There are several breakdown products from aspartame that are major causes for concern and have caused countless toxicity reactions in the general public. The concern of aspartame ingestion during pregnancy is not limited to obvious birth defects, but changes or damage to certain areas of the brain. The potential damage includes parts of the brain involved in complex learning as well as hormonal control (e.g., hypothalamus). Problems resulting from this sort of damage would not be seen until after the child reaches puberty. Neuroscientist, Dr. Russell Blaylock discusses this in some detail in his book, "Excitotoxins." Some of the breakdown products from aspartame include: Phenylalanine -- An amino acid found in *free* form in aspartame. (Usually found in slow-absorbing bound-to-protein form in foods.) Here is the testimony of a couple of *independent* experts on this subject: Louis J. Elsas, II, M.D., Director, Division of Medical Genetics ---------------------------- "I have no previous contact with this type of hearing. But that is probably appropriate because I am a pediatrician, a Professor of Pediatrics at Emory, and have spent 25 years in the biomedical sciences, trying to prevent mental retardation and birth defects caused by excess phenylalanine. ..... "First of all, in the developing fetus -- a situation not considered previously -- the mother is supplying that fetus with nutrients. And if she were dieting, let's say, and increasing her blood phenylalanine uniquely by taking Crystal Lite or Kool Aid, or any of the various diet foods now, to maintain her weight, and increased her blood phenylalanine from its normal 50 to 150 umoles/liter by chronic ingestion at 35 milligrames of aspartame per kilo per day -- which everyone agrees could be reached -- the placenta will concentrate her blood phenylalanine two-fold. So the fetal blood circulation to her baby in utero, is now 300 umole per liter of phenylalanine. The fetal brain then, as Dr. Pardridge will tell you, will increase further that concentration into the brain cells of that baby two- to four-fold. Those are neurotoxic levels in tissue culture and in many other circumstances. "This situation has not been studied in man. We have no research efforts in place to actively survey a cohort group, to find out whether chronic aspartame ingestion is adversely affecting our newborn population, either by producing microencephaly, mental retardation, or other birth defects that are associated with rises in blood phenylalanine. So that is one very worrisome area." William M. Pardridge, M.D. Professor of Medicine --------------------- "I am a Professor of Medicine at the University of California, a practicing endocrinologist, and I have been doing neuroscience research on the blood- brain barrier transport of phenylalanine and other substances since 1970 ..... "...the third question that must now be addressed is, are there any untoward effects on the human brain that are associated with a four-fold increase in phenylalanine, bearing in mind that this molecule is a know neurotoxin? And three studies come to mind. One study shows that when blood phenylalanine in pregnant mothers is increased five-fold [to ~250 umole/l], there is a 10-point drop inthe I.Q. of the baby born of that mother. "A second study shows that if you measure choice reaction time, a test of higher cognitive function in humans, that when their blood phenylalanine is increased six-fold, there is a 10 percent shift in your ability to make a key decision before a video screen. "And a more recent study by Dr. Elsas has shown that there are quantitative changes in the human electroencephalogram when the blood phenylalanine is raised three-fold [to ~150-200 umole/l] -- something that clearly will happen in children who consume near 5 servings per 50-pound body weight." It is likely that the effects of increased phenylalanine in the brain of fetuses from aspartame ingestion will be very subtle. Methanol -- Methanol breaks down into formaldehyde and formic acid. Recent research shows that chronic exposure to formaldehyde concentrations in the air at *exceptionally* low levels (< 0.01 ppm) can cause chronic health problems in children. Since a) the fetus would likely be exposed to an increased level of formaldehyde from aspartame, b) there are no studies as to the long-term effects of fetal methanol or formaldehyde exposure on human being, and c) there is no evidence that formaldehyde is obtained from methanol in foods at any significant level (likely due to protective factors), it seems prudent to avoid aspartame for this reason alone. I have received reports from persons who are sensitized to formaldehyde and who experience similar reactions from aspartame. Aspartic Acid -- Like MSG (glutamic acid), it is an excitotoxic amino acid. When taken in significant quantities, in free form (unbound to protein), especially in liquid, it has been shown to significantly spike the plasma levels of aspartic acid. In animal experiments such spikes have been shown to destroy small numbers of cells in areas of the brain not protected by the blood brain barrier (BBB). This effect is seen in young animals. Fetuses would also be likely to be susceptible to an increased concentration of aspartic acid. While the plasma level of aspartic acid obtained from aspartame may not be high enough to cause brain cell death, it may effect brain development. Fetal brain development is very sensitive to the levels of glutamic acid. Since recent, independent research has shown that glutamic acid can cross the placenta, one might expect that high levels of aspartic acid could also cross the placenta. In 1992, an independent FASEB committee recommended the elimination of glutamic acid (MSG) for certain conditions: "...it is prudent to avoid the use of dietary supplements of L-glutamic acid by pregnant women, infants, and children. The Existence of evidence of potential endocrine responses, i.e., elevated cortisol and prolactin, and differential responses between males and females, would also suggest a neuroendocrine link and that supplemental L- glutamic acid should be avoided by women of childbearing age and individuals with affective disorders." Aspartic acid doses from aspartame are lower than that for glutamic acid found in supplements. However, since aspartame is often found in liquid form, the aspartic acid is absorbed very quickly leading to a much higher blood level than would be seen if slower-absorbing supplements (e.g., pill, capsules) were taken. By the way, the effects of aspartic acid and glutamic acid are cumulative, so that anywhere who takes both aspartame and MSG in their diet is asking for trouble. Aspartylphenylalanine diketopiperazine (DKP) -- It is known that about 5% of this chemical gets absorbed from the gut. The rest of it may be eliminated or possibly transformed into other chemicals (e.g., nitrosated). No one really knows what happens to DKP in the human gut. The effects of long-term aspartame ingestion in the general population are becoming more and more clear. The toxicity reactions are increasing at an alarming rate. However, the effects from ingestion during pregnancy are difficult to determine partly because there have been no scientific studies looking at the effects in humans and partly because many of the adverse effects from fetal exposure would be expected to be seen after the child reaches puberty. Whatever the case, I believe it is not prudent to ingest any aspartame (or MSG for that matter) during pregnancy (and after pregnancy).