How much damage does aspartame do to your body?

Answer 1

Good question. There is a lot of debate about this issue. Here are some known facts:

1. Weight gain - slows the metabolism significantly. You are better off drinking regular soda for example than diet.
2. Pregnant women shouldn't touch anything with Aspartame since it isn't known if it can damage the fetus.
3. Causes hunger when there is none.
4. Possibly destroys neurons (brain cells).
5. Headaches
6. Dizziness
7. Menstrual problems
8. sleep disorders
9. fatigue

In other words DONT DRINK DIET DRINKS!!!!!!!

Answer 2

Aspartame is not harmful. That is a myth. The exception is for people with a rare disorder called phenylketonuria, who cannot metabolize one of the ingredients.

For more information you can visit the "Related Links" below the ads. Additional Info: It is often difficult to parse out what is good information and what is bad. When it comes to Aspartame, there is plenty of both available. There have been over 500 studies on the health effects of aspartame and several cross-study reviews that compile the data from other studies, and they have all resoundingly come to the conclusion that there is no evidence that it causes the host of ills it has been associated with. Some health and wellness sites do posit convincing sounding arguements as to why they believe aspartame is bad for people. Others simply point to studies that confirm their beliefs and rarely give credence to those that do not. They do not compare the studies side-by-side or allow the reader to judge for themselves whether the scientific methodology is sound. Studies that show benign results are frequently dismissed as funded by Big-Pharma and thereby invalid. Such sites often have products or book of their own, for you to buy. Note, just because most studies say aspartame is not harmful, does not mean it is particularly "good" for you either. Some people report headaches and other effects which may indicate a sensitivity to the sweetener. Anyone with a known sensitivity should avoid it. For some people, such as diabetics, aspartame can be an essential element of their diet when sugar is not an option for them.

Answer 3

There are some major differences in opinion on this question. Two viewpoints are shown and an individual will have to consider the information and links provided to reach their own conclusions regarding the safety of this product. If you have concerns, you should consult with your medical professionals. Aspartame is the methyl ester of two amino acids: phenylalanine and aspartic acid. It was discovered serendipitously by James Schlatter, who was conducting ulcer drug research in the mid-1960's. One cannot consume "too much" aspartame. Before a food additive is approved, regulatory agencies require specific scientific evidence that is safe for its intended uses and that its projected level of intake (estimated daily intake) is less than the ADI. Expressed in milligrams of additive per kilogram body weight, it is the dose, if consumed on a daily basis over a lifetime, that would cause no adverse effects. The ADI of aspartame is 50 mg/kg of body weight per day (22 cans of a diet soft drink for a 175 pound man; 15 cans for a 120 pound woman; 6 12-oz. cans for a 50-pound child). It is important to note that the ADI is not a specific point at which safety ends and possible health concerns begin, and occasionally consuming levels above the ADA would not be expected to cause any negative health effects. Aspartame does not represent any more of a threat than does a banana, which also contains phenylketones. In other words, normal use, even by a diabetic or other individual who is avoiding sugar, should not cause any significant problems if you have a normal ability to process phenylketones. As always with medical questions, if you have any concerns regarding the subject, it is strongly recommended that you consult your physician. Consider that aspartame (branded as "Equal", "NutraSweet") is considered an ant insecticide. It was previously banned by the FDA for causing brain tumors, until the chairman of the corporation's board, Donald Rumsfield, encouraged the FDA to change the status of aspartame from a hazardous material to "generally recognized as safe". Since then, the documents from the FDA about brain tumors have disappeared, but the numbers can still be found in independent university research.

"Aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA. Many of these reactions are very serious including seizures and death. A few of the 90 different documented symptoms listed in the report as being caused by aspartame include:

Headaches/migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and joint pain."

The use of Aspartame has been banned in several European countries.

Answer 4

Consider that aspartame (branded as "Equal", "NutraSweet") is considered an ant insecticide. It was previously banned by the FDA for causing brain tumors, until the chairman of the corporation's board, Donald Rumsfield, encouraged the FDA to change the status of aspartame from a hazardous material to "generally recognized as safe". Since then, the documents from the FDA about brain tumors have disappeared, but the numbers can still be found in independent university research. I have provided links to more information in the related links.

"Aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA. Many of these reactions are very serious including seizures and death. A few of the 90 different documented symptoms listed in the report as being caused by aspartame include:

Headaches/migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and joint pain."

The use of Aspartame has been banned in several European countries - and for good reason. I have added several links to help with information and research.

Answer 5

Aspartame is a chemical created by a man named James M. Schlatter. Aspartame is a chemical, has nothing natural about and so your body stores it and then aspartame causes over 90 different health problems.

Answer 6

People aren't really sure. Aspartame is an artificial sweetener,and it is a common stereotype that artificial sweeteners cause cancer. Aspartame, specifically, has had some scares with that belief. However, there is no known link between Aspartame and cancer.

Some have claimed that Aspartame causes headaches. This may be true, but many foods have been shown to give certain people headaches. These foods include cheese, red wine, and chocolate. Basically what I'm saying is, there are so many dietary triggers for headaches and migraines, that just because a food causes them doesn't mean they should be considered harmful.

Anyway, getting back on point, it isn't known whether or not aspartame is a harmful component to ingest. If you've had bad experiences with it, then you probably should try to avoid it, but if you haven't, there's no real reason not to consume it in rational amounts.

AnswerAspartame is definitely harmful. There are over 92 side effects and reactions associated with it - [too long to put here] (See website http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-side-effects.html), and it has been definitely linked to cancers (see "Aspartame Associated with Increased Risk of Blood Cancers in Long-Term Human Study" @ http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/11/07/aspartame-causes-blood-cancer.aspx) . However, accepting these adverse reports would affect cause Profits to drop, and create huge litigation costs.

There are over 92 different health side effects associated with aspartame consumption. ...

Aspartame dissolves into solution and can therefore travel throughout the body and deposit within any tissue. ...

Aspartame Side EffectsThe components of aspartame can lead to a number of health problems, as you have read. Side effects can occur gradually, can be immediate, or can be acute reactions.

....

Adverse reactions and side effects of aspartame include:

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

decreased tears

trouble with contact lenses

bulging 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

diarrhea, 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 behavior

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)

In short, don't touch it.

Answer 7

It Generally shouldn't take too long, should be only a few days considering the fact that aspartame rapidly breaks down. If you are worried about consuming aspartame why not switch to a sweetener such as sweetNlow because it does not absorb in the body and just passes through.

Answer 8

Having more than 2-3 aspartame sweetened sodas per day has been shown to have effects on the brain. To my knowledge no dose that anyone is likely to consume has been shown to be harmful.

Answer 9

Yes. Aspartame has killed quite a bit of people but it isn't very deadly. It causes lots of health problems though (Over 90).