In the light of deaths of American Airline pilots who heavily used aspartame Dr. Blaylock gives this warning. We continually receive complaints from pilots about seizures, cardiac problems, vision loss, vertigo, confusion, disorientation, etc. associated with consumption of Equal/ aspartame/NutraSweet/Spoonful/Canderel/E951, etc Aspartame is a compound of phenylalanine, aspartic acid and a methyl ester which converts to methyl alcohol in digestion: wood alcohol, 1 ounce is a fatal dose, then into formaldehyde! Mission Possible Aviation.
I have reviewed reports from airline and private pilots concerning effects of aspartame on various physiological systems. Several of these are related to the nervous system, which puts this in category of great concern to the pilot as well as the general public. The more common complaints include disorientation, difficulty thinking and concentrating, visual blurring or even monocular blindness, seizures and heart failure. It is well known that the ingredients in aspartame, as well as its breakdown products, have deleterious effects on the nervous system and retina.
For example, phenylalanine is a precursor of the catecholamine neurotransmitters in the brain and elevated levels in the brain have been associated with seizures. These catecholamines are metabolized to form other excitotoxins and peroxide products that can lead to elevated free radical formation and lipid peroxidation within neurons.
Likewise aspartic acid, an excitotoxin, acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter and can lower the seizure threshold making a seizure more likely. The additive effect of aspartic acid and phenylalanine would significantly increase the likelihood of a seizure, especially under hypoglycemic conditions. This would occur if a diet drink is substituted for a meal, or if one is on a stringent diet. It is well known that hypoglycemia greatly magnifies the excitotoxic effects of these ingredients.
The combination of hypoglycemia and aspartame would also increase the likelihood of mental confusion and disorientation. In the pilots situation, this could be disastrous. It must be recognized that pilots would also be frequently exposed to other excitotoxins, such as MSG, hydrolyzed proteins, etc, that have a synergistic effect that greatly increases the likelihood of an adverse reaction.
One of the intriguing associations with excitotoxins of all types is the occurrence of sudden death. We know that one of the primary sites of actions of these excitatory substances is the hypothalamus and that sudden cardiac death can be induced by stimulating the hypothalamus. It is entirely possible excitotoxic stimulation of these hypothalamic centers could also lead to cardiac arrhythmia and sudden death. Hypothalamic stimulation has also been shown to produce an ECG pattern exactly like that of myocardial infarction. Combinations of excitotoxins, such as aspartic acid and glutamate, great increased the risk.
Finally, a scientific study demonstrated that aspartame exposure significantly increases the level of formaldehyde in all tissue, including brain and retina and that this breakdown product of aspartame is very toxic to proteins and DNA, leading to permanent injury to these vital cellular components. Even more important, was the finding this highly toxic substance accumulates in these tissues with chronic exposure to aspartame. This could lead to significant injury to the brain, retina and other organs long after the exposure. Also, the effects appear to be dose related. That is, the more aspartame you consume, the greater the danger. It should be appreciated that formaldehyde is a powerful carcinogenic agent.
My book, Excitotoxins, The Taste That Kills, explains in detail how excitotoxins damage the nervous system, leading to severe disorders, and what can be done to reduce your risk. It is my opinion that aspartame is a dangerous neurotoxin, as well as a significant carcinogen to many organs, and that it should be avoided at all cost. Dr. Russell Blaylock, Neurosurgeon, 14 June 2007