Aspartame and Disease: Could a Simple Sweetener Cause You Pain and Suffering?
Having a serious illness is bad enough, but knowing that aspartame can be the cause of diseases like lupus, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, and cancer is downright puzzling. In this article, we will discuss the claims against artificial sweeteners and the allegations that they are causing serious illness.
Let’s start with exactly what aspartame is, the common symptoms and illness said to be associated with its use, the relationship between aspartame and diet, and sweet, healthy alternatives.
What is aspartame?
Aspartame is a sugar substitute that was discovered in 1965. It is 200 times sweeter than natural sugar and is marketed as a product to aid in our never-ending quest to lose weight.
The chemical composition of aspartame
Aspartame contains 50% phenylalanine. According to the 1976 Grolier Encyclopedia, “Cancer cannot live without phenylalanine.”
Many advocates of aspartame claim that phenylalanine is an amino acid and is safe. However, this is true when amino acids work in the proper context and ratio with all other substances in the body. In this case, one amino acid dominates (as with regular consumption of aspartame) and the result is that the “seizure threshold in the body is lowered.”
Another 40% of aspartame is aspartic acid. This has been linked to the creation of lesions in the brains of mice and other laboratory animals that lead to brain tumors. This ingredient is also known to break down into a substance known as methanol, 10% wood alcohol by weight, plus formaldehyde, formic acid, and DKP or diketopiperazine (a brain tumor agent).
When aspartame reaches 85 degrees (or higher), it breaks down into the above components. Since our body temperature is 98.6 degrees on average, it takes about 10 minutes after ingestion to begin its toxic transformation.
Aspartame and disease
Many people believe that methanol toxicity creates symptoms similar to many dangerous diseases (see below) and have been misdiagnosed as a result of reactions to aspartame.
Nutrition Expert Dr. Janet Hull says, “As a nutritionist, more than ninety percent of my clients experience some type of health problem associated with aspartame: weight gain, hair loss, serious medical ailments, eating disorders, mental disorders and fatigue. “After eliminating its use, health for some has returned to normal. Dr. Hull states “Eight out of ten of my clients have health symptoms that go away when they stop using aspartame.”
The side effects of aspartame are indicative of your genetic individuality and physical weaknesses. It is important to identify what side effects (if any) the aspartame is creating within you. “Side effects can be immediate, occur gradually, or be acute reactions.
If you are an aspartame consumer who consumes large amounts of diet sodas, coffee with sweeteners, or regularly consumes foods made with this product, it may be an idea to consider a change in your dietary practices.
However, due to the amount of foods that now include aspartame, it is important to become an avid reader of food labels as well. NutraSweet, Equal, and Spoonful are common aspartame brands that you’ll want to consider in addition to “low calorie” and “diet” products.
Keep in mind that while many of the diseases associated with aspartame are not necessarily fatal, the toxicity of methanol is.
Aspartame has been linked to triggering or mimicking the following diseases:
- Epilepsy
- Multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Epstein-barr
- Post-polio syndrome
- Lyme’s desease
- Fibromyalgia
- Lupus
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Attention deficit disorder (ADD)
- Hypothyroidism
- Graves disease
- Meniere’s disease
- Alzheimer disease
- ALS
Aspartame and diet: how effective is it?
Although aspartame is marketed as a helpful weight loss product, according to the American Cancer Society, it can actually cause people to gain weight. Why? Because aspartame users often experience carbohydrate and sugar cravings, which then lead to excessive food consumption.
In addition to these heightened cravings, the chemically altered sodium (salt) is believed to be stored in the fat cells of the hips and thighs. Not exactly what diet seekers are looking for!
Common symptoms said to be related to aspartame:
Some other side effects that may be related to the use of aspartame that you should be aware of also include:
- Headaches / migraines
- Loss of balance
- Memory loss
- Dizziness
- Depression
- Anxiety and panic attacks
- Mood disorders
- Hearing impairment
- Tired
- Nausea vomiting
- Speech problems (difficulty speaking)
- Seizures
- Joint bread
- Muscle bread
- Chest pain
- Arrhythmia
- Menstrual complications
If you are an avid aspartame user and have noticed any of the problems or symptoms listed above, it may help to eliminate aspartame from your diet and work with a health expert to see if any of your symptoms show any improvement.
Since this product is not considered by many doctors to be a health hazard, working with an alternative health expert, such as a naturopath, can be beneficial in determining whether aspartame is a causal factor in your symptoms.
Here is a list of common foods to consider that may include aspartame:
Jellies and puddings, frozen foods, iced tea, Crystal Light, Kool Aid, cereals, baked goods, hot chocolate, dried fruit, gum, multivitamins (kids and adults), chewy aspirin, … and that’s just a few for beginners.
Remember, there are thousands of foods made with this product in our grocery stores, so consider taking a few more minutes and start keeping track of the foods you may want to avoid if you want to eliminate this chemical from your diet and be mindful of any changes. or health benefit.
Some sweet solutions for aspartame
If you want to sweeten your food, some of the more common healthy alternatives include: molasses, stevia, honey, evaporated cane juice, fruit juice, rice syrup, small amounts of licorice root, and barley malt.
There are also several good resources for additional products that you can easily access in addition to these items.
When in doubt … see how you feel
I am not a doctor or licensed health specialist. However, I myself have turned around a so-called “incurable” disease (Lupus) and I believe that we all have a personal responsibility for our own health and should not rely solely on doctors. Even within the medical community, it is common to see conflicting information about what we should or should not do when it comes to our health and what is safe.
There is currently a strong movement calling for natural and healthy alternatives to food, disease treatment and lifestyle choices that challenge the often inefficient and ineffective methods of the medical and pharmaceutical approach.
I hope you take it upon yourself to consider your own ‘Aspartame’ health test and see if you have any improvement in any unwanted physical conditions or symptoms that you may be experiencing in your own life. What matters most are the “results” that can affect your future health.