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The artificial sweetener aspartame has been the subject of several scientific controversies and a conspiracy theory since its initial approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1974. The FDA approval of aspartame was highly contested,[1] with critics alleging that the quality of the initial research supporting its safety was inadequate and flawed and that conflicts of interest marred the approval of aspartame.[2][3][4] Additionally, past and present critics have postulated that numerous health risks (such as increased rates of cancer or neurological conditions such as migraine) may be associated with the consumption of aspartame. These health risk claims have been examined and generally dismissed by major health and food safety organizations.[2][5][6]

In 1987, the U.S. Government Accountability Office concluded that the food additive approval process had been followed properly for aspartame.[2][7] Aspartame has been found to be safe for human consumption by more than ninety countries worldwide,[8][9] with FDA officials claiming, in a 1999 FDA Consumer article, that aspartame is "one of the most thoroughly tested and studied food additives the agency has ever approved" and its safety as "clear cut".[10] The weight of existing scientific evidence indicates that aspartame is safe as a non-nutritive sweetener when not consumed in excessive amounts.[5]

The controversy over aspartame safety originated in perceived irregularities in the aspartame approval process during the 1970s and early 1980s, including allegations of conflicts of interest and claims that aspartame producer G.D. Searle had withheld and falsified safety data. In 1996, the controversy reached a wider audience with a 60 Minutes report[1] that discussed criticisms of the FDA approval process and concerns that aspartame could cause brain tumors in humans. The 60 Minutes special stated that "aspartame's approval was one of the most contested in FDA history."[1] Around the same time, one of myriad Usenet emails authored by Betty Martini was possibly slightly altered (but still largely identical with originals) and then widely circulated under the pen name "Nancy Markle", creating the basis for a misleading and unverifiable hoax chain letter that was spread through the Internet.[6] "Ultimately the e-mail was traced back to Betty Martini."[11] Martini claims that an unknown person stood behind the "Markle" email.[12] Numerous websites have spread the email's claims about safety issues purportedly linked to aspartame, including Gulf War Syndrome and lupus, which are not backed by scientific evidence.[13]...

...An elaborate hoax conspiracy theory disseminated on many Internet websites attributes a host of deleterious medical effects to aspartame. This theory claims that the FDA approval process of aspartame was tainted[24][6][25] and cites as its source an email based upon a supposed talk by a "Nancy Markle" (whose existence has never been confirmed) at a "World Environmental Conference."[24][6][26] Specifically, the hoax websites allege that aspartame is responsible for multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus, and methanol toxicity, causing "blindness, spasms, shooting pains, seizures, headaches, depression, anxiety, memory loss, birth defects" and death.[27]

The "Markle" email was a largely identical version of myriad messages posted by Betty Martini to Usenet newsgroups in late 1995 and early 1996 about her claimed talk at a "World Environmental Conference".[6] Martini claims that an unknown person combined her original letter with other information and redistributed it as "Nancy Markle".[12][28] "Ultimately the e-mail was traced back to Betty Martini."[11]

Martini believes that there is a conspiracy between the FDA and the producers of aspartame, and her conspiracy theory (repeated by "Markle") has become a canonical example discussed on several Internet conspiracy theory and urban legend websites.[6][29] Although most of the allegations of this theory contradict the bulk of medical evidence,[24] this misinformation has spread around the world as chain emails since mid-December 1998,[6] influencing many websites[29] as an urban legend that continues to scare consumers.[24]

The dissemination of the "Nancy Markle" letter was considered so notable that the Media Awareness Network featured one version of it in a tutorial on how to determine the credibility of a web page. The tutorial implied that the "Markle" letter was not credible and stated that it should not be used as an authoritative source of information.[27]

Dean Edell warned very strongly against the "Markle" letter:

"A highly inaccurate "chain letter" is being circulated via e-mail warning the reader of the health dangers of aspartame (Nutrasweet) diet drinks. There is so much scientific untruth in it, it’s scary. Be careful, because others know how to manipulate you by this. Just because something is beyond your comprehension doesn’t mean it is scientific. The e-mail is outrageous enough to state that the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation is suing the FDA for collusion with Monsanto.... Bogus, totally bogus. You’ve got to be careful of these Internet hoaxes. When you read health information online, be sure to know the source of the information you are reading, okay?[30]

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Upon ingestion, aspartame breaks down into natural residual components, including aspartic acid, phenylalanine, methanol,[21] and further breakdown products including formaldehyde[22] and formic acid, accumulation of the latter being suspected as the major cause of injury in methanol poisoning. Human studies show that formic acid is excreted faster than it is formed after ingestion of aspartate. In some fruit juices, higher concentrations of methanol can be found than the amount produced from aspartame in beverages.[9]

High levels of the naturally-occurring essential amino acid phenylalanine are a health hazard to those born with phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare inherited disease that prevents phenylalanine from being properly metabolized. Since individuals with PKU must consider aspartame as an additional source of phenylalanine, foods containing aspartame sold in the United States must state "Phenylketonurics: Contains Phenylalanine" on their product labels.[23]

In the UK, foods that contain aspartame are legally required by the country's Food Standards Agency to list the chemical among the product's ingredients and carry the warning "Contains a source of phenylalanine" – this is usually at the foot of the list of ingredients. Manufacturers are also required to print '"with sweetener(s)" on the label close to the main product name' on foods that contain "sweeteners such as aspartame" or "with sugar and sweetener(s)" on "foods that contain both sugar and sweetener".[24]

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Originally posted by RionaEire:
Yeah, artificial chemicals are problematic. I can understand using them for medicines. I can also understand that we all injest them, I mean I'm a cherry koolaid junky so I'm not going to say that no one should have any chemicals, that would be hypocritical. But I guess we have to accept the risks if we're going to drink them just for fun. I don't drink pop at all, so I'm not too worried about this particular one. But yeah, artificial chemicals, you've got to decide for yourself what you're willing to injest.

They say that diet is worse for you in the longrun than regular pop.

"A completely coherant River means writers don't deliver" KatTaya

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FDA Approval

In 1981, after careful review, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of aspartame. It was then used in many foods, such as cold breakfast cereals, chewing gum, dry drink mixes, instant tea and coffee, gelatins, puddings, fillings, non-dairy toppings, and as a tabletop sweetener. It was approved in 1983 for use in carbonated beverages and carbonated beverage syrups. Today it is found in even more food products.
How Much Aspartame is Safe?
Who Decides Safe Levels?

Two units of the United Nations, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), through their Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), recommend Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) levels for many food additives. The ADI is the amount of an additive that, if eaten every day for the rest of a person’s life, would be considered safe. In the US, the FDA sets ADI guidelines.
How Much is Safe?

Animal studies in the 1970s found that rats could eat 4 grams of aspartame per kilogram of body weight without showing health problems. To be safe, the JECFA divided this dose by 100, and set the Acceptable Daily Intake of aspartame for humans at 40 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.

The FDA, now has stated that the acceptable daily intake of aspartame for humans is 50 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.

This is equivalent to 3500 milligrams per day for a typical 70-kilogram (about 150 pounds) adult, far more than most adults take in daily. For comparison, a can of diet soft drink contains about 180 milligrams of aspartame. So a typical adult could drink 19 cans of diet soft drink each day before going over the recommended level. A 30-kilogram (66 pounds) child would have to drink more than 8 cans of diet soda daily to reach the ADI for aspartame.
Does Aspartame Cause Cancer?

Soon after aspartame was introduced to the market, its safety was questioned. Its role in cancer risk has been widely debated over the last few decades. Concerns still exist today and studies continue to look at the safety of aspartame and other artificial sweeteners.

As recently as April 2007, the FDA released this statement: " Considering results from the large number of studies on aspartame's safety, including five previously conducted negative chronic carcinogenicity studies, a recently reported large epidemiology study with negative associations between the use of aspartame and the occurrence of tumors, and negative findings from a series of three transgenic mouse assays, FDA finds no reason to alter its previous conclusion that aspartame is safe as a general purpose sweetener in food."
What Do the Experts Say?

Aspartame has been approved for use as a sweetener by the FDA and by the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, and the World Health Organization. They have concluded that aspartame does not cause cancer or other adverse health effects in the general population. Though research into a possible link between aspartame and cancer continues, no study to date has had results that change this conclusion.
Does Aspartame Cause Any Other Health Problems?
Phenylketonuria (PKU)

. People born with a rare genetic disorder called phenylketonuria or PKU cannot break down (metabolize) the amino acid phenylalanine. This amino acid occurs naturally and is found in aspartame. PKU is usually detected in babies by a routine blood test at birth. People with the disorder are placed on a phenylalanine-restricted diet and must avoid aspartame.

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Originally posted by dreamtrove:
It's not that the system is run as a conspiracy, but that it is easily manipulated by people with an agenda.

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Originally posted by dreamtrove:
happy

That's odd. The first three results I got were all conclusive studies.

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Oh, and CTS it's now commonly in vitamins.

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typical aspartame flavored beverages are not dangerous unless you consume over 19 cans a day and as long as it is stored below 86 degrees it does not separate into dangerous toxins.

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Originally posted by Bytemite:
Another scary thing about vitamins: most mainstream vitamins now come with an psychotropic agent in them.

I'm serious. It's called inositol. Wikipedia calls it "natural and widespread, but not a classic sugar," I'm not sure how true that is.

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Originally posted by Bytemite:

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typical aspartame flavored beverages are not dangerous unless you consume over 19 cans a day and as long as it is stored below 86 degrees it does not separate into dangerous toxins.

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Additional note. This is anecdotal. If you get cola from a fountain, getting refills from the same cup for a long period of time will result in a noticeably sweet residue building up on the side of the cup. I'm pretty sure that is aspartame.

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I think Happy should read through this.

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Aspartame Is By Far, the Most Dangerous Substance On the Market That Is Added To Foods
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Aspartame is the technical name for the brand names, NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure. Aspartame was discovered by accident in 1965, when James Schlatter, a chemist of G.D. Searle Company was testing an anti-ulcer drug. Aspartame was approved for dry goods in 1981 and for carbonated beverages in 1983. It was originally approved for dry goods on July 26, 1974, but objections filed by neuroscience researcher Dr John W. Olney and Consumer attorney James Turner in August 1974 as well as investigations of G.D. Searle's research practices caused the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to put approval of aspartame on hold (December 5, 1974). In 1985, Monsanto purchased G.D. Searle and made Searle Pharmaceuticals and The NutraSweet Company separate subsidiaries.
Aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Many of these reactions are very serious including seizures and death as recently disclosed in a February 1994 Department of Health and Human Services report.(1) A few of the 90 different documented symptoms listed in the report as being caused by aspartame include: Headaches/migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and joint pain.
According to researchers and physicians studying the adverse effects of aspartame, the following chronic illnesses can be triggered or worsened by ingesting of aspartame:(2) Brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, parkinson's disease, alzheimer's, mental retardation, lymphoma, birth defects, fibromyalgia, and diabetes.
Aspartame is made up of three chemicals: Aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol. The book, Prescription for Nutritional Healing, by James and Phyllis Balch, lists aspartame under the category of "chemical poison." As you shall see, that is exactly what it is.
ASPARTIC ACID (40% OF ASPARTAME)
Dr Russell L. Blaylock, a professor of Neurosurgery at the Medical University of Mississippi, recently published a book thoroughly detailing the damage that is caused by the ingestion of excessive aspartic acid from aspartame. [Ninety nine percent of monosodium glutamate 9MSG) is glutamic acid. The damage it causes is also documented in Blaylock's book.] Blaylock makes use of almost 500 scientific references to show how excess free excitatory amino acids such as aspartic acid and glutamic acid in our food supply are causing serious chronic neurological disorders and a myriad of other acute symptoms.(3)
SUMMARY OF HOW ASPARTATE (AND GLUTAMATE) CAUSE DAMAGE
Aspartate and glutamate act as neurotransmitters in the brain by facilitating the transmission of information from neuron to neuron. Too much aspartate or glutamate in the brain kills certain neurons by allowing the influx of too much calcium into the cells. This influx triggers excessive amounts of free radicals which kill the cells. The neural cell damage that can be caused by excessive aspartate and glutamate is why they are referred to as "excitotoxins." They "excite" or stimulate the neural cells to death.
Aspartic acid is an amino acid. Taken in its free form (unbound to proteins) it significantly raises the blood plasma level of aspartate and glutamate. The excess aspartate and glutamate in the blood plasma shortly after ingesting aspartame or products with free glutamic acid (glutamate precursor) leads to a high level of those neurotransmitters in certain areas of the brain.
The blood brain barrier (BBB) which normally protects the brain from excess glutamate and aspartate as well as toxins 1) is not fully developed during childhood, 2) does not fully protect all areas of the brain, 3) is damaged by numerous chronic and acute conditions, and 4) allows seepage of excess glutamate and aspartate into the brain even when intact.
The excess glutamate and aspartate slowly begin to destroy neurons. The large majority (75%+) of neural cells in a particular area of the brain are killed before any clinical symptoms of a chronic illness are noticed. A few of the many chronic illnesses that have been shown to be contributed to by long-term exposure excitatory amino acid damage include:
Multiple sclerosis (MS), ALS, memory loss, hormonal problems, hearing loss, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, hypoglycemia, AIDS dementia, brain lessions, and neuroendocrine disorders.
The risk to infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly, and persons with certain chronic health problems from excitotoxins are great. Even the Federation of American Societies For Experimental Biology (FASEB), which usually understates problems and mimics the FDA party-line, recently stated in a review that "it is prudent to avoid the use of dietary supplements of L-glutamic acid by pregnant women, infants, and children. The Existence of evidence of potential endocrine responses, i.e., elevated cortisol and prolactin, and differential responses between males and females, would also suggest a neuroendocrine link and that supplemental L-glutamic acid should be avoided by women of childbearing age and individuals with affective disorders."(4) Aspartic acid from aspartame has the same deleterious effects on the body as glutamic acid.
The exact mechanism of acute reactions to excess free glutamate and aspartate is currently being debated. As reported to the FDA, those reactions include:(5) Headaches/migraines, nausea, abdominal pains, fatigue (blocks sufficient glucose entry into brain), sleep problems, vision problems, anxiety attacks, depression, and asthma/chest tightness.
One common complaint of persons suffering from the effect of aspartame is memory loss. Ironically, in 1987, G.D. Searle, the manufacturer of aspartame, undertook a search for a drug to combat memory loss caused by excitatory amino acid damage. Blaylock is one of many scientists and physicians who are concerned about excitatory amino acid damage caused by ingestion of aspartame and MSG. A few of the many experts who have spoken out against the damage being caused by aspartate and glutamate include Adrienne Samuels, Ph.D., an experimental psychologist specializing in research design. Another is Olney, a professor in the department of psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University, a neuroscientist and researcher, and one of the world's foremost authorities on excitotoxins. (He informed Searle in 1971 that aspartic acid caused holes in the brain of mice.)

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Aspartic acid is an amino acid. Taken in its free form (unbound to proteins) it significantly raises the blood plasma level of aspartate and glutamate. The excess aspartate and glutamate in the blood plasma shortly after ingesting aspartame or products with free glutamic acid (glutamate precursor) leads to a high level of those neurotransmitters in certain areas of the brain.

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It has been pointed out that some fruit juices and alcoholic beverages contain small amounts of methanol. It is important to remember, however, that methanol never appears alone. In every case, ethanol is present, usually in much higher amounts. Ethanol is an antidote for methanol toxicity in humans.(9) The troops of Desert Storm were "treated" to large amounts of aspartame-sweetened beverages, which had been heated to over 86 degrees F in the Saudi Arabian sun. Many of them returned home with numerous disorders similar to what has been seen in persons who have been chemically poisoned by formaldehyde. The free methanol in the beverages may have been a contributing factor in these illnesses. Other breakdown products of aspartame such as DKP (discussed below) may also have been a factor.

In a 1993 act that can only be described as "unconscionable," the FDA approved aspartame as an ingredient in numerous food items that would always be heated to above 86 degree F (30 degree C).

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DKP is a byproduct of aspartame metabolism. DKP has been implicated in the occurrence of brain tumors. Olney noticed that DKP, when nitrosated in the gut, produced a compound that was similar to N-nitrosourea, a powerful brain tumor causing chemical. Some authors have said that DKP is produced after aspartame ingestion. I am not sure if that is correct. It is definitely true that DKP is formed in liquid aspartame-containing products during prolonged storage.

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Due to the lack of a couple of key enzymes, humans are many times more sensitive to the toxic effects of methanol than animals.

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Originally posted by Bytemite:
I should probably be careful with inositol anyway because it's known to increase depressive symptoms after four weeks, and my memory is already poor so I really don't need to promote GABA.

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