The dangers of aspartame

When it comes to aspartame, many people may not know what kind of product it is, but in layman's terms, it is an additive, an additive that is widely used in food. Long-term consumption of additives themselves will cause harm to the body, and eating foods containing additives such as aspartame can easily cause obesity. Therefore, obese people should try to eat less of these sugar-rich products.

Aspartame is sold under the brand names NutraSweet and Equal. It is also widely used in packaged products, especially those labeled as "diet" foods.

The components of aspartame are aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Both are naturally occurring amino acids. Aspartic acid is produced by your body, and phenylalanine is an essential amino acid that you get from food.

When your body consumes aspartame, part of it is broken down into methanol. Although toxic in large quantities, methanol is non-toxic in small quantities. It is produced naturally by the body and can also be found in fruits, juices, fermented drinks, and some vegetables.

The amount of methanol produced by the decomposition of aspartame is very low. In fact, it's far lower than what's found in many common foods.

Aspartame Approval

Many regulatory agencies and health-related organizations have weighed in on aspartame. This is approved by:

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

World Health Organization

American Heart Association

American Dietetic Association

In 2013, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) summarized more than 600 data sets from aspartame research. There is no reason to remove aspartame from the market. The review reported no safety concerns related to normal or increased intake.

Artificial sweeteners, meanwhile, have a long history of controversy. Aspartame was developed when the FDA banned the artificial sweeteners cyclamate (Sucaryl) and saccharin (Sweet'N Low). Laboratory tests have shown that large doses of both compounds cause cancer and other diseases in experimental animals.

While aspartame is indeed approved by the FDA, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer advocacy group, cites numerous studies raising questions about the sweetener, including one from the Harvard School of Public Health.

In 2000, the National Institutes of Health decided to remove saccharin from its list of carcinogenic substances. Although cyclamate is sold in more than 50 countries, it is not sold in the United States.

Whenever a product is labeled "sugar-free," it usually means it has artificial sweeteners in place of sugar. While not all sugar-free products contain aspartame, it remains one of the most popular sweeteners. It is widely found in many packaged goods.

Some examples of products that contain aspartame include:

Diet soda

Sugar-free ice cream

Low-calorie juice

Glue

· yogurt

Sugar-free candies

Using other sweeteners can help you limit your aspartame intake. However, if you want to avoid aspartame altogether, you also need to make sure you look out for it in packaged goods. Aspartame is often labeled as containing phenylalanine.

Side Effects of Aspartame

According to the American Cancer Society, aspartame is about 200 times sweeter than sugar. So only very small amounts of food and drink are needed to get the sweet taste. The FDA and EFSA recommend the following acceptable daily intake (ADI):

FDA: 50 mg per kg of body weight

EFSA: 40 mg/kg body weight

One can of diet soda contains about 185 mg of aspartame. A 150-pound (68-kg) person would need to drink more than 18 cans of soda per day to exceed the FDA's daily intake. Alternatively, they would need nearly 15 cans to exceed EFSA's recommendation.

However, people with phenylketonuria (PKU) should not use aspartame. People who are taking medication for schizophrenia should also avoid aspartame.

Phenylketonuria

People with PKU have too much phenylalanine in their blood. Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid found in protein sources such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy products. It is also one of the two ingredients in aspartame.

People with this condition cannot process phenylalanine properly. Aspartame is highly toxic if you have this condition.

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is recognized as a side effect of some schizophrenia medications. The phenylalanine in aspartame can precipitate the uncontrolled muscle movements of TD.

Anti-aspartame activists claim there is a link between aspartame and a number of illnesses, including:

· cancer

Epileptic seizures

· Headache

Depression

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

· Dizziness

Weight gain

Birth defects

Lupus

Alzheimer's disease

Multiple sclerosis (MS)

However, there is insufficient evidence to support a link between these diseases and aspartame.

Effects of Aspartame on Diabetes and Weight Loss

When it comes to diabetes and weight loss, the first step many people take is to reduce the empty calories in their diet. This often includes sugar.

Aspartame has both pros and cons when considering diabetes and obesity. First, the Mayo Clinic notes that, in general, artificial sweeteners may be beneficial for people with diabetes. However, this does not necessarily mean that aspartame is the best sweetener, and you should ask your doctor first.

Sweeteners may also aid weight loss, but this is usually the case if you consume large amounts of sugary products before trying to lose weight. Switching from sugary products to those with artificial sweeteners may also reduce the risk of tooth decay and cavities.

According to a 2014 PLoS One study, mice fed aspartame had lower overall body weight. One caveat was that these same mice also had more gut bacteria as well as elevated blood sugar. This increase in blood sugar is also associated with insulin resistance.

The future of aspartame

Public concern about aspartame remains active today. Scientific studies have not shown any consistent evidence of harm, leading to its acceptance for daily use.

Due to the harsh criticism, many people have taken steps to avoid artificial sweeteners. Still, aspartame consumption has soared as people become aware of their sugar intake.

When it comes to aspartame, your best option, just as with sugar and other sweeteners, is to limit consumption.