The Dangers of Aspartame (Equal, Nutrasweet)

It's really hard to believe that something could be worse than
the intense sugar loads from high fructose corn syrup and sucrose.
But, Aspartame ( Equal, Nutrasweet, Equal Measure, Spoonful,
Canderal) is even more dangerous to your health.

Aspartame, was first discovered in 1965 when Searle chemist Jim
Schlatter, who was developing this drug for another purpose,
accidentally licked some from his finger and found it
to be sweet tasting. The ingredients in aspartame are
phenylalanine(50%), aspartic acid (40%) and methyl alcohol(10%).

Aspartame Approved by the FDA in January 1981

Even after about eight years of steadfast refusal by the FDA to
approve this dangerous drug for human consumption, Searle tried
one more time, the day after the inauguration of the President
in 1981. The previous commissioner of the FDA had been
"removed" and a new one installed. Despite an FDA agency
investigation into this "approval by political triage,"
the drug has not been removed from the market and
the investigation was, in essence, abandoned.

Why get embalmed before it is absolutely necessary?

Methyl alcohol, also known as "wood" alcohol breaks down in the
body to formaldehyde and DKP(diketopiperazine). Formaldehyde, as
many of you probably already know, is embalming solution and
highly toxic to the central nervous system. Why get embalmed
before it is absolutely necessary? Methyl alcohol causes
blindness and if the dose is large enough, it can cause liver
and kidney failure. DKP is a known carcinogen and causes brain
tumors. According to the National Cancer Institute there has
been a 10% increase in primary brain tumors since 1985. There
has also been an increase in brain tumors in children whose
mothers consumed aspartame throughout pregnancy.

Phenylalanine and Aspartic Acid

These are both amino acids that are normally supplied by the foods
that we eat. However, when they are isolated and supplied in very
high concentrations, they are toxic to the central nervous
system causing headache, mental confusion and memory loss, balance
problems and seizures. These ingredients have been classified as
excitotoxins.

Excitotoxin Damage

Excitotoxin damage usually takes weeks to months to years to
become clinically apparent. Excitotoxins are also strong
generators of free radicals thus accelerating aging of most
organ systems, significantly the vascular system, immune system
compromise inducing cancer and the musculo-skeletal system
resulting in arthritis. Joint pain is one of the chief
complaints of those with aspartame poisoning.

The Blood-Brain Barrier

Aspartame is especially dangerous to those who already have
disease, the unborn and those less than one year old.
Diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking and aging compromise
the blood-brain barrier. This barrier in the fetus and neonate
is not well developed. These groups are especially sensitive to
the damaging effects of aspartame since the barrier that would
keep the excitotoxins out of the brain is either compromised or
not developed yet. No wonder birth defects are also associated
with Aspartame.

Formaldehyde (besides embalming)

It is known that formaldehyde accumulates in the areas of the
brain that correspond to the neurodegenerative symptoms of
Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
(ALS) or Lou Gehrig's disease. Aspartame has also been shown
to cause seizures in susceptible people, even with no prior
history.

Aspartame and Pilots

When I was a Flight Surgeon in the Air Force we were always
concerned about any alcohol ingestion 24 hours before flying.
Now, pilots have to be concerned about aspartame ingestion
before flying, since it can induce vertigo / disorientation
and seizures. If you are flying commercial, hope that your
pilot isn't drinking diet soda.

Visual Impairment

During the years of prohibition there were many cases of
blindness due to consumption of methyl alcohol, since ethanol
(the typical alcohol of most drinks, beers etc) was banned.
Today we have an ophthalmologist in West Palm Beach, Florida
Dr. H.J. Roberts, who has treated hundreds of aspartame victims.
One quarter of his patients have experienced blindness.
According to Dr. Roberts "optic nerve swelling, retinal
degeneration and visual impairment, that is associated with heavy
aspartame use, is identical to the pathology observed in recorded
cases of methanol toxicity from drinking wood alcohol throughout
the days of prohibition." This gets especially problematic
since the American Diabetic Association still recommends
aspartame. What is frequently misdiagnosed as diabetic
retinopathy is often aspartame retinopathy.

Below is a partial list of other diseases that aspartame
toxicity can mimic or worsen. The list currently totals
about 92 symptoms and diseases.

Multiple Sclerosis
Parkinson's Disease
Lou Gehrig's disease
Diabetes
Hypertension
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Obesity ... yes, aspartame can actually cause weight gain.

Phenylketonuria (PKU)

Phenylketonuria is a rare inherited (genetically recessive)
metabolic disease that can result in mental retardation and
other neurological problems if treatment is not started in
the first few weeks of life. The defect is either complete
or partial absence of the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase
that metabolizes phenylalanine to tyrosine. In view of the
fact that aspartame is 50% phenylalanine, it is an absolute
contra-indication for anyone with PKU. Carriers for the
trait are also at risk for problems with aspartame. There
are over 100 different genetic mutations with enzyme
activities from zero to normal. For more information on
aspartame and phenylketonuria follow the link below:

http://www.sweetpoison.com/phenylketonuria.html

Michael J. Fox, Aspartame and Parkinson's Disease (or)
"Diet Pepsi Rots Your Brain"

Michael J. Fox developed Parkinson's at age 30. He was at one
time a spokesman for Diet Pepsi and was known to be addicted
to Diet Pepsi. Follow the link below for more on this:

http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=684893

To see a very interesting movie about "political triage"
and the eventual "approval" of aspartame by the FDA
follow the link below:

http://www.soundandfuryproductions.com/Pages/Rumsfeld.html

For more on the dangers of aspartame follow the links below:

http://aspartamekills.com
http://dorway.com

Today's Health Tip

Avoid aspartame completely. If you must drink sodas, you are
better off to drink the non-diet variety. It is much easier
to lose a few pounds of fat, than be treated for a brain tumor,
Parkinson's disease or blindness.

Once again read labels very carefully. Aspartame is in, at
last count, over 7000 foods, beverages (beer), sports
nutrition drinks and bars and even vitamins.

If you are going to drink diet sodas, make sure to keep them
cool, as the breakdown of aspartame (which proceeds unchecked
even still in the can) is temperature and age dependant.
The higher the ambient (storage) temperature, the more methyl
alcohol and formaldehyde will be present in your soda.
Also, the older the can of aspartame laden diet soda, the more
methyl alcohol and formaldehyde will be present in the can.

Reference:

Stryer Biochemistry Fourth Edition

Could There Be Evils Lurking In Aspartame Consumption?
By Christine Lydon, MD
http://www.aspartame.com/lydon.htm

Thanks for your time ...

John Mericle M.D. D.A.B.R.

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