Toxic Reactions to Aspartame
Are Food Additives Poisoning Some People?
Aspartame, also known as Nutrasweet or Equal, has a history of use as a sweetener since 1981. It contains 50% phenylalanine, an amino acid that must be carefully avoided by those who cannot process it properly, known as phenylketonurics, or PKU. PKU disease is one of several metabolic disorders routinely screened in newborns. Another component of aspartame is methanol (wood alcohol).
Metabolites of aspartame have been linked to lesions in the brains of animals(1). Neuroscientist John Olney warns of the dangers of using excitotoxins, like aspartame and msg, as food additives(1).
Excitotoxins are Linked to Fibromyalgia
Taste receptors and neurotransmitters in the brain are stimulated by excitotoxins. Large doses or long-term use can lead to neurotoxicity. Dr. Olney looked at the cases of four women with fibromyalgia, their use of excitotoxins, and their condition after stopping aspartame and msg use. Fibromyalgia is a disease affecting primarily women age 29 to 37. Symptoms include fatigue, stiffness, musculoskeletal pain in the back, neck, shoulders or other areas, disturbed sleep and depression. The four women had symptoms improve or disappear to the extent that several medications were discontinued. Improvement occurred within a few months of dietary change and symptoms reappeared with challenge or accidental ingestion of msg or aspartame. Dr. Olney suggests the pattern may reveal that either a type of fibromyalgia is exacerbated by aspartame and msg, or that these excitotoxins can cause symptoms identical to fibromyalgia(1).
Aspartame and MSG Together May Spell More Trouble
The cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, but sufferers have insufficient adrenal function and release lower amounts of cortisol, a stress hormone. Tests show their adrenals do not respond properly to signals from the pituitary gland to increase cortisol secretion.
When msg and aspartate are combined, the potential exists for greater destruction of hypothalamic neurons that link the nervous system to the endocrine system through the pituitary gland(1). Aspartame is converted to aspartate during digestion. Fortunately, if damage is done by food additives, it seems by these case studies to be reversible.
Aspartame is Implicated in Other Conditions
An Italian study in 2005 implicated aspartame in some types of leukemia and lymphoma(2). In 2004, USA Today reported the story of a 25 year old male athlete diagnosed with Graves' disease whose symptoms completely resolved once he eliminated aspartame from his diet(3). Airline employees have testified at congressional hearings that heavy use of diet products with aspartame have resulted in blurred vision, confusion, tremors, and seizures among pilots, causing some to lose their jobs(4). An Idaho High School student won awards in 1998 with her science project comparing rats fed sugar to rats fed aspartame. The rats were fed 25% more aspartame than is considered safe by the FDA. Aspartame-fed rats engaged in "repetition of a meaningless behavior" and never learned the maze that sugar-fed rats mastered easily(5).
While the majority of people consuming moderate amounts of aspartame will not experience adverse effects, lowering intake of this sweetener seems sensible. Research and anecdotal evidence exists linking aspartame, particularly in conjunction with msg, to negative impacts on health. This should be a consideration when choosing to consume or avoid food additives and artificial sweeteners in favor of sugar or the natural alternative sweetener, stevia.
References:
1.Olney, J., "Exotoxins in Foods", Neurotoxicology, Fall 1994 15(3)
2.Soffriti M., et.al., Aspartame induces lymphomas and leukemias in rats, European Journal of Oncology, 2005 10(2)
3.Vicki Michaelis, "Disease Diagnosis Doesn't Deter Diver", USA Today, June 10, 2004
4.Mary Stoddard and George Leighton, Aspartame and Flying, www.aspartamesafety.com
5.Terrell, Joseph, "High School Student Study Shows Artificial Sweetener Hurts Performance", American Sugar Alliance PR Newswire, SunValley, Idaho, Aug 12, 1998
Fibromyalgia Symptoms
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