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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