Originally Posted by handcycle2005
(Post 71784)
Aspartame breaks down into phenylalanine which is an amino acid present in all protein.
Sufferers of PKU must follow a highly restricted diet. There are no documented studies confirming the claimed side effects of aspartame. LOL! I find it interesting that you vehemently put down all natural health supplements as unsafe and unproven, yet here you defend an ARTIFICIAL sweetener! :p Bottom line, like I said above: If a person chooses to be part of an experiment by ingesting artificial sweeteners, that's fine. In 50 years the world will know the deal. But there is enough "evidence" at the moment to be cautious at the least, while avoidance is probably best. |
Those natural supplements are not subject to the testing and scrutiny of additives.
Specifically by a law the industry requested. So you can thank Congress and Clinton for the deaths that have been caused by natural supplements such as ephedra. Just because something is artificial does not mean it's unsafe just as natural does not mean it is safe. |
Furthermore...
... to claim that "There are no documented studies confirming the claimed side effects of aspartame." is misleading. There are studies which
The effects of aspartame have been studied on various species, including humans, rats, mice and rabbits. Most studies described in the literature have a macroscopic approach. If no adverse effects are visible after a single large administered dose of aspartame, it is believed that aspartame has no effect. Further studies are not carried out microscopically to demonstrate possible adverse effects on the cellular basis. Thus, results obtained from different studies vary from severe adverse effects to none observed. The aim of this study was to investigate the direct and indirect cellular effects of aspartame on the brain, and we propose that excessive aspartame ingestion might be involved in the pathogenesis of certain mental disorders (DSM-IV-TR 2000) and also in compromised learning and emotional functioning. Conclusion It was seen that aspartame disturbs amino acid metabolism, protein structure and metabolism, integrity of nucleic acids, neuronal function, endocrine balances and changes in the brain concentrations of catecholamines. It was also reported that aspartame and its breakdown products cause nerves to fire excessively, which indirectly causes a very high rate of neuron depolarization. The energy systems for certain required enzyme reactions become compromised, thus indirectly leading to the inability of enzymes to function optimally. The ATP stores in the cells are depleted, indicating that low concentrations of glucose are present in the cells, and this in turn will indirectly decrease the synthesis of acetylcholine, glutamate and GABA. The intracellular calcium uptake has been altered, thus the functioning of glutamate as an excitatory neurotransmitter is inhibited. Mitochondria are damaged, which could lead to apoptosis of cells and infertility in men and also a lowered rate of oxidative metabolism are present, thus lowering concentrations of the transmitters glutamate and production of GABA. The cellular walls are destroyed; thus, the cells (endothelium of the capillaries) are more permeable, leading to a compromised BBB. Thus, overall oxidative stress and neurodegeneration are present. From all the adverse effects caused by this product, it is suggested that serious further testing and research be undertaken to eliminate any and all controversies surrounding this product. http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/aspartamebrain.pdf |
Originally Posted by handcycle2005
(Post 71786)
Those natural supplements are not subject to the testing and scrutiny of additives.
Specifically by a law the industry requested. So you can thank Congress and Clinton for the deaths that have been caused by natural supplements such as ephedra. Just because something is artificial does not mean it's unsafe just as natural does not mean it is safe. Now back to the topic at hand. Look at this study at the microscopic level. Are you still going to stick with your statement "There are no documented studies confirming the claimed side effects of aspartame." Will it take another 50 years at the microscopic level to prove out what will happen at the macroscopic level, or do people defending Aspartame as 'safe' have enough EVIDENCE at this point to advise caution??? |
Sorry for the delay in replying, I was researching, doing my Sunday ride and taking care of some things at this end.(No, not the game. :D )
I don't believe there's any inconsistency. Food supplements should be held to the same standards for safety and testing as food additives. I find it quite telling that the industry does not want their products subjected to scrutiny and lobbied for(and got) legislation to that effect. What are they hiding? To the study you quoted. There is liberal use of phrases such as which could lead..., It was also reported..., may act on, is believed..., and similar. These are phrases of opinion, not fact. Despite this, the conclusion is presented as proven. The whole paper is a rehashing of other studies with no original research or teting done to confirm previous studies. Even the studies quoted and referenced make claims without proof. Example: A claim is made that ingestion of aspartame during pregnancy causes brain tumors and retardation. No mention is made of any study done to prove this claim. There are many causes of both tumors and retardation and it would require a major effort to isolate aspartame as the culprit yet none is made. A claim is made that blindness will result from normal consumer useage yet I see no indication that there has been a major increase in unexplained blindness here or elsewhere. What I consider to be most damaging to the credibility is the following quote from one of the referenced studies. In addition, Mehl-Madrona (2005) observed that when the temperature of aspartame exceeds 86F, the wood alcohol in aspartame is converted into formaldehyde and then to formic acid, which in turn causes metabolic acidosis. The methanol toxicity is thought to mimic the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. According to them, symptoms of fibromyalgia, spasms, shooting pains, numbness in the legs, cramps, vertigo, dizziness, headaches, tinnitus, joint pain, depression, anxiety, slurred speech, blurred vision or memory loss have been attributed to aspartame. The fact that this information is not mentioned calls into question the ethics of the researchers. Methanol is present in greater amounts in fruit juice, fermented beverages, is a by product of digestion and is produced by intestinal bacteria. The use of those symptoms is just a scare tactic and has no place in scientific inquiry. Also, the mentioned symptoms have a wide variety of causes and is not specific to aspartame. |
Peace brothers.
There is a point in these kinds of discussions where our believe systems come into play, and there isn't much point in pushing the issue any further. |
That's all well and good, HC, but you didn't answer the question:
Do people defending Aspartame as 'safe' have enough EVIDENCE at this point to advise caution? That's what it boils down to. It doesn't matter what you or I say, or think, there is evidence that points towards CAUTION when it comes to the STILL unknown effects of artificial sweeteners which have been on the market for a relatively short period of time. From your defense of artificial sweeteners, it's pretty apparent that your answer to the above is "no". Which is fine, that's your opinion. But your opinion is not going to change the multitude of symptoms that people have reported, it's not going to change the fact that artificial sweeteners are still relatively new, and it's not going to change the fact that there's a potential that they are still harmful. And considering the multitude of symptoms reported, caution would be advised. |
Originally Posted by RunbikeSki
(Post 71835)
Peace brothers.
There is a point in these kinds of discussions where our believe systems come into play, and there isn't much point in pushing the issue any further. |
Vito, I do believe aspartame is safe.
This article makes the argument why far better than I can. Also, this link from that article dissects a large study and explains in detail how it's poorly conducted and why it's conclusions are invalid. Make sure you have some time, it's a dense read. |
Originally Posted by VitoVino
(Post 71840)
Oh, no problem. HC and I are just having a friendly, respectful debate. This is how gentlemen duke it out. :p
Seriously though, two points of view gives me much more to go research and make my own decision. |
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