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Aspartame – Sweet, Sweet Poison
Article by Kenneth Szeto.
The need for people to slim down or decrease their sugar and fat intake over the years has led to an explosion in so called diet products that promote; zero sugar, sugar free and low fat ingredients. These include everyday products such as soft drinks, sports drinks, chewing gums, light or low fat yogurts, toothpaste, cereals, medicines, and frozen meals to name a few. Basically products that are marketed as using no sugar, sugar free, low fat or no fat are likely to be in this category. On the flip side, what goes into them isn’t always better than using natural sugar or full fat ingredients. An ingredient in these sugar free or low fat products is aspartame, an artificial sweetener that has been linked to many health problems. Aspartame is marketed under the NutraSweet, Equal, Sugar Twin and Spoonful brands.
According to Dr Mercola, “Aspartame: By far the most dangerous substance added to most foods today”.
Aspartame is an ingredient that acts as a substitute for sugar but without the calories. However, it is two hundred times sweeter than sugar and is made of a number of chemicals, that can cause health issues, such as diabetes and cancer to name a few. It can be harmful to those suffering from diabetes, as aspartame can also lower insulin sensitivity and inhibit brain functions.
Artificial sweeteners can cause weight problems similar to sugar. The lack of proper sugar in sweeteners don’t prompt your brain to say you have had enough and cause your body to keep craving food. Furthermore, two components of aspartame, phenylalanine and aspartic acid, trigger the hormones insulin and leptin in your body that regulate cravings and fat storage respectively. If the body is exposed to too much of either, then it is possible that it will keep gaining weight while also being unable to control hunger.
Aspartame is partially made up of methanol, also known as wood alcohol. Tests show that the human body processes methanol in a harmful way. When methanol is consumed, it spreads throughout the body and is absorbed by the most susceptible tissues; the brain and bone marrow being the most sensitive. The methanol is then broken down by an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase and becomes formaldehyde, a toxin that can cause vision problems, DNA replication and cancer.
Formaldehyde, and methanol, as well as other solvents, are typically used in the embalming process of dead bodies, so that the decomposition of the body slows down…imagine what it is doing to you while you are alive!
Consuming methanol and what it becomes in the body leads to numerous health problems, including bodily fatigue, vision impairment and birth defects. When methanol breaks down in the body it becomes formaldehyde, which is a deadly neurotoxin. “An EPA assessment of methanol states that methanol, is considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion once it is absorbed. In the body, methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde.” They recommend a limit of consumption of 7.8 mg/day. A one-liter (approx. 1 quart) aspartame-sweetened beverage contains about 56 mg of methanol. Heavy users of aspartame-containing products consume as much as 250 mg of methanol daily or 32 times the EPA limit”, writes Dr Mercola.
Aspartame may also contribute to, Non-Hodgkin’s, Lymphoma, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), to name a few. See table 2, for more illnesses that can be caused by aspartame.
Although recognized as being dangerous, companies have continued to use aspartame in their products. As a result, the best solution to prevent aspartame poisoning and its’ long list of dangerous health effects is avoiding products that contain aspartame. Some people may find this impossible to do, but over time as you change your lifestyle to incorporate healthier alternatives it becomes easier.
According to Dr Janet Starr Hull, these are some of the adverse reactions and side effects of aspartame:
| Eye Blindness in one or both eyes Decreased vision and/or other eye problems such as: blurring, bright flashes, squiggly lines, Tunnel vision, decreased night vision Pain in one or both eyes Decreased tears Trouble with contact lenses Bulging eyes |
Ear Tinnitus – ringing or buzzing sound Severe intolerance of noise Marked hearing impairment |
| Neurologic Epileptic seizures Headaches, migraines and (some severe) Dizziness, unsteadiness, both Confusion, memory loss, both Severe drowsiness and sleepiness Paraesthesia or numbness of the limbs Severe slurring of speech Severe hyperactivity and restless legs Atypical facial pain Severe tremors |
Psychological/Psychiatric Severe depression Irritability Aggression Anxiety Personality changes Insomnia Phobias |
| Chest Palpitations, tachycardia Shortness of breath Recent high blood pressure |
Gastrointestinal Nausea Diarrhoea, sometimes with blood in stools Abdominal pain Pain when swallowing |
| Skin and Allergies Itching without a rash Lip and mouth reactions Hives Aggravated respiratory allergies such as asthma |
Other Frequency of voiding and burning during urination Excessive thirst, fluid retention, leg swelling, and bloating Increased susceptibility to infection |
| Endocrine and Metabolic Loss of control of diabetes Menstrual changes Marked thinning or loss of hair Marked weight loss Gradual weight gain Aggravated low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) Severe PMS |
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| Additional Symptoms of Aspartame Toxicity include the most critical symptoms of all Death Irreversible brain damage Birth defects, including mental retardation Peptic ulcers Aspartame addiction and increased craving for sweets Hyperactivity in children Severe depression Aggressive behaviour Suicidal tendencies |
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Table 2
| Aspartame may trigger, mimic, or cause the following illnesses: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Epstein-Barr Post-Polio Syndrome Lyme Disease Grave’s Disease Meniere’s Disease Alzheimer’s Disease ALS Epilepsy Multiple Sclerosis (MS) EMS Hypothyroidism Mercury sensitivity from Amalgam fillings Fibromyalgia Lupus Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) |
Notes:
Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen (causes cancer), is known to causes allergic, irritant and contact dermatitis, headaches and chronic fatigue. The vapour is extremely irritating to the eyes, nose and throat (mucous membranes).
Formaldehyde, and methanol, as well as other solvents, are typically used in the embalming process of dead bodies, so that the decomposition of the body slows down.
According to the Sugar Association, “Products containing aspartame must carry a label advising those with phenylketonuria, a rare genetic disorder, that phenylalanine is present. It is listed in the ingredient statement on a food or beverage package as “aspartame.” The ingredient listing for a tabletop product like Equal reads “dextrose with maltodextrin, aspartame.”
Other artificial sweeteners to look out for that are just as harmful as Aspartame; Acesulfame potassium, Neotame, Saccharin and Sucralose.