The Scary Truth: Artificial Sweeteners

The following is an article written by Kyra Xavia in Organic NZ Magazine. I felt an incredible need to share it - especially considering sugar is in the spotlight for its negative effects at the moment, and the huge percentage of the population struggling with gut issues. For some, artificial sweeteners still seem to be the "answer" to cutting out sugar.
It's not that the information isn't out there, more that it seems to have taken a back-seat in recent times.
This article was shared to me by Elizabeth Welgens (Cosmic Clover Wellbeing), a holistic doctor who has helped me to clear up almost all of my bloating & IBS issues by treating me for candida and in the removal of aspartame from my system.
Her expertise is testing gut health, by performing a simple test (I had mine done at the Wellness Festival at The Cloud last year). Incredibly, candida, intestinal parasites and aspartame poisoning affect almost every single person she treats in some form or another. Her treatment? A simple herbal remedy that balances bacteria in the gut within a couple of days - seems hard to believe doesn't it??

I have waited a while before making this declaration as I wanted to be absolutely sure... But I can honestly say that stomach issues that have plagued me for more than ten years are now literally almost completely under control thanks to a) being treated by Elizabeth and b) cutting out all processed food from my diet (this is also loosely a low-FODMAP diet, but I have been able to re-introduce quite a few foods since being treated for aspartame poisoning).
If you struggle with IBS, I highly recommend looking into the dangers of artificial sweeteners and getting in contact with Elizabeth. I can supply her details on request.

The Dangers of Aspartame:
Aspartame is a highly addictive artificial sweetener and flavour enhancer, used in over 10,000 products worldwide.
Produced by genetic engineering, aspartame is incorrectly classified as an additive, when it is in fact an excitotoxic and neurotoxic drug, supposedly developed to treat peptic ulcers.
Misleading claims:
Since its creation, aspartame has been known to cause cancer, and only received approval by the American Food and Drug Agency (FDA) through fraudulent means. Since then, advocates of aspartame have relied upon numerous flawed industry-funded studies (which avoided the detection of ill effects). This has resulted in the misleading claim that aspartame is one of the most studied food additives – and therefore, is the safest food additive ever made. Yet as more research is done and more people become aware, the harmful effects of aspartame are harder to ignore.

Aspartame linked with cancer 
In 2012, the first most comprehensive human study of aspartame toxicity, spanning 22 years, revealed an association between aspartame intake and blood cancers. In 2011, in response to research linking aspartame consumption to premature births as well as an increased risk of cancer, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) brought forward the re-evaluation of its safety from 2020. It is currently conducting a full review, and findings are scheduled for release in May 2013. However, previous review committees have been stacked with industry scientists that have maintained aspartame’s safety.

Widespread use

Aspartame is predominantly used in sugar-free, low-fat and diet products, chewing gums and sports drinks. It’s also added to pharmaceuticals, medications, supplements, and personal care products, but might not be labelled as aspartame because there is no requirement to do so. Brand names include Aminosweet, Equal, Nutrasweet, Spoonful, and NutraTaste. It can also be listed as 951, and sometimes labels will only say ‘contains phenylalanine’.

Negative Health Effects

Aspartame is made up of aspartic acid (40%), phenylalanine (50%) and methanol (10%). Although these substances do occur naturally in various foods (a fact that is often used to imply aspartame’s safety) – all three forms present in aspartame have neurotoxic effects on the human body (A neurotoxin overstimulates nerve cells until they die).
Not only that, but methanol is deadly to humans because it cannot be broken down safely. Instead, it is metabolised into formaldehyde, a recognised carcinogen. Aspartame can also form a harmful byproduct called diketonepiperazine (DKP), an agent linked to brain tumours.
Despite claims to the contrary, the acceptable daily allowance (ADI) set for aspartame is not a safe guide. This is of concern considering that recent research reveals aspartame is particularly dangerous for pregnant women and the developing foetus in the womb. Alarmingly, Diabetes NS’s website states that aspartame is safe during pregnancy.
If this wasn’t enough, aspartame interacts with many medications, as well as having a synergistic effect with some food additives such as MSG (621, another excitotoxin and neurotoxin), and other artificial sweeteners.

Increased appetite and carbohydrate craving
Finally, there is no adequate research that proves aspartame helps with weight loss; there is, however, research that shows that aspartame induces carbohydrate craving, increases appetite, ruins the body’s ability to register satiety (the feeling of having had enough to eat), interferes with metabolism, and causes weight gain.
Unfortunately, many people still believe artificial sweetened foods and drinks with reduced calories can help fight obesity, and prevent or manage diabetes – when in fact aspartame has bden contributing to and worsening these problems all along.
With organisations such as the NZ Nutrition Foundation, Diabetes NZ, Food Standards Australia NZ, NZ Food Safety Authority and Weight Watchers supporting the use of this neurotoxic drug, the public has every reason to be concerned.

What can you do?

• Avoid artificial sweeteners

• Use natural sweeteners such as honey, unrefined organic molasses and stevia in moderation instead.

• Read the labels of supplements and pharmaceutical products very carefully.

• Ask your pharmacist if your medications contain aspartame and request safer alternatives.

• Contact www.safefood.org.nz for more information.

• Boycott products that contain aspartame and voice your concerns to manufacturers and regulatory agencies.

• Find manufacturers’ pages on Facebook and post comments on their wall.

Report suspected reactions If you, or someone you care about uses products with aspartame, and has ailments that elude treatment, avoid all aspartame for a month. If after this, you are convinced that symptoms were caused by aspartame, contact the following:
Food Standards Australia NZ,
Phone 04 978 5630
Email: info@foodstandards.govt.nz
NZ Food Safety Authority
Phone 0800 693 721
Email: nzfsa.info@maf.govt.nz

Where is it found?

Be aware that aspartame may be included under ‘inactive’ ingredients.
 Drinks such as Zero Coke, Pepsi Next, L & P Sweet As, Bundabert Diet ginger beer, Sparkling flavoured spring water, tea and coffee beverages, juices, milk drinks, cocoa mixes, wine coolers and instant liquid breakfasts.

• Cereals, yoghurt, sweets, desserts, table-top sweeteners and toping mixes, etc.

• Weight Watcher products such as desserts, drinking chocolate, and sweetener.

• Supplements such as chewable vitamins, minerals, and vitamin C tablets (inclulding Healtheries Kidscare Fizz Bombs and Boost products, Berocca effervescent tablets), sports drinks, protein powders and meals for the elderly and ill).

• Personal care items such as toothpaste, mouthwash, Listerine Pocketpak breath strips, breath mints, sugar-free chewing gum, lip gloss, lubricants, spermicides and flavoured condoms.

• Over-the-counter products such as Neurofen for Children Meltlet Orodispersible tablet 100mg strawberry flavour, Lempsip, Vicks throat lozenges, Gaviscon, Gastrolyte powder, Alka-Seltzer, Panadol Rapid, Panadol Cold & Flu Citrus effervescent tablet, Zantac effervescent tablet, cough syrups, laxatives, Imodium melts orodispersible tablets, bulking agents like Metamucil and Mucilax.

For a full list of medications containing aspartame, see www.euphory.com/medications-containing-aspartame.

Common symptoms

• Some common symptoms caused by aspartame ingestion include: abdominal pain, changes in vision, cramps, diarrhoea, dizziness, fatigue, headaches, memory loss, nausea, poor balance and vomiting.

• Some psychological symptoms include: anxiety, bipolar or manic depression, hallucinations, mood swings, paranoia, rage, suicidal tendencies and violence.

• Chronic conditions linked to aspartame intake include Alzheimer’s disease, birth defects, blindness, brain tumours, chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, lymphoma, lupus, Parkinson’s disease, mental retardation and Multiple Sclerosis.

A more comprehensive list can be found at www.euphory.com/aspartame-poisoning-symptoms