| I am often asked by pregnant women if the | | | | prevents unwanted chemicals from entering the |
| artificial sugar Aspartame is safe for them and | | | | deepest recesses of the brain) is not yet |
| their developing babies. Postnatal mothers also ask | | | | completely formed. Because a fetus' and infant's |
| me if it is safe for them to drink aspartame | | | | blood brain barrier is not yet formed, dangerous |
| sweetened diet drinks for postpartum weight loss. | | | | excitotoxins, such as the aspartic acid and |
| My answer to both questions is an emphatic "No!" | | | | phenylalanine contained in aspartame, are given |
| Here's why: | | | | free access to the child's nervous system. |
| Aspartame is sold as NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, | | | | Additionally, the concentrating effects of the |
| and Equal-Measure. These artificial sweeteners are | | | | placenta are able to magnify the levels of |
| all aspartame, just with different names. | | | | phenylalanine in the blood by as much as |
| Neuroscientist, Dr. Russell Blaylock discusses in his | | | | 400%-600% in a fetus! |
| book "Excitotoxins" that there are several toxic | | | | Fetal phenylalanine has the potential to reach |
| breakdown chemicals from these aspartame | | | | levels that kill cells in tissue culture. It has been |
| products that make them dangerous for a | | | | determined that infants are four times more |
| developing fetus but also for mothers. | | | | sensitive to excitotoxins than adults. During the |
| The major concerns about pregnant women | | | | first year of life, irreversible brain damage can |
| ingesting aspartame during pregnancy are birth | | | | occur through agents contained in breast milk. |
| defects and damage to certain areas of the brain. | | | | Despite this, the American Dietetic Association still |
| This potential brain damage includes the parts of | | | | recommends aspartame for pregnant and nursing |
| the brain involved in complex learning and | | | | women! |
| hormone control. | | | | Brain Damage and Seizures |
| Aspartame Disease | | | | Brain damage from aspartame ingestion is |
| Since the FDA gave this Aspartame it's | | | | believed to occur through flooding the brain with |
| ‘blessing' in 1981, aspartame has accounted | | | | large amounts of phenylalanine, disturbing the |
| for more than 75 percent of all complaints | | | | balance of neurotransmitters, and |
| reported to the FDA's Adverse Reaction | | | | methanol-induced brain swelling. Aspartic acid is a |
| Monitoring System! | | | | neuro-excitatory toxin present in damaging |
| Aspartame disease refers to a constellation of | | | | amounts even at the accepted daily intake for |
| symptoms attributed to the use of products | | | | aspartame. |
| containing aspartame. Out of the over 90 | | | | Formaldehyde, which is derived from methanol, |
| documented symptoms, the most common | | | | accumulates in certain areas of the brain that |
| occurrences include: | | | | correspond to the neurodegenerative symptoms |
| • Headaches/Migraines | | | | of Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and ALS (Lou Gehrig's |
| • Dizziness | | | | Disease). These conditions are all associated with |
| • Mental Confusion | | | | free radical injury, a proven effect of the |
| • Slurred Speech | | | | excitotoxins phenylalanine and aspartic acid. |
| • Ringing in the ears | | | | Recent studies have established that aspartame |
| • Nausea | | | | has seizure-promoting activity in animals. It is |
| • Numbness | | | | believed that aspartame can increase seizure |
| The Three Chemical Components of Aspartame | | | | frequency among epileptics and even initiate |
| | | | | seizures in susceptible individuals with no prior |
| Aspartame has three chemical components: | | | | history of seizures. |
| (1) Phenylalanine (50 percent) | | | | Depression and Anxiety |
| (2) Aspartic acid (40 percent) | | | | Excitatory neurotransmitters use up excessive |
| (3) Methanol, also called wood alcohol, (10 percent). | | | | amounts of the relaxing, antidepressant |
| Those in support of this very popular artificial | | | | neurotransmitters serotonin and GABA. This can |
| sweetener (including the FDA and its patent | | | | lead to postpartum depression, postpartum |
| owner Monsanto who has aspartame yearly sales | | | | anxiety disorder, and insomnia. |
| over $1 billion), state that the two primary amino | | | | Aspartame Research Ignored |
| acids, which comprise 90 percent of aspartame | | | | For over eight years, the FDA refused to |
| by weight, are a harmless and natural part of our | | | | approve aspartame because it was known to |
| diet. | | | | produce seizures and brain tumors in laboratory |
| They insist phenylalanine is a harmless amino acid | | | | animals. |
| precursor to the neurotransmitters adrenaline, | | | | Searle Pharmaceuticals was the original developer |
| nor-adrenaline, and dopamine and that aspartic | | | | of Aspartame. One pivotal study by Searle's |
| acid is a naturally occurring neurotransmitter, | | | | researchers, known as the "Waisman Study," |
| which is already present in the human central | | | | initially indicated that ingestion of Aspartame |
| nervous system. This is only a partial truth. | | | | caused convulsions and death in monkeys. |
| Phenylalanine and aspartic acid are amino acids | | | | However, official conclusions could not be reached |
| that are normally supplied by the foods we eat; | | | | because the study was never completed. Searle |
| however, they can only be considered natural and | | | | blamed limitations in adequately skilled laboratory |
| harmless when consumed in combination with the | | | | personnel for their decision to terminate the |
| other amino acids in foods. On their own, they | | | | study. By Searle's own acknowledgement, his |
| enter the central nervous system in abnormally | | | | team lacked competent research staff. Two FDA |
| high concentrations, causing excessive firing of | | | | investigative task forces presented scathing |
| nerve cells and potential nerve cell death. The | | | | reports on the quality of the company's research |
| toxic effects of these amino acids, when | | | | and in 1976, the FDA's general counsel requested |
| consumed in excessive isolated amounts, can be | | | | a federal grand jury investigation of the company. |
| linked to a very long list of serious side effects | | | | For reasons unknown, the investigation was never |
| and symptoms. | | | | undertaken. |
| Very worrisome is the 10 percent of aspartame | | | | Initially, even the National Soft Drink Association |
| that is absorbed into the bloodstream as methanol | | | | (NSDA) rallied against the use of Aspartame. An |
| (wood alcohol). The Environmental Protection | | | | excerpt of a protest submitted for congressional |
| Agency (EPA) defines safe consumption as no | | | | review in 1983 reads: |
| more than 7.8 milligrams per day of this | | | | "Of approximately 100 independent studies |
| dangerous substance. A one-liter beverage, | | | | conducted on aspartame, over 90 percent have |
| sweetened with aspartame, contains about 56 | | | | demonstrated significant health risks. Why hasn't |
| milligrams of wood alcohol, or eight times the EPA | | | | aspartame been banned? In 1996, ignoring the |
| limit! | | | | fact that aspartame breaks down faster when |
| Even Scarier Breakdown Chemicals | | | | heated above 86 degrees Fahrenheit, the FDA |
| Aspartame's breakdown products are even | | | | decided to remove any remaining limitations on its |
| scarier than its components. Phenylalanine | | | | use. Presently, there are thousands of companies |
| decomposes into diketopiperazine (DKP) a known | | | | using aspartame in diet sodas, powdered drinks, |
| carcinogen, when exposed to warm temperatures | | | | gelatin, tea, coffee, cocoa, juices, frozen desserts |
| or prolonged storage. | | | | and even medications. This translates to billions of |
| To make matters even worse, at cold | | | | dollars of profits worldwide. Unfortunately, this is |
| temperatures, methanol will spontaneously give | | | | more than enough to provide agency officials with |
| rise to a colorless toxin known as formaldehyde. | | | | lucrative future employment, politicians with |
| Independent studies have shown formaldehyde | | | | campaign funds, non-profit foundations with |
| formation resulting from aspartame ingestion to | | | | endowments, scientists with research grants and |
| be extremely common. It accumulates within the | | | | the media with millions in advertising dollars." |
| cells, and reacts with cellular proteins such as | | | | Even now, FDA officials continue to resist the |
| enzymes and DNA. This cumulative reaction could | | | | many proposals from concerned scientists, |
| spell grave consequences for those who consume | | | | physicians and other groups for comprehensive |
| aspartame-laden diet drinks and foods on a daily | | | | studies regarding the safety of aspartame. |
| basis. | | | | My Final Recommendation |
| DKP has been implicated in the occurrence of | | | | This is why I recommend all pregnant and |
| brain tumors. It is proven that DKP is formed in | | | | postpartum women avoid all food and drink that |
| liquid aspartame containing products during | | | | contains Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, |
| prolonged storage. | | | | and Equal-Measure). |
| Dangers for Fetuses and Newborns | | | | In fact, I recommend that all people avoid this |
| Before birth and during the first 12 months of | | | | unsafe chemical. The dangers of the artificial |
| infant life, the blood-brain barrier (a barrier that | | | | sweetener aspartame are far from sweet! |