monitoring
the diet records and body weights of 30 normal-weight adults during
three separate periods, each lasting three weeks. During each period,
the subjects consumed 40 ounces daily of either aspartame-sweetened
soda, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)-sweetened soda or no experimental
drinks.
The researchers observed that drinking aspartame-sweetened soda
decreased the sugar and calorie intake of both sexes significantly
compared to the control period. Consumption of aspartame-sweetened
soda also led to a non-significant decrease in body weight in both
sexes combined, while consumption of HFCS-sweetened soda resulted
in a significant weight gain in both men and women.
Aspartame Myths: Blood Sugar Control
Research shows that aspartame does not affect short-term or long-term
blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. The American Diabetes
Association states that, "Aspartame has been approved by the
Food and Drug Administration, a governmental agency that conducts
thorough scientific review to determine foods that are safe for
public consumption. (We) follow FDA recommendations and recognize
there is no credible scientific evidence linking aspartame to any
health-related problems for people with diabetes."
Aspartame Myths: Allergic Reactions
Research shows that aspartame does not cause allergic reactions.
Some people "claim" they have experienced symptoms related
to consuming aspartame, but these anecdotal reports are not confirmed
by carefully controlled scientific studies.
In one study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
(JACI), subjects who believed they were allergic to aspartame received
up to 2,000 milligrams of aspartame, the amount contained in about
12 cans of diet soft drink. Not one of the subjects had an allergic
reaction after receiving aspartame.
Results of a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled,
crossover study published in a later issue of the JACI, demonstrate
that aspartame is no more likely than the placebo to cause urticaria
(hives) or angioedema (swelling).
A wide variety of foods can cause allergic reactions in some people.
Those who suspect a food allergy should seek diagnosis and treatment
from a qualified medical professional, such as a board-certified
allergist. Self-diagnosis can delay treatment of a more serious
medical problem.
Aspartame Myths: Epilepsy
The Epilepsy Institute of New York and the Epilepsy Foundation
of America both say aspartame is safe for use by people with epilepsy.
Numerous scientific studies in animals and humans demonstrate that
aspartame does not cause or worsen seizures in any group of people,
including children and adults with epilepsy.
Aspartame Myths: Aspartame as an Excitotoxin
Aspartame is not an excitotoxin. An "excitotoxin" is
a substance that reportedly overstimulates brain and nerve cells.
The faulty premise behind this allegation about aspartame is that
consuming large amounts of aspartame causes aspartic acid (one of
the amino acids that makes up aspartame) to reach high levels in
the blood. Critics claim that these high levels of aspartic acid
circulate to the brain and kill nerve cells by over-stimulating
them.
Carefully conducted scientific research with aspartame shows that
this is not possible. Consuming extremely high levels of aspartame,
even over a long period of time, does not result in high blood levels
of aspartic acid.
Aspartame Myths: Neurological Illnesses
Before aspartame was approved for use, it withstood rigorous FDA
review. It is accepted as safe by regulatory authorities in 100
countries throughout the world. In addition, it has been found safe
by numerous organizations, including the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation,
the American Diabetes Association, the American Dietetic Association,
and the Council on Scientific Affairs of the American Medical Association.
The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation has stated that, "There
is no information whatsoever about deleterious effects of aspartame
on MS, systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE or lupus), or fibromyalgia
and "There is no evidence that aspartame in any way causes,
provokes, mimics or worsens MS."
Aspartame Myths: Vision
Although scientists know that huge amounts of methanol can affect
vision, only small amounts of methanol are formed when aspartame
and many fruits, vegetables and juices are digested. Methanol is
part of a normal diet, and the body can easily metabolize small
amounts. The methanol produced by the digestion of aspartame is
identical to that produced by the digestion of fruits, vegetables
and their juices. For example, a glass of tomato juice provides
six times as much methanol as a similar amount of a drink sweetened
with aspartame. During the digestion of aspartame in the gastrointestinal
tract, methanol is released and then metabolized by normal body
processes. Numerous scientific studies have shown that the methanol
from aspartame does not accumulate in the body and thus cannot reach
harmful levels.
Aspartame Myths: Mood, Behavior, Thought Processes, etc.
Well controlled scientific studies conducted by behavioral experts
at a number of respected academic centers, including the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT), the University of Toronto, the National
Institute of Mental Health, Harvard Medical School, Yale Medical
School and Tufts University Medical School, indicate that aspartame
is not associated with changes in mood, cognition or behavior, including
memory loss.
One study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
tested mood, aggression and selected cognitive functions in 48 healthy
subjects who, after a one month baseline, consumed in a crossover
fashion, doses of aspartame five times the daily amount consumed
by those who consume large amounts of aspartame (90th percentile),
15 times the amount and a sugar sweetened placebo. During the four-month
testing period, subjects received these test articles (either aspartame
or placebo) for one month each, and underwent physical and psychological
tests. Subjects showed no change in mood, memory, behavior, EEGs
(which record the electrical signals of the brain), or any physical
changes that could be linked to aspartame.
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