Artificial Sweeteners and Their Serious Side Effects

Two years ago, I helped a friend mow lawns at her apartment complexes. She brought out a pitcher of a cold beverage, and I downed two glasses.

In a short time, I didn't feel right. For a couple days, I felt "off-kilter". I had a humming in my ears. It turns out I had consumed "Crystal Light," which has artificial sweetener.

I was skeptical when I heard artificial sweeteners were bad for people. Why would "they" put it in our food and drink, and in those cute packets for our coffee?

What I found out is shocking. These days, a person is hard-pressed to find gum, many beverages, and a gamut of consumables without it in the ingredient list. It's even in prescription medications like quit-smoking aids.

Remember saccharin? Is that still in use? The little pink packets had warning labels on them that caused cancer in lab rats. Hmmm, I think I'll pass on that. None for me, thank you very much.

I have found reliable sources to back the claim that Splenda (sucralose...sucker lose?) and aspartame are detrimental.
From Vision II: The Never-ending Rough Draft of Cures by Brian Severson (1995, '96, '97)...
Aspartame, you would not believe the problems and destruction it causes in your body- everything from brain damage to blindness, to congestion to sinus problems, hearing loss, allergies, and "dry eyes." Aspartame should be immediately and forever banned. It is a chemical poison and when ingested causes seizures, depression, memory loss, headaches, tumors, birth defects, infertility, etc.

The soft drink companies knew aspartame degrades into toxic components and protested Congress in 1983. Five pages of their objections were printed in the Senate Congressional Record on May 7, 1985. "Objections of the National Soft Drink Association to a final rule permitting the use of aspartame in carbonated beverages. Objection one: Searle has not demonstrated that aspartame and its degradation products are safe for use in soft drinks...aspartame is inherently, markedly, and uniquely unstable."

I'm telling you that even if a package is not marked "light" or "diet," it could still be in there.

There are many testimonials from people who have suffered health challenges (behavior problems, anxiety, crying bouts, certain dysfunctions, rashes, etc.). They cut out artificial sweeteners and were relieved of their symptoms.

Just do a search for "dangers of aspartame" or "sucralose testimonials." to read more.

I am beginning to suspect aspartame causes me to have an increased heart rate, a feeling of being "hollow" or light headed similar to what anithistimes that contain ephedra do. I have noticed this with several flavored water type beverages, even those that do not claim to be "energy drinks". I don't even consume that much with aspartame in it. Maybe twice a week... do other people have similar reactions?

A few summers ago I began to have a severe reaction to the sunlight on my skin. Burning (as a chemical would), swelling, itching and then the days following the skin exposed to the sun would peel away. I thought I was having a reaction to a new sunscreen. After complaining to my mother, she reported once having the same problems. Her pharmacist told her she was experiencing an apartame overdose. I quit the diet stuff, and after a couple of weeks I was able to go back outside. What a relief to find out such a simple solution! I'm convinced the stuff is poison!

Thank you so much for publishing information re: aspartame and its dangers. I've been hooked on it for some time and my symptoms are getting worse. I Googled aspartame side effects and chose your site. It's given me alot of motivation to quit, and then use the suggestions others have.

Bills to Ban Aspartame in Hawaii, with New Mexico Efforts in the Background
Stephen Fox

I have focused recent years on creating through our Legislature a Nutrition Council with real powers to challenge FDA approved products, the most dangerous of which is the artificial sweetener, aspartame. Aspartame is found in 7000 food products, including Equal, sugarless gums, all of the Diet Sodas, and numerous children's medications. So what is the problem? If it is FDA approved, it must be OK, right?

Aspartame is metabolized as methanol, formaldehyde, aspartic acid, and phenylalanine, and these ingredients have increased ghastly neurodegenerative illnesses since approval was forced in 1981 by Donald Rumsfeld as CEO of G.D. Searle, the patent holder, in one of the darkest and dirtiest chapters of the history of failures at the FDA. He forced the appointment of a crony, Dr. Arthur Hull Hayes, as FDA Commissioner, in exchange for agreeing to approve aspartame, despite 16 years of the FDA saying no, based on the obvious and rudimentary toxic biochemistry of its metabolized components.

[Google "Rumsfeld's Bioweapon Legacy to read more, as well as Googleable articles by H.J. Roberts (Internist), Russell Blaylock (Neurosurgeon) and Betty Martini, Founder of Mission Possible International. My own best article is "Resolving the Worsening Crisis at the FDA"]. Readers should watch the free online posting of SWEET MISERY, a documentary by a victim of aspartame poisoning at Sound and Fury Productions.tv.

New Mexico State Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino introduced bills to ban aspartame but they were shot down by corporate lobbying, to the tune of several million dollars just to eviscerate some true consumer protection initiatives. New Mexico legislators drinking their diet sodas capitulated when corporate theories of federal pre-emption were advanced by lobbyists, along with pointed reminders about how much they and Coca Cola or Pepsi contributed to their campaigns.

Our efforts have shifted now to Hawaii, where activists have succeeded in getting bills to ban aspartame introduced, House Bill 2680 and Senate Bill 2506. The sponsors are strong two Senate Committee Chairs, Kalani English and Suzanne Chun-Oakland, and the Speaker of the House, Calvin Say, by request of Rep. Mele Carroll.

The first salvos for true consumer protection were recently fired on KHON-2, a conservative station and Fox Affiliate in which a predictable "dealarmist" Medical school professor absurdly said "a little bit won't hurt you." However, any sentient being knows that a whole lot of little bits of poison are cumulative and end up killing you, whether through cancer, heart disease, Multiple Sclerosis, etc.

The New Mexico bills were eviscerated by lobbyists representing Ajinomoto of Japan, the world's largest manufacturer of both aspartame and MSG, as well as their duped American corporate henchmen/partners-in-poisoning who use massive amounts of Aspartame, like Coca Cola, Pepsi, and Altria/Kraft Corporate Services. Even more will show up in Honolulu, probably to include Wrigley's Gum, all of whose products contain aspartame, even more dangerous since gum releases poisons absorbed under the tongue, which go directly to the brain.

We attempt this in Hawaii to protect the health of Hawaiians; the legislators recognize the merits and take it seriously. Perhaps seeing a few more victims of aspartame poisoning might wake up Hawaiians to the urgency of these bills.

I am happy to answer questions; you are welcome to print my email address.

Stephen Fox, Managing Editor of Santa Fe Sun News
Founder of New Millennium Fine Art in Santa Fe, NM:
[email protected]
website: unitednationsundersecretarygeneralfornutrition.org

I have started using Splenda about three months ago. Since then I have been getting itchy red spots on my body. I just read on your site today that Spenda can do this. I have been waking in the morning feeling like I have been run over by a truck. It is all coming to me now that since I started to use Splenda to help lose weight that these problems started to happen. I was just diagnosed as borderline diabetic. Although my wife has used it for years it just became relevant that her cough which the doctor can't find a reason for is probably another symptom of Splenda.No more Splenda for us.

Please do not use ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS. My uncle is a world-renowned biochemist, having been a faculty member and visiting professor at many outstanding colleges and universities in the US and abroad. He advised our family many years ago about the dangers of artificial sweeteners. I am shocked that I still see them in use, with new ones on the market as well. Please I implore you, you must not trust only in what the FDA, the AMA, etc. state as acceptable for our health. Do NOT use artificial sweeteners of any kind!!! And help spread the word.

re: Seizure control. I realized that aspsrtame brought on seizures years ago...on my own. The doctor didn't see it. Why is it not of public knowledge? Why do they not put this on the yogurts or drinks? Why does aspartame exist? It doesn't even taste good! And our body doesn't even know what to do with that sugar!! Another sugar to avoid is sucralose. I have noticed that works against me too, often bringing on a seizure. It would be nice if a GOOD sugar, such as stevia, were of normal regime in american foods and drinks. It's ok to dream! Another good thing to include in the diet to avoid those seizures is coconut oil or coconut milk! The list of benefits is priceless!

Both my husband and I have been using Splenda for years. Just last year my husband started getting cluster headaches. We say many doctors and no answers. One day he just thought it might be the Splenda and stopped using it. He has been without at headache for 6 months. For myself, I too was using the splenda and started getting cramps in my joints and muscles, swelling in hands and feet. My doctor thought it was Parvovirus, maybe Rheumotoid Arthritis, or Lupus. Even before going to get the blood tests I just stopped using the Splenda and in one day all symptoms were gone. I suffered with this for 3 months. Doctors really need to know about this issue. I even called the FDA but they said it needed to be bigger of an issue before they could put any warning on the box. That is really sad.

To Chris from Lansing, Michigan, 1/24/08 Chris, you will find the answer to your question by googling "Excitotoxins" If you want to go even deeper in this subject, buy or get a copy from your library, 2 books: The first one is easier for the layman to understand and is written by Rachel & Richard Heller & Dr. Vagnnini, a cardiologist. The title is "The Carbohydrate Addict's Healthy Heart Program: Break Your Carbo-Insulin Connection to Heart Disease".

the second one is written by neurosurgeon Russell Blaylock. Its title is "Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills".

The first book is written on what monosodium glutamate and aspartame do to the body, which starts with making it kick out excess insulin and ends up with Diabetes Mellitus type 2 with all its complications.

The second book is written on what the excitotoxins do to our brains and central nervous system. Which is excites the cells to death, which is how they got the name of excitotoxins. Fortunately the major excitotoxins that you are likely to find in your food is the same as in the first book- MSG and aspartame. Unfortunately most people do not know that our foods are heavily loaded with these two brain killers because they are hidden under other names such as natural flavors, spices (not named), natural flavorings and many others. It is hard to find a commercial salad dressing, Ketchup, sauces, sausage, etc. without them. Glad you discovered what was causing it before total destruction occurred.

On September 1,2007 I started having grand mal seizures. I continue to have them and my neurologist says I have developed epilepsy. I had no idea that artificial sweeteners would cause neurological disorders. It was a gift from God when my dentist found out about my seizures and steered me to this information. Doctors want to cover up the symptoms with medication that is actually worse than the symptoms themselves. I am going to stop all foods with aspertaime and I know I will feel better and my seizures will stop. I had funny feelings for months that were gradually getting worse and I was still putting the poison in my body. The feelings slowly got worse to the point of not being able to speak which led to the grand mal seizure. I was poisoning myself and didn't even know it. Thank you so much for this life saving information. I am going to use Stevia and pass this information to all I know. Has anyone developed siezures since using aspertaine?

Hawaiian Legislative Efforts to Ban Aspartame, Artificial Sweetener/Regarding bills in the Hawaii Legislative session to Ban Artificial sweetener and neurotoxin, Aspartame, House Bill 2680 and Senate Bill 2506

Stephen Fox of Santa Fe, Managing Editor of the Santa Fe Sun News and prime New Mexico moving force behind the legislative efforts to ban aspartame, commented on the great consumer progress implicit in these two bills in Hawaii:

This is wonderful news coming from Hawaii; the Legislators and their bill drafters saw the merit in keeping almost all of the same language from the 2006 and 2007 New Mexico bills, especially regarding the states' rights and their obligation to protect citizens health, which are not "pre-empted by massive failures at the FDA.

These New Mexico bills were overwhelmed and eviscerated in New Mexico by some of the most vicious corporate lobbyists I have ever encountered, representing Ajinomoto of Japan, the world's largest manufacturer of both aspartame and MSG, as well as their duped American corporate henchmen/partners-in-poisoning who use massive amounts of Aspartame, like Coca Cola, Pepsi, Altria/Kraft Corporate Services, and others. The same corporations and even more will show up in Honolulu, make no mistake! Probably to include Wrigley's Gum, all of whose products contain aspartame, which is metabolized as methanol and formaldehyde.

These corporations have everything to lose if such bills advance and ultimately lead to the inevitable product liability and personal injury suits from those damaged by aspartame, which number in the hundreds of millions, despite their corporate serving propaganda and lies.

My profoundest appreciation goes to the numerous fine Hawaii activists who brought up these imperative issues, and to the Legislators, Senator J. Kalani English (Chairman of the Transportation and International Affairs Committee), and Rep. Calvin Say (Speaker of the House), at the request of Rep. Mele Carroll, all 3 Democrats who see the merit and need to protect the health of all Hawaiians, no matter what duplicity is perpetuated by the top brass and corporate lackeys at the FDA. The Senate Bill is also cosponsored by Suzanne Chun-Oakland, Chairperson of the Senate Human Services Committee, and we sincerely commend these fine legislators for this pre-emptive and protective legislation.

Let's hope a few other legislators in other states recognize the importance of this, and that the FDA Commissioner, Dr. Andrew Von Eschenbach, chooses not to ignore this urgent initiative, now coming from Hawaii, as he chose to ignore the same effort in New Mexico as well as the letters signed by 21 New Mexico Legislators asking him to immediately rescind the approval for this neurotoxic poison found in 6000 food products.

It is my deepest hope that Hawaii Legislators don't capitulate to corporate- serving theories advanced by the corporate lobbyists that states do not have neither the right nor the power nor the obligation to challenge any kind of Federal authority, like an FDA pronouncement.

When aspartame's history of approval is examined, it will be clear that the FDA Commissioner at the time in 1981, Arthur Hull Hayes, was under a strong influence to approve this chemical, no matter who objected from the medical and scientific community, because the guy from the Reagan "transition team" who gave him the job, Donald Rumsfeld, had been CEO of the aspartame manufacturer, G.D. Searle. Rummy made $25 million off this deal alone!

Stephen Fox
Founder, New Millennium Fine Art
Managing Editor, Santa Fe Sun News

505 983-2002
[email protected]
217 W. Water St.
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501

i consume probably 3 times as much aspartame as an average person and i haven't been sick in 2 years...i don't even get flu shots...in a given year i might get a cold once for 36 hours and that's about it...just so you know

need feedback on others having side effects from artificial sweetners. I am very concerned about side effects from splenda ect. I have fibromyalgia and I do suffer with migraines I am greatly concerned about my latest and most terrifying symptom. I choke very easy and sometimes on my own saliva. My throat goes into spasms and I can not breathe. Last week I was having dinner with my family and had to stop eating because I could no longer swallow. It was as if the message wasn't getting from my brain to my throat. My heart started pounding and I started shaking. I am almost afraid to eat anymore. Has anyone else experienced this problem?

My brother has a severe reaction to Aspartame as it acts like MSG once digested. He gets migraines and diarrhea.