Pros And Cons Of Aspartame

However the 52-week toxicity in infant monkeys and the 2010 Swiss mice studies has provided pivotal, contradictory evidence to the aspartame debate. Dr. Waisman at the University of Wisconsin Medical Center located in Madison Wisconsin initiated the 52-week toxicity study in infant monkeys in 1971 . This study orally served Aspartame mixed in milk formula to seven infant Rhesus monkeys over a 52-week period . Waisman put the monkeys into three groups: a low dose group (1.0 g/kg), a medium dose group (3.0 g/kg) and a high dose group (4-6 g/kg) . There was no control group, meaning there was not a group of newborn monkeys that were not fed aspartame. Since monkeys are primates similar to humans—with only a 1.2 percent genetic difference—monkeys were chosen to study the effects of aspartame on primates. Data shows that one monkey from the high dosage group died over 300 days, five of seven suffered grad mal seizures in the low dose group starting on the 218th day of treatment, and all monkeys in the medium and high dose groups exhibited seizures . According to data, the seizures coincided with the levels of phenylalanine . One should note that in the low dose group there was not a significant increase in serum phenylalanine levels; therefore, convulsions were not expected . Overall, the findings of this study correlated brain seizures with high amounts of aspartame particularly phenylalanine ingested by the monkeys, but at low dosages no biologically meaningful alterations occurred . In addition, the study reported food intake and growth rate were reduced when compared to the historical range . (This data can be studied in figures two to four .) Though the evidence of this study correlates aspartame with brain seizures, the FDA still approved aspartame for human consumption. This is because there are issues with the studies sample size and procedures. The study did not use a large sample of

Phenylalanine can pass through the blood brain barrier and significantly change the production of neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are the chemicals that send signals from one neuron to another. By bonding to a, “…neutral amino acid transporter (NAAT)...” (Humphries, Pretorius, Naudé, 2008, para. 7) phenylalanine is able to pass through the blood brain barrier. The body also further breaks down phenylalanine to tyrosine when it is processed through the liver. If tyrosine is additionally broken down to dihydroxyphenylalanine and reaches the brain the production of dopamine will be compromised leading to depression like symptoms after the consumption of aspartame. Further cellular breakdowns are additionally explained throughout the article. The two most shocking assertions are the long-term effects with consuming high levels of aspartame with increasing the chemical glutamate on the NMDA receptors leading to a decrease in stimulation and neurodegeneration, possibly causing or mimicking the symptoms of the disease Alzheimer 's. The second alarming claim made on the effect of long-term ingestion of aspartame is when aspartame 's temperature exceeds 86 degrees Fahrenheit. As the authors observed, “…the wood alcohol in aspartame is converted into formaldehyde and then to formic acid, which in turn causes metabolic acidosis.” (Humphries, Pretorius, Naudé, 2008). Metabolic acidosis causes methanol toxicity, which has been associated with mimicking the symptoms of multiple

There is a lot of High Fructose Corn Syrup, the sugar of choice, in regular sodas. People started finding out about how bad sugar is for them and how much sugar was really in their favorite every day drink. Everyone started turning against all of the soda companies and they had no choice but to come up with an alternative. So, instead of using natural sugar or High Fructose Corn Syrup in sodas, scientists invented artificial sweeteners, a way to keep the soda sweet yet contain no sugar. Artificial sweeteners like Aspartame that are added to diet soda are actually worse for us than the sugar that is in regular soda. This was proven by an Osteopathic Physician from the American Colledge of Nutrition who states, "While many of the artificial sweeteners have reportedly similar side effects, aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA" (Mercola).

Use of ‘scary’ chemical names and misappropriated information about said chemical is used for harrowing effect. Propylene glycol is one chemical remarked to be a common food additive that could also be used to winterize your car. As this is not a false statement, it is similar in effect to saying that water is in antifreeze. MSG was stated as another chemical used in this manner that was extremely harmful (viewer was implored at one point to search for ‘MSG Obesity induced mice’). Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners were also vilified, with claims such as Aspartame causing formaldehyde buildup in the brain.

A. Not only can these sweeteners make you gain weight, but over time they could potentially hurt your body. Here is a list of the popular sugar substitutes and the potential harm they produce: Acesulfame potassium also known as "SweetOne" is 200 times sweeter than sugar, this is often paired with aspartame or sucralose. Known to cause breast tumors in rats. Saccharin also known as Sweet’NLow, is the oldest of the artificial sweeteners and is 300 –700 times sweeter than sugar, The National Cancer Institute found evidence of increased bladder cancer in people who heavily consumed saccharin. The label below is found on toothpaste, gum, and many other products that contain saccharin "USE OF THIS PRODUCT MAY BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH. THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS SACCHARIN WHICH HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO CAUSE CANCER IN LABORATORY

The use of artificial sweeteners in beverages and food has been on a steady rise since 1969, the year it was authorized in the United States of America. The popularity of artificial sweeteners has been on a rise because of the benefit that it is a zero calorie sweetener .Even though artificial sweeteners have some great benefits many scientists believe that it causes adverse effects such as cancer, weight gain and depression. I strongly believe that consumers are not aware of the side effects of artificial sweeteners hence the increase in consumption since 1969.

Who uses the sweetener or consume diet drinks may have heard of the controversy surrounding aspartame. The product has been linked with diseases or disorders such as migraine, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer, cancer, lymphomas, and brain tumors, among others. This association is mainly caused by the fact metabolized in the human body-releasing methanol, a chemical compound that has toxic and accumulative effect on the nervous system. Despite being naturally present in small amounts in chicken in the meat, the beans and skim milk when ingested in large quantities methanol can cause blindness, among other problems. This fact has been known since the approval of aspartame in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However,

ban", ("Tufts University Health",2015). The food and drug administration is a federal part of the United states human and health services and they continuously promote the use of aspartame and have stated that there is “no new credible scientific evidence to change the agency’s position that the zero-calorie sweetener is safe for the general population", ("Tufts University Health",2015). Even a study stated in the article by the American cancer society “found no link between intake of diet sodas (most commonly sweetened by aspartame)

Aspartame has now been on the market for many years and most people seemingly haven’t had adverse reactions. Or have they? Russell L. Blaylock, M.D. warns that many people don’t notice of the serious symptoms because “they’re more resistant to the obvious toxic effects, but they’re still getting very subtle toxic effects that over many years is going to produce obvious disease in those persons.” However, some people have had more direct, severe reactions. For example, FDA officials have estimated that only 1% of toxic reactions are likely to get reported and the agency received reports of 7,000 toxic reactions with aspartame from 1982 until 1995. In fact, there were likely more official reports of toxicity, but we can’t be sure to the extent. After all, Congress found out in 1987 that the FDA had been transferring aspartame toxicity calls to the AIDS Hotline.

In addition to aspartame in diet soda contributing to cancer, it also causes memory loss. Carbonated beverages began containing aspartame in 1983, after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved it (Gold, 1995). Aspartame contains 40% aspartic acid, which is an amino acid that increases the level of aspartate and glutamate in blood plasma, according to Gold (1995). This increase of aspartate, as explained by Gold (1995), causes over stimulation of the nerves by acting within the brain as neurotransmitters, which aid in sending and receiving information between neurons. Aspartate increases the possibility of destroying the cell surface’s membrane on the opposite side of the area between nerve cells (where transmission of nerve impulses occur) in the brain (Humphries, Prestorius, & Naude, 2008). As a result, excessive aspartate or glutamate can slowly destroy neurons in the brain contributed by an influx of calcium contained in the cells, thus causing memory loss.

The experts seem to be spilt down the middle as to whether or not aspartame is healthy or unhealthy for you. One of the most argued things about aspartame is what happens to it after it enters your body. It is said that aspartame accounts for more than seventy-five percent of adverse reactions to food additives. These reactions range from mild to severe, things like rashes, fatigue, and dizziness have been linked to aspartame. People have also reported having heart palpitations and even death. Scientist and physicians also believe that some chronic illnesses can be triggered or worsened when you ingest aspartame. When it is metabolized in the body the methyl part of the aspartame will for a short time turn into methyl alcohol or methanol, which is a potentially toxic compound. The methanol is further broken down into formaldehyde and then even further into carbon dioxide. High amounts of either of these chemicals can have severe adverse side

Since aspartame consists of phenylalanine and aspartic acid, it could be easily exposed to the brain. Fetal phenylalanine has the potential to reach levels that kills cells in tissue culture. Experimentally, it has been determined that infants are four times more sensitive to excitotoxins than adults. Plasticity of the brain is important in the learning process. Even when the baby is in the womb, the brain of the infant is being stimulated by sounds, touch, and even light causing changes in the brain's structure in important ways. All of this stimulation causes the pathways in the brain to change and develop. This process of molding the brain continues throughout life, but the majority of growth takes place within the first seven years of life. During these critical years, if unborn and young children are fed drinks or food containing aspartame, over-stimulation can occur. The overall consumption of aspartame by pregnant women and young children can be harmful to the function of the brain.

The debate between naturally derived sugars and low-calorie artificial sweeteners has been going on for years now. As our population’s obesity rate grows every year and health concerns related to weight-control grows along with it, natural sugar is scrutinized and we are told to keep away from it as it is our enemy. Over the last couple of decades, we have been introduced to more and more varieties of artificial sweeteners promising to deliver the same sweetness or even more sweetness than natural sugar (some offer as much as 200 times more sweetness than sugar) but with a much lower calorie content, or some even no calories at all. Artificial sweeteners such as Splenda, Sweet n’ Low, NutraSweet, and Equal have become popular as “better alternatives” to table sugar, promising to help battle weight gain and actually assist in losing weight. However, does this make it the healthier option? As with all things, both natural sugar and artificial sugar have their pros and cons, but in order to find the best option in regards to our health and futures, it’s important to weigh them according to scientific findings and research.

“Artificial Sweeteners: Sugar-Free, but at What Cost?” Harvard Health Blog, Harvard Medical School, 12 Dec. 2016, www.health.harvard.edu/blog/artificial-sweeteners-sugar-free-but-at-what-cost-201207165030. Accessed 28 Feb. 2017. Holly Strawbridge is an author for Harvard Health Blog. Strawbridge’s purpose in writing this article was to inform the general public of the dangers of artificial sweeteners. The article mainly briefs over the negative effects of consuming artificial sweeteners, specifically the diseases potentially caused by them. This article speaks more negatively of artificial sweeteners than any other source used. It is also fairly short and direct. It can be determined unbiased and credible due to the fact that it was published through Harvard Medical School. This source would not be optimal for this essay because it provides information showing that artificial sweeteners are unhealthy and lead to weight

Aspartame was finally approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1981 for dry food, in 1983 for soft drinks and in 1996 for all foods. In 2006, it was permitted for use throughout the European Union on a safety dose of (40 mg/kg). – (Devi Rathinasamy, S. 2014)