Why is ASPARTAME bad?

[msanjelpie]

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener made up of two amino acids, phenylalanine and aspartic acid, and an alcohol, methanol.

The fact that aspartame is digested by your body is what makes it so controversial. After you eat or drink an aspartame-sweetened product, aspartame breaks down into its starting components: phenylalanine, aspartate, and methanol.

Methanol itself is not harmful, but enzymes in your liver break it down into two compounds. Methanol breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde in the body.

The big debate is whether there's enough of these toxins produced from the methanol in aspartame to damage your body.

Aspartame is approximately 40 percent by weight aspartic acid. Aspartic acid acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system.

Some claim that aspartame hypes the hormonal system causing hunger, anxiety and insomnia.

DKP is formed in liquid aspartame-containing products during prolonged storage. It is recommended to not drink sodas that have expired.

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OK, the above facts about aspartame are interesting. The FDA, CDC etc... claim that we do not ingest enough aspartame to cause all of the negative side effects acclaimed to aspartame. To be on the safe side, Dr Atkins said it is best to avoid aspartame.

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So what do you think? What has your research taught you?

[Sherri]

Re: Why is ASPARTAME bad?

So what do you think? What has your research taught you?

It's taught me to stay way, way, away from it!
The FDA, CDC..... are going to lie to us so they don't feel responsible for the many diseases, illnesses and deaths that aspartame has caused people.
Here's something else to read-
Link to: APARTAME---the shockingstory of the world's best selling sweetner "The Ecologist by Pat Thomas
http://www.wnho.net/the_ecologist_aspartame_report.htm

[msanjelpie]

Re: Why is ASPARTAME bad?

OK, so we know some of the facts about what aspartame does inside of our body, and we have a great website above with all the typical aspartame dogma listed...

If you have partaken of aspartame in your lifetime, what effect did you notice that it had on you?

[msanjelpie]

Re: Why is ASPARTAME bad?

I guess it hasn't effected anyone here negatively... ??

[Chihuahua Luvin Gurl]

Re: Why is ASPARTAME bad?

I haven't had ANY artificial sweeteners, including Aspartame (from my Diet Pepsi) in 4 weeks this Sunday! I feel much better! I suffer from anxiety attacks and horrible insomnia, however since giving up my sweeteners, my anxiety for the most part is gone and my insomnia is getting much better! Could be also because I've drastically lowered the carb amount I've been used to for years. I do feel MUCH better when eating this way!

[jessicalynnmn]

Re: Why is ASPARTAME bad?

I use to get horrible headaches if I didn't have a Diet Pepsi before about noon. It was the aspartame withdraw that was giving me headaches if I didn't have any. When I finally stopped it took me about 24 hours for my head to finally stop hurting. Now it's been about 3 years with no Aspartame at all. I never get headaches.

I once hit the wrong button on the pop machines and got a diet sprint and drank about half of it and ended up with a headache again. I know its from aspartame.

[JohnSantos]

Re: Why is ASPARTAME bad?

I feel much better! I suffer from anxiety attacks and horrible insomnia, however since giving up my sweeteners, my anxiety for the most part is gone and my insomnia is getting much better!

That's great to hear! I trust you got some more food other than that ham?

[Chihuahua Luvin Gurl]

Re: Why is ASPARTAME bad?

LOL not yet, still eating that darn ham and eggs, but I will have a whole variety starting tomorrow morning! I will be ON Atkins all the way!

[Sherri]

Re: Why is ASPARTAME bad?

OK, so we know some of the facts about what aspartame does inside of our body, and we have a great website above with all the typical aspartame dogma listed...

Dogma? Those are fact in that report, not someones opinion or beliefs. Nothing typical about that.
Just like there are health warnings on tobacco, there's health warnings on aspartame as well. I understand that it's a personal choice to consume it. Dr. A warns us of it for a reason and advises against consuming it.It's not part of the Atkins plan.
You may not feel the effects of aspertame at the time of consumption, it's the long term effects that i'm concerned with.

[aquaryus]

Re: Why is ASPARTAME bad?

I was diagnosed with MS right around the time I was consuming mass quantities of Aspartame . Since I've almost completely cut it out of my diet, I have had only one relapse. The sad part is that I have memory issues and numbness in my hands and feet. While I can't be certain the MS was caused my Aspartame use, my gut tells me that it didn't help any.

My Grandmother also cut Aspartame out of her diet and no longer has to walk with a cane. That is more proof than what I can personally claim that this sweetener is bad for you.

[ziggy]

Re: Why is ASPARTAME bad?

aspartame has always hurt me i remmber back about 3 years ago when i drank diet pops i would feel crappy and my head would feel wierd it was not a feeling i liked at all so i stopped drinking diet pop

then about a year ago i drank these aspartame sweetened lemon ice tea drinks and again i felt crappy and my head felt wierd

and again over years a few times i tried these crystal light and or things like it that had aspartame in them and it made me feel crappy and weird every single time i had them

so no more aspartame for me

[imagood1]

Re: Why is ASPARTAME bad?

When I drink or eat anything with aspartame in it the joints in my hands and feet swell and become very painful. When I use Splenda I don't have that problem.

[cookiecate]

Re: Why is ASPARTAME bad?

I have read with interest all the information about aspertame. My husband is a type 2 diabetic and takes two aspertame sweetners in his coffee or fruit tea. We buy sugar free concentrate drinks from the super market (squash) and sugar free jelly to eat with cream.

All these products contain aspertame. I think it is important to know two things how much aspertame would I need to consume before I suffered from these side effects? If this product is so dangerous and it appears to be from the items I have just read why are the European governments allowing it to be consumed?

I have been told for many many years that butter, cream, cheese, meat, eggs hey! most things I eat now on the Atkins diet are bad for me so you must allow me to be a little cynical when sugar manufacturers are usually the ones telling us just how scary artificial sweetners are. I never realised that sugar was a poison surely when people are being educated the sugar manufacturers must be feeling worried as more people realise that low carb diets actually work and that diabetes can be cured just by cutting out certain foods.

I love the change in my husband he no longer has to take so much medication and he feels so much better. Although the evidence is scary I believe that sugar is more of a killer than aspertame and therefore will be encouraging my husband to continue to go artificial sweetner and if aspertame is the only one we can get over here (England) then so be it.

[pinkfusion]

Re: Why is ASPARTAME bad?

If you have partaken of aspartame in your lifetime, what effect did you notice that it had on you?

I noticed that I had HUGE headaches, and at the end of consuming a large box of this sweetener for months, I was driving and felt so dizzy that I thought I was going to get in an accident (I was on the freeway). I knew it had to be the Aspartame. I went back to Sweet n Low (sodium saccharin) and never had the problem again.

I hate Aspartame with a passion.

[cookiecate]

Re: Why is ASPARTAME bad?

Could it be that some people are more sensitive to the bad side effects than others?