Credible info on aspartame?

[LizN]

Hi guys,

I'm wondering if anyone here can point me in the direction of credible info about aspartame. I have actually been wondering about the safety of it (and also its supposed effects on circulating insulin levels) since I read Nancy324's post about her visit with a dietitian/nutritionist.

I feel that I've been drinking too much Diet Coke and want an idea of a reasonable intake. I have cut back from up to seven cans per day (I'm almost embarrassed to admit thatx( ) to two cans per day. I'm drinking the equivalent in water instead. Would two cans a day be harmful to one's health.

I look forward to and appreciate your comments!

Liz N

 

[lesliemarie]

I can so understand you on that, I also used to drink nearly a six pack of caffiene free diet coke a day, but since I started workingout and drinking water during the workouts I have been able to cut back to one to two cans a day and I tell you that was so hard to do for me because I am a very unhealthy eater, I am slowly learning the proper eating habits, But I have heard so many things about aspertame, I researched it on the internet, there are some real good sites about that, sorry I can't remember where they were. I have heard that aspertame is not good on the body. but of course I still drink diet coke LOL

 

[lwseymour]

I am trying to get diet coke out of my life too. It has been SO MUCH HARDER than quitting smoking. I was able to quit smoking with not much trouble (and no weight gain) and I had smoked for 9 years. Trying to give up diet coke has been one of the hardest things I've ever done. I'm just so addicted to it. I believe that it is the reason I can't lose weight because my diet is pretty good and of course my exercise habits are very good. Every day I say I'm gonna give it up entirely and every day I fail. So distressing. I have heard that asparatame does something to cause you not to be able to lose weight but I can't find that in writing or the scientific reasoning behind it and I have no idea if it's true. Darn sure seems to be true!
Lisa

 

[EricaH]

Hi Liz!

I used to drink enormous amounts of caffeine-free Diet Coke also. I rarely drank water - I just drank Diet Coke all day long. Anyway, after reading a lot of information about it in various places I decided to quit. It was pretty easy for me to quit and now I drink lots of water and I also love flavored seltzer water when I want/need some carbonation. I haven't noticed any difference in my weight or sugar/carb cravings (unfortunately!), but I do think that the phosphorus in the cola was ruining my teeth. I was getting a lot of cavities and, since I stopped, I have had no problems at all. I still worry about the long-term effects of all the aspartame I was ingesting for so many years and wish that I had stopped sooner.

Sorry that I don't have any info for you - just thought I would share my own experience!

Erica

 

[rcook]

Here is what I found, seems to go with what I have been hearing.

The following facts shown by recent scientific research:

1. Aspartame (nutrasweet) breaks down into mentanol (wood alcohol).
2. Methanol quickly converts to formadehyde in the body.
3. Formaldehyde causes gradual and eventually servere damage to the
neurological system, immunte system and causes permanent genetic
damage at extremely low doses.
4. Methanol from alcohol beverages and from fruit and juices does
not convert to formaldehyde and cause damage because there are
protective chemicals in these traditionally ingested beverages.
5. The most recent independent research in Europe demonstrates that
ingestion of small amonts of aspartame leads to the accumulation
of significant levels of formaldehyde (bound to protein) in
organs (liver, kidneys, brain) and tissues.
6. Excitotoxic amino acids such as the one which is immediately
released from aspartame likely increases the damage caused by
the formaldehyde.

I found this at http://holisticmed.com/aspartame/embalm.html
the entire web site: http://holisticmed.com/aspartame.html

hope this answers some of your questions ... God bless Rhonda

 

[RLMS]

As a chemist, I have a real problem with point #4 in the above post. ETHANOL is in alcoholic drinks, not METHANOL. Drinking methanol would cause you to go blind and/or die in a matter of hours. And as far as the vauge "protective chemicals" part goes--your body cannot tell the difference between a molecule of methanol that was ingested with fruit juice or one ingested with Diet Coke. Please be careful about believing the "scientific information" you find on the internet, i.e. check for references from reputable peer-reviewed scientific journals. Lots and lots of "holistic" and "all-natural" science reports on the web are unfounded or just plain wrong.

That said, I have seen evidence supporting a few of the other points above. Our bodies are very good at getting rid of small amounts of any toxin, but too much of any toxin can cause problems to different degrees in different people.

Rhonda, please do not take this as an attack toward you. I realize you just quoted this from the website.

 

[kathryn]

A possible alternative to diet Coke could be " Emergen-C" cola flavor. It has b-complex vitamins and vitamin C, and contains no phosphorous. It comes in a powder that you put in water. I use the orange flavor Emergen C sometimes when I work out, as it makes water more palatible.

I remember back years ago, when I used to dring about 4 bottles (when glass bottles were common!) of pepsi a day. I started to be interested in nutrition and read about how cola drinks have theobromine (sp?) which is similar to caffeine. I decided to give it up cold turkey, and it was soooo hard! Every time I went by the fridge, I wanted to grab a bottle (I was living with my parents, otherwise I wouldn't have had any in the fridge). Funny thing is, about a year or so later, I was visiting home, and didn't want to drink tap water. The only thing that was in the fridge to drink at the time was Pepsi, so I thought I'd have a little. It tasted like the most awful, sugary, artificial, GROSS stuff I'd ever tried!

 

[bethj]

I recently reviewed a case of bindness due to optic nerve atrophy (I review medical records as part of my job.) The opthalmologist who is considered a specialist this area advised the patient to immediately stop consuming any products containing aspartame. (Along with advising him to quit smoking and begin taking vitamins.) Therefore I presume that there is enough suggestive evidence that there are some potentially harmful effects from aspartame. I rarely eat or drink anything with it, but now I will completely avoid it.
Beth

 

[LizN]

Hmmm, all of the info you've provided is interesting. I have read about the formaldehyde - methanol connection and might do a search on Medline for some relevant studies (fingers crossed) - I'll let you know what I come up with!

Thanks, Liz N

 

[fitgrl]

Aspartame and weight gain?

Hi,
I have a question on aspartame as well. This might sound silly, but can it cause weight gain? I started drinking green tea and using Equal to sweeten it and it seems like I have gained a couple pounds since starting and it doesn't drop. Anyone ever had this happen? do you believe it is from aspartame? Would it be considered worse then plain granulated sugar? Any opinions would be interesting to hear. Thanks

Michelle