The Side Effects of Aspartame

Ania138 · March 15th, 2009, 08:36 AM

I learned about Aspartame in some of my college courses. It scared the be-jesus out of me! It is an carcinogenic agent that is commonly found in Diet Foods and Drinks. I can not understand how this is FDA approved.

Quote:

Full Text :COPYRIGHT 2007 National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener used in more than 6,000 diet products, beverages, and pharmaceuticals. In March 2006, EHP published the first compelling experimental evidence for the carcinogenic effects of aspartame at a dose level within range of human daily intake [EHP 114:379-385; Soffritti et al.]. A second animal study by the same research team now indicates that the carcinogenic effects of aspartame are magnified when exposure begins during fetal life [EHP 115:1293-1297; Soffritti et al.].

The first study involved a much larger sample size than had been used in previous experiments. It showed a dose-related increase in the incidence of various malignant tumors in female rats fed aspartame from 8 weeks of age until natural death. The experiment was impressive for its long observation period and comprehensive assessment of aspartame's carcinogenic potential. Nevertheless, as the researchers acknowledged, the study did not take into account prenatal or perinatal exposures.

In the new study, the investigators added aspartame to the standard diets of male and female Sprague-Dawley rats from the twelfth day of fetal life until natural death. Rats were fed in groups of 70 to 95 each at aspartame concentrations of 2,000, 400, and 0 ppm--approximately equivalent to a daily intake of 100, 20, or 0 mg/kg body weight. The current limits for acceptable daily intake are set at 50 mg/kg body weight in the United States and 40 mg/kg body weight in Europe.

The researchers report that rats fed at the 400 ppm level showed nonsignificant increases in malignancies. For animals fed at the 2,000 ppm level, there was a significant increase in the incidence of lymphomas/leukemias and malignant mammary tumors. Furthermore, compared with the team's earlier study in which animals were dosed postnatally only, the incidence of animals bearing lymphomas/leukemias increased from 18.7% to 31.4%. The 2,000 ppm level corresponds to an assumed daily intake of 100 mg/kg body weight--approximately the equivalent of a 45-pound child drinking 5 cans of diet soda or a 150-pound adult consuming 14 packets of sweetener per day.

Although recent epidemiologic studies have not found an association between aspartame and human cancers, those studies were not designed to measure cancer risks associated with fetal exposures. The public health implications of the new findings are considerable. Currently, more than 200 million people regularly consume aspartame, and children and women of childbearing age (which presumably includes many who are pregnant and breastfeeding) are among the major consumers. If the U.S. FDA were to conclude that exposure to aspartame causes cancer in rodents, the agency would be required by law to revoke its approval for the popular sweetener.

maleficent · March 15th, 2009, 08:53 AM

Quote:

he 2,000 ppm level corresponds to an assumed daily intake of 100 mg/kg body weight--approximately the equivalent of a 45-pound child drinking 5 cans of diet soda or a 150-pound adult consuming 14 packets of sweetener per day.

that's an awful lot of artifical stuff to be consumed in a day..

moderation in all things...

Years back - Diet sodas carried a warning on them that the rtifical sweeteners used in them caused cancer in lab rats...

Michelley85 · March 15th, 2009, 10:41 AM

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Although recent epidemiologic studies have not found an association between aspartame and human cancers

Well there we go!

I'm good.

gaelicgirl1983 · March 15th, 2009, 02:51 PM

A lot of people have the common misconception that if something is approved by the FDA then it can't hurt you. This is completely not true. I trust the FDA about as far as I can throw them.

couchweight · March 17th, 2009, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gaelicgirl1983

A lot of people have the common misconception that if something is approved by the FDA then it can't hurt you. This is completely not true. I trust the FDA about as far as I can throw them.

quoting for truth

sinui · March 20th, 2009, 05:21 PM

biologist here... ^^; oh how many things are carcinogenic...even baby bottles have been thought to be carcinogenic and were removed from market. it's actually quite scary.

but as said, with food, everything in moderation is the key.

Fat Lazy Guy · March 22nd, 2009, 04:32 AM

Hell, even too much water will kill you...

LisaThinker · 03:35 AM

Diet sodas make people fat!

Aspartame is a neurotoxin. I would highly recommend checking out SPAM for more information about this. The woman who runs that site was diagnosed with MS and brain tumors, and was partially paralyzed after heavily ingesting diet soda for many years. When she gave up aspartame products she got better in six months. Her story is told in "Sweet Misery" and the follow-up film, "Sweet Remedy." If you are interested in seeing those films, go to SPAM.

sinui · March 24th, 2009, 03:03 AM

=D spam.. why does this link go to a shopping site?

Tamago · March 28th, 2009, 10:30 PM

it's really hard to avoid super sweeteners especially in the US where it's so much cheaper to put in products than sugar. i've never noticed a problem having some each day in my yogurt..but back when i used to chug down 3-4 diet cokes daily it made me really hungry, which made me eat a lot..which made me fat..and now i'm here!

LisaThinker · March 30th, 2009, 06:35 PM

sinui wrote: =D spam.. why does this link go to a shopping site?
...
sinui:
Information about the dangers of aspartame, msg and other toxic additives can save lives and health. The movies I blogged about earlier, Sweet Misery and Sweet Remedy, are worth buying because that money goes toward creating further useful, informative and moving documentaries. However, I understand that not everyone has the means to support independent filmmaking, no matter how important the topic.

So here are links to some FREE clips from the movies Sweet Misery and Sweet Remedy on youtube that you might enjoy:

YouTube - Aspartame/MSG/FDA Sweet Remedy: The World Reacts (Trailer)

"The World Reacts" - - Aspartame Again!

I hope everyone finds this helpful.

ok4444 · April 2nd, 2009, 03:47 AM

i believe all this is absolute non-sense. the best way to go about it is by eating healthy food and consuming a nutrients rich diet. U can never replace nature with artificial stuff!

NolaRob · April 10th, 2009, 02:01 PM

The more I read about artificial sweeteners, the more I don't want to put them in my body - even Splenda. Some make your brain retain formaldehyde, some are carcinogenic, some can cause digestive issues. And then there's the debate about combining them that could compound problems. I'm really going to do my best to stop using them altogether.

Maruu · April 13th, 2009, 03:05 AM

aspartame is safe in moderation

Blancita · April 13th, 2009, 03:41 AM

I personally cannot figure out why people think eating false chemicals in moderation is healthy. Do I sometimes eat things that are bad for me, yes. But do I know even in moderation they are poisonous chemicals that I SHOULD be avoiding, yes. Let's be honest, a bunch of unnatural chemicals are just simply never going to be healthy and are always going to be something to be avoided. Can we avoid them all the times, or will it kill us if we dont, probably not. But should we try? Yes. If we look around, we will note that obesity has crept up in proportion to the fake chemical "foods" that swarm our everyday lives. And fat is just the tip of the iceberg, being the only negative result you can actually see. Forget about the effects all these unnatural chemicals made of God only knows what have on the body and organs that cannot be seen..

The Side Effects of Aspartame

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The Side Effects of Aspartame