Aspartame, Sweet, Sweet Poison?

              

                             If The Label Says "Sugar Free" RUN !!

Aspartame is the most utilized artificial sweetener in the United States. Aspartame controls over 50% of the artificial sweetener market, and with sales of  $1.1 billion in 2010, according to a report from market research firm Freedonia Group, and, shockingly, demand for artificial sweeteners is projected to grow 3.4 percent annually through 2013, according to the report. Well I've got a few things to sat about that. So, first Americans consume close to 50 billion liters of soda per year, which equates to roughly 216 liters, or about 57 gallons per person, much of this in the form of diet soda loaded with aspartame. Now I might drink a liter in a year. (I like Captain Morgans & Coke) What I'm saying is someone is drinking my other 56.5 gallons! I am very sure that people are no doubt still opting for this toxic synthetic chemical concoction for a regular beverage, because of the mistaken belief that drinking diet soda will help fight weight gain. 

The truth is that it doesn't ! Got that ? 

It never has and never will, despite the billions of dollars spent annually by the soda industry on public relations and advertising. Have you ever stopped to ask yourself why Coca-Cola has to spend $3 billion a year on marketing? Could it be because they want you "feel good" about their products and not think about the actual ingredients? Aspartame is a bigger public health threat than high fructose corn syrup, and can lead to birth defects, cancer and weight gain. Where is aspartame? and what is aspartame? Well, if you see the NutraSweet label on your food or drinks, "you have found your man." What is aspartame, acording to wikipedia, it's an artificial, non-saccharide sweetener used as a sugar substitute in some foods and beverages. It was first synthesized in 1965 and the patent expired in 1992. Aspartame is a methyl ester of the aspartic acid/phenylalanine dipeptide.While known aspects of synthesis are covered by patents, many details are proprietary. It's 150-200 times sweeter than cane sugar. As so many things are aspartame was discovered accidentally when a researcher accidentally licked his fingers while performing unrelated experiments, and the rest as they say is history.
Now let's take a closer look at the politics behind the FDA's approval of aspartame, and the reason the FDA and politicians have a very real financial incentive to keep aspartame available for human consumption. Then we'll look at what the scientific studies not funded by the aspartame or the diet soda industry actually reveal about this seemingly toxic neurological poison.

In a 1996 survey, professor Ralph G. Walton ... looked at 166 peer-reviewed studies on aspartame undertaken between 1980 and 1985. He found that all 74 of the studies funded by the industry found no adverse effects from aspartame, while 84 of the 92 independently funded articles did find bad effects.

The Politics:

Aspartame puts the sweet, in NutraSweet, and also in Equal, Spoonful, Equal Measure, AminoSweet, Benevia, NutraTaste, Canderel, and many popular "diet" food and drinks. This chemical is currently on the ingredient list of nearly 6,000 products worldwide. Since it was approved for use as a food additive in 1981, it has been deluged by complaints about its safety.
Aspartame was never proven safe for human use according to Dr. John Olney, a researcher at Washington University who first began studying aspartame in 1970. Dr. Olhney believes aspartame should not be on the market today "because it hasn't been demonstrated to be safe." Also in agreement with Dr. Olney are the FDA's own investigations into the chemical from 1975 to 1980. When the FDA was presented with Dr. Olney's research, they assigned an outside public board of inquiry the task of deciding if aspartame should be allowed for human consumption. In 1980, the doctors on that board unanimously ruled that aspartame should not go on the market. An internal FDA panel concluded the same thing in 1980.

According to the FDA Chairman at that time, Dr. Gere Goyan, his next recommendation was to set up another FDA committee to study aspartame, composed people who played no previous part in the former studies of aspartame. Dr. Gere Goyan never saw the results of that 1980 FDA internal study, because he was forced to step down as FDA Chairman the day Ronald Reagan took office on January 21, 1981. His replacement? Dr. Arthur Hill Hayes. Dr. Hayes is notable for two reasons. First, he had no previous history of dealing with the science of food additives. Second, he was apparently hand picked to head the FDA by a prominent member of Ronald Reagan's political transition team, Donald Rumsfeld. Yes, the same Donald Rumsfeld who led the United States into the multi trillion dollar unpaid for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as Secretary of Defense during the Bush presidency. In 1981, Rumsfeld had a different title, CEO of the G.D. Searle company, the company that owned the patent on aspartame.

One of Dr. Arthur Hill Hayes first acts as FDA Chairman was granting aspartame approval for use in dry goods. Incidentally, one of Hayes' last acts in office as FDA Chairman was to approve aspartame for use in beverages. So was aspartame approved thanks to the political influence of Donald Rumsfeld? According to former Sentator Howard Metzenbaum, who reviewed the FDA's approval process of aspartame in the Senate in 1987, "I think there were a lot of politics involved in aspartame being approved." Research scientist Dr. Olney is even more blunt, "the issue (aspartame) is really not an issue of science, it's an issue of politics."

A double blind study of the effects of aspartame on persons with mood disorders was recently conducted by Dr. Ralph G. Walton. Since the study wasn't funded/controlled by the makers of aspartame, The NutraSweet Company refused to sell him the aspartame. Walton was forced to obtain and certify it from an outside source. The study showed a large increase in serious symptoms for persons taking aspartame. Since some of the symptoms were so serious, the Institutional Review Board had to stop the study. Three of the participants had said that they had been "poisoned" by aspartame. Walton concludes that "individuals with mood disorders are particularly sensitive to this artificial sweetener, its use in this population should be discouraged." Aware that the experiment could not be repeated because of the danger to the test subjects, Walton was recently quoted as saying, "I know aspartame causes seizures." 

"I'm convinced also that it definitely causes behavioral changes. I'm very angry that this substance is on the market. I personally question the reliability and validity of any studies funded by the NutraSweet Company."

There are numerous reported cases of low brain serotonin levels, depression and other emotional disorders that have been linked to aspartame and often are relieved by stopping the intake of aspartame. Researchers have pointed out that increasing in phenylalanine levels in the brain,  leads to a decreased level of the neurotransmitter, serotonin, which leads to a variety of emotional disorders. Dr. William M. Pardridge of UCLA testified before the US Senate that a youth drinking four 16-ounce bottles of diet soda per day leads to an enormous increase in their phenylalanine level. At Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 80 people who had suffered seizures after ingesting aspartame were surveyed. Community Nutrition Institute concluded the following about the survey:
"These 80 cases meet the FDA's own definition of an imminent hazard to the public health, which requires the FDA to expeditiously remove a product from the market."
The Pacific Epilepsy Society in affiliation with the Epileptic Foundation of Maui has completed a seven year study on Epilepsy and Seizures, finding that epilepsy is at an all time high in Hawaii and the western states and Pacific Ocean Territories. There has been a100% increase over the two previous years. Dr. Glenn Mabson of the Epileptic Foundation of Maui believes the reason for the increase is a change in formulation of several of the major anti-seizure drugs:

"The most profound reason for the spectacular increase in seizures is the inclusion of the drug ASPARTAME in with the new larger sized anti-seizure drugs: DILANTIN, DEPACOTE, TEGRATOL and several others produced by major pharmaceutical corporations. In 2007 the manufacturer of Dilantin changed the description of the 100 mg. Dilantin, changed the 100 mg white capsule with red stripe to a much larger white capsule, orange on one end, which contains 100 mg of the drug, plus aspartame. 150 people who took the new Dilantin capsule found the seizure rate increased in every case. The Chemical Pharmaceutical Engineer employee, in fear of his job would not reveal his name, but said they were adding aspartame." Dr. Allen Stein, Neurosurgeon, President of the Epilepsy Foundation of Hawaii (a separate organization from the above) is sympathetic to the makers of ASPARTAME and routinely prescribes these drugs. I believe this contributes to the increase of epilepsy in these areas."

Glenn Mabson, PhD., CEO - Epileptic Foundation of Maui

Both the Air Force's magazine Flying Safety and the Navy's magazine, Navy Physiology published articles warning about the many dangers of aspartame including the cumulative deleterious effects of methanol and the greater likelihood of birth defects. The articles note that the ingestion of aspartame can make pilots more susceptible to seizures and vertigo. Recently, a hotline was set up for pilots suffering from acute reactions to aspartame ingestion. Over 600 pilots have reported symptoms including some who have reported suffering grand mal seizures in the cockpit maybe due to aspartame. One of the original studies on aspartame was performed in 1969 by an independent scientist, Dr Harry Waisman. He studied the effects of aspartame on infant primates. Out of the seven infant monkeys, one died after 300 days and five others had grand mal seizures. Of course, these negative findings weren't submitted to the FDA during the approval process.

So,why don't we hear about these things? The reason many people do not hear about serious reactions to aspartame is two-fold. Lack of awareness by the general population is number one. Aspartame-caused diseases are not reported in the newspapers like plane crashes. This is because these incidents occur one at a time in thousands of different locations across the US. and most people do not associate their symptoms with the long-term use of aspartame. For the people who have killed a significant percentage of the brain cells and thereby caused a chronic illness, there is no way that they would normally associate such an illness with aspartame consumption. How aspartame was approved is a lesson in how chemical and pharmaceutical companies can manipulate government agencies such as the FDA, manipulate organizations such as the American Dietetic Association, with donations, and flood the scientific community with flawed and fraudulent industry-sponsored studies funded by the makers of products that are poisoning us every day, without remorse.Professor Erik Millstone, a researcher at the Science Policy Research Unit of Sussex University has compiled thousands of pages of evidence, some of which have been obtained using the freedom of information act, showing:

1. Laboratory tests were faked and dangers were concealed.

2. Tumors were removed from animals and animals that had died were "restored to life" in laboratory records.

3. False and misleading statements were made to the FDA.

4. The two US Attorneys given the task of bringing fraud charges against the aspartame manufacturer took positions with the manufacturer's law firm, letting the statute of limitations run out.

5. The Commissioner of the FDA overruled the objections of the FDA's own scientific board of inquiry. Shortly after that decision, he took a position with Burson-Marsteller, the firm in charge of public relations for G.D. Searle.

A Public Board of Inquiry (PBOI) was conducted in 1980. There were three scientists who reviewed the objections of Dr.'s Olney and Turner to the approval of aspartame. They voted unanimously against aspartame's approval. The FDA Commissioner, Dr Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr. then created a 5-person Scientific Commission to review the PBOI findings. After it became clear that the Commission would uphold the PBOI's decision by a vote of 3 to 2, another person was added to the Commission, creating a deadlocked vote. This allowed the FDA Commissioner to break the deadlock and approve aspartame for dry goods in 1981. Dr. Jacqueline Verrett, the Senior Scientist in an FDA Bureau of Foods review team stated that her team was instructed not to comment on or be concerned with the overall validity of the studies. She stated that questions about birth defects have not been answered. Guess what, the FDA and the manufacturers of aspartame have had a revolving door of employment for many years now. In addition to the FDA Commissioner and two US Attorneys leaving to take positions with companies connected with G.D. Searle, four other FDA officials connected with the approval of aspartame took positions connected with the NutraSweet industry between 1979 and 1982 including the Deputy FDA Commissioner, the Special Assistant to the FDA Commissioner, the Associate Director of the Bureau of Foods and Toxicology and the Attorney involved with the Public Board of Inquiry. It is important to realize that this type of revolving-door activity has been going on for decades. The Townsend Letter for Doctors (11/92) reported on a study revealing that 37 of 49 top FDA officials who left the FDA took positions with companies they had regulated.
What is the FDA doing to protect the consumer from the dangers of aspartame? Less than nothing. 

As another example, there is a long history of a revolving door between Monsanto and the US agencies that regulate it's activities. William Ruckelshaus became a director of Monsanto after being head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Linda Fisher worked for the EPA then headed Monsanto’s Washington lobbying office before becoming deputy administrator of the EPA. She then became a Vice President of Government Affairs at Monsanto followed by vice president at DuPont. She is now Assistant Administrator for Pesticides and Toxic Substances of the EPA.

In 1992, the FDA approved aspartame for use in malt beverages, breakfast cereals, and refrigerated puddings and fillings. In 1993 the FDA approved aspartame for use in hard and soft candies,non-alcoholic favored beverages, tea beverages, fruit juices and concentrates, baked goods and baking mixes, and frosting, toppings and fillings for baked goods. 

 

In 1991, the FDA banned the importation of stevia. The powder of the leaf has been used for hundreds of years as an alternative sweetner. It is used widely in Japan with no adverse effects. Scientists involved in reviewing stevia have declared it to be safe for human consumption - something which has been well known in many parts of the world where it is not banned. in regards to this issue I believe that stevia was banned to keep the product from taking hold in the US and cutting into sales of aspartame. What is the US Congress doing to protect the consumer from the dangers of aspartame? Nothing. What is the US Administration (President) doing to protect the consumer from the dangers of aspartame? Nothing.

Aspartame consumption is not only a problem in the US. It is being sold in over 70 countries throughout the world. ASPARTAME CAN BE FOUND IN:
-instant breakfasts - breath mints - cereals - sugar-free chewing gum - cocoa mixes - coffee beverages - frozen desserts - gelatin desserts - juice beverages - laxatives - multivitamins - milk drinks - pharmaceuticals and supplements - shake mixes - soft drinks - tabletop sweeteners - tea beverages - instant teas and coffees - topping mixes - wine coolers - yogurt

I have found aspartame in products where it is not listed on the label. You should be careful of pharmaceuticals and supplements. Even some supplements made by well-known supplement manufacturers such as Twinlabs contain aspartame. Aspartame was never an additive. They knew it was a drug from the beginning. Because it damages the mitochondria it interacts with virtually all drugs and vaccines. Now we have the global epidemic of Aspartame Disease. In fact, the medical text is called Aspartame Disease: An Ignored Epidemic, by H. J. Roberts, M.D., www.sunsentpress.com. The FDA is not going to help. "In 2004 the LA Times broke a huge story about the incestuous relationship between scientists at the National Institutes for Health, officials at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and pharmaceutical company executives. Rep James Greenwood (R - PA) noted that, "This is not a matter of a revolving door where NIH people go from the federal agency to the private sector. This is a question of a swivel chair where they sit at one desk and do both jobs." As I have mentioned many times, "FDA is Big Pharma's Washington Branch Office".

Oh, and again FYI, the pharmaceutical industry is putting aspartame in the very drugs used to treat the problems it causes. For instance, headache is #1 on the FDA list of 92 symptoms. The victim doesn't know that aspartame is the culprit because an additive is supposed to be inert or non-reactive. So the victim goes to the doctor and he prescribes Maxalt by Merck for headache. It contains aspartame. Aspartame also can trigger Parkinson's which often violently interacts with L-Dopa. Schwartz Pharmaceutical adds aspartame to Parcopa. Aspartame is escalating asthma and products like Singulair contain aspartame, now said to be causing suicidal tendencies. The phenylalanine in aspartame lowers the seizure threshold and depletes serotonin which triggers suicidal tendencies, bipolar, panic attacks, etc. Talking about bipolar, aspartame is an inactive ingredient of Risperdal M-Tab orally disintegrating tablets - each 2 mg. tablet contains 0.56 mg phenylalanine and each 1 mg tablet, 0.28 mg phenylalanine. So aspartame triggers bipolar and now they give aspartame back to them in Risperdal, used to treat the problem. The FDA noted the frequency of prolactin-producing pituitary tumors in patients taking risperidone, a drug widely prescribed for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Of 64 patients with pituitary tumors receiving anti-psychotics, 48 had been using risperidone. Dr. H. J. Roberts wrote a paper about this. Aspartame triggered pituitary tumors in original studies. Now its triggering these tumors in patients using a drug that contains aspartame.

 The FDA is allowing this, the very agency who knows how deadly aspartame is. I highly suggest you view the aspartame documentary, "Sweet Misery: A Poisoned World. www.soundandfury.tv
          
Looks like, Aspartame, Equal, Splenda could be POISON ...But after reading all this you still want a diet soda, go for it, I've always believed in natural selection anyway. My advise try a natural sweetener like Stevia or Xyliotl both safe and so sweet you will use very little. (Look for articles on these sweeteners coming  soon.)     Good Luck...

  

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