Aspartame FAQs©

The following are the 92 Symptoms reported to the FDA

1. Headache
2. Dizziness or Problems with Balance
3. Change in Mood Quality or Level
4. Vomiting and Nausea
5. Abdominal Pain and Cramps
6. Change in Vision
7. Diarrhea
8. Seizures and Convulsions
9. Memory Loss
10. Fatigue and Weakness
11. Other Neurological
12. Rash
13. Sleep Problems
14. Hives
15. Change in Heart Rate
16. Itching
17. Change in Sensation (numbness, tingling)
18. Grand Mal
19. Local Swelling
20. Change in Activity Level
21. Difficulty Breathing
22. Oral Sensory Changes
23. Changes in Menstrual Pattern
24. Other Skin
25. Other
26. Localized Pain and Tenderness
27. Other Urogenital
28. Change in Body Temperature
29. Difficulty Swallowing
30. Other Metabolic
31. Joint and Bone Pain
32. Speech Impairment
33. Other Gastrointestinal
34. Chest Pain
35. Other Musculo-Skeletal
36. Fainting
37. Sore Throat
38. Other Cardiovascular
39. Change in Taste
40. Difficulty with Urination
41. Other Respiratory
42. Edema
43. Change in Hearing
44. Abdominal Swelling
45. Change in Saliva Output
46. Change in Urine Volume
47. Change in Perspiration Pattern
48. Eye Irritation
49. Unspecified
50. Muscle Tremors
51. Pete Mal
52. Change in Appetite
53. Change in Body Weight
54. Nocturnal
55. Change in Thirst or Water Intake
56. Unconsciousness and Coma
57. Wheezing
58. Constipation
59. Other Extremity Pain
60. Problems with Bleeding
61. Unsteady Gait
62. Coughing
63. Blood Glucose Disorders
64. Blood Pressure Changes
65. Changes in skin and Nail Coloration
66. Change in Hair or Nails
67. Excessive Phlegm Production
68. Sinus Problems
69. Simple Partial Seizures
70. Hallucinations
71. Any Lumps Present
72. Shortness of Breath on Exertion
73. Evidence of Blood in Stool or Vomit
74. Dysmenorrhea
75. Dental Problems
76. Change in Smell
77. Death
78. Other Blood and Lymphatic
79. Eczema
80. Complex Partial Seizures
81. Swollen Lymph Nodes
82. Hematuria
83. Shortness of Breath due to Position
84. Difficulties with Pregnancy
85. (Children Only) Developmental Retardation
86. Change in Breast Size or Tenderness
87. Anemia
88. Change in Sexual Function
89. Shock
90. Conjunctivitis
91. Dilating Eyes
92. Febrile

“In a letter to the editor and in one article published in the United States Air Force AirMen’s News, it was noted that aspartame ingestion causes elevated spiking on the EEG, resulting in grand mal seizures and blackout episodes in the cockpit. Dozens have lost their jobs due to aspartame-related medical problems.” Mary Stoddard

“It’s well documented that excitotoxins like aspartame have the reverse affect on weight. People drinking diet drinks and eating diet food will get more hungry. The FDA no longer allows manufacturers of diet supplement drinks and foods containing aspartame to label them as weight reduction products, but requires that they be labeled as diet drink or diet food. A study of 80,000 women who use sweeteners were evaluated through the Centers for Disease Control. It was found that they gained rather than lost weight using artificial sweeteners.” Mary Stoddard

The literature states that there are 92 symptoms that have been attributed to Aspartame. These adverse reactions and side effects of aspartame include:

Eye

• Blindness in one or both eyes
• Decreased vision and/or other eye problems such as: blurring, bright flashes, squiggly lines, tunnel vision
• Decreased night vision
• Pain in one or both eyes
• Decreased tears trouble with contact lenses
• Bulging eyes

Ear

• Tinnitus – ringing or buzzing sound
• Severe intolerance of noise
• Marked hearing impairment

Neurologic

• Epileptic seizures
• Headaches, migraines (some severe) and dizziness, unsteadiness
• Confusion and memory loss
• Severe drowsiness and sleepiness
• Paresthesia or numbness of the limbs
• Severe slurring of speech
• Severe hyperactivity and restless legs
• Atypical facial pain
• Severe tremors

Psychological/Psychiatric

• Severe depression
• Irritability
• Aggression
• Anxiety
• Personality changes
• Insomnia
• Phobias

Chest

• Palpitations, tachycardia
• Shortness of breath
• Recent high blood pressure

Gastrointestinal

• Nausea
• Diarrhea, sometimes with blood in stools
• Abdominal pain
• Pain when swallowing
• Skin and Allergies
• Itching without a rash
• Lip and mouth reactions
• Hives
• Aggravated respiratory allergies such as asthma

Endocrine and Metabolic

• Loss of control of diabetes
• Menstrual changes
• Marked thinning or loss of hair
• Marked weight loss
• Gradual weight gain
• Aggravated low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
• Severe PMS

Other

• Frequency of voiding and burning during urination
• Excessive thirst, fluid retention, leg swelling, and bloating
• Increased susceptibility to infection

Additional Symptoms of Aspartame Toxicity include the most critical symptoms of all

• Death
• Irreversible brain damage
• Birth defects, including mental retardation
• Peptic ulcers
• Aspartame addiction and increased craving for sweets
• Hyperactivity in children
• Severe depression
• Aggressive behavior
• Suicidal tendencies

Aspartame may trigger, mimic, or cause the following illnesses:

• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Epstein-Barr
• Post-Polio Syndrome
• Lyme Disease
• Grave’s Disease
• Meniere’s Disease
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• ALS
• Epilepsy
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• EMS
• Hypothyroidism
• Fibromyalgia
• LupusNon-Hodgkins Lymphoma
• Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)

Aspartame (technically L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanyl-methyl-ester) is not found in nature.  It is a synthetic chemical consisting of two amino acids, phenylalanine and aspartic acid, along with a methyl ester. It is reported to be 200 times sweeter than sugar and is virtually calorie free.

Above 85 degrees Fahrenheit (30 Centigrade) aspartame breaks down into

1. phenylalanine (50%)
2. aspartic acid (40%)
3. methanol (10%)

Note that our body’s internal temperature is 98.6 Fahrenheit (37 Centigrade) well above the breakdown temperature of Aspartame.

Phenylalanine is one of the amino acids needed for the production of      neurotransmitters essential to brain function.  However, some people (those with PKU – phenylketonuria) are missing the enzymes to break it down and may end up with an excess that causes brain damage and possible seizures.

Aspartic Acid can cause brain damage in fetuses.

Methanol (aka wood alcohol) is a deadly poison. People may recall that methanol was the poison that has caused some “skid row” alcoholics to end up blind or dead. Methanol is gradually released in the small intestine when the methyl group of aspartame encounters the enzyme chymotrypsin.

An EPA assessment of methanol states that methanol “is considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion once it is absorbed.”

The most well-known problems from methanol poisoning are vision problems. Also, methanol toxicity mimics multiple sclerosis; thus people were being diagnosed with having multiple sclerosis in error. The multiple sclerosis is not a death sentence, where methanol toxicity is.

As if the above is not enough, methanol itself is oxidized into formaldehyde, formic acid and a brain tumor agent called diketopiperazine (DKP).

1. Formaldehyde is a deadly neurotoxin and used in embalming corpses. It is considered a severe poison and a known carcinogen, causes retinal damage, interferes with DNA replication, and causes birth defects.
2. Formic acid is the poison found in the sting of fire ants.
3. Diketopiperazine (DKP) is suspected to be converted in the gut into a potential brain tumor agent.