Aspartame: A Play by Life’s Closeup

Much of the controversy about sugar substitutes may have stemmed from the FDA 1970 decision to include a warning on the label of ‘saccharin’ prior to the discovery it caused bladder cancer in rats. Five years earlier, chemist James Schlatter while working on an ‘anti-ulcer’ drug accidentally spilled a powdery compound on a flask. Not until later when he licked his fingers to pick up a piece of paper did he noticed a strong, sweet taste. As he recalled the mishap he was briefly concerned but realizing amino acids are broken down by the body he felt safe. Only the discovery of a ‘dipeptide’ he called ‘aspartame’ was reported nothing about its sweet taste.

In 1974, the FDA approved the limited use of aspartame in dry goods for sweetening hot beverages, cereals and gums but NOT for baking use and carbonated drinks. At this time neuroscience researcher John W. Olney, Consumer Attorney James Turner and investigators of G. D Searle filed objections.

At this point, based on data I’ve collected documenting the results of research studies I would cite the adverse affects caused by aspartame but the most horrifying fact was that G. D Searle knew of the potential health risks before aspartame was marketed.

It was shortly after Searle investigators reported their discovery in the Journal of American Chemical Society; they began the sabotage of the FDA approval process. Their studies were abhorrent in the words of Sen. Edward Kennedy. The FDA wanted more competent toxicological testing. For example, in some cases Searle excised (surgically removed) resulting tumors from live animals they were testing. In another case during a 46-week hamster study, the FDA required the blood sample test results of specific animals to review 26-week values. Yet Searle drew blood @ 38 weeks from different animals because the specified animals were dead. It was found Searle edited reports of ‘consulting pathologists’, and often they left animals in the room during the twice a month exterminator sprayings. 1974 Searles’ stockholders jumped ship by filing a class action suit alleging Searle had concealed information from the public regarding the results of studies; a clear violation of the Securities and Exchange Act.

It’s difficult to surmise just what was happening in the U.S Attorney’s office to cause Heads of the that department such as Donald Rumsfeld, Samuel Skinner and William Conlon all moved to the Searle side. Rumsfeld was hired as President of Searle; Samuel Skinner who was urged to convene a Grand Jury to investigate the allegations against Searle withdrew from the case and went to work for Sidley & Austin Searles’ law firm. William Conlon, who became Skinner’s successor, allowed the statute of limitations on the aspartame charges run out. Fifteen months later he too went to work for Sidley & Austin. How powerful was aspartame? What was it they were covering up about the compound?

John W. Olney and James Turner saw the dangers of aspartic acid, that makes up 40% of aspartame combining it with glutamic acid, which makes up 99% of monosodium glutamate or MSG (already adulterating the food supply) would amplify the harmful effects of both.

In the researcher’s world of science these amino acids were termed to be ‘excitatory acids’. The information in his book “Excitoxins: The Taste That Kills” by Dr. Russell Blaylock professor of neurology at the Medical University of Mississippi details how these amino acids excite the brain to death. These two amino acids (combined or not) act as neurotransmitters of information from one neuron cell to another neuron cell. Too much in the brain causes a high influx of the calcium, which ‘turns things on’ in the brain. The brain works by these intermittent fluxes of calcium streaming in and out of nerve cells. Too much causes neurons to fire much too quickly, inundating the brain with serotonin and a multitude of ‘free radicals’. A good analogy of ‘free radicals’ would be to consider them like ‘mates’ looking for a partner, which in this case would be a protein or fat. So you can see how all this activity causes neuron overload and neuron cells ultimately die. The question of ‘how much is too much?’ remains unanswered until you look at the rate of consumption of since its introduction to the market and the recommended daily consumption. In 1981, aspartame was approved for use in dry goods, in 1984; it was approved for use in carbonated beverages. In 1984, that year 6,900,000 pounds were consumed. In 1985, 14,400,000 pounds. In 1986 15,700,000 pounds were consumed and in 1987 17,100,000 were consumed. After that the NutraSweet Company stopped providing consumption data to the USDA.

But….

Aspartic acid is but 40% of aspartame. Phenylalanine is 50% of the compound and very dangerous for people who suffer from Phenylketonuria or PKU, as they cannot metabolize phenylalanine. Ingesting phenylalanine along with carbohydrates that break down into sugar can lead to excessive amounts in the brain and often the levels are lethal. Even people who do not suffer from PKU have been shown to have excessive amounts in their brain. More importantly, aspartame has been shown to mimic diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Multiple Sclerosis.

What about the unaccounted for 10% of the ingredients you may ask.

Well, in an effort to support our troops during the Gulf War, several pallets of diet drinks were shipped overseas where they sat in the Arabian Desert under temperatures of 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Our thirsty service men and women were drinking these diet drinks by the gallons while Searle did their dog and pony shuffle with the FDA, U.S Attorney’s office, Public Boards of Inquiry and Special Task Forces; all appealing to them for competent, reliable study results. No one focused on the behavior of aspartame’s remaining 10% ingredient, methanol (a wood alcohol made from Birch bark). Reported by the EPA a deadly neurotoxin, methanol breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde when reaching 86 degrees F and above. For this reason the EPA recommends that only 7.8 mg.-consumed daily is safe. However, 1 liter (approximately 1 quart) contains 56 mgs of aspartame, with statistics revealing heavy drinkers of aspartame-sweetened products consume 250 mg a day.

Such is life on the ‘big stage’. Curtain-call jitters or too much aspartame? Following issues regarding alternative sweeteners will give you back your voice, allowing you to decide if you’d like to continue as a member of the ‘cast’ or decline the invitation and not attend altogether.