Artificial Sweeteners and Their Serious Side Effects

Aspartame/Splenda:

I originally found earthclinic.com when I was googling for natural remedies and came upon the cider vinegar cures for -- well, pretty much everything, it seems! That was helpful, and felt like the site was pretty reliable.

But then I came upon a link to your page about artificial sweeteners, given when someone told about mixing their ACV with Splenda. I followed the link and was very surprised to find a lot of very dubious information, some of it so ludicrous-sounding as to make me question the integrity of your entire site.

For example, the very first article about aspartame was one that I had just encountered on snopes.com a couple of weeks ago when I was researching claims made about Splenda. According to Snopes (a site that I trust implicitly when it comes to information about hoaxes and discredited urban legends), these claims about aspartame's dangerous toxicity and connections to the chemistry of fire ants, etc., are completely unsubstantiated, despite all sorts of true-sounding statistics and credits included in the scare stories. Snopes tried to track down the studies and scientists referenced in these articles and could not find them even after considerable time and effort was expended in their search.

And some of these articles stretch the imagination so far that it's hard not to laugh at the absolute absurdity of some of their anecdotal claims, such as the following, quoted on your site in an article by "Dr. Jim Bowen", who is also apparently a cab driver:

'Upon hearing this, one of my fares screamed out: "Doc! You are sure right! Within a year of the time we started drinking Aspartame pop, three of my immediate family members experienced brain tumors, even though there had never before even been a single brain tumor in our entire known family tree. Moreover, all three then were dead within the year following, in spite of all which medicine, surgery, and radiation had to offer them!"' So what he's saying is that one day this man's healthy family started drinking Diet Coke for the first time in their lives, and within a year, aspartame brain tumors had killed three of them? Do you blame me for not placing a lot of faith in Dr. Jim Bowen after he's used this story from a "cab fare" as evidence of the evils of Splenda? Not only is this story purely anecdotal, but it's given by a cab driver who may or may not be a doctor, and the quote given is supposedly "screamed out", word for word, by a passenger in this man's taxi, just as he's written it. Who "screams out" things like "moreover" and "in spite of all which medicine, surgery, and radiation had to offer them"? Sorry, I just don't buy it.

These recycled claims about Splenda have been circulating on the internet for years now, but I have never seen any of the actual studies they purport to draw from, and I have also never read any of this information in a newspaper or magazine that I would trust. On the other hand, whenever I am handed some new sensational claim or story in email or by word of mouth, I look it up on Snopes.com, a highly respected source of verification. Snopes does the research so that people don't have to get taken in by hoaxes or other disinformation campaigns. This is all very important for me, because I am a diabetic, and have to watch my carbs. Artificial sweeteners (and Splenda in particular, given its non-chemical taste) have been a great boon to my diet, allowing me to keep to a healthy regimen without having to sacrifice taste, and many diabetics depend on such sweeteners in moderation to help satisfy their cravings while maintaining their health. Please consider re-examining the information you're dispensing about aspartame. There may be down-sides to it, but I think that the hysterical claims you've reprinted here are gross exaggerations, and in some cases, complete fabrications.

Sincerely,
Gillian Nance

Gillian, if you want further information about the dangers of artificial sweeteners, you may want to check out a bona fide doctor's site - Dr. Joseph Mercola (mercola.com). Just search for artificial sweeteners. He's a medical doctor who did extensive research on how harmful these concoctions are. Since you are diabetic and are looking for an alternative to sugar, have you tried stevia as a sweetener? Good luck!

Why would aspartame be approved/sold if it was harmful? The short answer is profits and politics. A more detailed and disturbing (and very long) answer, with extensive verifiable references and sources, can be read here: (a link supplied by wikipedia)
http://dorway.com/dorwblog/?page_id=24

There is still much controversy about the safety aspects of artifical sweeteners, but in this case I think I'd rather err on the side of caution. But perhaps it's just because I am biased and view all frankenfoods with grave suspicion. As a pretty basic biological life form, I'm convinced I'm not evolved enough to benefit from manipulated 'food' like margarine, hydrogenated oils, MSG etc etc and am rather concerned about how pervasive it is in our 'food chain'.

I happen to have very bad reactions to artificial sweeteners, aspartame being one of them. I believe all the nonsense and think that any thing that has a chlorine atom forcibly attached to a sugar molecule (aka splenda), or something that for the love of God wasn't even allowed to be sold to the public until an insider worked at the FDA and pushed the approval through. Maybe you should look at the CDC information about it, or how about the FDA report of side effects. They used to have them online. They have all of the not so believable evidence in them, just look for it.

I had tried Stevia but found it a bit bitter and also it altered the flavor of my tea slightly. I have just tried Truvia, which I understand to be based on Stevia, and it's great. As sweet as sugar, but calorie-free and no aftertaste/bitterness.

Hello Gillian from Portland, Oregon:

May I suggest that you rely more or your own brain, while you still have it, because no one or no organization is infallible, including your revered Snopes. Do your own search. I just now typed in scientific reports on aspartame in EC's search window and clicked on search web. Guess what? The first scholarly reports, were from aspartame itself, and their opinion apparently was based on studies bought & paid for by aspartame. The next ones I clicked on were not paid for by the aspartame manufacturers and had very different opinions than aspartame had. May I suggest that you read a book titled "Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills" by Russell L. Blaylock. I have read it and have great respect for this neurosurgeon's intelligence and opinion, because he obviously has done his homework before writing the book. That neurosurgeon who stuck his neck out trying to save our lives had to have researched every study done on both monosodium glutamate and aspartame. The fact that the most recent anticonvulsants are monosodium glutamate blockers says volumes to me. Dr. Blaylock cites they are saying backs up their claims of safety on MSG and aspartame. He also corresponded with those who performed those studies and he tells us exactly how they skewed the studies to come out with the result they desired to retain the FDA's GRAS rating. In one study, they even used a placebo that had the same unwanted side effects (placebo's are supposed to be sugar pills) and in their study reported results "at least as safe as the placebo". In my opinion, this is scientific horse manure and lies. Read his book to find out how some of the other studies were skewed just as badly. Dr. Blaylock states that aspartame kills off one type neuron in our brains and nervous system and aspartame kills off another type of neuron and that the most deadly form of MSG of all is any hydrolyzed plant (corn, soy, pea, etc) protein because hydrolyzed plant protein contains both MSG and aspartame. I have looked up a few of the studies he cites and found that he is telling it like it is. Dr. Blaylock states that no matter what kind of brain it is, chicken, dog, cat, rat, etc., if the study is continued for l3 weeks the brain has the same damage as the Alzheimer's patients. The latest thing I have read on Alzheimer's is that it is hitting people much younger than before and those with no family history of it. The latest report on the age of onset was then down in the 30's. That is a big drop in age of onset from the prior 60's and 70's. Wonder how long it will be before it starts in the teens or younger?

When it comes to safe levels, to really get an idea of how much of these toxins you are ingesting, find a site on line giving names they hide MSG under, make a written list of these and then go to your kitchen and start reading ingredient labels on everything to eat or drink. So far you only have to look for aspartame, NutraSweet or Equal because I don't think they have started bogus names for it, but I won't be surprised to learn that have since more people are getting wise to what it causes. Start reading ingredient labels. I have found a can of canned turnip green and the same brand's can of black eyed peas, both of which listed monosodium glutamate, natural flavors, and hydrolyzed plant proteins.

I have seen books on excitotoxins written by other doctors recently but Dr. Blaylock has covered this subject thoroughly and convinced me I can do without excitotoxins.

While you are on line, search Metabolic Syndrome X, which orthodox medicine now calls insulin resistance. You will find that insulin begins with hyperinsulinism, progresses (in most cases) with weight gain, hyper cholesterol, hypertension, to diabetes mellitus, type 2. They changed the juvenile onset and adult onset to type 1 and type 2 because we even have toddlers developing type 2 now. I am sure that you already know all the cardiovascular problems, blindness and others that come along as complications of diabetes, type 2.

There is another book titled "The Carbohydrate Addict's Healthy Heart Program" by Richard & Rachel Heller, and cardiologists Dr. Vagnini. It shouldn't take you long to learn that both of the above toxins cause us to produce excess insulin which starts you down the trail to diabetes type 2. Try eating their way and see if their opinions make the grade. I can vouch for the fact you will lose weight without being hungry all the time. The best way to prove or disprove something is to try it for yourself whenever you can. This is your mouth, your brain, your body and no one else can do it for you.

The fact that the MSG and aspartame manufacturers haven't hauled Dr. Blaylock into court says volumes. The know the truth will out if they do! Have fun researching and eating nutritiously, Gillian.

By the way, Gillian, I notice you didn't mention the wood alcohol in aspartame, which became well known for causing blindness during prohibition/bootlegging days. One of those scientific studies you can look up is the effect that aspartame had on the eyes of the mice or rats. Personally I prefer to stick with natural sweeteners until independent studies declare them safe.

Hello Gillian, Just read your posting on aspartame/Splenda(2/2009. With all due respect to Snopes, they are not infallible, as shown in their recent switch on President Obama's birthplace.

I strongly suggest you find a more reliable source for your medical information in the future. I also don't trust the FDA's "GRAS" rating for neurotoxins monosodium glutamate/ aspartame/sodium fluoride either.

Since you are a diabetic and in need of information for self care, there are two books that I recommend. One is "The Carbohydrate Addict's Healthy Heart Program" by Richard and Rachel Heller and Dr. Vagnini, cardiologist. The second one is "Excitotoxins:The Taste That Kills" by neurosurgeon Russell L. Blaylock. From the Heller's and Vagnini,you will learn a simpler and easier to understand way to eat to control your weight and your diabetes. No calorie counting or food exchanges to figure out. Just a healthy way of eating and eliminating a couple of offending toxins from your foods. (That toxin elimination is the hardest part because one of them is hidden under many different names in ingredient lists, so you will have to learn to recognize those names for monosodium glutamate. Fortunately, aspartame is usually listed as aspartame, NutraSweet or Equal.

In Blaylock's book he only writes about what the excitotoxins do to our brains and central nervous systems. Fortunately the two major excitotoxins are the same two toxins that the other book talks about making our bodies kick out excess insulin. Blaylock must have researched every study ever done on monosodium (MSG) and aspartame before he wrote his book and he tells you that every study that said they were safe were paid for by the manufacturers of these toxins that are making so many chronically ill. He names the studies and tells you how they were skewed to make the results what the manufacturers wanted the FDA to hear and pass onto the public. I believe Blaylock is right when he says that the only reason the people getting rich poisoning us,hasn't hauled him into court is because they know that he has been in contact with the people doing all these studies and that he knows how they were skewed to come out saying they were safe, and they know that if these facts were brought out in court, their game is up.

To better understand what excess insulin has to do with your diabetes, go online and type in "Metabolic Syndrome X" for a search and read it thoroughly. The doctor who came up with his theory that diabetes mellitus is not a disease itself, but only another development in a long line of symptoms beginning with increased insulin production, wt. gain, elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes mellitus and all the other cardiovascular problems that follow it. This dedicated doctor spent 25 years proving his theory and it has been on the internet for at least 10 to 15 years now. Orthodox medicine finally admitted he is right, but they decided to call it "Insulin Resistance". Ironically, orthodox medicine is still beginning initial treatment of diabetes type 2 with oral hypoglycemics whose purpose is to induce the pancreas to produce more insulin. Think about this and ask yourself a question: "If excessive production of insulin is what caused the problem, wouldn't eliminating what causes the excess production be a better way to treat it?" maybe even to get rid of it?

Our physiology instructor at Vanderbilt (l978) threw out the information that we don't know why but most over weight people have 8 times the normal amount of insulin circulating in their blood. I asked which came first, the excess insulin or the excess weight and was told "We don't know". The Hellers and Vagnini answer that question and the other one I didn't ask since they had no answer to the first one. That question is:
what makes us kick out excess insulin?

Blaylock tells us that MSG kills off one type of neuron and aspartame kills off another type of neuron. This is why he states that any hydrolyzed plant (corn, soy, pea, etc) protein is the most deadly form of MSG because it contains both MSG and aspartame, killing off both types of neuron.

You can quickly get an idea of whether you are on the right track for your health by testing your blood sugar while eating the Heller's way and compare that to how it runs by following your present diabetic diet. Give it an honest try and let Earth Clinic readers know how works. I can personally vouch for the Heller's instructions being easier to understand, that it works, you will lose excess weight without feeling starved and deprived all the time because the blood sugar doesn't bottom out due to excess insulin making you hungry all the time.

I write blogs and one of the issues that I am writing about is the study of Stevia (a natural sweetener) vs. Aspartame. I already knew from years ago that aspartame was bad for you, and personally avoided using it or other man made sweeteners, but wow, I never realized just how bad it is. I would think that 92 bad side effects of aspartame and some deadly would be enough to scare anybody away from it.

There are so many areas in the field of wellness that it is endless. Our FDA has really done a number on us in regard to trying to shut us up. It's time to clean up that operation of our government.

Along with this I would like to mention the topic of Vitamin C and the work that Dr. Linus Pauling did in the study of Vitamin C. If somebody want's to make a study of their health, Vitamin C is the place to start in connection to what Dr. Pauling published. He left us a fantastic legacy in regard to using Vitamin C. You can find him on the internet. He died a few years ago at the age of 93. What a fantasstic life.

I have so many issues to write about, but I'm afraid I'm running out of time.

Thank you. Brad Vigansky

I was fighting a sinus infection last week after landing in California and went to a Whole Foods to get some Vitamin C. I decided to get Emergen-C to add to water because it had a really tempting fruity flavor. Immediately after taking my first packet (which was delicious), I felt a weird sensation in my head and then I got really edgy (as in bad mood edgy). I read the ingredients on the box and sure enough, the vitamin C used in this brand is Aspartic acid, an excitotoxin. The Emergen-C also contained "natural flavors", aka MSG. I waited 24 hours and tried again to see if I would have the same side effects. Again, within a minute of drinking the packet, I got the same sensation in my head. My question is, are you doing more good or harm to the body when you take this form of vitamin c?!! Also, does Whole Foods know what they're selling? I thought they had stricter standards than most health food stores about supplements! I now need to check the ingredients on the dissolvable vitamin c from Trader Joe's that I have at home to see if it's the same stuff. GRRRR!!!

Aspartic acid is a well known excitotoxin and so is monosodium glutamate or MSG. In the long run it's going to destroy the immune system through a neurodegenerative disorder. Once the excitotoxins is destroyed the immune system is down. Now in a pharamaceutical formulation adding this results in the need to take that since you get sicker and so you might feel some relief, the long term is it's going to make a person sicker, which result in greater sales for product with excitotoxins added. Now imagine a child who is a borderline autism, ADHD, these can result in many other neurodegenerative disorders and metabolic acidosis. As for me decades ago I took accidentally soft drinks with aspartame resulting in deafness, but also a permanent partial macular degeneration of the eyes. So the systematic destruction is almost wholesale if given long term use. Luckily Emergen C is not sold in Thailand, although some friends of mind given me this, I don't take it. I prefer to buy bulk vitamin C and mix them myself. There are other excitotoxins, but aspartic acid, aspartame, monosodium glutamate, and glutamic acid are the most well known.

There are other things people need to know that also accelerates aging process besides excitotoxins, well known in research circles, they are ketones and aldehydes. In one study, 36 out of 37 perfumes contain ketones, commonly in the form of musk ketones. Aldhydes are perfumes used in many cometic products, such as Chanel No. 5, but also in many consumer products, such as detergents and soap. The third common one is the bisphenol A, which acts like estrogen found in nearly all canned products that have plastic linings, and benzene, a degradation of sodium benzoate is found in most soft drinks.

I remember a newsreporter who uncovered U.S> black ops, that appeared on "What's My Line", a close friend of Marilyn Monroe, before both are dead mysteriously and the drinking water were heavily added using fluoride and LSD. Thus fluoridation and chlorination, if some of these are used in assassinations, I doubt I want to use them in my drinking water supply.

Therefore most effervescent products sometimes they are not labeled so I ended up calling the factory sometimes. One easy way to measure excitotoxin poisoning is tthat the urinary pH suddenly become very acid, such as pH 5.5 or lower and even taking more baking soda barely raise the pH long enough to be satisfactory. Such as it can't raise the pH for the entire day. It also takes weeks for the pH to be near normal after taking b complex and baking soda for a week or two. A long term taking of this can also resulted in higher urinary sugar and damaged pancreas, besides damaging the brain. One of the worse advertisement I have seen is Michael J. Fox supporting Diet Pepsi, which contains aspartame, and he himself has Parkinson's disease, which will make such conditions much worse. The remedy is not to take aspartame for Parkinson's disease or to undergo stem cells, since it's not yet legal at the moment and stem cell research has been blocked for at least 8 years. Methylene blue taken at 2 drops at 0.1% concentration might reverse some of the effects of excitotoxins as it is one of my remedies for Parkinson's disease also.

Taking excitotoxins is a long term damage that may lead to degenerative disorders, metabolic acidosis, and lowered immune system. Therefore I would avoid them as best as I can.

Ted

I did an enormous amount of research on sweeteners due to my sweet tooth. According to Dr. Janet Starr Hull writer of "sweet Poison" the only widely used safe artificial sweetener is Saccharin (Sweet N Low), that does come from a natural source. No confirmed cases of cancer in humans in over 50 years of use. The reported "cancer" in rats came from a push by sugar companies that were losing sales. Yes it causes cancer in rats in insanely large amounts (few hundred diet sodas daily). Nearly any substance in those large amounts will cause tumors to grow. I also use the sugar alcohols in small amounts. Another great lower calorie sweetener is Whey Low. Tastes exactly like sugar, since its actually made from sugar with 70% less calories and safe for diabetics.

Thank you so much for trying to make the public aware of this epidemic. I myself am a victim of the artificial sweetener side effects. A couple of years ago in an effort to lose weight for my wedding, I started using "diet" products. Within a week, I was experiencing severe headaches, uncontrollable tremors, extreme fatigue, nausea and irritability. Thinking I had become hypoglycemic, I bought a glucose meter and began testing up to 6 times a day. My levels were always normal. At the gym one day, I met a doctor. Explaining my symptoms to her, she asked me if I used artificial sweeteners. I replied that I did and she told me to stop them and see how I felt in a few days. Lo and behold, my symptoms dissipated day by day. She explained that she had written articles on the effects of artificial sweeteners and that honey or natural sugar would be better than ANY artificial sweeteners. She explained that she had a patient that had come to her diagnosed with MS and after she told him to quit the sweeteners, he returned better, able to walk again and was able to cope without his medication for the MS. I am happy to report that 2.5 years later, I am doing much better and refuse to touch anything with artificial sweeteners in it. I try to warn anyone that I know. I've helped friends that had chronic headaches by informing them of the dangers of these sweeteners. Not surprisingly, their persistent headaches ceased. So thank you to everyone sharing their stories and helping to get the word out!!!

Here are my thoughts on Aspertame. I suspect that if someone has Gum Disease, or a leaky Gut, or Diabetes, then a higher concentration of Aspertame is absorbed.

I would guess that the phenyl component might go to fight a fungus, allowing the Methanol to get into the blood and rise sugar levels, creating much more fungus, candida, etc... than it kills.

For "healthy people", or those not afflicted by candida, etc... this may cause no damage. For others, this can cause major problems.
****
The idea that sugar causes cancer has been around for a long time. That cancerous cells eat 15x more sugar, and are surrounded by lactic acid, and are anerobic(oxygen deficient), has been known.

Of course there are many types of fungus and different types of cancers, and I am over-generalizing.

Perhaps the candida eats the sugar, and the lactic acid is trying to kill the candida, but if it fails, the cancer has the ability to spread due to the low ph. Perhaps it's friendly bacteria, acidophilus or lactobacillus creating the lactic acid... then again you generate lactic acid through exercise, so perhaps the lactic acid is just a defense mechanism. Unclear.

Gum disease is treated with Chlorhexadine mouthwash. Chlorhexadine also kills ringworm fungus, and has antifungal properties, so I suspect fungus involved there (perhaps Chronic Mucosal Candidaidis).

Anyways, I suspect in some people they absorb much high concentrations of Aspertame, leading to Methanol poisoning and formaldehyde, etc... as you said.

I used to use Equal. I would have these sharp shooting pains in my head and it was frightening. I learned about aspartame and stopped using it. The symptom stopped completely for years.

I noticed that recently I sometimes experience the symptom although not as severe. I wonder if they are sneaking this poison in foods that are supposed to be regular white sugar, although white sugar is a form a poison too. I think I will have to stop consuming foods even with "regular" sugar and maybe even the "no sugar added" ones too. I usually consume low sugars but a little can do a lot of damage for some.

I have accidently consumed low levels of aspartame a few times throughout the years. Whenever I have, the shooting pains start immediately - the same or next day! Please be smart. Don't convince yourself it's okay just because it's on the market and you like the way something tastes and don't want to change your ways.

My X-Boyfriend had seizures from energy drinks. He used to drink about, (Not exagerating) 3 of the large ones a day, cuz he did alot of manual labor and it gave him energy. There are artificial sweeteners in those drinks. He had 2 Grand mal seizures at work, where blood was coming out of his ears and nose.

They stopped when he stopped consuming those drinks. There is a possibility it's the high caffeeine content that caused the seizures, OR the sweeteners??

Then again, My current boyfriend, literally LIVES on diet drinks, (DIET EVERYTHING) and he doesn't have any health problems, so I don't know?

Personally I can't stand the taste of anything diet and I know right away when I taste something artificially sweetened.

SIDE EFFECT: 2 years ago I had a Bacardi Breezer and after a short time I experienced a grand mal epileptic seizure. I felt my hearing go and knew I was about to faint. I came to 4-5 minutes later by concerned net-cafe workers who were fanning me. I was completely white and had lost conciousness for several minutes while shaking and jerking.

I just want to warn people of aspartame, I found out it was in the breezer and now I am very weary of this sweetener. It should be taken off the market. I have never had a seizure in my life, and being a traveller it changed my life in terms of travelling, and scared me to the bone. It is totally diregarding people and disrespecting people to keep using this msg and many other food additives. When will we have a say in what we put in us when often times the additives are hidden?

And to Ted, thank you so much for such a great website, you are doing great work and have extensive knowledge. You are helping so many. deep thanks :)

diet soda

recent forgetfulness and is unlike me as am a nurse... drinking diet soda and protein drinks... am aware i am forgeting and is bothersome..so attribute it to aspartame and diet things. am very tired and know i am forgeting calling people anddoing things. so am done drinking all diet things.... same thing happened to me after a week of using the sweet and low .. it is like you are aware you are doing stuff but cant control it ,, very disturbing thank you hope it helps some one out

This afternoon, I visited your site and noted a comment by a reader who said that Ester C made him enraged. It's not the Vitamin C, it's the aspartic acid in the Ester C product. I verified this with an aspartame activist. Aspartic acid is an excitotoxin, a poison that kills brain cells. Yep, it's the same stuff as in aspartame. All of the studies done on Vitamin C were done with sodium ascorbate, which is a type of chemically buffered Vitamin C. It's best to take it as a powder in water, because you can get gastritis if you take too many pills.

Hope that helps,
Christine

"Aspartic acid is an amino acid. Well, amino acids are good for us, right? Don't they keep us healthy ? The answer is yes, amino acids are necessary for good health, EXCEPT when you separate the individual amino acid from its protein chain, and use it as an "isolate" or by itself. (S.Sawada, et al '98)

In aspartame, these become synergistic toxins; one component playing off the other in a dangerous, systemic downward spiral. This eventually gives way to clinical manifestations; "hard-to-diagnose" health complications, and a myriad of medical symptoms and illnesses, which can eventually cause irreversible medical complications and death.

Aspartic acid, in aspartame, is an excitotoxin. An excitotoxin, is a deleterious substance that excites or over stimulates nerve cells. This occurs in the brain, as well as the peripheral nerves, because aspartic acid, in free form, easily crosses the blood-brain barrier. This pathological excitation of nerve cells creates a breakdown of nerve function, as we will see. (L.E.Rosenberg, McGraw-Hill 1991)

I found the information about aspartame in Ester C product interesting. I've had two spinal fusion and my Doctor wants me to take vitiman C for healthy cell growth etc. I could not take regular vitamin C after awhile needing nexium for months. I switched to Ester C. 6 months ago taking 500-1000mgs. a day. I had have a burning, tingling and pain in legs for months only getting extremely worse over the past 2 months. Now I am taking Neurontin 300mg;bid. My neurosurgeon wants me to go through an EMG again. I've been throught every MRI/scan to rule out my fusions/nerves at spine. After reading this and how aspartame can effect peripheral nerves it makes sense. It must be the Ester C? Thanks again for the insight.

I have been consuming about 1 litre a day of diet cola over a three month period. I started getting minor pain in the ankles and lower legs. I put this down to old age etc. In the last 2 weeks the pain became very intense with knees, shoulders and back involved. The pain was now intolerable. I could only crawl around the house. Anti inflamitories had little or no effect. I stopped drinking the aspartame sweetening drink six days ago and the pain has now almost stopped. I am of the opinion that aspartame was the problem. I am of the opinion that the product should be banned.

re: Artificial sweeteners: The blindness thing is real. As a nurse I did my thesis on elderly diabetics. One thing I found that blindness in diabetics, an ongoing issue without artificial sweetners,had become so prevalent that no one with a lick of sense could attribute the increase in blindness to variants of diabetes disease itself. What I did find was that as the use of artificial sweetners increased, so did the incidents of retinal deterioration. The curves when plotted on a graph were almost identical. This means as diabetics steered away from sugared soda, they became more and more blind. Bret

I'm so glad I decided to google artificial sweetners. I am appaled to find out what they turn into in your body. I have been having panic attacks since I started drinking diet soda, I just never saw a conection. I also went to the Dr. last year with what my Dr. thought was an MS episode. I now believe it was from the diet sodas I was consuming. I am not ever touching the stuff again!!!! I've even given the stuff to my toddler on occasion. How could the government allow these products to stay on the market without a warning on the label?

Nancy Markle or is it Betty Martini??? People beware of this woman.

http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/educational/teaching_backgrounders/internet/decon_web_pages.cfm

During the early 80's I had an eating disorder. It was not to the point where I would throw up however I could eat a dozen donuts and then go out for pizza. It was like there was no shut off. Then I would fast and run and work out to undo the damage. One Thanksgiving I ran 11 miles in the pouring rain after dinner then went back in and ate half a pie.

I attended a health fair and there was a speaker there-a PHD specializing in anorexia and bulemia. I told her what was going on and she asked how much diet soda I drank a day. It was considerable amount. I drank it instead of eating after a binge. She told me to not use sacharrin again and the problem would go away. It affected the appetite she said.

So I stopped using saccharine and the problem cleared right up.

In hopes of loosing some weight I started drinking diet pop. Before long I noticed that my hips hurt ALOT. I have been on celebrex for years to help with the hip pain, but when I started drinking diet pop the pain was so intense that I was doubling up on the meds as well as taking tylenal to help with the pain.Going to bed was horrible as it hurt so much. Once I stopped drinking pop all together my hip pain went away. I have stopped taking the celebrex and only need tylenal when I have over taxed myself.

Kelley, Not sure about this but suggest that you search on that Celebrex that you're taking. I think it may be in same category as Vioxx which caused so many so much in worsened health problems. Have you tried (MSM)methylsulfonylmethane for those hip problems? I have been taking it for years now without problems. Makes a world of difference in the painful joints. Also hope that you listened to your body telling you so loudly to stop poisoning yourself with those diet drinks. Do an on-line search of MSG and aspartame to learn what havoc they wreak on our brains and bodies. I also don't think that the chemicals, food coloring in any carbonated beverage does our kidneys any good, to say nothing of the fact that they don't contribute anything to healthy nutrition.