Excellent Historical Summary On Aspartame

[sigma6]

That the approval of aspartame was "the most contested in FDA history."

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/02/18/aspartame-toxic-effects.aspx?e_cid=20130218_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20130218

A complete article with History, Timeline, Companies responsible, list of side effects, a biochemical explanation, related articles... Decades worth of information all organized at your fingertips... Thanks to Dr Mercola...

[conk]

Someone should ask Coca Cola about the letters they sent to the FDA many years ago, prior to approval. They urged the FDA not to approve it and listed the reasons, which are still valid, for not doing so. Apparently it's in the Congressional Record according to Dr. Betty Martini, one of the world's leading proponents for the ban of Aspartame.

[AutumnW]

I've already read a lot of stuff about aspartame, so just gave the info provided in the initial post a cursory look. If the info there, already mentions Donald Rumsfeld's role in all of this, forgive the redundancy.

I had a horrendous reaction to the stuff in the early nineties, before much was known about the side effects. Thought I was going nuts. Nervous, agitated, just craziness....not psychotic, but whew...That stopped when I quit dieting. I attributed the craziness to rapid weight loss, but from what I have been reading in the last couple of decades, could have been the aspartame alone, or was a contributing factor.

I was consuming a fair amount, trying to get sugar out of my diet. I also think it is quite likely I lowered my cholesterol too much, and suffered other physical symptoms, because of that. That's a whole other thread, currently on the forums here.

From article:

"Ahh, The Plot Thickens…

If you read the link below from Gilead, you’ll discover Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was made the chairman of Gilead in 1997.

Since Rumsfeld holds major portions of stock in Gilead, he will handsomely profit from the scare tactics of the government that is being used to justify the purchase of $2 billion of Tamiflu."


TEXT OF 1997 PRESS RELEASE BY GILEAD SCIENCE INC

Donald H. Rumsfeld Named Chairman of Gilead Sciences

Foster City, CA, January 3, 1997 – Gilead Sciences Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) today announced that board member Donald H. Rumsfeld will assume the position of Chairman, effective immediately. Mr. Rumsfeld succeeds Michael L. Riordan, M.D., who founded Gilead in 1987 and has served as Chairman since 1993. Dr. Riordan will continue to serve as a director on the board.

“Gilead is fortunate to have had Don Rumsfeld as a stalwart board member since the company’s earliest days, and we are very pleased that he has accepted the Chairmanship,” Dr. Riordan said. “He has played an important role in helping to build and steer the company. His broad experience in leadership positions in both industry and government will serve us well as Gilead continues to build its commercial presence.”


http://www.globalresearch.ca/who-owns-the-rights-on-tamiflu-rumsfe

I have been reading up on this strange chapter in the history of Donald Rumsfeld and have learned two things. One, the chemical additive aspartame is very potentially a cancer and brain tumor-causing substance that has no place in our food. And two, the reasons and means by which Rumsfeld helped get it approved are nefarious at best, criminal at worst. And by the way, that medal that Rumsfeld got back in 2004 was the Presidential Medal of Freedom, also awarded to Tommy Franks, George Tenet and that charming warrior L. Paul Bremer. Evidently, "Freedom" means the right to use your powerful friends in Washington to approve your company's dangerous substance for human consumption and make a fat bonus on the way out the door. So how did aspartame become legal? And more importantly, if it had been rejected multiple times over fears of brain tumors and cancer, why?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robbie-gennet/donald-rumsfeld-and-the-s_b_805581.html

[ljwheat]

The memo that was sent to all air force bases by Donald Rumsfeld was the clincher for me, that no pilots are to drink any soda’s with aspartame 24 hours prior to flight missions. When he was secretary of defense.

[Snookie]

The memo that was sent to all air force bases by Donald Rumsfeld was the clincher for me, that no pilots are to drink any soda’s with aspartame 24 hours prior to flight missions. When he was secretary of defense.

OMG! I knew pilots were told not to drink it, but had no idea Rummy had actually sent a memo to the Air Force, which proves the B***Tard knew what the side effects were. I have also heard that most Dr's tell pregnant women not to drink it.

I used to work with a lady who was always tripping, and very clumsy she was always drinking diet Coke or Pepsi. I told her she should quit, and she looked at me like I was crazy. Dr Marini says that many people diagnosed with MS have their symptoms disappear when they quit consuming it.

[conk]

http://www.dorway.com

This site has the most comprehensive information on the full history, side effects, and politics of Aspartame. Full studies revealed major cancer and neuro issues with lab rats and chimps. Only excised versions were ever read by the approving authorities, and even then it took 13 years to obtain approval (in the dark of night. Ronnie Reagan paying back political favor to Donnie Rummie). The full version of the studies revealed heinous effects on animals. Sorry, sorry tale this one.

How to get involved: http://dorway.com/history-of-aspartame/why-hasnt-aspartame-been-banned/

[Ellisa]

The Coca=-Cola Beverage Institute for Health and Wellness!!!!! It sounds like something Monty Python would dream up on a bad day!!

However, in an interesting anecdote that happened in my family recently, a member had to enter an aged care facility. It provides excellent care and he is doing well- BUT... I discovered that because so many of the residents have diabetes (not my family member) the food is sweetened with artificial sweeteners. I was a bit unhappy at this, and especially as the staff seemed to feel it was much, much better to consume artificial chemical sweeteners than natural cane sugar.

After a bit of investigation I found that the sweetener used is Stevia, although it is more expensive, because aspartane had been found to cause too many adverse reactions! An interesting conclusion I thought. I still wish that his individual needs were being met but at least Stevia is a natural product (so I believe) and will not do him the harm that I think aspartane might.

[Daughter of Time]

I know a naturopath who told me of one of his patients who had MS. She'd been in a wheelchair for about a year and was getting worse. The naturopath was her last resort since no other doctor had helped.

The naturopath asked to know everything she ate and drank. She drank two to three litres of diet soda every day. He told her he feared the aspartame in diet soda would not be helpful for her condition and asked her to stop drinking her diet soda, as an experiment. That was the only change she made. No aspartame!

One month later she got up from the wheel chair and started to walk with the help of a cane and eventually the cane was gone too.

After no more diet soda, and no soda in general, plus an improvement in her diet, the woman is not only walking but running, back to work. MS gone!

[Sue (Ayt)]

New historical note added today, June 29, 2023 (finally, after so many years!)
Wonder if anything will come of it?


Reuters
Exclusive: WHO's cancer research agency to say aspartame sweetener a possible carcinogen -sources


LONDON, June 29 (Reuters) - One of the world's most common artificial sweeteners is set to be declared a possible carcinogen next month by a leading global health body, according to two sources with knowledge of the process, pitting it against the food industry and regulators.

Aspartame, used in products from Coca-Cola diet sodas to Mars' Extra chewing gum and some Snapple drinks, will be listed in July as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" for the first time by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the World Health Organization's (WHO) cancer research arm, the sources told Reuters.

The IARC ruling, finalised earlier this month after a meeting of the group's external experts, is intended to assess whether something is a potential hazard or not, based on all the published evidence.

It does not take into account how much of a product a person can safely consume. This advice for individuals comes from a separate WHO expert committee on food additives, known as JECFA (the Joint WHO and Food and Agriculture Organization's Expert Committee on Food Additives), alongside determinations from national regulators.

However, similar IARC rulings in the past for different substances have raised concerns among consumers about their use, led to lawsuits, and pressured manufacturers to recreate recipes and swap to alternatives. That has led to criticism that the IARC's assessments can be confusing to the public.

JECFA, the WHO committee on additives, is also reviewing aspartame use this year. Its meeting began at the end of June and it is due to announce its findings on the same day that the IARC makes public its decision – on July 14.
The IARC ruling, finalised earlier this month after a meeting of the group's external experts, is intended to assess whether something is a potential hazard or not, based on all the published evidence.

It does not take into account how much of a product a person can safely consume. This advice for individuals comes from a separate WHO expert committee on food additives, known as JECFA (the Joint WHO and Food and Agriculture Organization's Expert Committee on Food Additives), alongside determinations from national regulators.

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/whos-cancer-research-agency-say-aspartame-sweetener-possible-carcinogen-sources-2023-06-29/
--------
World Health Organization to declare aspartame, the sweetener in Diet Coke, a possible carcinogen

Aspartame, one of the world’s most popular artificial sweeteners, is expected to be labeled a possible carcinogen by the cancer research arm of the World Health Organization (WHO), a move that could shake the food and beverage industry to its core.
<snip>
Industry backlash

Word of the pending declaration had put the food industry on the defensive. Coca-Cola did not immediately respond to Fortune’s request for comment, but the International Sweeteners Association—which counts PepsiCo and Skittles maker Mars Wrigley among its members—said it has “serious concerns with preliminary speculation about the IARC opinion.”
more
https://fortune.com/well/2023/06/29/world-health-organization-aspartame-possible-carcinogen/

(Lots of mainstream news articles and tv news coverage about this today)

[Flash]

When aspartame came out, years and years ago, my sister who was a young dietician/nutritionist almost fresh out university told me never to consume this. The reason was that the molecule separate in the stomach acid and split into two molecule, aspartic acid and phenylalanine, one of which is excessively toxic..

But more, Aspartame is made up of three chemicals: the amino acids aspartic acid and phenylalanine, and methanol. The chemical bond that holds these constituents together is fairly weak. As a result, aspartame readily breaks down into its component parts in a variety of circumstances: in liquids; during prolonged storage; when exposed to heat in excess of 86° Fahrenheit (30° centigrade); and when ingested. These constituents further break down into other toxic by-products, namely formaldehyde, formic acid and aspartylphenylalanine diketopiperazine (DKP).https://theecologist.org/2005/aug/09/aspartames-toxic-contents

Formaldehyde guys, the things you put dead lab animal in when working in labs, to keep them forever. Can you imagine what it does to the body?

Brain dysfunction in phenylketonuria (PKU): Is phenylalanine
toxicity the only possible cause?https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dirk-Jan-Reijngoud/publication/23975239_Brain_dysfunction_in_phenylketonuria_Is_phenylalanine_toxicity_the_only_possible_cause/links/09e41506d8289d3ada000000/Brain-dysfunction-in-phenylketonuria-Is-phenylalanine-toxicity-the-only-possible-cause.pdf#page=103.

Phenylalanine can cause intellectual disabilities, brain damage, seizures and other problems in people with PKU . Phenylalanine occurs naturally in many protein-rich foods, such as milk, eggs and meat. Phenylalanine is also sold as a dietary supplement.https://middlesexhealth.org/learning-center/qanda/phenylalanine-in-diet-soda-is-it-harmful#:~:text=Phenylalanine%20can%20cause%20intellectual%20disabilities,sold%20as%20a%20dietary%20 supplement.

[Pam]

When aspartame came out, years and years ago, my sister who was a young dietician/nutritionist almost fresh out university told me never to consume this. The reason was that the molecule separate in the stomach acid and split into two molecule, aspartic acid and phenylalanine, one of which is excessively toxic..

But more, Aspartame is made up of three chemicals: the amino acids aspartic acid and phenylalanine, and methanol. The chemical bond that holds these constituents together is fairly weak. As a result, aspartame readily breaks down into its component parts in a variety of circumstances: in liquids; during prolonged storage; when exposed to heat in excess of 86° Fahrenheit (30° centigrade); and when ingested. These constituents further break down into other toxic by-products, namely formaldehyde, formic acid and aspartylphenylalanine diketopiperazine (DKP).https://theecologist.org/2005/aug/09/aspartames-toxic-contents

Formaldehyde guys, the things you put dead lab animal in when working in labs, to keep them forever. Can you imagine what it does to the body?

Brain dysfunction in phenylketonuria (PKU): Is phenylalanine
toxicity the only possible cause?https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dirk-Jan-Reijngoud/publication/23975239_Brain_dysfunction_in_phenylketonuria_Is_phenylalanine_toxicity_the_only_possible_cause/links/09e41506d8289d3ada000000/Brain-dysfunction-in-phenylketonuria-Is-phenylalanine-toxicity-the-only-possible-cause.pdf#page=103.

Phenylalanine can cause intellectual disabilities, brain damage, seizures and other problems in people with PKU . Phenylalanine occurs naturally in many protein-rich foods, such as milk, eggs and meat. Phenylalanine is also sold as a dietary supplement.https://middlesexhealth.org/learning-center/qanda/phenylalanine-in-diet-soda-is-it-harmful#:~:text=Phenylalanine%20can%20cause%20intellectual%20disabilities,sold%20as%20a%20dietary%20 supplement.

This is really interesting. I remember looking at the label ages ago and believing that it was simply phenylanine which I understood to be an amino acid and it happened to be sweet,so it seemed like a good alternative. So I did ingest that stuff for a number of years, I was much more trusting at the time. I look at my history of depression and anxiety and it's pretty clear my body could not handle the toxins. Hindsight is 20/20.

[Sue (Ayt)]

This article is very extensive, and includes many links to studies on each effect listed below.

Aspartame: Decades of science point to serious health risks
Posted: June 29, 2023 by Stacy Malkan

Key facts about aspartame
Dozens of studies have linked the popular artificial sweetener aspartame to serious health problems, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, seizures, stroke and dementia, as well as negative effects such as intestinal dysbiosis, mood disorders, headaches and migraines.

Aspartame studies point to serious health risks
While many studies, some of them industry sponsored, have reported no problems with aspartame, dozens of independent studies conducted over decades have linked aspartame to a long list of health problems, including:

<long article on the subject at link>

Cancer
Brain Tumors
Cardiovascular disease
Stroke, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
Seizures
Neurotoxicity, brain damage and mood disorders
Headaches and migraines
Kidney function decline
Diabetes and metabolic derangement
Intestinal dysbiosis, metabolic derangement and obesity
Pregnancy abnormalities: Pre-term birth
Overweight babies
Early menarche
Sperm damage
Liver damage and glutathione depletion
Anxiety

Full article here:
https://usrtk.org/sweeteners/aspartame_health_risks/#:~:text=Dozens%20of%20studies%20have%20linked,mood%20disorders%2C%20headaches%20and%20migraines.