Artificial Sweeteners and Their Serious Side Effects

I had a recurring dry cough for over fifteen years until I read that it may be a side effect of artificial sweeteners. I cut way back on Diet Coke (1-2 small glasses per week) and within a couple weeks it disappeared.

Aspartame: What You Don't Know Can Hurt You

If a product is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and composed of natural ingredients, would you assume it is safe to consume?

If the same product is an artificial sweetener, would you assume it helps control your weight?

Millions of people use aspartame, the artificial sweetener known as NutraSweetTM, with these assumptions in mind.

Aspartame can be found in thousands of products such as:

* instant breakfasts
* breath mints
* cereals
* sugar-free chewing gum
* cocoa mixes
* coffee beverages
* frozen desserts
* gelatin desserts
* juice beverages
* laxatives
* multivitamins
* milk drinks

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* pharmaceuticals and supplements, including over-the-counter medicines
* shake mixes
* soft drinks
* tabletop sweeteners
* tea beverages
* instant teas and coffees
* topping mixes
* wine coolers
* yogurt

However, aspartame's tainted history of approval and potentially toxic ingredients cast serious doubt on the safety of this sugar substitute. Furthermore, aspartame may actually increase your appetite (Farber 52).

While the FDA approval may signal the green light for safe consumption, 85 percent of all complaints registered with the FDA are for adverse reactions to aspartame, including five reported deaths. A closer look at the unscientific studies, suspicious approval methods, and its harmful ingredients, reveal the hidden dangers of this artificial sweetener. In reality, aspartame poses a public health threat.

Ailments Resulting From Aspartame

The components of aspartame can lead to a wide variety of ailments. Some of these problems occur gradually while others are immediate, acute reactions.

A few of the many disorders associated with aspartame include the following:

* Birth Defects

A study funded by Monsanto to study possible birth defects caused by consuming aspartame was cut off after preliminary data showed damaging information about aspartame. Additionally, in the book, While Waiting: A Prenatal Guidebook, it is stated that aspartame is suspected of causing brain damage in sensitive individuals. A fetus may be at risk for these effects. Some researchers have suggested that high doses of aspartame may be associated with problems ranging from dizziness and subtle brain changes to mental retardation.

* Cancer (Brain Cancer)

In 1981, an FDA statistician stated that the brain tumor data on aspartame was so "worrisome" that he could not recommend approval of NutraSweet.(14)

In a two-year study conducted by the manufacturer of aspartame, twelve of 320 rats fed a normal diet and aspartame developed brain tumors while none of the control rats developed tumors, and five of the twelve tumors were in rats given a low dose of aspartame.(15)

The approval of aspartame was a violation of the Delaney Amendment, which was supposed to prevent cancer-causing substances such as methanol (formaldehye) and DKP from entering our food supply. A late FDA toxicologist testified before the U.S. Congress that aspartame was capable of producing brain tumors. This made it illegal for the FDA to set an allowable daily intake at any level. He stated in his testimony that Searle's studies were "to a large extent unreliable" and that "at least one of those studies has established beyond any reasonable doubt that aspartame is capable of inducing brain tumors in experimental animals ... " He concluded his testimony by asking, "What is the reason for the apparent refusal by the FDA to invoke for this food additive the so-called Delaney Amendment to the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act? ... And if the FDA itself elects to violate the law, who is left to protect the health of the public?"(16)

In the mid-1970s it was discovered that the manufacturer of aspartame falsified studies in several ways. One of the techniques used was to cut tumors out of test animals and put them back in the study. Another technique used to falsify the studies was to list animals that had actually died as surviving the study. Thus, the data on brain tumors was likely worse than discussed above. In addition, a former employee of the manufacturer of aspartame told the FDA on July 13, 1977 that the particles of DKP were so large that the rats could discriminate between the DKP and their normal diet.(12)

* Diabetes

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is actually recommending this chemical poison to persons with diabetes, but according to research conducted by a diabetes specialist, aspartame: 1) Leads to the precipitation of clinical diabetes. 2) Causes poorer diabetic control in diabetics on insulin or oral drugs. 3) Leads to the aggravation of diabetic complications such as retinopathy, cataracts, neuropathy and gastroparesis. 4) Causes convulsions.

In a statement concerning the use of products containing aspartame by persons with diabetes and hypoglycemia, the researchers says:

"Unfortunately, many patients in my practice, and others seen in consultation, developed serious metabolic, neurologic and other complications that could be specifically attributed to using aspartame products. This was evidenced by the loss of diabetic control, the intensification of hypoglycemia, the occurrence of presumed 'insulin reactions' (including convulsions) that proved to be aspartame reactions, and the precipitation, aggravation or simulation of diabetic complications (especially impaired vision and neuropathy) while using these products ... Dramatic improvement of such features after avoiding aspartame, and the prompt predictable recurrence of these problems when the patient resumed aspartame products, knowingly or inadvertently."

Another researcher stated that excitotoxins such as those found in aspartame can precipitate diabetes in persons who are genetically susceptible to the disease.(5)

* Emotional Disorders

In a double blind study of the effects of aspartame on persons with mood disorders, findings 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. Researchers concluded that "individuals with mood disorders are particularly sensitive to this artificial sweetener; its use in this population should be discouraged."(18) One researcher stated about aspartame, "I know it 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."(19)

Additionally, 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.

* Epilepsy/Seizures

With the large and growing number of seizures caused by aspartame, it is sad to see that the Epilepsy Foundation is promoting the "safety" of aspartame. At Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 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."

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 delirious 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. Twenty articles sounding warnings about ingesting aspartame while flying have also appeared in the National Business Aircraft Association Digest (NBAA Digest 1993), Aviation Medical Bulletin (1988), The Aviation Consumer (1988), Canadian General Aviation News (1990), Pacific Flyer (1988), General Aviation News (1989), Aviation Safety Digest (1989), and Plane & Pilot (1990) and a paper warning about aspartame was presented at the 57th Annual Meeting of the Aerospace Medical Association (Gaffney 1986).

A hotline was even 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 due to aspartame.(21)

Why don't we hear about these things?

The reason many people do not hear about serious reactions to aspartame is twofold: 1) Lack of awareness by the general population. 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 United States. 2) Most people do not associate their symptoms with the long-term use of aspartame. For the people who have killed a significant percentage of their 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, "bribe" organizations such as the American Dietetic Association, and flood the scientific community with flawed and fraudulent industry-sponsored studies funded by the makers of aspartame.

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 23, 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 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 created in August 1977 to review the Bressler Report (a report that detailed G.D. Searle's abuses during the pre-approval testing) said: "It was pretty obvious that somewhere along the line, the bureau officials were working up to a whitewash." In 1987, Verrett testified before the US Senate stating that the experiments conducted by Searle were a "disaster." She 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. She continued her testimony by discussing the fact that DKP has been shown to increase uterine polyps and change blood cholesterol and that increasing the temperature of the product leads to an increase in production of DKP.(13)

Revolving Doors

The FDA and the manufacturers of aspartame have had a revolving door of employment for many years. 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.(24)

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. They also reported that over 150 FDA officials owned stock in drug companies they were assigned to manage. Many organizations and universities receive large sums of money from companies connected to the NutraSweet Association, a group of companies promoting the use of aspartame. In January 1993, the American Dietetic Association received a US$75,000 grant from the NutraSweet Company. The American Dietetic Association has stated that the NutraSweet Company writes their "Facts" sheets.(25)

What is the FDA doing to protect the consumer from the dangers of aspartame?

Less than nothing.

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 frostings, toppings and fillings for baked goods.

In 1991, the FDA banned the importation of stevia. The powder of this leaf has been used for hundreds of years as an alternative sweetener. 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 that has been well known in many parts of the world where it is not banned. Some people believe that stevia was banned to keep the product from taking hold in the United States and cutting into sales of aspartame.(26)

What is the U.S. Congress doing to protect the consumer from the dangers of aspartame?

Nothing.

What is the U.S. Administration (President) doing to protect the consumer from the dangers of aspartame?

Nothing.

While I believe that aspartame is unhealthy, publishing the "Nancy Markle" letter as some kind of substantiated report is beyond irresponsible. There is no Nancy Markle. No one has found her, ever. http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/aspartame.asp
Do right by your readers and publish facts supported by studies. Include footnotes and sources. Don't publish anectodal writings and emails, presenting them as facts.

I am a 45 year old female and started noticing high levels of forgetfulness and inability to focus. I had been drinking diet Snapple for a few months. By coincidence a friend of mine told me a story about how aspartame can cause forgetfulness. I stopped drinking diet Snapple and noticed an improvement in my memory within a few days. I'm not prone to believing rumors but I experienced the improvement so quickly that I believe it was the aspartame that was causing my problem. I now tell my friends about this in order to help stop the wide spread affects of this dangerous sweetener.

regarding Aspartame.... After not being able to sleep a wink for 3 straight weeks and having restless leg syndrome (and arms also), I couldn't stand it any more and was ready to visit the doctor. My body felt so wired all the time and I felt like punching and kicking. But I decided to analyze what I had been eating that was different from usual. After a week of cutting out items I found it was the new gum I had been chewing that contained Aspartame. I cut that out and I was able to sleep again, and the "wired" feelings went away. After telling my Mother, who had been using sweetener for years and always had trouble sleeping, she stopped using it also and now sleeps well. I use Stevia now with no side effects at all.

Haven't tried anything yet but cutting out all aspartame and low-cal sweeteners today!! I consume this sweetener in everything I eat and drink. I'm constantly trying to lose weight so of course I use it. For years I have suffered from depression, headaches, stuffiness, lack of energy, and now dizziness that several doctors can't explain. I've always heard of problems with aspartame but never thought it was true but this time I am cutting it out completely. Hopefully I will feel better because at this point I can hardly make it to work.

ASPARTAME SIDE EFFECTS: Thank you for your wonderful website. I am a 52 y.o. male and started having strange symptoms about 4 months ago. It is very difficult to explain except to say that I had a sensation of a heavy head. This was accompanied by a low grade headache, dizziness and occasional nervousness and anxiety. After I suffered with these symptoms for about 2 months I went to a doctor and scheduled a CT scan. Meanwhile, I tried to research my symptoms on the Internet but had a hard time finding anything for a "heavy head." If I didn't think I was dying of a brain tumor or had something seriously wrong with me, it would have been funny. The scan came back normal and I was relieved that I wasn't dying. It had to be something else. Then I stumbled across information on aspartame and it finally dawned on me -- everything made sense. I had started drinking about 2-3 bottles a day of Diet Snapple several months ago. My symptoms gradually crept up on me and I didn't pay much attention. But when the lingering headaches never went away and I was plagued with dizziness and anxiety, I knew there had to be something in my system. I studied and researched more and discovered a tremendous amount of evidence linking aspartame with nervous disorders and the exact symptoms I was experiencing. Well, I stopped ingesting aspartame immediately. From what I read, it would take a long 2 months for it to leave my system. I could feel my body trying to expel it through my nose when I felt intense pressure there, similar to a sinus infection (which by the way, I was checked for and was found to be normal.) Anyway, it's been several weeks after I stopped taking aspartame I am completely well. I've learned several things from this experience, including it is very difficult for a person make a connection between their symptoms and aspartame -- who would ever think that the Diet Coke in front of them is causing their headache or all sorts of other problems? Secondly, doctors, though well intentioned, are not asking the very first question they should ask patients who are complaining of these mental symptoms. The question out of their mouths in the examining room should be, "Are you consuming any diet beverages or foods?" Third, the next time I complain of a heavy head feeling, I won't have to listen to my wife say, "Maybe you need stronger neck muscles." Haha Again, thank you for your website and the wonderful forum you provide for people to share their experiences.

Aspartame caused flu-like symptoms, including runny nose, nausea, bowel distress, clogged sinuses, slothfulness and fatigue. I used 3 pks of aspartame per cup of coffee and drank about 6 cups per day. The symptoms seemed negligible at first, but after about of month of usage, I became so discomforted, that I self-diagnosed myself as contracting a virus from somewhere, anywhere. However, my wife never contracted any of the symptoms, which is uncustomary for a virus. Than I remembered something I read about aspartame and how it, thru a heating process by cooking with or adding to heated foods or drinks, it (aspartame, creates, emits, or changes into formaldehyde in in its final state,

After 2 days of not using this product (though I continued to drink the same amount of coffee) my head cleared up, and my nose stopped running; but I still felt very ill and out of it. After refraining from this deleterious delight for 1 week, I began to completely recover. A common virus normally doesn't last for two plus weeks (at least not for me), so, since I quit using aspartame after a two week stint of illness, and began recovery only after I quit using it during the third week; I can only conclude that the onset and perpetuation of my discomfort was due to aspartame usage. My daughter forwarded this informative web site to me, and now I am more than convinced, that I am not the only one who gets ill from this government endorsed poison.

I used to drink crystal light all the time until one day I got a headache and lost part of my eyesight....Like pieces of what I was looking at were missing. I stopped drinking it and tried it again and the same thing happened. I just don't use it anymore and I'm fine. Just recently I had something with aspartame in it and didn't realize it and the symptom happened...I checked out what I had to drink and sure enough there it was.....Aspartame! Dangerous stuff!

I started to use Splenda as a sugar replacement in my coffee and tea. One day I got out of the shower and had a herendous rash all over my body. The itching was uncontrolable. I knew I was having an allergic reaction but I was not sure to what.I started to take antihistamines. The rash and itching would not go away. When I would itch, huge welts would form under my skin. Then one day I started vomiting uncontrollably. I had no idea what was going on. I told a friend of mine what was happening, she told me the same thing had happened to her son and that he turned out to be allergic to Splenda. So I did some research and found out that my symptoms were very common to others who were also having allergice reactions to splenda. So I stopped using Splenda and all my ailments went away.

I worked at a company about 5 years ago, where one of the legal assistants drank 5-6 Diet Cokes throughout the day and had been doing it for a number of years. Those were the days when Diet Coke was made with Aspartame... No Splenda on the market -- yet... She was having medical tests done to figure out why she was shaking with tremors and experiencing severe brain fog, among other symptoms. She admitted that she was going downhill fast and had no idea why. I had known about aspartame causing a slew of neurological conditions and one day suggested she stop drinking the diet coke and research the subject. She didn't take me up on my suggestion, in fact looked at me like I was crazy, and continued drinking the DC like a true addict. I left the company shortly after that, so I don't know what happened to her, but I can tell you that her decline was fast -- she was fine when I arrived there and shaking with tremors 8 months later.

Undoubtedly you have heard that Aspartame is a safe sweetener and people use it to loose weight. Unfortunately that information is criminally false and misleading. You can find out more about how public relations firms shape and manipulate the public's beliefs on the "Why you believe what you believe" page.

Aspartame is made of 3 components, 50% phenylalanine, 40% aspartic acid and 10% methanol (wood alcohol). In the body methanol breaks down into formaldehyde (embalming fluid) and formic acid.

Aspartame banned in Europe for children's products On the European Common Market, Aspartame is banned for all children's products. Why is this not the case in Canada and the U.S.? Because Monsanto - which owns the NutraSweet Company which manufactures Aspartame - pays off the FDA, the American Medical Association, The American Dietetic and Diabetic Associations, Congressmen and Senators and virtually anyone who gets in the way, and in other countries too. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation caught them red handed and aired a program where Monsanto was trying to bribe Canadian Doctors at Health Canada.

More on the Monsanto company: Monsanto is the world's largest manufacturer of poisons, not only of the citizens of the world but also of the environment. In 1995, Monsanto ranked 5th among US corporations in the EPA's Toxic Release Inventory, having discharged 37 million pounds of toxic chemicals into the air, land, water and underground.

Responsible for mass poisoning of the world. How Robert B. Shapiro, President and CEO of Monsanto and the other members of the board, many of whom call themselves "Doctors" can live with themselves, knowing what they and the company are responsible for is incomprehensible. The entire lot should be prosecuted for mass genocide. Their track record of plain lying, falsifying and concealing data, bribery of officials, and the list goes on, is truly astonishing.

To quote the Toronto Globe and Mail reporting on the outcome of a three year trial, "The evidence of Monsanto's executives at the trial portrayed a corporate culture where sales and profits were given a higher priority than the safety of products and its workers..... They just didn't care about the health and safety of their workers. Instead of trying to make things safer, they relied on intimidation and threatened layoffs to keep their employees working".

Aspartame contains 10% methanol NutraSweet (Aspartame) is composed of linkages of aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol. The aspartic acid acts as a neuroexcitatory agent. When NutraSweet is digested, it yields 10% methanol (wood alcohol). The wood alcohol (methanol) is widely distributed throughout the body including brain, muscle, fat and nervous tissue. It is then metabolized to FORMALDEHYDE which enters the cells and binds to the proteins and DNA (the genetic material).

Cytogenetic effects (changes in DNA) have been shown to result from FORMALDEHYDE exposure and DNA damage occurs from FORMALDEHYDE. The nature of the injury generally involves breaking and then creation of cross linking within the genetic material which alters the cells.

This finding has been confirmed numerous times and the DNA-protein-cross-links are believed to cause cancers in experimental animals. Changes in the genetic material is associated with cancer production in humans. The ability of Aspartame to cause cellular mutations has been shown through studies by Shephard, et al. There are increases in malignant brain tumors suggested to be associated with aspartame use. FORMALDEHYDE is a known stimulant for cancer and genetic damage in the cell.

THE FDA has admitted that only approximately 1% of people know how to, or do, file complaints with them. Under a recent Freedom of Information order the FDA admitted that aspartame accounted for over 75% of complaints filed. They claimed that over 8000 were filed, but they keep changing their bookkeeping to keep the numbers low. The fact that 8000 reports were received indicates that there must have been over 800,000 people adversely affected at the very least.

An average person's daily intake of methyl alcohol from natural sources averages less than 10 mg (1). Aspartame beverages contain 55 mg methanol per liter, and nearly double as much in some carbonated orange sodas. Persons ingesting 5 liters/day can therefore consume over 400 mg methanol. These facts are pertinent:

. Methyl alcohol is probably the first component of aspartame released within the small intestine, and is rapidly absorbed. Blood and methanol concentrations correlate with aspartame intake. "Abuse doses" (100 mg/kg or more) ingested by normal subjects significantly elevate blood methanol concentrations, remaining detectable for 8 or more hours (2).

. Humans are more vulnerable to the toxic effects of methanol than animals because several enzymes required for its metabolism have been lost during evolution and are not present in humans.

. The toxicity of methanol is enhanced by its slow rate of oxidation - only 1/7 that of ethyl alcohol - occurring mainly in the liver and kidneys. Even though the half life in human volunteers ingesting small amounts (1-5 ml) is about 3 hours, complete oxidation to carbon dioxide usually requires several days.

. The body attempts to detoxify methyl alcohol by oxidizing it to formaldehyde (a deadly neurotoxin and Class A carcinogen), and then to formate or formic acid within minutes. Formate and formaldehyde each may contribute to toxicity and nervous system/immune dysfunction through various mechanisms. One is the conjugation of formaldehyde with human serum albumin (F-HSA) to form a new antigenic determinant. Patients with multiple health complaints who had been exposed chronically to formaldehyde develop anti F-HSA antibodies and elevated Tal cells (antigen memory cells), consistent with sustained antigenic stimulation of the immune system

Since I stopped using sugar and started using Splenda I am currently experiencing acid reflux and esophageal spasms. Now, according to further researching on the side effects of aspartame,i.e., Splenda et al, I've discovered that this "low fat" sweetener is highly toxic and will disrupt the nervous system besides the natural functions of the bodies organs. I've found that Splenda is made from wood alcohol and at 86 degrees F turns to formaldehyde during cooking. My remedy seems quite obvious- quit using products that contain aspartame !

Is there any way to help alleviate the side effects while quitting aspartame? I quit drinking Diet soda about 4 days ago and it is harder than I imagined it would be. I have had headaches, muscle twitches, anger, depression and just overall been a different person. My husband is a smoker and I think the comparison of side effects from quitting diet soda is just as severe as quitting smoking. Please help if you have any ideas for me. By the way, I have continued my caffeine intake through drinking tea so the side effects are not from the lack of caffeine

For about the last ten years I have had a pinched nerve in my neck. I am 40 and very active (yoga, lift weights, run, etc) It flared up on occasion when I would work out hard and I would injure my shoulder or neck, putting additional pressure on the nerve. About 18 months ago the pain got so severe that I was seriously considering surgery which would have fused some discs in my neck together (among other things). A business associate had mentioned that he had problems with his knees hurting when he drank diet coke, which i drank. As a last resort I quit drinking diet coke and about 4 weeks later the pain in my neck was down to manageable levels again. This lasted about until recently when it flared up again, I had recently started taking a new weightlifting supplement (powder) and upon closer inspection it contained aspartame. I talked to my doctor who had not heard anything about his particular side effect of aspartame, but we theorized that the additive caused small swelling to muscles which impinged my already narrow nerve openings. needles to say, I have cut aspartame back out of my diet.