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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Ame Sans Vie on January 1, 2004, at 12:05:27
Aspartame may be (in fact, in all likelihood *is*) greatly worsening, or even *causing*, your anxiety, panic, AD/HD, depression, mania, psychosis, arthritis, fibromyalgia, fatigue, insomnia, *weight gain*, irritability, heart troubles, vision/hearing degradation, breathing problems, and just about anything else you can think of. In fact, if you use aspartame, it's doing a lot worse than that -- it's killing you.
I'm sure there are some of you who are aware of the facts surrounding the dangerous nature of aspartame, but too many do not know, and this is a topic that must be addressed.
Let me just start with this: I've been struggling with fibromyalgia for some time now, at the age of 20. I am allergic to acetaminophen, salicylates, and all NSAIDs. Even the strongest narcotics (i.e. Duragesic, the fentanyl patch) provided only moderate relief. Commonly prescribed medications for FMS/CFS (amitriptyline, cyclobenzaprine, tizanidine, methocarbamal, gabapentin) were useless. Carisoprodol was the sole exception, but tolerance develops far too rapidly.
I began fluoxetine at 20mg daily several months ago, originally as a means to help me through the withdrawal caused by discontinuing my 400mg/day of tramadol (a mild narcotic/SNRI which I was prescribed for depression and, ironically enough, exacerbated my deep muscle pain). After a very brief period of time taking the fluoxetine and discontinuing tramadol, the pain subsided to a manageable, but still bothersome, level. Not being able to take OTC analgesics was awful, and I didn't want to begin what I figured would be a lifetime of narcotic pain management at only 20 years old. Raising the dose of fluoxetine led to undesirable side effects (sleeplessness, tremor, irritability -- but surprisingly enough, no sexual difficulties). So carisoprodol it was -- and the dosage kept increasing. At last count, I required SIX tablets *five times daily*. That's 10.5 *grams* total per day. My rheumatologist finally scared the living daylights out of me when she told me that she would no longer raise the dose. She began tapering me and started me on Avinza (a fairly new extended-release morphine formulation) at the same time.
Despite my very poor financial situation, I decided there was no choice but to seek help via other methods. Electroacupuncture/moxibustion and homeopathy were both met with semi-positive results (or was that just placebo effect?).
Then I decided to see a holistic health practitioner, and you're probably asking yourself by now, "where the hell does aspartame come into the picture?" lol, Sorry I've rambled for so long, but I felt it important that my entire history with the disorder be known (or at least an abridged version of it).
The doctor interviewed me in-depth on the first visit. During the interview, she specifically asked about my aspartame intake and, upon learning that I was drinking about a liter of diet soda per day (not to mention the Equal in my coffee, sugar-free Jell-O, etc), she asked me if I'd ever heard of "aspartame toxicity".
The things I learned that day and in the days since then through my own research will forever infuriate and bewilder me.
There is a lengthy list of side effects reported to the FDA associated with aspartame poisoning which I will place at the end of this post. Keep in mind though that the FDA estimates that fewer than 1% of consumers ever report undesirable effects to them; the FDA admits to over 10,000 aspartame-related complaints, making it the most complained about substance in the FDA's history. At one point, aspartame accounted for 85% of complaints. And taking into consideration both that it's likely few people reported their symptoms to the FDA due to it being a "safe" food-additive, and the estimated fewer than 1% complaint rate, in all likelihood we are practically an entire nation of victims.
Aspartame goes by many names -- Equal, Nutrasweet, and Spoonful are among the better known. Its chemical formula is "L-Aspartyl-l-phenylalanine methyl ester". It is composed of about 40% aspartic acid, 50% phenylalanine, and 10% methanol (aka wood alcohol).
I'll get to the first two ingredients in a moment, but the one that probably deserves the most attention is the methanol. Upon ingestion, methanol breaks down into *formaldehyde*. That's right -- embalming fluid. It is difficult for the body to eliminate formaldehyde, so much of it is combined with water and stored in fatty tissue (thus accumulating in our systems over time -- a silent killer). What it not stored in fat is converted to formic acid (ant poison). Formic acid slowly accumulates in the body as well, and has been shown to inhibit oxygen metabolism. The EPA states that methanol, "is considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion once it is absorbed. In the body, methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde and formic acid; both of these metabolites are toxic". They recommend a limited consumption of 7.8mg/day of methanol; one liter of Diet Coke contains about 56mg.
Methanol poisoning is well-known for causing vision problems; formaldehyde is a carcinogen, causes retinal damage, interferes with DNA replication, and causes birth defects. And though animal studies of aspartame have shown time and time again that it is undeniably unsafe, that doesn't even take into consideration that humans are many times more sensitive to the effects of methanol than animals due to the lack of several important enzymes.
Fruits and fruit juices contain methanol -- more than aspartame, in fact. But nature, in all her wisdom, also infused these fruits with ethanol (drinking alcohol), which is the antidote to methanol poisoning. Proponents of aspartame (i.e. the suits trying to defend these allegations, and failing miserably at it) cite this as propaganda for the safety of methanol ingestion. Conveniently failing to mention that aspartame contains no ethanol... but we can't hold them responsible for that -- loss of mental acuity is a known symptom of aspartame poisoning, after all.
Aspartame has a shelf-life of approximately 270 days. Unless stored at temperatures exceeding 85° F. At temperatures of 86° F and above, free methanol (which absorbs into the body more quickly) begins to form from aspartame. This is the reason aspartame loses its sweetness when used for baking. It was originally approved by the FDA in 1981, for use only in dry foods. Prior to this, the FDA refused to approve it for eight years because of seizures and brain tumors produced in lab animals exposed to the chemical. But when Reagan (a friend of G.D. Searle, the company behind the poison) took office, he fired the FDA Commissioner who wouldn't approve it. He appointed Dr. Arthur Hull Hayes as Commissioner, who would overrule a decision by a Board of Inquiry that stated, "Do not approve aspartame". Shortly thereafter, Hayes approved its use in carbonated beverages. Within months, he had resigned his position and begun working for a public relations firm representing NutraSweet.
During Operation Desert Storm (and more than likely during Operation Iraqi Freedom as well), diet beverages for the soldiers were exposed to temperatures well above 86°. Many returned home with sets of symptoms suggesting formaldehyde poisoning. Wonderful way to thank our troops -- with a hot, flat, non-nutritive, toxic treat.
In July, 1996, aspartame was approved for use in any and all food products. This, of course, includes foods which must be prepared well above the 86° cutoff point.
Phenylalanine, while we often discuss it here as a potential therapy, may also be a danger. I used to supplement with it myself, but now that I am more well-read on the subject, I do not take any amino acids on their own. Amino acids are meant to be ingested together; taking them individually is not natural. Aspartic acid is also an amino acid. Either of these aminos can be considered excitatory neurotoxins (like MSG) when taken in an unnatural manner such as this. Doctors have reported vast improvement in hyperactive children upon removing aspartame from their diets, and I suspect a similar improvement may be seen in some with bipolar disorders.
Phenylalanine breaks down into diketopiperazine, which is known to cause tumors. This fact was also a major obstacle in Searle's quest to gain FDA approval.
Here is as complete a list as I can find of the various breakdown products created by aspartame:
*Formaldehyde
*Formic acid
*Beta-aspartame
*Aspartylphenylalanine
*Aspartylphenylalanine amide
*Tyrosine
*L-Dopa
*Dopamine
*Norepinephrine
*Epinephrine
*Phenylethylamine
*Phenylpyruvate
*Phenylactic acid
*Phenylacetic acid
*Diketopiperazine (DKP)*** I stopped using aspartame and haven't had a single tinge of muscle pain since about a week after my last Diet Coke. My Avinza has now found a new home down the toilet, and I've completely tapered off of carisoprodol. ***
*** My mother stopped using aspartame when I informed her of this. Her panic attacks, joint pain, and a rash on her arms that she's had for as long as I've been alive are all gone. ***
Aspartame is quite possibly the biggest cause of health problems in the U.S. -- beating out even cigarette smoking. Check out the following list of adverse reactions reported to the FDA that I got from http://www.dorway.com (a site I very highly recommend you visit -- hundreds [thousands printed] of pages of info; this post just barely scratches the surface... for example, read about the mother now facing life-imprisonment for murdering her husband by poisoning him with methanol... a death now believed to have been caused by aspartame):
Abdominal Pain
Anxiety Attacks
Arthritis
Asthma
Asthmatic Reactions
Bloating, Edema (Fluid Retention)
Blood Sugar Control Problems (Hypoglycemia or Hyperglycemia)
Brain Cancer (Pre-approval studies in animals)
Breathing Difficulties
Burning Eyes or Throat
Burning Urination
"Can't Think Straight"
Chest Pains
Chronic Cough
Chronic Fatigue
Confusion
Death
Depression
Diarrhea
Dizziness
Excessive Thirst or Hunger
Fatigue
Feel Unreal
Flushing of Face
Hair Loss (Baldness) or Thinning of Hair
Headaches/Migraines/Dizziness
Hearing Loss
Heart Palpitations
Hives (Urticaria)
Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
Impotency and Sexual Problems
Inability to Concentrate
Infection Susceptibility
Insomnia
Irritability
Itching
Joint Pains
Laryngitis
"Like Thinking in a Fog"
Marked Personality Changes
Memory Loss
Menstrual Problems or Changes
Migraines and Severe Headaches (Trigger or Cause From Chronic Intake)
Muscle Spasms
Nausea or Vomiting
Numbness or Tingling of Extremities
Other Allergic-Like Reactions
Panic Attacks
Phobias
Poor Memory
Rapid Heart Beat
Rashes
Seizures and Convulsions
Slurring of Speech
Swallowing Pain
Tachycardia
Tremors
Tinnitus
Vertigo
Vision Loss
Weight GainAspartame Disease Mimics Symptoms or Worsens the Following Diseases:
Fibromyalgia
Arthritis
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Parkinson's Disease
Lupus
Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS)
Diabetes and Diabetic Complications
Epilepsy
Alzheimer's Disease
Birth Defects
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Lymphoma
Lyme Disease
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
Panic Disorder
Depression and Other Psychological DisordersAgain, visit http://www.dorway.com or any of the other numerous aspartame truth sites on the web.
~~Michael
Posted by Larry Hoover on January 1, 2004, at 13:06:40
In reply to Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet) = POISON, posted by Ame Sans Vie on January 1, 2004, at 12:05:27
> Again, visit http://www.dorway.com or any of the other numerous aspartame truth sites on the web.
>
> ~~MichaelI'm quite ambivalent about the aspartame issue. On the one hand, I never want to be seen to be dismissive of anecdotal accounts of adverse effects arising from ingestion of any substance. On the other hand, I want to try and place those experiences in the context of the population as a whole.
I have no doubt that there are people, like yourself, who are particularly susceptible to aspartame (or MSG, a similar potential excitotoxin). On the other hand, I don't like to see the biased reporting of websites like the one you reference go unchallenged. There is a wealth of evidence showing that there are no measurable adverse effects from acute and chronic aspartame ingestion (just look at the doses used in some of these studies). On the other hand, susceptibility to headache and adverse mood reactions is demonstrable upon aspartame exposure. Also, your experience, vis a vis fibromyalgia, is not unreported in the literature.
I guess what I come down to is the conclusion that we must be responsible for our own food. If MSG or aspartame is a problem, then don't consume them. There are always many alternatives to consider.
I present here a quickly collected blend of aspartame references from Medline, some pro, some con. The first one is available as full-text (pdf format).
http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/reprint/68/3/531
Am J Clin Nutr. 1998 Sep;68(3):531-7.
Aspartame: neuropsychologic and neurophysiologic evaluation of acute and chronic effects.Spiers PA, Sabounjian L, Reiner A, Myers DK, Wurtman J, Schomer DL.
Clinical Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 02139, USA.
BACKGROUND: Neurobehavioral symptoms have been reported anecdotally with aspartame. OBJECTIVE: This study sought to determine whether aspartame can disrupt cognitive, neurophysiologic, or behavioral functioning in normal individuals. DESIGN: Forty-eight healthy volunteers completed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. The first month was aspartame free. Subjects then consumed sodas and capsules with placebo, aspartame, or sucrose for 20 d each. Order was randomized and subjects were assigned to either a high- (45 mg x kg body wt(-1) x d(-1)) or low- (15 mg x kg body wt(-1) x d(-1)) dose aspartame group. Neuropsychologic and laboratory testing was done on day 10 of each treatment period to determine possible acute effects and on day 20 for possible chronic effects. RESULTS: Plasma phenylalanine concentrations increased significantly during aspartame treatment. Neuropsychologic results; adverse experiences; amino acid, insulin, and glucose values; and electroencephalograms were compared by sex and by treatment. No significant differences were found for any dependent measure. CONCLUSION: Large daily doses of aspartame had no effect on neuropsychologic, neurophysiologic, or behavioral functioning in healthy young adults.
Epilepsia. 1995 Mar;36(3):270-5.Aspartame and seizure susceptibility: results of a clinical study in reportedly sensitive individuals.
Rowan AJ, Shaywitz BA, Tuchman L, French JA, Luciano D, Sullivan CM.
Department of Neurology, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10468, USA.
The high intensity sweetener aspartame has been implicated anecdotally in seizure provocation. This possibility was investigated with a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study. After an extensive search, 18 individuals (16 adults and 2 children) who had seizures allegedly related to aspartame consumption were admitted to adult or pediatric epilepsy monitoring units where their EEG was monitored continuously for 5 days. Aspartame (50 mg/kg) or identically enpackaged placebo was administered in divided doses at 0800, 1000, and 1200 h on study days 2 and 4. All meals were uniformly standardized on treatment days. No clinical seizures or other adverse experiences were observed after aspartame ingestion. Mean plasma phenylalanine (Phe) concentrations increased significantly after aspartame ingestion (83.6 microM) as compared with placebo (52.3 microM). Results suggest that aspartame, in acute dosage of approximately 50 mg/kg, is no more likely than placebo to cause seizures in individuals who reported that their seizures were provoked by aspartame consumption.
Pediatrics. 1994 Jan;93(1):70-5.Comment in:
Pediatrics. 1994 Jan;93(1):127-8.
Pediatrics. 1994 Oct;94(4 Pt 1):576.Aspartame, behavior, and cognitive function in children with attention deficit disorder.
Shaywitz BA, Sullivan CM, Anderson GM, Gillespie SM, Sullivan B, Shaywitz SE.
Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510.
OBJECTIVE. To determine the effects of large doses of aspartame on behavior, cognition, and monoamine metabolism in children with attention deficit disorder. DESIGN. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of unmedicated children meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed) criteria for attention deficit disorder. SETTING. Behavioral assessments were performed in the child's home by their parents and in the classroom by a teacher. Cognitive tests were administered and blood drawing was performed during a 2-day inpatient admission to our Children's Study Center. INTERVENTIONS. Administration of aspartame (single morning dose, 34 mg/kg) or placebo for alternate 2-week periods. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES. Behavioral and cognitive tests included the Matching Familiar Figures Test (MFFT), Children's Checking Task (CCT), the Airplane Test, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), the Subjects Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale (STESS), the Multigrade Inventory for Teachers (MIT), and the Conners Behavior Rating Scale. Blood was drawn for complete blood cell count and liver function tests, as well as amino acid, methanol, formate, serotonin, and monoamine metabolite analyses, and urine was collected for measurement of catecholamine and monoamine metabolite excretion. RESULTS. No clinically significant differences between aspartame and placebo were found for the STESS, MIT, or Conners ratings, or for the MFFT, CCT, WCST, or Airplane cognition tests. Also, no differences were noted for any of the biochemical measures, except for the expected increase in plasma phenylalanine and tyrosine following aspartame. CONCLUSIONS. The findings indicate that aspartame at greater than 10 times usual consumption has no effect on the cognitive and behavioral status of children with attention deficit disorder. In addition, aspartame does not appear to affect urinary excretion rates of monoamines and metabolites.
Biol Psychiatry. 1993 Jul 1-15;34(1-2):13-7.Adverse reactions to aspartame: double-blind challenge in patients from a vulnerable population.
Walton RG, Hudak R, Green-Waite RJ.
Department of Psychiatry, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Youngstown.
This study was designed to ascertain whether individuals with mood disorders are particularly vulnerable to adverse effects of aspartame. Although the protocol required the recruitment of 40 patients with unipolar depression and a similar number of individuals without a psychiatric history, the project was halted by the Institutional Review Board after a total of 13 individuals had completed the study because of the severity of reactions within the group of patients with a history of depression. In a crossover design, subjects received aspartame 30 mg/kg/day or placebo for 7 days. Despite the small n, there was a significant difference between aspartame and placebo in number and severity of symptoms for patients with a history of depression, whereas for individuals without such a history there was not. We conclude that individuals with mood disorders are particularly sensitive to this artificial sweetener and its use in this population should be discouraged.
J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1991 Apr;87(4):821-7.A combined single-blind, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to determine the reproducibility of hypersensitivity reactions to aspartame.
Garriga MM, Berkebile C, Metcalfe DD.
Mast Cell Physiology Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md.
Aspartame is an O-methyl ester composed of phenylalanine and aspartic acid. After its final approval as a sweetener in 1981, a number of reports of adverse reactions to aspartame appeared in the literature. To explore the pathogenesis of such reactions, we initiated a study in July 1986 to identify subjects with hypersensitivity reactions to aspartame with blinded challenge procedures. The study was closed after 32 months. During that time, we advertised in local newspapers and worked closely with the local community of allergists and dermatologists in an attempt to recruit subjects with hypersensitivity reactions to aspartame. A total of 61 self-referrals and physician referrals were screened, with 20 referrals evaluated in clinic. After this evaluation, 12 patients underwent single- and double-blind challenge with up to 2000 mg of aspartame. No subject with a clearly reproducible adverse reaction to aspartame was identified. In summary, we found that it is difficult to recruit study subjects with a history of hypersensitivity reactions to aspartame and that subjects who believed themselves allergic to aspartame did not have reproducible reactions.
Neurology. 1994 Oct;44(10):1787-93.Comment in:
Neurology. 1995 Aug;45(8):1631-2; author reply 1632-3.
Neurology. 1995 Aug;45(8):1631; author reply 1632-3.
Neurology. 1995 Aug;45(8):1632; author reply 1632-3.Aspartame ingestion and headaches: a randomized crossover trial.
Van den Eeden SK, Koepsell TD, Longstreth WT Jr, van Belle G, Daling JR, McKnight B.
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
To examine whether ingestion of aspartame is associated with headaches, we conducted a double-blind crossover study using volunteers with self-identified headaches after using aspartame. Of the 32 subjects randomized to receive aspartame (approximately 30 mg/kg/d) and placebo in a two-treatment, four-period crossover design, 18 completed the full protocol, seven completed part of the protocol before withdrawing due to adverse effects, three withdrew for other reasons, two were lost to follow-up, one was withdrawn due to noncompliance, and one withdrew and gave no reason. Each experimental period was 7 days long. Subjects reported headaches on 33% of the days during aspartame treatment, compared with 24% on placebo treatment (p = 0.04). Subjects who were "very sure" prior to the study that aspartame triggered some of their headaches reported larger treatment differences (aspartame = 0.37 headache-days, placebo = 0.18 headache-days; p < 0.001) than subjects who were "somewhat sure" (aspartame = 0.29 headache-days, placebo = 0.22 headache-days; p = 0.51) or "not sure" (aspartame = 0.33 headache-days, placebo = 0.39 headache-days; p = 0.51). There was no significant treatment difference in the length or intensity of headaches or in the occurrence of side effects associated with the headaches. This experiment provides evidence that, among individuals with self-reported headaches after ingestion of aspartame, a subset of this group report more headaches when tested under controlled conditions. It appears that some people are particularly susceptible to headaches caused by aspartame and may want to limit their consumption.
Ann Pharmacother. 2001 Jun;35(6):702-6.
Relief of fibromyalgia symptoms following discontinuation of dietary excitotoxins.Smith JD, Terpening CM, Schmidt SO, Gums JG.
Malcolm Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Gainesville, FL, USA.
BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia is a common rheumatologic disorder that is often difficult to treat effectively. CASE SUMMARY: Four patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome for two to 17 years are described. All had undergone multiple treatment modalities with limited success. All had complete, or nearly complete, resolution of their symptoms within months after eliminating monosodium glutamate (MSG) or MSG plus aspartame from their diet. All patients were women with multiple comorbidities prior to elimination of MSG. All have had recurrence of symptoms whenever MSG is ingested. DISCUSSION: Excitotoxins are molecules, such as MSG and aspartate, that act as excitatory neurotransmitters, and can lead to neurotoxicity when used in excess. We propose that these four patients may represent a subset of fibromyalgia syndrome that is induced or exacerbated by excitotoxins or, alternatively, may comprise an excitotoxin syndrome that is similar to fibromyalgia. We suggest that identification of similar patients and research with larger numbers of patients must be performed before definitive conclusions can be made. CONCLUSIONS: The elimination of MSG and other excitotoxins from the diets of patients with fibromyalgia offers a benign treatment option that has the potential for dramatic results in a subset of patients.
Posted by Ilene on January 1, 2004, at 13:06:41
In reply to Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet) = POISON, posted by Ame Sans Vie on January 1, 2004, at 12:05:27
I'm glad you're feeling better. I was wondering what happened to you.
I don't think aspartame is the dietary demon some people make it out to be. The only aspartame in my diet comes from Minute Maid Light Lemonade. I discovered it less than a year ago. It's hard to find so I don't drink it very often. Consequently I know when I'm consuming aspartame, and I haven't noticed any changes in my condition.
If only life were that simple.
Best of luck to you,
Ilene
Posted by JLx on January 1, 2004, at 20:08:12
In reply to Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet) = POISON, posted by Ame Sans Vie on January 1, 2004, at 12:05:27
Hi Michael,
Thanks for posting this as it I think it's important food for thought. I've just started reading "Excitotoxins" by Russell Blaylock, M.D. (a neurosurgeon) which evidently has a great deal of cautionary information about aspartame and MSG -- especially for children and their developing brains.
I used to think that the aspartame issue was overblown scare tactics -- primarily because I could notice no difference in how I felt from drinking several cans of diet Pepsi per day to going cold turkey for many weeks. Now I tend to think that I probably just couldn't tell that it was affecting me because I was so out of whack in general otherwise. Now that I have been following a more "clean" and spare diet for many weeks and have been supplementing with some essentials previously lacking (such as magnesium and methyl donors) I can feel the aggravating affects of MSG. I haven't retried aspartame lately and don't plan to as I'm convinced that while it may be harmless to some people, it's not something GOOD for my brain, which is precariously in balance at best. ;)
I would suggest that people at least try eliminating it as well as all sources of MSG to see if they find some relief as you and many other people have.
Did you do the sleepless experiment you posted previously about considering, btw?
Also, I'm glad you're back here posting as I'd like to pick your brain about Hemi-sync brainwave/binaural beat tapes, if you wouldn't mind, :) but I should probably start a new board for that one.
JL
This is the end of the thread.
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