Dangers of Aspartame
In 1965 Aspartame was discovered accidentally by chemist James M. Schatter, who was attempting to develop a new treatment for stomach ulcers. The doctor licked a contaminated finger while flicking through the pages of his research and noticed the intense sweet taste. Originally proposed as an artificial sweetener in 1975, the FDA refused to approve the substance due to potential damage on brain and nerve cells based on the initial studies of neuroscientist Doctor John W. Olney.
In 1980 the PBOI (Public Board of Inquiry) for the FDA concluded that, even though there was not enough conclusive evidence of Aspartame causing brain cancer and other neurological conditions, the unanswered questions concerning the brain tumours of laboratory rats was enough to have the use of the chemical refused once more. It was to take a further three years before the FDA approved Aspartame to be used in dry foods, followed swiftly by an approval for its use in carbonated drinks, and finally in 1996 all restrictions were removed completely, allowing this dangerous substance to be added to everything we consume.
Although nearly 20 years had passed since the initial synthesis of Aspartame to it’s first FDA approval, no long-term study had been put in place to identify potential dangers for the human body. We ought to have learned a painful lesson after the deaths of so many innocents who had once been told that it was safe to work with Asbestos, but it seems that our habit to relive past mistakes over and over again is a difficult one to break. Are we completely incapable of learning from our experience?
What is curious and more than a little concerning, is why something that was deemed hazardous to health could later be classified as ‘safe for consumption’ with nothing more than the passing of time? What influential body had the motivation and ability to have the application of this dangerous chemical revisited by the PBOI, and were any of those members incentivised to approve of its use?
Make no mistake, Aspartame is by far the most dangerous substance added to our food today. This is not merely my opinion; it is a fact! As technology advances, the dangers concerning the consumption of this toxic sweetener become much clearer. More than 75 percent of all adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA are attributed to Aspartame. Many of these incidents include extremely severe reactions including seizures and death.
To list but a few of the 90 other different documented symptoms:
· Headaches / Migraines
· Dizziness
· Nausea
· Numbness
· Depression
· Anxiety Attacks
· Vision Problems
· Loss of Hearing
· Inability to Taste
· Heart Palpitations
· Tinnitus
· Tachycardia
· Insomnia
· Rashes
· Muscle Spasms
· Memory Loss
The list goes on and on. Worse still are the results of various experiments carried out by independent physicians who are currently studying the adverse effects of Aspartame. It is well documented that the following diseases are most certainly worsened by the ingestion of the chemical if not triggered by it:
· Brain Tumours
· Alzheimer’s
· Multiple Sclerosis
· Epilepsy
· Lymphoma
· Parkinson’s Disease
· Fibromyalgia
· Birth Defects
· Diabetes
In fact, there are almost 500 scientific references that prove that Aspartame in our food supply is the cause of serious chronic neurological disorders, as well as an entire spectrum of other debilitating symptoms.
Aspartame acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain. Ingesting excess amounts destroys neurons by allowing an influx of calcium into the brain-cells. This causes free-radicals, which kill the cells. Aspartate, the amino-acid released into the brain after the ingestion of Aspartame, is referred to as an ‘Excitotoxin’. They literally ‘excite’ or stimulate the neural cells to death.
Aspartate also flows through the plasma in our blood stream. The blood brain barrier (BBB) which would normally protect the brain from excess levels of Aspartate and Glutamate found in MSG becomes ineffective under such an onslaught.
This is much more dangerous for our children as their BBB is not fully developed. The high levels of Aspartate and Glutamate caused by digesting Aspartame destroy the neurons slowly over time. More than 75 percent of neurological cells of particular areas of the brain can be destroyed before any chronic symptoms begin to show, which is why long-term studies of such substances ought to be carried out before being introduced to our daily diet.
The danger of our children developing serious neurological conditions later in life is very real, yet many products such as confectionary, soft-drinks and fast-food that contain high-levels of Aspartame are targeted specifically toward young people. Another terrible irony is how Aspartame is marketed throughout the health-food industry as a preferred substitute for sugar. Our current consumption of sugar is certainly too high, and children in particular should be educated in the dangers of overindulgence, but simply replacing it with a synthetic toxic substance that inhibits and destroys the nerve centre of the human body is not the answer, and feeding it to our young is nothing short of criminal negligence.
©Written by Christopher Roper
