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Dangerous and Sweet
Typed manuscript. Undated, possibly 1993.
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NutrasweetTM or EqualⓇ are the names used for the chemical sweetener ASPARTAME. It was discovered in the 1960s by accident by a chemist who was working on an ulcer medicine at G.D. Searle. The compound ran over the beaker, getting on his finger. He absentmindedly licked the finger and found it sweet to the taste. ASPARTAME’s history has indeed been stormy and many questions have NOT to date been addressed as to its safety regarding its short and long term use by humans.
ASPARTAME is a synthetic compound of two amino acids, aspartate and phenylalanine bonded by methanol (wood alcohol) CH3OH. These two amino acids are isolated from the usual 20 which combine to form proteins. The body has no trouble metabolizing large proteins (fish, chicken, etc.) because it is done slowly. ASPARTAME is a tiny molecule which the body cannot metabolize slowly, therefore it goes into the blood stream quickly. When this molecule enters the blood stream, the chemicals in ASPARTAME break down and become methyl alcohol, aspartic acid and phenylalanine, plus at least 10 others which have been identified.
ASPARTAME breaks down rapidly in the body to methyl alcohol (wood alcohol) and converts to formaldehyde (CH2O)…Formaldehyde can attach to proteins and make protein behave differently…it can make them appear to the body as foreign protein and can set a whole implication with autoimmune disease.
When ASPARTAME breaks down rapidly in the body, two known toxic substances are formed, formaldehyde and formic acid. In November 1977 the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) set the minimum acute toxic concentration for methanol (wood alcohol) consumption by humans to be approximately 4 Mg (Milligrams) per liter…to daily consumption 8 Mg. There are approximately 55 Mg in the average diet soda sweetened with NutrasweetTM.
Methyl alcohol is poisonous to humans when it stands alone. When methyl alcohol appears in some natural foods (juices, fruit, vegetables), it is there in combination with ethyl alcohol. The ethyl alcohol is nature’s way of neutralizing methyl alcohol as we metabolize the foods.
Signs of methanol poisoning are headaches, numbness of extremities, vertigo (dizziness), depression, blurred vision, nausea, confusion, abdominal pain, etc. Methanol poisoning has identical symptoms similar to MS (Multiple Sclerosis). Methanol’s side effects are hangover, seizures, convulsions (Grand Mal type), cramps, weight gain. Methyl alcohol is toxic to the Brain-Heart-Lungs-Liver-Thymus. It is a specific human toxin known to be associated with Central Nervous Disorders.
Methanol is more toxic to humans than other living things. If ASPARTAME is heated over 85 degrees F, the chemical change (described above) occurs, creating free-standing methyl alcohol before it is ingested. This over-85 degree temperature can occur in a warehouse, delivery truck, the home, garage, etc.
Individuals who have the inability to metabolize phenylalanine suffer from phenylketonuria or PKU. They will become retarded if the intake of phenylalanine is not restricted. Infants are treated for PKU at birth in recent years.
There are as many as twenty million Americans who are carriers of the PKU gene, but are not phenylketonurics. This means that one parent can have a single PKU gene and the other can have two PKU genes, which are paired. The child won’t be PKU, but the carrier of the single gene will be intolerant to ASPARTAME. The test for PKU carriers is only performed on request. You may be a carrier and not be aware of it. If both parents have a single gene, the baby will be PKU.
ASPARTAME is 180 to 200 times sweeter than sugar. ASPARTAME is not for weight loss, rather it has been noted that it causes weight gain.
It is said that a liter of diet soda with NutrasweetTM contains the same amount of methyl alcohol as 4/5ths of wild Turkey Whiskey.
The FDA gave ASPARTAME approval for public use in 1974 but then rescinded that approval before it could be put into production, due to reports of unsure safety and unsuitable research practices on the part of Searle.
In 1980, an in-house FDA panel of scientists recommended the agency withhold approval (again) until further studies could be performed. They were not satisfied that the substance was safe and did not cause cancerous brain tumors.
Prior to 1980, the FDA continued to refuse approval for the next seven years, while continuing investigation and inquiry went on. The tests by Searle were done before 1975 and 90 of the 113 done were submitted by Searle to FDA from the early to mid-70s. All of these were called into question by the Special Task Force investigation.
One of the FDA scientists at the time, Dr. Adrian Gross, says that Searle had tumors removed from laboratory animals before presenting the data to the FDA. He also says that the autopsies which normally are performed upon the death of an animal, were put off for months or a year. The animal tissues were so decomposed by this time they could not be identified.
The allegation is that Searle provided only data it wanted the FDA to review.
The FDA did not do testing or research on its own. They are only a review board.
In 1976 the FDA did instigate a Grand Jury investigation through the Justice Department, because of the false and incomplete data Searle had submitted to the Agency. The two Senior Justice Department prosecutors decided against prosecuting the manufacturer and later joined the law firm which represented Searle in the matter.
The acting FDA Commissioner Arthur Hull Hayes, newly appointed by the Reagan Administration, overruled the recommendation of the FDA scientists to withhold approval and licensed ASPARTAME in April of 1981. This approval was strictly for use in dry formula only, never considered for future use in carbonated beverages.
In 1983 it was approved for use in carbonated beverages by the Commissioner. Hayes resigned his post two months later and went to work for a firm that represented Searle’s NutrasweetTM advertising account.
In the summer of 1984, the National Soft Drink Association prepared a 31 page protest against the use of ASPARTAME in carbonated beverages before the approval was granted by the FDA. It cited in great detail the controversy surrounding the use of ASPARTAME and the question of Searle’s laboratory research practice. They were more than concerned.
The Association was mysteriously convinced that all of their concerns were unfounded and the protest was never presented. It has been alleged that the National Soft Drink Association (NSDA) was offered a better price for purchasing ASPARTAME, and that since one independent company had already begun using NutrasweetTM in their soft drinks, the others wouldn’t want to be left out of the profits.
Sources say the FDA assumed that most people would not consume over one diet soda per day.
Now it is in many foods and drinks. There is no way of knowing how much an individual is consuming of the toxic substance methyl alcohol.
There have been thousands of complaints about ASPARTAME. Many reputable scientists have believed it should not be on the market. In 1985 Senator Metzanbaum (Dem.-Ohio) introduced an amendment for quantity on labels and how much was safe. It was voted down.
Senator Metzanbaum also introduced a bill on August 1, 1985, Bill #S1557, appropriately entitled–”The ASPARTAME Safety Act of 1985.” It clearly states all the facts in detail and calls for banning of the product.
No action has been taken on the Bill S1557 since its introduction; however, more scientific studies done with funds provided by the National Institute of Health have provided enough evidence to warrant Senator Metzanbaum’s request for hearings of ASPARTAME safety to be granted.
Nothing has come from all this, except we know that studies have not been done on the long term effects of methanol on humans. And very little is known about the short term effects except that small quantities will kill a human.
No studies or very few have been done on how methanol affects humans as a mutagen-teratogen-carcinogen. All these studies should have been done before permitting its use. WHY were these studies not done? It should be banned until these studies are done. Pregnant women and children should avoid any and all ASPARTAME.
People are being used as guinea pigs to test ASPARTAME. The USA uses probably more per capita than any country. I suggest that some of the erratic mood and behavior we see in our society is directly related to diet.
Any product containing ASPARTAME must have special labeling. Searle’s advertisements say the FDA Commissioner said when approving ASPARTAME that “Few compounds have withstood such detailed testing and repeated close scrutiny and the process through which ASPARTAME has gone should provide the public with additional confidence of its safety.”!!!
The following quotation from the literature of NutrasweetTM Co. shows how deplorable the ASPARTAME approval is from the very agencies who should be protecting our health and foods. “The safety of NutrasweetTM has been reaffirmed by the Council on Scientific Affairs of the American Medical Association, the American Dietetic Association, the Canadian Health Protection Branch (HPB) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Further, in 1985 the Center for Disease Control (CDC) also indicated that there was no connection between NutrasweetTM (ASPARTAME) and health problems.”
Who then will protect our health if not ourselves???
References:
“Facts You Should Know About Aspartame or NutrasweetTM.” By Aspartame Victims and Their Friends.
“Aspartame: Some Bitter with the Sweet?” By Science Magazine, 1984, pg 14.
“Neurobiochemical Alterations Induced by Artificial Sweetener Aspartame (NutrasweetTM).” From: Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 1985, pgs 83, 79-85, Roger A. Voulombe, Jr., and Raghubir P. Sharma, Center for Environmental Toxicology and Dept. of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences. Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322.
“Aspartame is an Approved Sweetener. But is it Safe?” In: Better Nutrition, March 1984, pgs 14, 15, 16, 18, 46, 48.
“CNI (Community Nutrition Institute) Seeks Aspartame Ban.” From: Food Engineering Magazine, August 1986, pg 16.
“A Bitter Report For NutrasweetTM.” “Mice had brain irregularities; researcher says not to worry.” From: Daily News, Newspaper, Associated Press, Sept. 7, 1985, pg 13.
“Methanol”, Merck Index, 11th Edition #5868, 1989.
Lecture to NNFA by Woodrow Monte, Ph.D., Researcher, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
“Potential Risk to Unborn Fetus of Aspartame Use in Pregnancy.” The Journal of American Dietetic Association, August 1983.
“Aspartame: Possible Effect on Seizure Susceptibility.” Lancet, Journal, Nov. 9, 1985, pg 1060, Richard Wurtman.
“Aspartame-Induced Urticaria.” From: Annals of Internal Medicine, Feb. 1986, Vol. 104 #2, Anthony Kulczycki, Jr., M.D.
“Neurochemical Changes Following High Dose Aspartame with Dietary Carbohydrates.” Letter from New England Journal of Medicine, Aug 18, 1983, pgs 429-430, Richard R. Wurtman, Professor of Endocrinology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.