Is Your Low Calorie Zero Sugar Drink Dangerous?
Aspartame (E951) aka Nutrasweet is 200 times sweeter than sugar and is used in over 6000 food products as an artificial sweetener. It was approved in the early 1980’s for dry foods and carbonated drinks and, after another risk assessment, that approval was reaffirmed in 2002 strengthening the feeling that there is no evidence that aspartame (at its recommended dosage of 40mg per kg of body weight per day) is bad for your health. That said there are other reports that seem to paint a rather different picture, which could be particularly relevant when you realise that aspartame accounts for over 75% of the adverse reactions to food additives that are reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
What is Aspartame?
Discovered in 1965 by James M. Schlatter whilst working on an anti-ulcer drug, it took sometime before the product made it to the market. This is because of two activists who were against food additives; their findings indicated that aspartame may cause cancer in rats. Aspartame is made up of 3 chemical compounds aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol.
Aspartic Acid
Aspartic acid makes up 40% of aspartame and is an amino acid that is non-essential in mammals. Aspartate (the base of aspartic acid) works in our brains as an instigator of information transfer between neurons.
This all sounds okay, so where is the problem? The problem starts when those neurons become overloaded with too much aspartate which makes them over excited to the point of death.
Any danger to the health caused by too much aspartate is much more likely in children because their neuron protectors are not fully developed and so are far more vulnerable than adults. I am sure you can see the problem here as many of us adults will steer our children’s sweet tooth away from sugar to what we think is the far safer option of diet drinks and artificial sweeteners. An excess of aspartate can lead to problems of memory loss, fatigue, sleep problems and depression but may also contribute to long term problems like MS, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s to name a few. Here are the top 100 foods that contain Aspartic Acid.
Phenylalanine
Phenylalanine is another amino acid and makes up 50% of aspartame. It is found naturally in the milk of mammals and is an essential amino acid which means the human body cannot create it itself. Its main function is in the brain and that is also where it is most likely to be found.
Phenylketonuria(PKU) is a genetic disorder that means the sufferer cannot metabolize phenylalanine which can lead to excess levels of phenylalanine in the brain. Too much phenylalanine in the brain can reduce the amount of seratonin in the brain which can lead to depression and trigger ADD/ADHD and other behavioural disorders. Obviously anyone suffering from PKU needs to carefully monitor their intake of foods and drinks containing aspartame. Here are the top 100 foods that contain Phenylalanine.
Methanol
This makes up the final 10% of apartame and is better known as wood alcohol. Before you pop down to you local bar and ask for a glass of methanol to see what the fuss is about, don’t. Firstly because the bar won’t sell it but also because humans find methanol highly toxic. Drinking even a small amount around 10ml will cause blindness and around 100ml, which is still relatively small, will kill you. It is fairly similar to drinking alcohol (ethanol) but sweeter and more deadly.
Side effects of Aspartame
By understanding the effects from the different elements contained within aspartame we can understand that too much can lead to illnesses mainly linked to the brain and its function. Here is a list of side effects that have been linked to excessive intake of aspartame during short and long term usage.
Eye
- blindness in one or both eyes
- decreased vision and/or other eye problems such as: blurring, bright flashes, squiggly lines, tunnel vision, decreased night vision
- pain in one or both eyes
Ear
- tinnitus – ringing or buzzing sound
- severe intolerance of noise
- marked hearing impairment
Neurologic
- epileptic seizures
- headaches, migraines and (some severe)
- dizziness, unsteadiness, both
- confusion, memory loss, both
- severe drowsiness and sleepiness
- paresthesia or numbness of the limbs
- severe slurring of speech
- severe hyperactivity and restless legs
- atypical facial pain
- severe tremors
Psychological/Psychiatric
- severe depression
- irritability
- aggression
- anxiety
- personality changes
- insomnia
- phobias
Chest
- palpitations, tachycardia
- shortness of breath
- recent high blood pressure
Gastrointestinal
- nausea
- diarrhoea, sometimes with blood in stools
- abdominal pain
- pain when swallowing
Skin and Allergies
- itching without a rash
- lip and mouth reactions
- hives
- aggravated respiratory allergies such as asthma
Endocrine and Metabolic
- loss of control of diabetes
- menstrual changes
- marked thinning or loss of hair
- marked weight loss
- gradual weight gain
- aggravated low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
- severe PMS
Other
- frequency of voiding and burning during urination
- excessive thirst, fluid retention, leg swelling, and bloating
- increased susceptibility to infection
Additional Symptoms of Aspartame Toxicity include the most critical symptoms of all death
- irreversible brain damage
- birth defects, including mental retardation
- peptic ulcers
- aspartame addiction and increased craving for sweets
- hyperactivity in children
- severe depression
- aggressive behaviour
- suicidal tendencies
- Aspartame may trigger, mimic, or cause the following illnesses:
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Epstein-Barr
- Post-Polio Syndrome
- Lyme Disease
- Grave’s Disease
- Meniere’s Disease
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- ALS
- Epilepsy
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- EMS
- Hypothyroidism
- Mercury sensitivity from Amalgam fillings
- Fibromyalgia
- Lupus
- non-Hodgkins Lymphoma
- Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
Many thanks to Dr. Hull for the list. Visit her site for more information at sweetpoison.com
What foods contain Aspartame?
There are a total of more than 6000 foods and beverages that contain aspartame but don’t worry we are not going to list them all. The great news is that by law the companies have to state on the label if their product contains aspartame (E951) so when you are out shopping next just check the labels and see if it is in your chosen food. As aspartame is an artificial sweetener you will more than likely find it in products that are labelled as diet e.g. diet drinks or products that advertise themselves as being low calorie or no sugar content like many of the chewing gums currently on sale.
Our opinion
The government departments that deal with the legalities and safety of the products we eat and drink have stated that a dose of around 40mg per kg of body weight is safe. The companies that use aspartame in their produce have to state if their products contain aspartame, however they don’t seem to have to state how much is in their products. If we don’t know how much is in each product we consume the labelling is a little pointless. It’s a bit like being told the speed limit is 50 but not giving you a speedometre for you to be able to tell how fast you are going, then arresting you for speeding. The difference of course is that rather than a speeding ticket the consumer may risk serious health problems if they eat or drink excessive amounts of the product. We would therefore advise that you try to avoid aspartame and replace it with natural sugar, which the body can safely deal with. You will just have to be a bit more strict with quantities if you are trying to lose weight.
Let us know your experiences and opinions as this seems to be a subject that is hotly debated by scientists, food manufacturers and journalists (and bloggers!).
August 27th, 2009 at 1:09 am
Hey Hugo – Really enjoying all these posts on the different ingredients in our foods and I’m learning a lot of good stuff. Thankfully I’ve never been a fan of ‘diet’ products. If I want a sugary drink I go for the full sugar version. Still not the best choice but I only drink them in moderation (about 1 can per week) plus I’m avoiding the nasty aspartame side effects listed above. They do not sound pleasant at all.
August 31st, 2009 at 10:15 pm
Here is just another example how people are tricked into thinking something is better for them. It goes with fat-free or low-fat junk that people also believe is better for them. We wonder why obesity is out of control.
September 15th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
I avoid all sodas.
October 3rd, 2009 at 2:17 pm
What we all need to remember when looking at low calorie zero sugar drinks is that we may be doing more harm than good to our bodies. The Majority of people do not understand the ingredients and what it all means, we need to have articles such as yours, and become more informed. Labels on food and drinks are extremely confusing to the everyday consumer, we automatically think zero sugar and zero fats means that it is good for us. Become informed and know what you are eating and drinking.
October 13th, 2009 at 11:29 pm
Hello, respectable and revealing article. I need to add a few notices. If you have high cholesterol, then you may inquire, will a low fat diet low down cholesterol? This is a indispensable inquiry, because it is a best known fact that the most working way to lower cholesterol is over diet. Sure Enough one ingredient of a diet for lowering cholesterol will take represents low in fat. Only this is only part of the story. It is serious to clear that it is the concentrated fattens that you want to eradicate it from the foods you feed.
December 29th, 2009 at 4:49 am
i know this stuff may not be the best for you, but at least it won’t make you fat!
it is still 10x better than sugar
December 29th, 2009 at 11:44 am
A fair point Rob, however sugar is natural and the body knows what to do with it. The problem with sugar is the vast amount consumed, all you need to do is reduce the quantity and not replace it with a chemical that is dangerous and can lead to a whole host of illnesses.