Adapted from http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/   Think you’re keeping the weight of by eating “diet” foods and drinks?  Think again.  Not only are you not losing weight by consuming products with aspartame, you actually can be gaining weight and jeopardizing your health in a host of other ways.   An analysis of peer reviewed medical literature using MEDLINE and other databases was conducted by Ralph G. Walton, MD, Chairman, The Center for Behavioral Medicine, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine. Dr. Walton analyzed 164 studies which were felt to have relevance to human safety questions. Of those studies, 74 studies had aspartame industry-related sponsorship and 90 were funded without any industry money.  Nearly ALL of the independent studies showed health-related problems when ingesting aspartame.     Here’s what is in aspartame and how it works in the body:   Methanol Converts to Formaldehyde   Aspartame breaks down into methanol (wood alcohol) Methanol quickly converts to formaldehyde in the body. Formaldehyde gradually causes severe damage to the neurological and immune systems, and permanent genetic damage – even at extremely low doses. Methanol also blocks your metabolism, which allows you to burn calories.   Methanol is also found in alcoholic beverages, fruit and fruit juices, but it does not convert to formaldehyde like the methanol produced by aspartame.  The reason is that there are protective chemicals in fruit, juices and alcoholic beverages that prevent them from being converted to formaldehyde.   Phenyalanine But there’s more to aspartame than methanol’s conversion to formaldehyde. Phenyalanine is an amino acid found in aspartame.  It suppresses the body’s production of serotonin and dopamine, which regulate your cravings and your metabolism.  Basically aspartame will make you think you are not satisfied and slow down your metabolism so you can’t burn the calories.   When consuming Diet Soda, Crystal Lite, Kool Aid – anything with aspartame during pregnancy, the placenta will concentrate blood phenyalanine levels because the placenta provides nutrients to the developing baby.   Studies have shown a dramatic drop in IQ levels and reactions times of newborns associated with elevated phenyalanine levels    Aspartic Acid Aspartic Acid is an excitotoxic amino acid.  Consuming aspartame in large quantities can destroy brain cells that are not protected by the blood brain barrier, and affect brain development of a baby in the womb.  In liquid form, aspartic acid is absorbed more quickly, leading to a higher blood level than in solid form.  Glutamic acid, found in MSG, has a similar affect on the body.  Since the effects of aspartic and gluatmic acid are cumulative, having both MSG and Aspartame in your diet can be detrimental.   Excitotoxins like MSG and Aspartame are put in processed foods to stimulate appetite.  This will trick your brain into believing that you are hungry and that the food tastes good.  It doesn’t actually change the taste of the food, but changes your perception of it.  You actually will believe you are not full and continue eating.   Aspartylphenylaanine Diketopiperazine (DKP) Aspartylphenylaanine Diketopiperazine (DKP) is another component of Aspartame that scientists know little about.  They know that approximately 5% of it is absorbed in the gut, but have no conclusions regarding what happens from there.  The remainder is possibly transformed into other chemicals or eliminated.   For some, the affects of aspartame can take as little as 1 year up to 40 years to manifest.  It has also been found that even small amounts of aspartame can cause permanent and reversible damage.   Some of the health problems associated with aspartame can include: - Seizures and convulsions - Arthritic and joint pain - Chronic fatigue - Depression - Memory loss - Vision damage and loss - Tingling in the extremities - Slurring of speech - Irritability - Severe anxiety attacks - Menstrual problems - Blood sugar control problems - Multiple Sclerosis - Fibromyalgia - Parkinson's Disease - Tremors It is interesting to note that although 92% of the 90 independent studies indicated one or more adverse reactions to aspartame, the 74 studies that were sponsored by the aspartame industry, including Monsanto, all concluded no harmful affects.   If you would like to learn more about the politics behind Aspartame/Nutrasweet’s journey to the marketplace, we recommend the documentary “Sweet Misery” for an enlightening summary of historical events.