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    Aspartame
     
     
    FDA Lists 92 Symptoms from Nutrasweet (Aspartame) (including Death!)
     
    Please Note: Nutrasweet is in Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi
     
    This article originally appeared on http://www.dorway.com
     
    Note: This information required a Freedom Of Information Act request to pry it
    from the reluctant hands of the FDA.
     
    Nutrasweet (brand name for Aspartame) was not approved until 1981, in dry
    foods. For over eight years the FDA refused to approve it because of the seizures
    and brain tumors this drug produced in lab animals. The FDA continued to refuse
    to approve it until President Reagan took office (a friend of Searle) and fired the
    FDA Commissioner who wouldn’t approve it. Dr. Arthur Hull Hayes was appointed
    as commissioner. Even then there was so much opposition to approval that a
    Board of Inquiry was set up. The Board said: “Do not approve aspartame”. Dr.
    Hayes OVERRULED his own Board of Inquiry.
     
    Shortly after Commissioner Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr., approved the use of aspartame
    in carbonated beverages, he left for a position with G.D. Searle’s Public Relations
    firm.
     
    Long-Term Damage. It appears to cause slow, silent damage in those unfortunate
    enough to not have immediate reactions and a reason to avoid it. It may take one
    year, five years, 10 years, or 40 years, but it seems to cause some reversible and
    some irreversible changes in health over long-term use.
     
    METHANOL (AKA WOOD ALCOHOL/POISON) (10% OF ASPARTAME)
    Methanol/wood alcohol is a deadly poison. People may recall that methanol was
    the poison that has caused some “skid row” alcoholics to end up blind or dead.
    Methanol is gradually released in the small intestine when the methyl group of
    aspartame encounter the enzyme chymotrypsin.
     
    The absorption of methanol into the body is sped up considerably when free
    methanol is ingested. Free methanol is created from aspartame when it is heated
    to above 86 Fahrenheit (30 Centigrade). This would occur when
    aspartame-containing product is improperly stored or when it is heated (e.g., as
    part of a “food” product such as Jello).
     
    Methanol breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde in the body.
    Formaldehyde is a deadly neurotoxin. An EPA assessment of methanol 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.” The recommend a limit of consumption
    of 7.8 mg/day. A one-liter (approx. 1 quart) aspartame-sweetened beverage
    contains about 56 mg of methanol. Heavy users of aspartame-containing products
    consume as much as 250 mg of methanol daily or 32 times the EPA limit.
     
    The most well known problems from methanol poisoning are vision problems.
    Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen, causes retinal damage, interferes with
    DNA replication, and causes birth defects. Due to the lack of a couple of key
    enzymes, humans are many times more sensitive to the toxic effects of methanol
    than animals. Therefore, tests of aspartame or methanol on animals do not
    accurately reflect the danger for humans. As pointed out by Dr Woodrow C.
    Monte, Director of the Food Science and Nutrition Laboratory at Arizona State
    University, “There are no human or mammalian studies to evaluate the possible
    mutagenic, teratogenic, or carcinogenic effects of chronic administration of methyl
    alcohol.”
     
    It has been pointed out that fruit juices and alcoholic beverages contain small
    amounts of methanol. It is important to remember, that the methanol in natural
    products never appears alone. In every case, ethanol is present, usually in much
    higher amounts. Ethanol is an antidote for methanol toxicity in humans.
     
    The troops of Desert Storm were “treated” to large amounts of
    aspartame-sweetened beverages which had been heated to over 86 degrees F.
    in the Saudi Arabian sun. Many of them returned home with numerous disorders
    similar to what has been seen in persons who have been chemically poisoned by
    formaldehyde. The free methanol in the beverages may have been a contributing
    factor in these illnesses. Other breakdown products ofaspartame such as DKP,
    may also have been a factor.
     
    In a 1993 act that can only be described as “unconscionable”, the FDA approved
    aspartame as an ingredient in numerous food items that would always be heated
    to above 86°degrees F (30°Degrees C).
     
    Much worse, on 27 June 1996, without public notice, the FDA removed all
    restrictions from aspartame allowing it to be used in everything, including all
    heated and baked goods.
     
    The truth about aspartame’s toxicity is far different than what the NutraSweet
    Company would have you readers believe. In February of 1994, the U.S.
    Department of Health and Human Services released the listing of adverse
    reactions reported to the FDA (DHHS 1994). Aspartame accounted for more than
    75% of all adverse reactions reported to the FDA’s Adverse Reaction Monitoring
    System (ARMS). By the FDA’s own admission fewer then ONE PERCENT of
    those who have problems with something they consume ever report it to the FDA.
    This balloons the almost 10,000 complaints they once had to around a million.
     
    However, the FDA has a record keeping problem (they never did respond to the
    certified letter from the WEBMASTER of this site a major victim!) and they tend to
    discourage or even misdirect complaints, at least on aspartame. The fact
    remains, though, that MOST victims don’t have a clue that aspartame may be the
    cause of their many problems! Many reactions to aspartame were very serious
    including seizures and death.
     
    Those reactions included:
     
    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 gain
     
    Aspartame Disease Mimics Symptoms or Worsens the Following Diseases
     
    Alzheimer’s Disease
    Arthritis
    Birth Defects
    Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
    Diabetes and Diabetic Complications
    Epilepsy
    Fibromyalgia
    Lupus
    Lyme Disease
    Lymphoma
    Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS)
    Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
    Parkinson’s Disease
     
    How it happens:
     
    Methanol, from aspartame, is released in the small intestine when the methyl
    group of aspartame encounters the enzyme chymotrypsin (Stegink 1984, page
    143). Free methanol begins to form in liquid aspartame-containing products at
    temperatures above 86 degrees F. also within the human body.
     
    The methanol is then converted to formaldehyde. The formaldehyde converts to
    formic acid – ant sting poison. Toxic formic acid is used as an activator to strip
    epoxy and urethane coatings. Imagine what it does to your tissues! (Note from
    Stephanie Relfe – Even the Australian Cancer Council says that there are NO safe
    levels of formaldehyde).
     
    Phenylalanine and aspartic acid, 90% of aspartame, are amino acids normally
    used in synthesis of protoplasm when supplied by the foods we eat. But when
    unaccompanied by other amino acids we use [there are 20], they are neurotoxic.
     
    That is why a warning for Phenylketonurics is found on EQUAL and other
    aspartame products. Phenylketenurics are 2% of the population with extreme
    sensitivity to this chemical unless it’s present in food. It gets you too, causing brain
    disorders and birth defects! Finally, the phenyalanine breaks down into DKP, a
    brain tumor agent.
     
    In other words: Aspartame converts to dangerous by-products that have no natural
    countermeasures. A dieter’s empty stomach accelerates these conversions and
    amplifies the damage. Components of aspartame go straight to the brain,
    damage that causes headaches, mental confusion, seizures and faulty balance.
    Lab rats and other test animals died of brain tumors.
     
    Despite the claims of Monsanto and bedfellows:
     
    1. Methanol from alcohol and juices does not get converted to formaldehyde to any
    significant extent. There is very strong evidence to confirm this fact for alcoholic
    beverages and fairly strong evidence for juices.
     
    2. Formaldehyde obtained from methanol is very toxic in *very small* doses as
    seen by recent research.
     
    3. Aspartame causes chronic toxicity reactions/damage due to the methanol to
    formaldehyde and other break down products despite what is claimed otherwise
    by the very short, industry-funded experiments using a test substance that is
    chemically different and absorbed differently than what is available to the general
    public. “Strangely enough”, almost all independent studies show that aspartame
    can cause health problems.
     
    4. A common ploy from Monsanto is to claim that aspartame is “safe” yet a few
    select people may have “allergic” reactions to it. This is typical Monsanto
    nonsense, of course. Their own research shows that it does not cause “allergic”
    reactions. It is there way of trying to minimize and hide the huge numbers of
    toxicity reactions and damage that people are experiencing from the long-term
    use of aspartame.
     
    Summary
     
    Given the following points, it is definitely premature for researchers to discount the
    role of methanol in aspartame side effects:
     
    1. The amount of methanol ingested from aspartame is unprecedented in human
    history. Methanol from fruit juice ingestion does not even approach the quantity of
    methanol ingested from aspartame, especially in persons who ingest one to three
    liters (or more) of diet beverages every day. Unlike methanol from aspartame,
    methanol from natural products is probably not absorbed or converted to its toxic
    metabolites in significant amounts as discussed earlier.
     
    2. Lack of laboratory-detectable changes in plasma formic acid and formaldehyde
    levels do not preclude damage being caused by these toxic metabolites.
    Laboratory-detectable changes in formate levels are often not found in short
    exposures to methanol.
     
    3. Aspartame-containing products often provide little or no nutrients which may
    protect against chronic methanol poisoning and are often consumed in between
    meals. Persons who ingest aspartame-containing products are often dieting and
    more likely to have nutritional deficiencies than persons who take the time to make
    fresh juices.
     
    4. Persons with certain health conditions or on certain drugs may be much more
    susceptible to chronic methanol poisoning.
     
    5. Chronic diseases and side effects from slow poisons often build silently over a
    long period of time. Many chronic diseases which seem to appear suddenly have
    actually been building in the body over many years.
     
    6. An increasing body of research is showing that many people are highly
    sensitive to low doses of formaldehyde in the environment. Environmental
    exposure to formaldehyde and ingestion of methanol (which converts to
    formaldehyde) from aspartame likely has a cumulative deleterious effect.
     
    7. Formic acid has been shown to slowly accumulate in various parts of the body.
    Formic acid has been shown to inhibit oxygen metabolism.
     
    8. The are a very large and growing number of persons are experiencing chronic
    health problems similar to the side effects of chronic methanol poisoning when
    ingesting aspartame-containing products for a significant length of time. This
    includes many cases of eye damage similar to the type of eye damage seen in
    methanol poisoning cases.
     
    Note: It often takes at least sixty days without any aspartame NutraSweet to see a
    significant improvement. (Note from Stephanie Relfe: Drink plenty of good water.
    Preferably water filtered by reverse osmosis. If not that, spring water. Not tap,
    distilled or mineral water).
     
    Check all labels very carefully (including vitamins and pharmaceuticals). Look for
    the word “aspartame” on the label and avoid it. (Also, it is a good idea to avoid
    “acesulfame-k” or “sunette.”) Finally, avoid getting nutrition information from junk
    food industry PR organizations such as IFIC or organizations that accept large
    sums of money from the junk and chemical food industry such as the American
    Dietetic Association.
     
    If you are a user of any products with aspartame, and you have physical, visual,
    mental problems take the 60-day no aspartame test. If, after two months with no
    aspartame your symptoms are either gone, or are much less severe, please get
    involved to get this neurotoxin off the market. Write a letter to the FDA, with a copy
    to Betty Martini (for proof of how the FDA doesn’t keep proper records). Write your
    congressmen. Return products containing aspartame to the point of purchase… for
    a FULL refund. Make a big stink if they WON’T give you a full refund! Tell all your
    friends and family… and if they stop using aspartame and also “wake up well”…
    get them involved in the same way.
     
    Aspartame is an “approved sweetener” because of a few greedy and dishonest
    people who place profits above human life and well-being. With the FDA and our
    Congress culpable, only an INFORMED and ACTIVE public will affects its
    reclassification from “food additive” to TOXIC DRUG, and removed from the
    human food chain.
     
    From Stephane Relfe: Note that Michael J. Fox, who was spokesperson for
    Pepsi, has an old man’s disease (Parkinson’s Disease) at only 30 years old!
     
    For more information:
     
    http://www.dorway.com
     
    http://www.aspartamekills.com
     
    http://www.peg.apc.org/~nexus/Aspartame.html
     
    http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame
     
    http://www.trufax.org/menu/chem.html#aspartame
     
    Addresses:
     
    Commissioner
    Food and Drug Administration
    5600 Fishers Lane
    Rockville, Maryland 20857
     
    Mrs. Betty Martini
    Mission Possible International
    9270 State Bridge Road Suite 215
    Duluth, Georgia 30097
    Internet E-mail: [email protected]
     
    NOW… that you are aware of the 92 FDA recognized symptoms (that required a
    Freedom Of Information Act request to pry from their reluctant hands) and HOW
    aspartame does its dirty work, change to Dorway’s Official Dogma page.
     
    http://www.dorway.com/offasprt.html
     
    On this page Mark Gold has taken the IFIC “Official” aspartame safety myth and
    shot it full of holes using all of the smoking guns that were used by the FDA to
    approve this poison as a food additive, along with information they either ignored
    or discounted. This excellent debunking of the official
    FDA/Monsanto/Searle/Nutrasweet/Nutrasweet Kelco/AMA/ADA/IFIC/??? chain of
    lies and half truths includes a long history of this “product’s” sordid trail to the
    marketplace and the sweet tooth.
     
     
    Other great Aspartame / Phenylalaine links:
     
     
    http://www.mercola.com/article/aspartame/phenylalanine.htm
     
     
    Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills
    by Russell Blaylock
     
    Excitotoxins are substances added to foods and drinks that
    literally stimulate nerve cells to death, causing brain
    damage. They can be found in such ingredients as
    monosodium glutamate (MSG), aspartame (nutrasweet) and
    hydrolyzed vegetable protein. The dangers of these
    substances is so overwhelming that they can no longer be
    ignored.
     
    Do a search on the web on `aspartame’ and you will see that
    it can cause Parkinson’s disease (why did Michael Fox,
    spokesman for Diet Pepsi, get an old man’s disease at 30?),
    MS and cravings for carbohydate (thereby causing an
    INCREASE in weight).
     
     
     
     
    ASPARTAME – Public Service Message
    PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4/11/05
    PLAINTIFFS WANTED WITH ASPARTAME BRAIN TUMORS
    Liability lawsuits are being prepared for New York and New Jersey consumers of aspartame who developed brain tumors in the last 3 years. If you ingest this chemical and live in one of these states and have suffered this tragedy, you may qualify as a plaintiff.
    Aspartame is sold as NutraSweet, Equal and Spoonful , and is in thousands of foods and soft drinks such as Diet Coke. Since the 70s the manufacturers knew it produced brain tumors in lab rats. The FDA has received more consumer complaints on this chemical than all other food additives combined.
    For information and medical evidence on aspartame toxicity visit http://www.dorway.com/ and http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame
    For TV film Sweet Misery: a Poisoned World contact http://www.soundandfuryproductions.com or
    Cori Brackett 520 979 – 8238
    Contact Betty Martini IMMEDIATELY!
    MISSION POSSIBLE INTERNATIONAL 770 242-2599