Aspertame Safety II

(continued from previous post ....)


7.  Enhancement of rat bladder contraction by artificial sweeteners via increased extracellular Ca2+ influx.
Date: 13-11-2006
Journal: Toxicology and applied pharmacology (0041-008X)
Release: Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2006 Dec;217(2):216-24
"These results suggest that low concentrations of artificial sweeteners enhanced detrusor muscle contraction via modulation of L-type Ca(+2) channels."

8. The effect of aspartame on rat brain xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes.
Date: 29-08-2006
Journal: Human (0960-3271)
Release: Hum Exp Toxicol. 2006 Aug;25(8):453-9
"This study demonstrates that chronic aspartame (ASP) consumption leads to an increase of phase I metabolizing enzymes (cytochrome P450 (CYP)) in rat brain."

9. Chronic aspartame affects T-maze performance, brain cholinergic receptors and Na+,K+-ATPase in rats.
Language: Eng.
Date: 25-05-2004
Journal: Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior (0091-3057)
Release: Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2004 May;78(1):121-7
"It can be concluded from these data that long-term consumption of aspartame can affect T-maze performance in rats and alter receptor densities or enzymes in brain."

10. Migraine MLT-down: an unusual presentation of migraine in patients with aspartame-triggered headaches.
Date: 12-11-2001
Journal: Headache (0017-8748)
Release: Headache. 2001 Oct;41(9):899-901
"Aspartame, an artificial sweetener added to many foods and beverages, may trigger headaches in susceptible individuals."

Other points of interest

11.  HEARING before the COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND HUMAN RESOURCES
UNITED STATES SENATE
ON HUNDREDTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION ON EXAMINING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS OF NUTRASWEET
(ASPARTAME)
NOVEMBER 3, 1987

STATEMENT BY DR. LOUIS J. ELSAS, II, M.D.
DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF MEDICAL GENETICS
PROFESSOR OF PEDIATRICS

http://www.dorway.com/elsas.txt

"And three studies come to mind.  One study shows that when blood
phenylalanine in pregnant mothers is increased five-fold, there is a 10-
point drop in the I.Q. of the baby born of that mother.

     Senator Metzenbaum.  Of I.Q.  All right.

     Dr. Pardridge.  A second study shows that if you measure choice
reaction time, a test of higher cognitive function in humans, that when
their bloom phenylalanine is increased six-fold, there is a 10 percent shift
in your ability to make a key decision before a video screen.

     And a more recent study by Dr. Elsas has shown that there are
quantitative changes in the human electroencephalogram when the blood
phenylalanine is raised three-fold - something that clearly will happen in
children who consume near 5 servings per 50-pound body weight.

     So if I may summarize, phenylalanine, is a known neurotoxin, and the
food industry added nearly 8,000 tons of aspartame to the food supply in
1986, which amounts to approximately 8 million pounds of phenylalanine added
to our food supply in a single year."


12. Two New Studies on Aspartame and Diet Drinks Confirm Source of Obesity, Cancer/Malignant Brain Tumor Epidemics
"THE Cancer Research Center of the European Foundation of Oncology and Environmental Sciences in Bologna, Italy reported this week that a long-term study to evaluate the potential carcinogenic effects of aspartame demonstrates the chemical sweetener "induces an increase in lymphomas and leukemia in female rats." The research will be presented at a September international scientific conference, "Framing the Future in the Light of the Past: Living in a Chemical World."

Neurosurgeon Russell Blaylock M.D. commented: "The new study released in the European Journal of oncology by Morando Soffritti and co-workers should terrify mothers and all those consuming aspartame sweetened products. This was a carefully done study which clearly demonstrated a statistically significant increase in several types of lymphomas and leukemia in rats. Both of these malignancies have increased significantly in this country since the widespread use of aspartame.

"This study confirmed the previous study by Dr. Trocho and co-workers, which also found the formaldehyde breakdown product of aspartame to be damaging to cellular DNA and that this damage was accumulative. The type of damage was a duplicate of that associated with cancers. Along with this most recent study, this means that drinking a single diet cola sweetened with aspartame every day could increase one's risk of developing a lymphoma or leukemia."

[pigeonca]

Citation 1 concerns rats, not humans.  Citation 2 is a test tube study.  Citation 3: rabbits.  Citation 4: abused quantities.  Citation 5: rats.  Citation 6 may be true, but what does it mean?  Citations 7-9: rats again.  And citation 10, re. migraines, I've already acknowledged.

Now, regarding #11, dorway.com is Betty Martini's website and therefore can be disregarded.  Similarly Russell Blaylock, who is one of "Dr." Martini's shills, cannot be trusted to provide any serious information.

Rat studies are interesting but need to be followed up with studies on humans.  Clyclamates were pulled from the shelves because of rat studies back in the early seventies.  Today most scientists regard those experiments as not pertinent to human beings and, were it not for better sugar substitutes, cyclamates would not be banned today.  (I can provide some references if you like.)

Again, please show me a peer-reviewed study in a reputable journal that shows how aspartame is harmful to human beings.

[Andromedae]

"Again, please show me a peer-reviewed study in a reputable journal that shows how aspartame is harmful to human beings. "

I have shown over 10.  The fact that you have a belief system that precludes your understanding them (i.e. the fact that toxicological and cancer studies are always done on laboratory animals) is charming.

I know a little girl down the street and she believes in the easter bunny and I find her belief charming as well.  It's so very cute.

I presented the 10 peer reviewed studies for those amongst us who would be interested in scientific accuracy as opposed to cute beliefs.

[pigeonca]

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/blasp.htm

[pigeonca]

You know, I didn't attack YOU, even though you believe in the easter bunny and santa claus as well.

The reason rat studies are always followed by studies on people, such as those going on right now re. Vertex etc., is because the results often do not follow through from species to species.  Otherwise the FDA would just release drugs once they were tested on animals.

[Andromedae]

Yes, I have provided 10 journal articles, all from accredited researchers, writing in peer-reviewed scientific journals that linked aspartame to increases of:

1. blood platelet disorders
2. leukiema and other increased cancer risk
3. learning disibilities
4. brain chemical disruption
5. bladder irregularities
6. Salt (NACL) metabolism disruption

and of course sworn testimony before congress on the adverse effects of the chemical based in research by DR. LOUIS J. ELSAS, II, M.D.DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF MEDICAL GENETICS, PROFESSOR OF PEDIATRICS

All that took me 30 minutes - there is much more out there and I can not nor would not deny that there is research that says the chemical is not harmful.  Just as there is research out there which says that global warming does not exist.

You have provided us with your own opinions on the subject as well as a link to an "urban legends" website.  I'm quite surprised you did not throw in a Wikipedia reference.

We'll just have to leave it to everyone out there whether they trust the 10 journal articles or no research of the "urban legends" webmaster.

[Trinity4]

Does it really matter in the big scheme of things?  I don't care what they post or what they say I'm going to continue to use sweetners. People who choose not to are not any smarter than me or guaranteed a longer life. You can live on totally organic.  Fine with me. And you can also walk down the street and get hit by a bus. No one knows what thier genes are predesposed with.  You have general idea from family, but it's not certain.  Life is a **** shoot.  Period.  My husband who is a diabetic has been using sweetners for 30+ years.  The diabetes is going to kill him, not the sweetners.
The drugs I am currently putting into my body (peg & riba) have not been studied long enough to even KNOW what the long term effects on a cellular level will be.  I guarantee by the end of 48 wks I will have put more toxins in my body than I will ever have ingesting any type of sweetner.  
Trin

[Andromedae]

"The drugs I am currently putting into my body (peg & riba) have not been studied long enough to even KNOW what the long term effects on a cellular level will be.  I guarantee by the end of 48 wks I will have put more toxins in my body than I will ever have ingesting any type of sweetner.  "

Heh... isn't that the sad truth :( .
But it's an individual decision of course.  There is not a unified body of opinion on the subject.  Just based on what I read I cut out all aspartame containing foods. I was a diet soda fiend!   I can tell you this - I felt better and more energetic after a couple weeks without the aspartame for whatever that is worth.  Less hungry all the time as well.

and then I found out that I had HCV ....  

so I also cut out all cigarettes and cut down to only 2 cups of caffeine containing beverage a day after I was diagnosed.  I also felt better when I did that.

...and then I went on treatment ... now the feeling better thing...not so much.

Well that's life .  Sure anything can kill you but I think the more we do to lead a healthier dietary lifestyle the better we are in the long run.

[pigeonca]

In the big scheme of things, of course it doesn't matter.  What gets me is the quantity of spam created by the anti-aspartamers and how these folks have destroyed alt support diabetes, which was once an active, helpful website until they cluttered up its threads.  Today that site is largely spam and advertisements.  Thank God for Medhelp!  But I don't want to see Medhelp become victim to these people and their agenda.  If anybody could provide believable information against artificial sweeteners, I'd accept it, but nobody has.  

I just figure I shouldn't eat anything with additives, mostly foods in their original state (at least when I buy them), and quite frankly, I rarely consume aspartame.  But I just can't stand the spam.  Lies always require debunking.

[Andromedae]

"n the big scheme of things, of course it doesn't matter.  What gets me is the quantity of spam created by the anti-aspartamers and how these folks have destroyed alt support diabetes, which was once an active, helpful website until they cluttered up its threads.  Today that site is largely spam and advertisements.  "

You are not using "spam" in the correct context.
When someone "Spams"  they are presenting an unwanted message to a great number of people with a "for-profit" (monetary or otherwise) motive.

What YOU are describing is not spam.  It is merely a difference of opinion.  People on your forum had a difference of opinion with your opinions that aspartame and cyclomates are not bad for you.  The difference of opinion was so profound that your forum members left. That is not  called "spam".  It is called "talking with your feet".  People disagreed with you and they left.  That does not make it spam.  

With that said, you cite an ALT unmoderated newsgroup.  All unmoderated newsgroups have been essentially useless since 2000-2002 when the actual spammers (Viagra , male enhancement , Nigeria make money spam) took over such places.  Spam and destruction of unmoderated newsgroups had nothing to do with "anti-aspartame" spam .  In fact I have never received nor seen an "aspartame" related spam mail in my life although I'm sure anyone from Nigeria reading this now may be working on it as we speak.

Andromeda

[Trinity4]

I know what you are saying.  I really do understand your point.  We mostly use splenda unless they don't have it in a restaurant and then we use the "a" word.  LOL  Lately, I don't think I could feel any worse even if I wolfed down 5lbs of sugar and a box of the blue stuff in one sitting.  It's all politics and who's going to make the most money and unfortunately there's not a damn thing we can do about it.  I just don't have enough energy at the present time to be an advocate for anything.  I honestly have tried adjusting my diet - no sugar - mostly fruits and veggies and it hasn't made a bit of difference in the way I feel so for the next 6 months if I can find a little joy in a cup of coffee with some splenda, and a sweet roll so I can keep the riba down that's what I'll do.
Trin  
Trin

[pigeonca]

Just check out the archives of alt support diabetes, which was a very, very active group until a year or two ago.  If you bother to take the trouble, you will see the almost daily posts from the same three or four people, repeating the same "information" about aspartame.  Whether it's for monetary purposes or merely for enjoyment, it's still chopped up ham.

[pigeonca]

Ice cream is easy to get down too, not to mention diet Jello instant pudding (with aspartame!).  Thanks for the support.

[Rockerforlife]

If aspertame is heated for example soda pop with it left in the sun...it does turn formalyde and other chemicial changes...there waa a story about troops in the middle east comsuming soft drinks left out in the sun and they got pretty sick

[Andromedae]

"Just check out the archives of alt support diabetes, which was a very, very active group until a year or two ago.  If you bother to take the trouble, you will see the almost daily posts from the same three or four people, repeating the same "information" about aspartame.  Whether it's for monetary purposes or merely for enjoyment, it's still chopped up ham."

No it's not.
Spam has a very definite meaning. You are  certainly free to call a difference of opinion with you "spam" in the hopes that it will demonize the thing somehow in your favor.  But the vast majority of people will simply lose confidence and tire of the silliness of it all and walk away from you.

Which is what happened then and is what I shall do now.

[pigeonca]

Thank you.

[moahunter]

"Does it really matter in the big scheme of things?  I don't care what they post or what they say I'm going to continue to use sweetners. People who choose not to are not any smarter than me or guaranteed a longer life. "
I agree with this 100%. People are obsessed about the most minute possibility that one substance or another is going to harm them. Let's face it, everything we eat "could" have something bad in it. Even organic food is often not preserved that well, or could just contain a natural toxin. At some point, you have to stand back and look at the big picture. We will all be dead in 100 years no-matter what we eat. Sure, there is "stupid" stuff to avoid / reduce like to many cigarettes, too much pot, or too much booze, but aIt's just not worth ruining the good time we have left stressing over stuff, that all it is doing, is causing stress.

[moahunter]

The funniest one for me, is when I sit down at work and hear someone very overweight telling how they avoid unnatural substances. Peoples priorities are warped, instead of going out and having a jog / run / walk (or whatever you are capable of), reducing food intake, and generally trying to live healthy, we pop "natural" pills, or "blame" the bad corproations for some minute chemical in a manner that is totally out of proportion to what really is probably shortning our lives drastically.

[Trinity4]

I agree with you -  I do the best I can and the overall picture for any of us ingesting these toxins has yet to be determined so I can't get too excited about a little sweetner. If it makes you feel better which most claim it does by avoiding sweetners or eating all natural than by all means go for it.  The things that used to make me feel better I can't do anymore - damn it!!
Best to you
Trin

[Andromedae]

"I agree with this 100%. People are obsessed about the most minute possibility that one substance or another is going to harm them"

Well I'm not sure which people you have been talking to but the ones that I know are merely concerned that large corporations have been massively lying to us about the safety of their food and drug products and people are dying as a result.  A few notable examples:

1. cigarettes
2. cyclomates
3. Vioxx
4. Phen Phen
5. concentrated fructose syrup.
6. trans-fats


I could easily list a hundred - those are just a few memorable ones.

You know what's funny to me?  People in failing health with cirrhosis and diabetes and  cancers towing the corporate line about how non-additive based foods are just a bunch of bull and how company's lying to us about the safety of their product is just a bunch   of liberal conspiracy theory nutballs.  

You don't get any better customers than that god bless'em.

[GreatBird]

I know I can't tolerate aspartame because when I was on Weight Watchers I used it for a short while. It messed up my elimination tract. When I stopped the aspartame, I got back to normal. That's all the evidence I need.

Splenda tastes like plastic sugar to me.

[moahunter]

I don't like aspartme, simply because I don't like the taste.

"You know what's funny to me?  People in failing health with cirrhosis and diabetes and  cancers towing the corporate line about how non-additive based foods are just a bunch of bull and how company's lying to us about the safety of their product is just a bunch   of liberal conspiracy theory nutballs. "

I's pretty easy to sit here and attribute all the cancers in the world to aspartme, or some other evil conspiracy of products. Such and such has cancer... oh, it must have been the evil commercial product (not that fact that such and such is overwieight, doesn't exercise, or simply got a bad set of genes from mum and dad). But like it or not, as we get older, our chances of getting cancer increases. Even if we lived the most perfectly healthy life possible, we could still get cancer.

Yes, products should be safe. But, if we were to research every single thing we ate, including many "natural" products, and put massive doses of those into rats, we'd find they cause cancer too (which they do, because natural things contain toxins too). It's all about balance.

PS. I disagree on Vioxx. I have some in my medicine cabinet, it says clearly in a number of places, that it should not be used by anyone with a heart condition. It didn't kill me, and it didn't kill most people who used it.