Diet Soda Danger (Aspertame alert)

[angelgodiva]

Here is some interesting (and frightening) information regarding aspertame (Nutrasweet) and how it may be related to depression and other psychological disorders. This really scared the socks off of me!
It would seem that the truth about aspartame's toxicity is far different than what the NutraSweet Company would have you believe. In February of 1994, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released the listing of adverse reactions reported to the FDA, and aspartame accounted for more than 75% of all adverse reactions reported to the FDA's Adverse Reaction Monitoring System. Many reactions to aspartame were very serious-- including seizures and death!
It can take up to sixty days without any aspartame or NutraSweet to see a significant improvement if you have been adversely affected by the chemical. Since it may be hidden in many foods you would never suspect, make sure you check all labels very carefully (including vitamins and pharmaceuticals). Look for the word aspartame on the label and avoid it. It's also a good idea to avoid acesulfame-k. Finally, avoid getting nutrition information from organizations that accept large sums of money from the junk and chemical food industry such as the American Dietetic Association.

What sort of symptoms can be caused by aspertame toxicity? A lot more than you would think, believe me. Here are a few examples--
panic attacks, seizures and convulsions, dizziness, tremors,severe headaches, memory loss, depression, insomnia, irritability, personality changes,phobias, ADD & ADHD.

I was shocked when I found out that this stuff could be so toxic, especially because I drink a lot of diet soda myself.
I personally do not suffer from any sort of depression or other serious mental health issues, but if I did, I would really try cutting down severely on aspertame and seeing if that helped ease my symptoms at all. Remember, it takes a while to realize any improvement, so stick with it!

[EllisDTripp]

While a small percentage of the population may have serious adverse reactions to just about any food product, aspartame is probably the single most studied food additive in history, and to date, no reliable evidence has been found to classify it as a general toxin.

For some reason, aspartame has been blamed for causing everything from cancer to multiple sclerosis to lupus to Gulf War syndrome, but there are no scientific studies that confirm any of these claims.

More info:

http://www.truthminers.com/truth/aspartame.htm

http://www.snopes.com/toxins/aspartame.asp

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/blasp.htm

http://www.nurseweek.com/features/99-4/myths.html

http://www.quackwatch.org/04ConsumerEducation/QA/aspartame.html

and links from the above pages....


While some people may have adverse reactions to this stuff, the same could be said of many other foods. Traces of peanut proteins can send susceptible persons into anaphalactic shock, but this doesn't make peanut butter a dangerous substance for the vast majority of people to consume.

Personally, I hate aspartame and most other artificial sweeteners, simply because they taste like crap. :)

[angelgodiva]

Thanks for setting the record straight, Ellis. That was one of the scariest things I had heard recently, because as I said I drink diet soda all the time. You're right, it's not the greatest tasting stuff in the world, but it's pretty good when the alternative is the stuff with sugar in it.

[MamaTheLama]

in psychology class the prof said that there is a mental condition that is made worse by nutrasweet.
Of course with my certifyably bad memory, I don't know what the condition's name is *shrug*, next time I hear it in class I'll write it down.

[EllisDTripp]

Interesting.

The only condition I had heard about being a problem is a relatively rare genetic condition called phenylketonuria, or PKU. This is a metabolic condition, which interferes with the metabolism of the amino acid phenylalanine. Aspartame-containing products carry a warning on the label for people with this condition.

[MamaTheLama]

Yep, that was it, PKU.

They have memory problems, etc if they ingest the stuff.
I've been having such major memory problems lately, especially with having to cram for exams all the time, that I quit chewing my sugarfree gum after hearing about PKU in class.
So far my memory still sucks.

[EllisDTripp]

I've been having such major memory problems lately, especially with having to cram for exams all the time, that I quit chewing my sugarfree gum after hearing about PKU in class.

If you had PKU, you would definitely know about it by now.

It is one of the conditions routinely tested for immediately after birth, because, if untreated, it can result in irreversible brain damage, mental retardation, and death. If you had it, you would be living on a very restricted diet, and have to pay close attention to EVERYTHING you ate to avoid foods containing phenylalanine. Diet soda is just ONE of thousands of foods you would need to avoid.

It is a genetic condition present from birth, not something that develops later in life.

[angelgodiva]

Yes, I remember my kids getting the PKU test...it was a blood test done by pricking the baby's foot and applying it to a specially treated paper, as I recall.

[teepi]

I occasionally spout off about my weight lose (over 100 lbs) on threads here.

I have avoided aspertame because i have read and heard about both sides of the coin.
I use only sucralose for sweetening purposes. Trademark *Splenda.
Diet rite cola uses it in their drinks, also save-a-lot stores cheap soda's are sweetened with it...I hate diet soda's, this is the only stuff I can stomach in a diet soda.

I also cook with it, as it is a derivative of actual sugar, sucrose, it bakes absolutely beautifully in muffins, cakes, breads, cookies...etc.
I buy it in large bags at wal-mart.

While relatively new in the US it has been sold in Canada for over 20 years and tested extensivly, with no problems showing up.

It comes in at 24 calories per cup versus 770 calories per cup of sugar.
It comes from sugar but by tweeking it, is not digested the same, thus causing no spikes in blood sugar...highs then crashing lows.
Also does not spark sugar cravings.

I continue to lose weight and am eating very healthy.
teepi

[~Sam~]

And there's always the exception to the rule...

People with Hepatitis C, also having a blood dyscrasia called; Cryoglobulinemia (a gamma globulin in the blood that sticks and gloms in the small, peripheral blood vessels when a person is exposed to the cold), have been helped by talking one serving of Aspartame/Day.

Drinking bottled water sweatened with Aspartame has helped me for years with this painful condition. It seems to limit the progress of Hep C also.

[Moonjava]

interesting.... i drink diet soda a lot and i suffer from panic attacks. If it is true that Nutrasweet can cause this malfunction, do you think it would stop if I stopped drinking the Diet Cokes?

[Moonjava]

And there's always the exception to the rule...

People with Hepatitis C, also having a blood dyscrasia called; Cryoglobulinemia (a gamma globulin in the blood that sticks and gloms in the small, peripheral blood vessels when a person is exposed to the cold), have been helped by talking one serving of Aspartame/Day.

Drinking bottled water sweatened with Aspartame has helped me for years with this painful condition. It seems to limit the progress of Hep C also.
Wow! I know someone who has had hep C for almost 11 years! Do you have anymore info. about this because I'd really like to tell her about it! Peace!

[MamaTheLama]

interesting.... i drink diet soda a lot and i suffer from panic attacks. If it is true that Nutrasweet can cause this malfunction, do you think it would stop if I stopped drinking the Diet Cokes?
There's no harm in trying.

I used to suffer from panic attacks for eons until one day *poof* they were gone (for the most part) and I still have no idea what caused them to stop.

[~Sam~]

Wow! I know someone who has had hep C for almost 11 years! Do you have anymore info. about this because I'd really like to tell her about it! Peace!Yes... here are a couple of links:
http://websearch.cs.com/cs/boomframe.jsp?query=aspartame+and+cryoglobulinemia&page=1&offset=0&result_url=redir%3Fsrc%3Dwebsearch%26requestId%3D9 32a0c2e6b149a27%26clickedItemRank%3D2%26userQuery% 3Daspartame%2Band%2Bcryoglobulinemia%26clickedItem URN%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fdynamics.org%252Fcryo%252 F%26invocationType%3D-%26fromPage%3DCSroll%26amp%3BampTest%3D1&remove_url=http%3A%2F%2Fdynamics.org%2Fcryo%2F

http://websearch.cs.com/cs/boomframe.jsp?query=aspartame+and+cryoglobulinemia&page=1&offset=0&result_url=redir%3Fsrc%3Dwebsearch%26requestId%3D9 32a0c2e6b149a27%26clickedItemRank%3D1%26userQuery% 3Daspartame%2Band%2Bcryoglobulinemia%26clickedItem URN%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fdynamics.org%252F%257Ealt enber%252Fcryo%252FASPARTAME%252F%26invocationType %3D-%26fromPage%3DCSroll%26amp%3BampTest%3D1&remove_url=http%3A%2F%2Fdynamics.org%2F%7Ealtenber %2Fcryo%2FASPARTAME%2F

And if your friend wants to talk with me, I'd be more than glad to talk.

[pphuckoff]

That is odd, my father is diabetic and the doctor told him that he cannot use Splenda because when it is metabolized it is the exact thing as sugar. He also told him not to put lemon in his water because it is like adding straight sugar to it, but I personally think his doctor is a quack.



I occasionally spout off about my weight lose (over 100 lbs) on threads here.

I have avoided aspertame because i have read and heard about both sides of the coin.
I use only sucralose for sweetening purposes. Trademark *Splenda.
Diet rite cola uses it in their drinks, also save-a-lot stores cheap soda's are sweetened with it...I hate diet soda's, this is the only stuff I can stomach in a diet soda.

I also cook with it, as it is a derivative of actual sugar, sucrose, it bakes absolutely beautifully in muffins, cakes, breads, cookies...etc.
I buy it in large bags at wal-mart.

While relatively new in the US it has been sold in Canada for over 20 years and tested extensivly, with no problems showing up.

It comes in at 24 calories per cup versus 770 calories per cup of sugar.
It comes from sugar but by tweeking it, is not digested the same, thus causing no spikes in blood sugar...highs then crashing lows.
Also does not spark sugar cravings.

I continue to lose weight and am eating very healthy.
teepi

[teepi]

I have done a bit of research on splenda as I was a borderline diabetic at my highest weight.

If it were metabolised as sugar is what would be the point in even manufactureing it???
It is digested differently, thus it is being used more and more in many products.

Here are some commonly aked questions about it and the answers
Home (http://www.marlenekoch.com/index.html) • The Books (http://www.marlenekoch.com/book/index.htm) • The Author (http://www.marlenekoch.com/author/index.htm) • Splenda (http://www.marlenekoch.com/splenda/index.htm) • Reviews (http://www.marlenekoch.com/reviews/index.htm) • Newsroom (http://www.marlenekoch.com/newsroom/index.htm) • FAQs (http://www.marlenekoch.com/faqs/index.htm) • Ordering (http://www.marlenekoch.com/ordering/index.htm)


http://www.marlenekoch.com/images/topbar5.jpghttp://www.marlenekoch.com/images/titlefaqs.gif

SPLENDA®

Q:What is SPLENDA®?

A: SPLENDA® or sucralose, is the only no calorie sweetener made from sugar. It tastes like sugar, with no unpleasant aftertaste. It can be used virtually anywhere sugar is used, including cooking and baking. The granular form found in grocery stores measures and pours just like sugar.

Q:Is it safe?

A: Yes, in fact over 100 studies have been done in the last 20 years to confirm this. SPLENDA is approved by the FDA for use for everyone, including pregnant women and children, and carries no warning labels. It has also has been recognized as a safer alternative to other non-nutritive sweeteners by many health authorities including the Center for Science in the Public Interest and Holistic Health Specialist Dr. Andrew Weil. Sucralose can even be found in products made for sick children.

Q: What about side effects?

A: There are no documented side effects. This includes headaches, allergies, or gastrointestinal disturbances (such as diarrhea) reported, as with other food substitutes.


Q. How is sucralose different from the other no-cal sweeteners like aspartame and saccharin?

A:First, sucralose has a great safety profile. Second, because it is made from sugar, it actually tastes like sugar without any aftertaste. And last, because it does not break down under heat, sucralose is able to be used to create wonderful traditional baked goods!


Q: How is SPLENDA® handled by the body?

A: SPLENDA® (sucralose) is made from sugar, however, the body does not recognize it as sugar or a carbohydrate. This means it is not metabolized (broken down or digested) by the body.

Q. Will sucralose effect my blood sugar ?

A: Unlike other "-oses", sucrose, dextrose, glucose and even fructose, sucralose does not create and insulin response, raise blood sugar or effect triglycerides. This makes Splenda a perfect choice for people with hypoglycemia, diabetes or heart disease as well as anyone simply wanting to regulate their blood sugar for other health or weight concerns.

And here is one of many websites.......
http://www.marlenekoch.com/faqs/splenda.htm

Maybe your dad can make a copy of some of the many articles dealing with this and show his doctor a thing or two...or switch doctors, and get one who is more hip as to what is avalable now.

hope this has helped,
teepi

[hippietoad]

I had been getting headaches. Talked to my Mother abt them and she asked had I changed anything in my diet as far as drinks, etc. I had been drinking Crystal Light Lemonade for abt a month. She said look for the ingredient aspartme in it. Sure enough there it was. She told me it had been known to cause headaches. I stopped drinking it. The headaches ceased.

[nimh]

http://www.mercola.com/2004/jul/24/sweet_misery.htm

this link is to an article about a movie that someone made regarding aspertame. i'd also be very wary of splenda--they take sugar molecules and add chlorine to them. i try to avoid extra chlorine, and i'm actually lucky enough to live in an area with incredibly clean water that usually isnt chlorinated. Stevia is the only non-sugar sweetener that i use (it's in my green tea). as it is, i avoid the frankensweeteners. if it's not naturally occuring, i dont want it in my body. But, then again, i'm a freak like that. LOL


(ps, i also avoid sugar, and honey, and refined starches and a lot of foods that act just like sugar in the body, and i still find lots of yummy and satisfying things to eat and drink. http://www.hipforums.com/forums/images/smilies/wink.gif hello, my name is nimh and i am a recovering sugar addict. )



http://www.price-pottenger.org/new_books/Crazy%20Makers_C.jpg (http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1585421049/ref=sib_dp_pt/103-2034158-3944662#reader-link)

^^clicka the pic-a for a book that will scare you into eating only real foods! http://www.hipforums.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif

[kidswillbeskeletons]

completely amazing to me that you have the opportunity to eat all non processed foods and complete "real " foods. i'd love the opportunity as i am not as fortunate as you are. here in america well atleast in my hometown its not that easy. see here, you go to what they call a supermarket and buy food because we cant buy organics because its too expensive! perhaps you have some wonderful ideas to share that could help others on this fantastic quest to seek health and happiness ?
i would love to be as organic as you are. gee, i dream of a day where i am so pure and clean. when i do not eat shite and cow for dinner. but that is all i can hope for

[MamaTheLama]

here in america well atleast in my hometown its not that easy. see here, you go to what they call a supermarket and buy food

LMAO!
I believe they still sell seeds in those grocery stores, even Walmart.
Dwarf fruit trees can be grown indoors if taken care of (trees start at about $7 at Walmart) , veggies can grow in buckets in the windows in the ghetto or in the ground even in a postage stamp sized yard. Larger areas can be used to grow orchards, beans, spices, veggies,potatoes, grain......etc etc etc.

Legumes (beans) can be bought in bulk for cheap, as can long grain rice.

If ya don't want to eat Bessy the cow there are ways around it, even in middle America (personally I think Bessy is goooood stuff, but that's just me).

Me, I grow my garden, buy my meats and grains in bulk every few months, and hit up the mega store for yogurt and bread 'cause I'm just too lazy to make them......
and my food budget is oh...... about the same as living on nothing but ramen noodles, store brand spaghettios and generic soda pop.


And now that I'm done sounding like a friggin commercial for SprawlMart...

Peace.

[kidswillbeskeletons]

i'll have to check for those trees next time i go to the store. ive never seen any. maybe i'm not looking hard enough. thanks for the ideas though.
:)