You guys are doing an excellent job of getting the word out on this subject. However the physicians I have talked to are either neutral, uninformed or state they need research studies to confirm the existence of real dangers of this substance since so many substances have this ingredient but so few of their patients report or demonstrate side effects. As a R.N. with a Master’s Degree in Nursing and a person who has recently experienced severe neuro side effects as a result of drinking 700-1000 cc of Crystal Lite per day x 5 days for a period of about 2-2.5 months I can stay with 100 percent certainty that I had neurological damage and if had continued drinking this tea would have probably either been in a wheelchair or more likely dead. I had ataxia, gait difficulties, tremors, decreased left leg reflexes, total loss of appetite with an 8 lb. weight loss over a 2 month period and other neurological related side effects. I recently returned from Mayo Clinic in MN. They could not confirm or deny this relationship. Apparently they are not doing any studies on this substance but several on the effects of coffee!!. I met several people there and one stated she knew of a 12 year old boy who had stopped growing and finally it was attributed to Crystal Lite, another gentleman was there for neurological related issues but his doctors at home and Mayo could only say is weakness was probably a virus (as he sat drinking his Diet Coke there in the airport waiting as I was for our flight to Chicago.) I shared the info I had received from the interne on Aspartame side effects and his wife stated they drank “lots of Diet Coke” but would stop Aspartame intake and would inform their PCP and their neurologist. I have referred many people to the web site and warned others of this danger. The gentleman in the airport had not been on a statin as I had been so my MD thought my side effects could have been related to the known effect of leg weakness even in the face of a negative CPK he continued to believe all my reports were either statin related or who knows just what he thought. How can I help?
I am much better but it has taken 60-90 days.