Safety Of Aspartame

Aspartame is extremely poisonous, and here is why. One of the toxic ingredients of Aspartame is wood alcohol. When the temperature of Aspartame exceeds 86 degrees F, the wood alcohol in the Aspartame is converted to formaldehyde, and then to formic acid, which in turn causes metabolic acidosis. Formaldehyde is grouped in the same class of poisons as Cyanide and Arsenic – which are very deadly toxins. The only difference is… Formaldehyde kills quietly, and it takes a little longer. And, in the process of killing people, it causes all kinds of neurological problems.” (Harder, 2016)

The Federal Drug Administration approved aspartame, an artificial sweetener surrounded by controversy, for widespread consumption in 1983. Its brand name, NutraSweet, is a division of Monsanto, a major drug company who acquired G.D. Searle, the original drug company affiliated with aspartame. Aspartame is used in everything from diet food to sugarless gum, but its major use is in diet drinks. There have been studies done to determine what dosage of aspartame and it's by products, aspartic acid, methyl alcohol or methanol, and phenylalanine, is safe to consume or if the amount is unlimited. Dr. Mark Gold (1995), a researcher involved with aspartame for over twenty years, found that seventy-five percent of

50% of Aspartame is made of Phenylalanine, an amino acid found in the brain. Products that contain Aspartame will have the warning, “PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE”.1 This is a warning to people with Phenylketonuria (PKU), which is a genetic disorder that prevents them from being able to metabolize Phenylalanine so the amino acid will then build up to harmful levels. The chemical, Phenylalanine, causes brain damage and dysfunction in humans who have the genetic disease PKU. In order to have PKU, one must be homozygous for that defective gene. It is also possible for individuals who are heterozygous for PKU to show no signs of the PKU disease but metabolize phenylalanine 50% slower than normal humans. This slow breakdown could allow more phenylalanine to build up within the blood of the PKU-heterozygous individuals than the blood of normal people. With the latter in mind, a study was conducted which resulted in showing that the increase in phenylalanine concentrations is too small to pose a risk to PKU- heterozygous individuals. It has been shown, though, that many people who consume large quantities of Aspartame and do not have PKU have excessive levels of Phenylalanine in their body. Extreme levels of this amino acid can cause a decrease of serotonin in the brain, which often leads to emotional problems including depression, mood swings, aggression and increased susceptibility to seizures.

Consumers themselves are figuring out that the ingestion of this chemical additive is at the root of their health problems. There have been over 92 different side effects associated with the consumption of aspartame. The multitude of this chemical additive’s side effects will base on one’s genetic individuality and physical weakness. According to Lendon Smith, M.D., there are an enormous number of people suffering from the side effects associated with aspartame, yet most of them do not have any idea why drugs, supplements and other medicine do not cure their symptoms. Headaches, weight gain, seizures, vision problems, and difficulty in breathing are only some of the symptoms of aspartame danger. On a more dangerous note, this chemical additive is proven to cause brain disorder and birth defects. It was revealed by Dr. Mercola of www.mercola.com that there are even studies being discontinued as soon as initial information confirms the damaging effects that aspartame brings. Moreover, the book While Waiting: A Prenatal Guidebook stated that aspartame consumption could put the brain of a fetus at risk. As for people who suffer from mood disorders, discoveries indicated that this artificial sweetener worsens the

Artificial sweeteners can replaces a lot of things like corn syrup. Artificial sweeteners are also called sugar substitutes, they are 30 to 8,000 times sweeter than sugar but have fewer calories. Sugar has four calories per gram and the sweeteners have zero calories per gram. According to the National Cancer Institute, there is no scientific evidence that any of the artificial sweeteners can cause cancer. It is very common that you consume a lot of aspartame people often get headaches. So artificial

When one eats sweeteners, there is an unnatural release of hormones in the body. The hormones that control one’s weight gain, heart rate, cardio abilities, and the brain’s reactions are affected. When the body’s response is triggered, one can easily fall ill or have medical concerns. Increasing amount of people have reported episodes of short-breath, anxiety, loss of control over weight gain, notably fast heart rates, and even cancer. Reports are constantly being made about the overuse of sweeteners. When digesting sweeteners the body turns part of the sweetener into methanol; this transition is the most dangerous. Methanol in the body tends to turn into toxic formaldehyde linking further to Alzheimer’s disease. Consequently, the brain itself is inhibited and compensating for caloric intake becomes impossible. Saccharin and aspartame (two commonly used sweeteners) have added an increased weight gain above sugar, even when the calories eaten remain close to same in daily value. Furthermore, cases have shown the inability to compensate for calories as another cause of glucose intolerance and gut dysbiosis. All of these health problems in existence of the artificial sweeteners, yet they (artificial sweeteners) still reside within companies production. Artificial sweeteners are much more toxic to our hormones in addition to the body than natural

Based on my findings in the two given articles, I am choosing to support the safety of sucralose as a nonnutritive sweetener. As mentioned in the article, “ Sweeteners Facts and Fallicies,” there is little research on the effects of sucralose in the human systems. In fact, it wasn’t until I did my own search of sucralose in the database that I realized just how limited recent studies, or studies as a whole for that matter, were in terms of effects on humans. Majority of research, much of which was used in the determination of consumption safety, was performed on lab rats. As a consumer, opting heavily for the nonnutritive sweetener, “Splenda,” I find it extremely unsettling that there isn’t more extensive data on the direct effects that the

Aspartame has been known as one of the most famous sweeteners and additives to food. Since its discovery in 1965-1969, it has now been developed into a commercial product in which several products use it to enhance its sweetness and taste. Because of this, it has also been a very prosperous commercial product where its company developers get much profit on. Nonetheless, it has been the subject of issue and controversy. Several reports and studies rebuke the suitability of it being a food product stating that it is more known as a poison. Therefore, in this essay, the advantages and limitations of Aspartame as a chemical food additive will be analyzed and evaluated with regards to Economic and environmental factors. Also, the physiological

The use of artificial sweeteners as a replacement for sugar is prevalent all around the world. Today’s society has evolved to the point in which artificial sweeteners are found in almost all types of food consumed by kids, adults and seniors. The use of artificial sweeteners is so prominent that the human population is found to be developing a conspicuous addiction to them. Yet, most people are unaware of the risks or benefits surrounding the topic of artificial sweetener use. This brings to light an issue of great debate; are artificial sweeteners, like aspartame and stevia, safe to consume?

1) Aspartame is an organic chemical created by combining aspartic acid with phenylalanine. Under the brand names of Equal, NutraSweet, and Spoonful, the chemical is used as an artificial sweetener in numerous food products and beverages. The advantage of ingesting aspartame is that it avoids the weight gain. It is approximately 200 times sweeter than regular sugar; therefore, the less amount of aspartame can be used to give the same level of sweetness compared to the amount of sugar. This, in turns, lowers the calories in food and beverage. It is also an option for those with diabetes to enjoy sweet taste with less carbohydrates. On the other hand, the disadvantages of consuming aspartame includes increased hunger and possible side effects.

Children should also be cautious of consuming aspartame since they typically consume more sweets and food per kg than adults do making it easy to go over the recommended daily limit. Most sweetened children’s products now boldly state reduced sugar, or [insert a number here] % less sugar, or sugar-free. Parents knowing that their children should be limited in their amounts of sugars readily grab these products to help in this task. Consequently, increasing the mg of aspartame being consumed per day by children, even though aspartame’s consumption by children is largely discouraged by the scientific community (Andrews, n.d., para 17) (Whitehouse, Boullata, McCauley, 2008).

Millions of people around the world indulge in foods and drinks containing the leading artificial sweetener, aspartame. Since the discovery of this substance in 1965, copious studies have been conducted to determine the possible health effects it may have. Aspartame includes two ingredients: aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Both are naturally occurring amino acids that are produced by our bodies and obtained from food. Although aspartame was created as a healthier alternative to reduce sugar intake, activists debate links between aspartame and a multitude of ailments ranging from weight gain to cancer. Nevertheless, food and beverage companies continue to mass-market products including artificial sweeteners. Therefore we must ask

exacerbating the problem even further. NNS consist of a variety of no calorie sweeteners found mostly in diet foods. Some of the popular names of NNS are aspartame, sucralose and saccharin. A survey in 2008 showed 12.5% of kids and 24.1% of adults were consuming these NNS, which was an almost a 2-fold increase compared to 1999 (Shankar, Ahuja, & Sriram, 2013). Even though NNS are USFA approved, their safety has been questioned. For example, 100% of industry funded studies have concluded aspartame is safe while 92% of independently funded studies reported aspartame can cause adverse health effects (Walton, 1999). In a letter from the industry trying to defend their product it was stated that sucralose is extremely stable and avoids absorption while being digested where it can then be quickly

There has been a 200% increase in children’s use of artificial sweeteners between 1999 and 2012(Consumer Health News 2017). This is not as sweet as some people think, due to the possibility of developing cancer, diabetes, or obesity from enough artificial sweeteners. The risk of artificial sweeteners affecting humans’ health can be reduced or eliminated if a proper alternative is chosen and put in place.

Another popular ideology, which has contributed a profound portion towards this issue, ultimately holds that sugar and artificial sweeteners contribute to ADHD. Throughout the decades, many parents have suggested that sugar, as well as other sweeteners; have major effects on their children’s behavior. Hyperactivity in children, which was also stated to impact their attentiveness, seemed to be the main concern among parents regarding their children’s acute consumption of high levels of sugars or other sweeteners. Shortly after these claims became widespread, various studies were carried out in order to shed more light on the topic. One of the more elegantly administered studies, led by Dr. Mark Wolraich, uncovered profound information on the topic. The double-blind study was performed on a three week basis in which children, regarded as being “sugar sensitive” by their parents, were given either high levels of sucrose, aspartame, or saccharine. Upon concluding the experiment, the researchers found convincing evidence that sucrose consumption ultimately had no correlation with symptoms of ADHD (Johnson). Wolraich’s study also inspired further research to be carried out in order to isolate other factors that may be contributing to the issue. Another study, which similarly tested “sugar sensitive” children, involved researchers administering either sugar or aspartame to each subject and having the parents rate their child’s hyperactivity before and after. Although the