ASPARTAME IN DIET SODA — FACT VS. MYTH

DIET POP — FACT VS. MYTH
I’m NOT promoting diet soda as a health product, for gosh sakes, but it gets falsely maligned on a frequent basis, and it has no voice of its own to defend itself…. So, I’ve elected myself as an AA – Aspartame Ambassador.

I’m drinking aspartame (diet pop) right fricking now!

I’ve been drinking aspartame in fairly large quantities for over 25 years. I’m 62 years old.  I RARELY get headaches (a frequently reported symptom of aspartame intake), I’m in better shape than many people my age, I have no abnormal physical ailments, I no longer have the deep, dark psychological depressions that I had for 20 years PRIOR to my aspartame intake – I’ve learned how to deal with my psychological issues through a variety of sources – ALL THE WHILE imbibing moderate to heavy amounts of aspartame. Again, I’m NOT promoting aspartame as a health product, for God’s sake, but please don’t demonize it unjustifiably.

PLEASE take the time to read and spread the information below. If you read nothing else, read these next few facts:
“Aspartame is made from two amino acids (building blocks of protein). These amino acids occur in almost all protein containing foods, in significant quantities.
Aspartame, in food and beverages sweetened with aspartame, is completely digested to its component parts: one molecule each of aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol.
All of these components occur in other foods,that we consume every day, often in much greater quantities….”

“Aspartame has been available for more than 30 years now. It is used to sweeten food and beverage products all around the world, as a result of its approval by more than 100 regulatory authorities including the United States’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and expert panels of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization.”

“Prior to its approval by the Food and Drug Administration in 1981, aspartame underwent one of the most rigorous testing programs and thorough regulatory reviews in food ingredient history. More than 100 scientific studies were conducted in animals and humans, including normal adults and children, lactating women and people with diabetes, obesity and special genetic conditions.”

Internet Rumors
Aspartame and side-effects:
From time to time, over the years since its approval, reports have been made linking aspartame to a variety of health problems and side effects. In fact, no link has been found to aspartame for any of the many effects suggested. This is not surprising if you understand that aspartame is a very simple molecule made from two amino acids – and it is digested just like other food to components which occur widely in our normal diet like seafood, meat, dairy products and even fruit and vegetables.

Both before it was approved for use in food and beverages and since, aspartame has been the subject of a very wide range of scientific studies undertaken by independent scientists at world-leading institutions. Today more than 200 well-designed scientific studies support our understanding of aspartame and its safety.
Over the years, all of this research has been reviewed regularly by leading scientific experts at regulatory authorities around the world. One of these reviews, undertaken by the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF), the predecessor of the European Food Safety Authority, in Europe, scrutinised all of the science published on aspartame. The review included the research on the complaints and effects which had been claimed to be linked to aspartame for example effects on mood and behaviour, and on epilepsy as well as any role in migraine or allergic-type reactions. These experts found not only that aspartame is safe but also that there is no connection with brain tumors, epilepsy, changes in neurological function, or allergic-type reactions. In the Opinion published following the review the SCF concludes
“Aspartame is unique among the intense sweeteners in that the intake of its component parts can be compared with intakes of the same substances from natural foods.” SCF Opinion 2002

Soda Intake and Cancer Risk
A study (1) about soda consumption published recently in the AJCN ignores the facts about aspartame, in particular that it is completely digested just like other protein-containing foods in our daily diet.
Aspartame is made from two amino acids (building blocks of protein). These amino acids occur in almost all protein containing foods, in significant quantities.
Aspartame, in food and beverages sweetened with aspartame, is completely digested to its component parts: one molecule each of aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol.
All of these components occur in other foods,that we consume every day, often in much greater quantities:
For example: Milk contains more than 11 times more aspartic acid and more than 5 times more phenylalanine than the same quantity of a carbonated beverage sweetened only with aspartame alone.
A small banana contains as much methanol as a 12-ounce can of soft drink sweetened only with aspartame; and the same quantity of tomato juice more than three times more methanol.

Aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol from aspartame are exactly the same as aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol from any other food or beverage source.

Aspartame Opinions
The European Commission Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) reaffirms the safety of aspartame
10 December 2002
After a review of over 500 documents including scientific papers, conference proceedings and abstracts, the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) has, once again, reaffirmed the safety of aspartame. The SCF previously reviewed the science on aspartame in 1984, 1988 and 1997. On each of these occasions the SCF found aspartame to be safe.
In its comments the SCF said that
“Aspartame is unique among the intense sweeteners in that the intake of its component parts can be compared with intakes of the same substances from natural foods.”
The review was originally requested by the UK Food Standard’s Agency which has said that it supports the conclusions of the Committee’s review. The SCF’s report incorporates the findings of the recent report from the Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Aliments (AFSSA) and is further independent and authoritative confirmation of aspartame’s safety.
A full copy of the SCF report on aspartame can be downloaded here (PDF, 264KB).

The European Commission Scientific Committee on Food
December 1984
During December, 1984, the EEC’s Scientific Committee on Foods delivered its analytical report on sweeteners to the Directorate General for Internal Market and Industrial Affairs. That report noted: “The data provided no evidence that the occasional transient changes in blood amino acid levels, following simultaneous ingestion of aspartame and glucose, could produce changes in neurotransmitter levels which might affect mood or behavior.”
“The Committee saw not reason for concern over the amounts of methanol likely to be produced by the metabolism of aspartame when compared with those present naturally in food.”
“The blood level of phenylalanine in these individuals were raised only slightly and none of them showed any neurological or other clinical abnormal findings, thus supporting the view that large intakes of aspartame in the diet would not cause any untoward effects in these geneotypes.”

Frequently Asked Questions
Is there any relationship between aspartame and headaches?
Headaches are one of the most common ailments. And it’s no wonder when they can be caused by so many factors – from stress and sleep disturbances to physical illnesses. While it has been suggested that many foods, including aspartame, could trigger headaches, it remains unproven. Scientific studies show that there is no relationship between aspartame and headaches.

Scientific Library
Background on Aspartame Regulatory Review:
Prior to its approval for use in food and beverage products, aspartame was subjected to one of the most comprehensive testing programs ever undertaken for a food additive. Since 1967, more than 200 scientific studies have been conducted with laboratory animals and a cross-section of men, women and children. Based on these extensive studies, aspartame has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Canada’s Health Protection Branch (HPB), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the regulatory agencies of more than 100 other nations. In 1986 the GAO specifically reviewed the FDA’s regulatory process in reviewing aspartame.
The Council on Scientific Affairs of the American Medical Association, after reviewing all safety issues, has also confirmed that consuming products sweetened with aspartame is no different than consuming other foods, thus demonstrating that aspartame is not associated with adverse health effects.
In the Food and Drug Administration’s Final Decision on aspartame’s approval (Fed. Reg. 46:38289, 1981), the Commissioner stated:
“Few compounds have withstood such detailed testing and repeated, close scrutiny, and the process through which aspartame has gone should provide the public with additional confidence of its safety.”

Internet Rumors
• Methanol from aspartame
The myth that aspartame is a poison is propagated by some on the basis that, as aspartame is broken down in digestion, a small amount of methanol is produced as a metabolite.
• Aspartame and side-effects
From time to time, over the years since its approval, reports have been made linking aspartame to a variety of health problems and side effects. In fact, no link has been found to aspartame for any of the many effects suggested.
• Aspartame: Safe Sweetener or Perilous Poison?
Harriet Hall, M.D. writes in her SkepDoc column that “depending on who you listen to, (aspartame) is either a safe aid to weight loss and diabetes control or it is evil incarnate, a deadly poison that is devastating the health of consumers.” Read Dr Hall’s article and judge for yourself.
• Aspartame and its effects on health
The sweetener has been demonised unfairly in sections of the press and several websites. Professor Michael Lean and Dr Catherine Hankey, University of Glasgow.
• Alarm Over Aspartame
The Inappropriate and Unsubstantiated Alarm Over Aspartame – Dr David Squillacote, Senior Medical Advisor, Multiple Sclerosis Foundation.
• A Web of Deceit
Online advice from TIME health columnist Christine Gorman.
• Scare mongering – a disservice to us all
Betty Martini’s scare mongering does a disservice to us all
• Aspartame and the Internet
A letter appearing in the Lancet by Anthony Zehetner and Mark McLean
• Aspartame Safe
Examining the Safety of Aspartame by Ellen Guthrie of the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation