148 replies to this topic

[biknut]

Just read this in my new Blaylock report,

The artificial sweetener aspartame is broken down into formaldehyde as it
metabolizes in your body. Studies have shown that this toxin damages the DNA of cells and inactivates a number of proteins and enzymes. One recent study found
that aspartame was associated with a dramatic increase in leukemia and lymphoma in animals. Formaldehyde was the most likely cause. Formaldehyde binds tightly to DNA and is very difficult to remove from the body. It is an
accumulative toxin, which means that exposure to even small amounts can produce significant toxicity over time.

[xanadu]

Good find, biknut, do you have any links? I've got a funny feeling this will not show up in the newspapers or on TV. Aspartame vendors spend too much on advertising to allow it.

[Matt]

After doing a bit of researching on the net I've become very skpetical about sweeteners causing any adverse side effects. There are far worse things that one can consume thatn something like aspartame.

I think the evidence is quite weak.

Edited by Matt, 09 November 2006 - 01:18 AM.

[bgwowk]

This has been known for decades. Methanol is a product of the metabolism of aspartame, and methanol is metabolized into formic acid and formaldehyde. But many foods, such as fresh fruit juices, contain methanol at concentrations comparable to the methanol that results from drinking aspartame-sweetened drinks. To be upset about formaldehyde resulting from aspartame, but not concerned about formaldeyde resulting from natural food consumption, is a double standard.

One caveat to this is that intake of natural foods and juices is limited by the calories they contain. No such limit exists for artificially-sweetened drinks. If someone drinks soda like water, all bets are off.

[aikikai]

When people say (some in this forum) that they get bad side effects of trying artificial sweeteners; how can we be sure that the placebo effect isn't there?

[xanadu]

Does anyone have any evidence that methanol is indeed found in fruit juice? I've never heard that before and would like to see some proof.

7 pages and the dangers of artificial sweeteners are still not "debunked"

[niner]

This isn't proof, but a lot of fruits will contain methyl esters that will hydrolyze to some extent. The question is not if, but how much. There's a part per trillion of everything in everything...

[mike250]

asparatame gives me headaches whenever I use it and I get heartburns with splenda. I'm going to try stevia and see how I respond to it.

[xanadu]

Try inositol, it's not very expensive and it's good for you.

[fast turtle]

My dad used to swear by diet sodas sweetened by aspartame and drank 8-10 cans a day. Last year he developed a stage three astrocytoma and is currently dying of brain cancer. Take it as you will.. I guess he also used cell phones a lot.. He's only 59.

[doug123]

SFGate.com: News Source



FDA: No Evidence Aspartame Causes Cancer

Friday, April 20, 2007

(04-20) 15:48 PDT WASHINGTON, (AP) --

A federal review of a 2005 Italian study found no data to support the conclusion the sugar substitute aspartame causes cancer, a health official said Friday.

The Food and Drug Administration has not seen scientific information that would support a change in its conclusions about the safety of aspartame, said Laura Tarantino, director of the agency's Office of Food Additive Safety. In 1981, the FDA determined that aspartame was safe for use in food.

The Italian study concluded aspartame led to higher rates of lymphoma and leukemia in rats. However, the European Food Safety Authority reviewed the data and said it did not support the study's conclusions. The European agency reiterated its previously held position that the low-calorie sweetener is safe.

The FDA then conducted its own review of the study, despite not receiving additional data it had requested.

"Our conclusion, based on a comprehensive review of all data we had, is there is no evidence that aspartame is a carcinogen or any evidence to change our previous conclusion: that aspartame, the way it is used, is safe," Tarantino said. The agency plans to release its review shortly, she said.

Meanwhile, the Italian team is expected to release Monday the results of a further study of the sweetener.

Aspartame has been sold for 25 years. It's found in thousands of products, including sodas, chewing gum, dairy products and even some medicines. NutraSweet and Equal are popular brands.

Tarantino said the FDA would seek more data from researchers depending on what they present Monday.
___

On the Net:


Food and Drug Administration:

www.fda.gov/

http://sfgate.com/cg.../w154800D05.DTL

[kenj]

asparatame gives me headaches whenever I use it and I get heartburns with splenda. I'm going to try stevia and see how I respond to it.

Stevia should be good.

[luv2increase]

If we are all so concious about our health, why would we use anything that is so utterly scrutinized such as aspartame.

This is a no-brainer for me.

Go with the organic cane sugar OR better yet, if you are paranoid about calories, stevia. There isn't any negative controversy over stevia. It taste than aspartame.

Knowing this, what gives?

Why are people so insistent on drinking or inducing stuff with aspartame?

It doesn't make any sense to me.


When there is doubt, there must be a reason, right?

[bgwowk]

When there is doubt, there must be a reason, right?

No. There is doubt, both real and imagined, about all kinds of things, including doubts that are patently ridiculous. To believe that all public expressions of doubt are actionable is not rational.

Edited by bgwowk, 22 April 2007 - 06:36 PM.

[bgwowk]

Does anyone have any evidence that methanol is indeed found in fruit juice? I've never heard that before and would like to see some proof.

Here you go.

http://archive.food....17/17orange.htm

Methanol is formed naturally in orange juice by action of enzymes on the pectin material of cell walls. The enzymes are likely to remain active in unpasteurised orange juice and this may lead to a build up of potentially toxic levels of methanol. Reported literature levels for methanol range from 4 to 420 mg/kg

[xanadu]

Aspartame is garbage and I do not trust the politically controlled FDA to tell us the truth about anything. Thanks, bgwowk, for that link.

The problems with sugar go way beyond calories. Sugar is a pro-aging substance that induces food cravings, insulin resistance and other problems. Give up all sources of refined sugar and then give up all sources of refined flour and you will be on your way to health.

[bgwowk]

The problems with sugar go way beyond calories. Sugar is a pro-aging substance that induces food cravings, insulin resistance and other problems. Give up all sources of refined sugar and then give up all sources of refined flour and you will be on your way to health.

Agreed inasmuch as any empty calories that spike insulin are not good for you.

I believe artificial sweeteners in moderation can play a useful role in reducing sugar consumption. Of artificial sweeteners, I think saccharin and cyclamates have fewer safety issues than aspartame. However unless one has acute reaction issues with aspartame (or is phenylketonuric), I don't think aspartame consumed in moderation is any more hazardous than many other things we eat without giving a second thought. It's certainly less harmful than the equivalent amount of sugar.

Put it this way. I know a family that insists all soda consumed by their children be diet soda. I know another family that insists their children avoid diet soda because of safety concerns about artificial sweeteners. Guess which family has overweight children? Unlike theoretical risks, we know what health problems that will lead to.

[mike250]

The problems with sugar go way beyond calories. Sugar is a pro-aging substance that induces food cravings, insulin resistance and other problems. Give up all sources of refined sugar and then give up all sources of refined flour and you will be on your way to health.

Agreed inasmuch as any empty calories that spike insulin are not good for you.

I believe artificial sweeteners in moderation can play a useful role in reducing sugar consumption. Of artificial sweeteners, I think saccharin and cyclamates have fewer safety issues than aspartame. However unless one has acute reaction issues with aspartame (or is phenylketonuric), I don't think aspartame consumed in moderation is any more hazardous than many other things we eat without giving a second thought. It's certainly less harmful than the equivalent amount of sugar.

Put it this way. I know a family that insists all soda consumed by their children be diet soda. I know another family that insists their children avoid diet soda because of safety concerns about artificial sweeteners. Guess which family has overweight children? Unlike theoretical risks, we know what health problems that will lead to.

I would just drink it with no sweetner or with a small amount of sugar itself.

[aikikai]

[boily]

Another interesting theory... MSG, aspartame to dumb down society?

[shifter]

So the people that tell us aspartame is safe are pretty much the same sort of people that told us Vioxx was safe and continue to tell us that nutritional supplements are a waste of money and unsafe?

riiiiight... Personally I dont care for taste in the slightest. For a lot of things I can just 'switch off' taste anyway.

[boily]

I agree shifter about the taste, tastes like some sort of chemical cocktail and it is! I remember about 10 years ago, my uncle told me that diet coke causes cancer. I'm not sure that its a true statement, but after watching the movie "Sweet misery" it could well be! Personally I almost totally avoid anything artificial sweetened. I will be switching to an unsweetened whey when my current supply runs out. I've been off diet soft drink and normal soft drink for about 3 years.

I reccommend watching Sweet Misery, which you can watch for free (big downloads) at:

http://question911.com/linksall.htm

[luv2increase]

So the people that tell us aspartame is safe are pretty much the same sort of people that told us Vioxx was safe and continue to tell us that nutritional supplements are a waste of money and unsafe?

That is a great point. Also, you have to realize the special interest involved here, $$$.

[edward]

So what is the verdict on Splenda/Sucralose. http://diet-studies.com/splenda.html

From my initial review, when I first started using splenda and splenda sweetened products, I concluded that it was pretty safe, I concluded that aspartame was in general not good and that if given the choice I would rather drink a drink sweetened with splenda than sugar as in my opinion high glycemic carbohydrates in general including sugar are the enemy.

[bgwowk]

So the people that tell us aspartame is safe are pretty much the same sort of people that told us Vioxx was safe and continue to tell us that nutritional supplements are a waste of money and unsafe?

That's not an argument, that's demagoguery. There is no such thing as "safe". There is only relative safety. Aspartame is relatively safe compared to many other things people eat without concern, and for most people certainly safer than the equivalent amount of sugar.

[meatwad]

Sugar is necessary for life, similar to oxygen (not safe) and protein (not safe) and fat (omg its a killer) Aspartame is not a vital nutrient and really has no place in anyones diet. There, I said it.

Whatever, go ahead and eat your poison which has unknown affects on your body, I can't in good faith give anyone the recommendation of using this shit when sugar is perfectly acceptable. Eating a few spoonfuls of sugar on am empty stomache will not cause the same problems as a few spoonfuls of aspartame.

[Shepard]

Yeah, I kinda dig diabetes too. Come on, you all know it's mad hip to sweeten your green tea with your own blood.

Hmm, green tea + vial of blood + shot of vodka. That would so sell in some of 'those' clubs.

[bgwowk]

Sugar is necessary for life, similar to oxygen (not safe) and protein (not safe) and fat (omg its a killer).

You are mistaken. Sucrose is not necessary for life, and it does not occur naturally inside the human body. It is however metabolized into glucose which does occur naturally inside the body, and fructose which is present in some natural foods, but not necessary for life.

Aspartame is the methyl ester of a dipeptide, a protein fragment consisting of two natural amino acids. In the body it is metabolized into two amino acids and small amount of methanol. Methanol is a natural ingredient in some foods. In other words, although aspartame doesn't occur naturally, it metabolized into natural ingredients. It is in fact the only artificial sweetener with this property. That doesn't mean it is the safest artificial sweetener, which illustrates just how misleading the "natural" vs. "artificial" criterion for safety can be.

Aspartame is not a vital nutrient and really has no place in anyones diet. There, I said it.

The same is true for sucrose, but are you going to avoid sucrose like the plague?

The dose makes the poison. I don't know whether your use of "not safe" is sarcastic, but every one of the items you listed, even oxygen, is toxic at high doses. There is no such thing as "safe".

Edited by bgwowk, 24 May 2007 - 04:58 AM.

[Mind]

A good review of the controversial history of Aspartame. Another case where the FDA approved something without proper safety studies. Another case where the FDA seemed to be in collusion with industry to unethically approve a dangerous product.

 

Through the years, peer-reviewed research continues to indicate negative health effects from the use of aspartame. Is it a terrible poison? No. Does it raise the risk of various age-related maladies like cancer? At least to a small degree, according to the research.

 

I stopped drinking/eating things with aspartame a few years ago, but I did consume it quite a bit a decade or more ago - mainly in diet drinks. I hope I stopped soon enough to avoid the consequences.