Aspartame & Candarel

Last summer, we had a huge ants nest appear under our patio? We put 1 teaspoon of canderal sweetner down and, no more ants. What does that tell you? Would you really put something something like that in your body? It really made me wonder, there's no way I would put anything like that in my body.

If anybody wants to wade through this there is a huge previous thread on the subject of aspartame.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2275&hilit=aspartame

Aspartame & Candarel are considered safe at normal levels of non-nutritive sweetener.

There is a great deal of mis-information spread all over the internet indicating that aspartame (and other sweetners) are potentially damaging to health. This mis-information is in the form of un-tested hypothesese and general false rumours. As a result, Aspartame is one of the most thoroughly tested and studied food additives.

Aspartame has been found to be safe for human consumption by more than ninety countries world-wide, including approval by the US FDA, European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Food and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame_controversy

I do not think you have anything to be concerned about, as long as your overall dose is not extreamly excessive.

I am a Type I diabetic and have regularly consumed aspartame & other sweetners since first diagnosed. I have never experienced any occasions where my BG levels increased as a result. Sleepylu are you sure your BG increase wasn't due to anything else (such as illness or the actual carbohydrates present in the yoghurt)?

I have problems with blood pressure which cause postural hypotension. It's undiagnosed at the moment, but it's pretty sure that's part of my balance problems.
I have high blood pressure, and take tablets to control it. Every time I have had my BP checked it's been good - 100 / 80.
I saw my neurologist just before Christmas and asked whether my epilepsy pills were causing dizziness - it's a side effect so it could be that. He didn't think so, but looked at the list of all my other pills and potions, and thought it might be my BP tablets.
He checked my BP and sure enough:
sitting = 110 / 80
stand up = 110 / 80
lie down = 190 / 90
then stand up again = 170 / 90

The pills affect how your body reacts to changes in your posture (amongst other things) so when I lie down it's going through the roof! My GP was able to reproduce the results and I'm waiting for further investigation.

Hi all .
Iam a new member (1st post), and would like to comment on the Aspartame question - "should I shouldn't I ?".

A few months ago, Iwas an innocent and unsuspecting consumer of aspartame, from the very many products which contain it, including practically everything labelled "diet / low Cal./ sugar free etc.". I can relate to the experience of the members reacting to the Muller light products, - these were what got my attention, I was having one almost daily. I did not have headaches, but suffered unexplained, gradually increasing stomache pains and dizzyness,disturbed sleep pattern and joint pains. A friend of mine who has type 2 diabeties mailed me an article on aspartame - I did some research, and neither of us has touched ANYTHING containing aspartame since.

Within 2 weeks of stopping, my symptoms above had completely dissappeared, I was not before this, aware of the problems my friend had - he was consuming a 1 lt. bottle of diet coke per day, and was suffering , mainly shaking , pins and needles / numbness in his fingers, sweating and poor sleeping - I believe his BS levels were going haywire also. Like me he has no more symptoms since "coming off "aspartame.

In short, the results of my research, after many many Hours of trolling through through the internet, reading the "for and against aspartame" arguments is, the fact that 10% of aspartame is the dangerous chemical METHANOL. Methanol in the body, immediately turns into the even more dangerous chemical, FORMALDEYHDE. I concluded that, whatever the arguements, no one should be consciously, or in most cases unconsciously, consuming these chemicals wrapped up in aspastame.

The Aspartame industry makes much of the fact, that aspartame is the most tested food product on the market, and uses this to justify it's "safety". This is very true but the contrary argument to all the testing, must be, that if it is safe, why does it require such intensive testing??

Aspartame has been approved for use as a food product in the US for 28 yrs. and in the UK for 26yrs !!. that is how long the controversy has been going on between the aspartame billion dollar industry, and independant scientists who argue that it is not safe. - why are we now in the UK just becoming aware of it?.

Everyone's body reacts differently to the consumption of aspartame, some are highly sensitive to it and can reject it immediatly, some can have no reaction over several years- this is seen in your member posts here. The reason is that the human body has no way of excreting (getting rid of ) the chemical Formaldehyde so even very small amounts build up over time it could be 10yrs to very resistant people, I recon that I am reasonably resistant - I was on the Muller lights for only about 2 months.

This is a huge subject and I have just scraped the surface, however you should know, that at least 5 Uk supermarket chains, have banned the use of aspartame in their "own label" product ranges and are pressurising their suppliers of "Branded" products to do the same - one of the companies ASDA, is currrently being sued by the manufacturer of aspartame Ajinomoto, for suggesting that aspartame is a "nasty" - ASDA deserve our full support.
NOTE :
There are many sugar substitutes on the market but ONLY ASPARTAME contains METHANOL.

If anyone wants to know more of the aspartame background EG why do our doctors and the medical profession only have a sketchy knowledge of the risks from aspartame? - what the current position is in the US today, what is the future for the UK/EU. I will be happy to provide comments.

Cheers,
Jimmac

I'm so glad someone else has had this problem with Muller Lites -I have mentioned it to a couple of diabetic friends and they seemed to think I was mad! -I have often had readings jump from 6 to 14 after eating a Muller Lite, and its the same with other low fat yogurts. They are often low in fat, but high in sugar. I dont have the same problem when using sweetners generally.

Jimmac,

Where did you get your information from? I'd like to read the original research. I don't get how aspartame is 10% methanol seeing as I thought it's a chemical. I may be being thick.

SilverAndEbony said:

Jimmac,

Where did you get your information from? I'd like to read the original research. I don't get how aspartame is 10% methanol seeing as I thought it's a chemical. I may be being thick.

Click to expand...

Hi SilverAndEbony,
Not thick at all! Aspartame doesn't actually contain methanol, but when metabolised it generates methanol. From Wikipedia:

"Approximately 10% of aspartame (by mass) is broken down into methanol in the small intestine. Most of the methanol is absorbed and quickly converted into formaldehyde and then to formic acid. Some research has indicated formaldehyde accumulation from aspartame ingestion. However, the metabolism of aspartame does not damage the body because: (a) the quantity of methanol produced is too small to disrupt normal physiological processes; (b) methanol and formaldehyde are natural by-products of human metabolism and are safely processed by various enzymes; (c) there is more methanol in some natural fruit juices and alcoholic beverages than is derived from aspartame ingestion."

I have to say, I take Wikipedia with a pinch of salt. Especially on subjects that someone has a massive interest in what the entry says. As Wikipedia can be edited by anyone, it's easy to get it to say what you want.
There is lots of evidence, and rumour too, about who has edited entries and why. I don't know if I believe all the rumours, but I DO know the entry for Bradley Stoke, near Bristol, was edited to say some very nasty things about the town, and the people who live there. Also, news spread around the world that Senator Kennedy had died. It was there in details in his Wikipedia entry. It wasn't true, and although he's ill, he's not dead!

As far as aspartame is concerned I've read different things. Like a theory being discredited that aspartame might be metabolised partly into methonol. Who knows the truth? I trust peer-reviewed information taken from source, not re-hashed by someone else to prove their theory. I also wonder who benefits from a Wikipedia entry? Que rumours about the CIA editing entries....

SilverAndEbony said:

Jimmac,

Where did you get your information from? I'd like to read the original research. I don't get how aspartame is 10% methanol seeing as I thought it's a chemical. I may be being thick.

Click to expand...

Hi, "Silver and Ebony", - Please let me deal with the sources first.

As I said in my post, this is a huge subject with thousands of claims and counter claims, backed up with scientific report ater scientific report - the debate on the safety of aspartame goes back to the '60s. I have selected 6 links for you to read, which are mainly from "independent" organisations, no. 2 however is from a definite anti, and no.6 is the official stance of the FSA. - PLEASE NOTE - in spite of the controversy over the safety of Aaspartame over the 30 + years of its existance,neither the FSA nor the EFSA have actually carried out any scientific tests of their own to justify their stance. Instead, they have relied on the studies of others particularly in the US. - and that is another story - I have added another site - No.7 The official Aspartame Industry story.

1. http://www.greenfacts.org/en/aspartame/index.htm#1
2. http://www.london77truth.com/ASP.doc
3. http://www.jaydax.co.uk/imho/aspartame.htm
4. http://www.theecologist.org/pages/archi ... ent_id=457
5. http://www.dldewey.com/monte.htm
6. http://www.food.gov.uk/safereating/chem ... ners/55174 - 34k -
7. http://www.aspartame.com

Regarding your second point, you are absolutely right methanol is a chemical - Aspartame is an entirely man made chemical and its three constituents are - 50% Phenolalanine and 40%
Aspartic Acid and 10% Methyl ester - this is nothing more than dry methanol

I have to take issue with "Dennis " on the following points :-

1."Aspastame does not contain methanol" - yes it does see above.

2."the metabolism of methanol does not damage the body" - wrong,
The methanol, and therefore the formaldehyde, produced by the metabolism of aspartame are in a FREE state, IE not accompanied by any natural antidotes.

3. "The quantity of methanol is too small to disrupt normal physiological processes" - wrong
In a FREE state (without antidotes) the human body is incapable of excreting methanol or formaldehyde, as a result the formaldehyde remains in the body and builds up over time causing severe damage to sensitive organs over time which can be 5 - 30 years. everyone has a different tolerance level.

I will not comment on item (b), however, item (c), regarding natural methanol in fruit juice and alcoholic beverages. This is essentially correct but misleading, it suggests, that because there is natural methanol in fruit juice and alcoholic beverages and we suffer no ill effects, it is therefore, OK to ingest methanol in aspartame - this is entirely wrong - The reason we suffer no ill effects from consuming methanol in fruit, or any other naturally produced product, is the fact that natural methanol is never FREE, it is always accompanied by other naturally occurring elements EG Ethanol (alcohol) or pectin. These neutralise the methanol making it harmless to the human body, and it can be excreted safely - if this were not the case, we would all probably die from eating fruit !!.

The comment that - "some reserch has indicated formaldehyde accumulation from aspartame ingestion" presumably means the Trocho & Telephly reports of 1998 and 1999. - Google this to find out more.

FREE Methanol in aspartame, means FREE formaldehyde in all our bodies - this is not a good thing as we are now finding out.

Jimmac.

99% of what you read on the internet about aspartame is spread by Betty Martini and her followers. Such as people who Google for its mention and turn up in forums and newsgroups where they have never posted before and never post again

(and sometimes post under several identities)

I still don't get it.
How can something 100% one thing, and also be 40% something else, 50% something else and 10% something else.

Maybe my scientific education is too old. Has the world of biology and chemistry changed so much in the 13 years since I left it to work in IT? Why didn't my partner tell me! He's a pharmacist, he must have known. Or maybe I just don't believe you?

You decide.

Trinkwasser said:

99% of what you read on the internet about aspartame is spread by Betty Martini and her followers. Such as people who Google for its mention and turn up in forums and newsgroups where they have never posted before and never post again

(and sometimes post under several identities)

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Hi there Trinkwasser,

I don't know where you are coming from here. Do you know anything of the background to the approval and use of aspartame, the most controversial food product ever?. Anyone researching on the net is at liberty to read both sides of any arguement, and make their own mind up. Your narrow minded comment does not add anything to my arguement on why I believe no one should be consuming aspartame.

Jimmac.

SilverAndEbony said:

I still don't get it.
How can something 100% one thing, and also be 40% something else, 50% something else and 10% something else.

Maybe my scientific education is too old. Has the world of biology and chemistry changed so much in the 13 years since I left it to work in IT? Why didn't my partner tell me! He's a pharmacist, he must have known. Or maybe I just don't believe you?

You decide.

Click to expand...

Hi there SilverAndEbony,

Well done, you spotted my typo - take the word "other" out of the paragraph after the links and everything should be clear - you will find that what I am saying is that "aspartame" is a trade name
(100%) and consists of 3 "ingredients" in the proportions 50%, 40% & 10%. - hope this helps.

Jimmac

As I believe I have already stated somewhere in this thread this has already been debated at length in another thread.Please do not 'flame' other posters for their opinions.Debate the issues and the chemistry.

Back to the chemistry

aspartame is a chemical compound -
L-alpha-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester

Aspartame is not a brand name. Nutrasweet is a brand name for aspartame. I don't know if it is the only one.

Aspartame does not contain methanol. It is a chemical compound consisting of two amino acid compounds joined together together with a methanol group.

When it is digested, it breaks down into these three parts. Whether this is a problem I'm not qualified to say - I choose to trust the experts who approved it's use in this country. They may change their advise as more evidence comes to light as a result of research, but it's my choice to trust the regulatory system however imperfect it is.

Continuing the chemistry,

From what I can see, there are many chemical names for aspartame but only one chemical formula :-C H H O.
14 18 2 5

Regarding brand names, aspartame is a brand name, when manufacturers are choosing an artificial sweetner for their end product - It would compete with EG. acesusulfame K, saccarin, sucralose,
stevia and Tagatose.

On the otherhand, as you say, aspartame hides itself behind other brand names, when it is being used "straight", these for your information are :- Nutrasweet, Canderal, Equal, Equal measure, and Spoonfull - there may of-course be others.

I'm sorry to dissappoint you, but your chemical compound, uncontroversially metabolises into its constituant parts almost immediately, (at 86degrees F). in the body. the chemicals produced are :-
aspartic acid, phenylalanine and METHANOL - the methanol further metabolises into, formaldehyde then formic acid - this is a biological fact.

Whether the three compounds released by aspartame,are good for you or not, is what all the scientists have been arguing about, for the last 30 odd years, and why aspartame is the most tested food product on the planet, this alone, must surely provide enough room for reasonable doubt about its safety. There have been approx. 200 studies carried out on aspartame in this time,
approx. half, by industry funded scientists the rest by independadly funded scientists. Would you be surprised to know ,that the industry funded results found aspartame 100% safe and of the independants, 99% were unsatisfied and reccommended further testing !!. Who in all this, has a vested interest in keeping aspartame on the market, and what do the independants have to gain ?.

Regarding the regulatory bodies who have supposed to be looking after our interests in all this.
The SFA's predecessors controversially approved aspartame for food use in the UK in 1983/4 on the strength of controversial testing carried in the US over the preceeding 14years - yes it took all that time to get US approval. The FDA decision to approve aspartame was mired in slease, court cases, the underhand working of the Reagan Government and the deep pockets of the food industry. All this meant nothing to our "protectors" who went ahead and approved it for the UK anyway,

The UK approval is also very controversial and to this day, neither the FSA nor the EFSA have carried out any studies of their own relating to the safety of aspartame, rather they content themselves by reading other peoples work, and siding with the manufacturers every time - it would be difficult to have to admit that they were wrong, not to hve been cautious all those years ago - I believe the British public should have been given the benefit of the considerable doubt - we deserve better.

Jimmac.

I give up on this never ending argument. You have your opinion, which you are entitled to, and to express it on this forum.

I'm going to keep on using aspartame and other sweeteners. Even if the little tablets of aspartame I consume are 10% liquid methanol, (oops - typo corrected!) I don't believe it's worth me worrying about.
There are bigger things I worry about more.

Hello SilverAnd Ebony, (are you one person or two ?)

I'm sorry you think we are arguing, my objective is to provide accurate background information, to help make people aware of the very real danger of consuming aspartame. OK,so the source of my knowledge has come via the web, and over 100 hrs of study of both sides of the argument - I think I am a reasonable person, and capable of making up my own mind on important issues. Having considered all I have read and seen, I feel there is enough REASONABLE DOUBT over the safety of aspartame, that we should not be taking risks with the nation's health.

Having said all that there is another very clear reason why no one should be consuming this product - It contains Methanol which metabolises into Formaldehyde - when I first saw this I was horrified, because I know a bit about Methanol, The company I work for sells industrial chemicals, and FREE Methanol is one of our products. It is sold in bulk tankers and drums
I would ask you to check out the MSDS for methanol and in particular the section on toxicology.

You have obviously made up your mind, that a little methanol with your tea now and again is OK, and you have made that decision in the knowledge that it could be very harmfull to you in the long run. You are very fortunate, the vast majority of the population of the UK and Europe and the rest of the world are consuming aspartame without this knowledge, and that is my whole point - and why I worry about it.

Every one is consuming ever increasing qiuntities of aspastame, it is used over 7000 products worlwide, just have a look on the ingredients labels of what you eat - you can't get away from it today, kids today are becoming addicted to chewing gum (no caffine there) and are using up 10 packs a day !! aspartame is addictive,

The reason it is so important to pick on ASPARTAME, is because, it is the only sugar substitute which contains Methanol and that is why it is so sinister and dangerous, for yout information Methanol is the wood alcohol (check this out ), consumed by alcoholics in the past, many of whom suffered blindness, insanity and death as a result.

So think on - is this something we should be putting into our bodies just because the FSA says so - common sense surely says NO.

Jimmac