Sugar - The Sweet Poison



Sugar - The Sweet PoisonThe Health Hazards Of SugarSugar was once called “white death”.??It deserves 100% of this title. It is a key factor in most degenerative disease, and in order for us as a society to get control over our health, we must stop consuming it.On some level most of us know that sugar is not healthy, but the majority of us truly have no idea how devastating sugar really is to our health. The world’s consumption of sugar or processed carbohydrate that converts to sugar has grown to enormous proportions in the last century. It is estimated that the average Western person consumes about 10 –200lb of this highly processed substance each year and is estimated that?sugar constitutes about 25 to 35 per cent of the western dietThe human body is designed to breakdown complex carbohydrates found in whole grains and fresh fruit and vegetables into glucose. This glucose then slowly releases into the bloodstream while absorbing the vital nutrients from them.??Glucose, the sugar that fuels the body, needs insulin which is released from the pancreas, to do its job.??Feeding the body with the correct foods will allow the gradual release of glucose with small amounts of insulin, into the bloodstream.??This process keeps the body running smoothly, with energy levels stable and mind and body feeling balanced and nourished.??When we eat the wrong foods, processed foods and sugar, it sends the body into overdrive. Glucose instantly floods the bloodstream, sending the pancreas into a panic to produce enough insulin to handle the excess.??This momentarily creates a blood sugar “high” glucose that is eventually mopped up by the insulin, leaving the body worn out, tired and depleted.??The sugar “low” then sets in, and it's time to eat again.?Eventually with this ongoing consumption of sugar the body becomes sluggish unable to cope, the brain becomes less efficient, memory is impaired and the inevitable slide of ill health begins.Nature has given us sugar in the form of sugar cane and sugar beet. When sugar cane and sugar beet are?analyzed?it is found that every piece is equipped with every nutrient our bodies need to metabolize?every molecule of sugar, in that piece properly. But we don’t eat sugar cane or sugar beet in its natural form. We extract the sugar out of them and throw everything else away.?That processed sugar comes into our bodies like a villain, robbing and pulling nutrients out of our bones, muscles, brain and other tissues in order to be metabolized.??For example, for the body to?metabolize?just one molecule of sugar, the body requires around 56 molecules of magnesium.??The over consumption of processed carbohydrates and sugar is a major reason for the widespread magnesium deficiency in our modern society, eventually leading??to high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes and neurological problems.??Sugar is also implicated in causing type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, kidney disease, liver disease, obesity and depression. Every tablespoon of sugar depresses the immune system for up to 6 hours. If you get sick often, this could be in a large part due to your sugar consumption.??Sugar has a detrimental effect on the gut flora, it promotes the growth of parasites, worms and fungi, encouraging the growth of Candida Albicans.??Fungi attack living tissue and survive by producing toxins and enzymes to defeat the host’s immune system. Sugar also increases the growth of cancerous tumors, as cancer cells love sugar.Refined sugars are everywhere, and it is hard to find any processed food without it. Crackers, biscuits, crisps, breads, pastries, pastas, chocolates, sweets, jams, breakfast cereals are highly processed carbohydrate, and full of sugar. A bowl of breakfast cereal will start your day with the first round of the blood sugar roller coaster. The manufacturers of these cereals claim that with a bowl of their product you will get all the fiber that you need. Unfortunately it is the wrong kind of fiber for most people. Fiber in breakfast cereals are full of phytates - substances that bind essential minerals and take them out of the body, thus further depleting you of minerals. Soft drinks (pops, cordials, lemonades, etc.) are a major source of sugar. A can, can contain 5 to 10 teaspoons of sugar. Tinned soups, baked beans, tinned peas, ready made dinners, basically everything that has been processed is laced with processed sugar.Refined sugar is in almost everything and can be very difficult to avoid unless you are preparing your own foods from scratch.??Start reading product labels and avoid, as best as you can this deadly concoction of sugars. Avoiding these processed foods and sugar is a huge start in our longevity of health.??Try naturally sweetening foods,?with organic fresh fruits or try a natural alterative like:Xylitol:?A low calorie natural sweetener made from birch bark. Xylitol is not only safe, natural sweetener without the bad side-effects of sugar and artificial substitutes, it's also good for your teeth, stabilises insulin and hormone levels and promotes good health. Xylitol is widely distributed throughout nature in small amounts. Some of the best sources are fruits, berries, mushrooms, lettuce, and corn cobs. One cup of raspberries contain less than one gram of xylitol.Stevia:?Used worldwide as a no-calorie herbal sweetener, Stevia is a South American herb that is 30 times sweeter than sugar. With hundreds of studies showing Stevia is a safe alternative,Avoid artificial sweeteners especially:Saccharin:??Saccharin is carcinogenic.?It was banned in the US in 1911, but this ban was lifted during the sugar rationing of World War I.??In the 70s the Canadians proved conclusively that saccharin caused cancer. As a result, the FDA required that any saccharin products carry a warning label. The warning labels read:?"Use of this product may be hazardous to your health. This product contains saccharin, which has been determined to cause cancer in laboratory animals."??But this warning was removed in 2000 by the US Congress (not by the FDA) after heavy lobbying by the saccharin industry. Further research was then done on saccharin, because the FDA wished to ban saccharin outright but the food companies fought this (successfully). The National Cancer Institute ran studies in the next 2 years and found that saccharin was indeed connected with bladder cancer.?Saccharin is an artificial sweetener known as Sweet N Low. Saccharin?is found in many children's soft drinks, medicines and some toothpastes. Saccharin is used frequently in products that are sugar free.??Aspartame:?Found in many foods as an artificial sweetener, found in the NutraSweet sweetener. Aspartame when heated above 86 degrees (remember the body is 96.4 degrees) it turns intoFormaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a?suspected carcinogen and neurotoxin and banned in some countries.Sugary Drinks Linked to Over 180,000 Deaths Annually WorldwideBy Dr. MercolaI’ve been warning you of the dangers of soda since I started this site over 16 years ago, and the list of reasons to avoid this beverage just keeps getting longer. Americans in particular get most of their daily calories from sugar, primarily in the form of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in soda and other sweetened beverages.Half of the US population over the age of two consumes sugary drinks on a daily basis, and this figure does not even include 100% fruit juices, flavored milk or sweetened teas, all of which are sugary too, which means the figure is actually even higher.Many people mistakenly believe that as long as you are drinking?fruit juice, it's healthy even though it's sweet, but this is a dangerous misconception that is fueling the rising rates of weight gain, obesity, fatty liver disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes in the United States and other developed nations.It’s important to realize sugary drinks, soda and even fresh squeezed fruit juice, contain?fructose, which has been identified as one of the primary culprits in the meteoric rise of obesity and related health problems—in large part due to its ability to turn on your “fat switch.”So-called “enhanced” water products are another source of hidden fructose, and/or artificial sweeteners, which can be even worse for your health than sugar. I recommend drinking plenty of pure water as your primary beverage of choice instead.Sugary Drinks Linked to 180,000 Deaths AnnuallyPreliminary research presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2013 Scientific Sessions suggests sugary beverages are to blame for about 183,000 deaths worldwide each year, including 133,000 diabetes deaths, 44,000 heart disease deaths and 6,000 cancer deaths.Among the 35 largest countries in the world, Mexico had the highest death rates associated with sugary beverage consumption. There, the average consumption of sugary beverages was 24 ounces per day.Bangladesh had the lowest death rates. The US ranked third, with an estimated 25,000 annual deaths HYPERLINK "" \l "_edn2" 2?from sweetened drinks. HYPERLINK "" \l "_edn3" 3?(Many might have expected the US to come in first place, but remember that American processed foods contain far more sugars than other nations, so Americans also consume a lot of “hidden” sugar in products other than beverages.)Interestingly, and quite disturbingly, the death rates associated with sweetened beverages were highest in those?under the age of 45. According to the featured article: HYPERLINK "" \l "_edn4" 4“[W]hile the connection between excess sugar and chronic disease is well-known, the latest research is the first to quantify deaths correlated with sugared drinks worldwide....To reach their conclusion, the scientists analyzed data from the 2010 Global Burden of Diseases Study and recorded how much sugar-sweetened beverages people drank, dividing up the data by age and sex. Then, they figured out how the various amount corresponded to obesity rates.Lastly, they calculated how much obesity affected diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers and determined the mortality rates from these diseases, ending up with the number of deaths that could be attributed to consuming sugary beverages by age and sex.”Co-author Dr. Gitanjali Singh told?Time Magazine:“Our findings should push policy makers world-wide to make effective policies to reduce consumption of sugary beverages, such as taxation, mass-media campaigns, and reducing availability of these drinks... Individuals should drink fewer sugary beverages and encourage their family and friends to do the same.”As you may recall, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently tried to ban the sale of sugary beverages over 16 ounces in restaurants, food carts and theaters, but the day before the ban was scheduled to go into effect, a Supreme Court judge overturned it. HYPERLINK "" \l "_edn5" 5?Bloomberg?has stated he intends to appeal the decision.Personally, I believe the most appropriate strategy is to educate people on the facts about sugar consumption, and encourage personal responsibility. Taxation and eliminating sweet drinks from schools and other venues may have a beneficial effect, but to really put a dent in the problem, you need to be properly informed about the consequences of your choices. Voting with your pocketbook and avoiding purchasing these products will cause them to disappear from the marketplace as companies will not produce items that don’t sell.Scientific Statement from American Heart Association about Sugar Consumption and Heart Disease RiskIn 2009, the American Heart Association (AHA) issued a scientific statement HYPERLINK "" \l "_edn6" 6about sugar intake and heart health, pointing out that there is evidence for a relationship between the two. According to the abstract:“High intakes of dietary sugars in the setting of a worldwide pandemic of obesity and cardiovascular disease have heightened concerns about the adverse effects of excessive consumption of sugars.In 2001 to 2004, the usual intake of added sugars for Americans was 22.2 teaspoons per day (355 calories per day). Between 1970 and 2005, average annual availability of sugars/added sugars increased by 19%, which added 76 calories to Americans’ average daily energy intake. Soft drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages are the primary source of added sugars in Americans’ diets. Excessive consumption of sugars has been linked with several metabolic abnormalities and adverse health conditions, as well as shortfalls of essential nutrients...[T]he American Heart Association recommends reductions in the intake of added sugars. A prudent upper limit of intake is half of the discretionary calorie allowance, which for most American women is no more than 100 calories per day and for most American men is no more than 150 calories per day from added sugars.”How Much Sugar Do You Eat or Drink Each Day?Let’s start with soda. One hundred calories isn’t much. Just one 12-ounce regular soda contains about 140 calories; the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar. Similarly, one eight-ounce glass of orange juice has about eight full teaspoons of sugar, and at least 50 percent of that sugar is fructose. Drinking just?one?eight-ounce glass of orange juice will wallop your system with about25 grams of fructose, which is more than you should have the entire day...Fructose has been identified as one of the primary culprits in the meteoric rise of obesity and related health problems, and while the majority of the problem is caused by the large quantities of high fructose corn syrup added to so many processed foods and sweetened beverages, naturally-occurring fructose in large amounts of fruit juice is also a problem. Fructose is also a likely culprit behind the millions of U.S. children struggling with?non-alcoholic liver disease, which is caused by a build-up of fat within liver cells. Fructose is very hard on your liver, in much the same way as drinking alcohol.Around 100 years ago the average American consumed a mere 15 grams of fructose a day, primarily in the form of whole fruit. One hundred years later, one-fourth of Americans are consuming more than 135 grams per day (that's over a quarter of a pound!), largely in the form of soda and other sweetened beverages.Fructose at 15 grams a day is unlikely to do much harm (unless you suffer from?high uric acid levels). However, at nearly 10 times that amount it becomes a MAJOR cause of obesity and nearly all chronic degenerative diseases. As a standard recommendation, I strongly advise keeping your TOTAL fructose consumption below 25 grams per day.?However, for most people it would actually be wise to limit your fruit fructose to 15 grams or less, as it is virtually guaranteed that you will consume “hidden” sources of fructose from most beverages and just about any processed food you might eat.Don’t Fall for the Latest 'Designer Water' Fad...As a general rule, I advise using water as your primary form of beverage. Many simply do not drink enough water these days. But don’t be fooled by slick marketing. There are a number of “designer water” products available, and none of them can really beat plain, pure water. For example, on April 1, Coca-Cola released its latest enhanced water product called “Fruitwater,” described as “a great tasting, naturally flavored zero calorie sparking water beverage.” HYPERLINK "" \l "_edn7" 7?Despite its name, the product does NOT contain any juice. Rather it’s sweetened with sucralose and “natural fruit flavors.”?Sucralose?(Splenda) is an artificial sweetener that, like aspartame, is associated with a host of side effects, including:Gastrointestinal problemsSeizures, dizziness and migrainesBlurred visionAllergic reactionsBlood sugar increases and weight gainArtificially Sweetened Water is a Recipe for Poor HealthDifferent artificial sweeteners have been found to wreak havoc in a number of different ways.?Aspartame, for example, has a long list of studies indicating its harmful effects, ranging from brain damage to pre-term delivery. Sucralose has been found to be particularly damaging to your intestines. A study HYPERLINK "" \l "_edn8" 8?published in 2008 found that sucralose:Reduces the amount of good bacteria in your intestines by 50 percentIncreases the pH level in your intestines, andAffects a glycoprotein in your body that can have crucial health effects, particularly if you're on certain medications like chemotherapy, or treatments for AIDS and certain heart conditionsIn response to this study, James Turner, chairman of the national consumer education group Citizens for Health, issued the following statement: HYPERLINK "" \l "_edn9" 9"The report makes it clear that the artificial sweetener Splenda and its key component sucralose pose a threat to the people who consume the product. Hundreds of consumers have complained to us about side effects from using Splenda and this study ... confirms that the chemicals in the little yellow package should carry a big red warning label."That was nearly five years ago, yet many are still in the dark about these health risks. Having healthy gut flora is absolutely vital for your optimal health, so clearly, any product that can destroy up to?half?of your healthy intestinal bacteria can pose a critical risk to your health! Many are already deficient in healthy bacteria due to consuming too many highly processed foods. This is why I recommend eating fermented vegetables every day, or at the very least taking a high quality probiotic.Believe me, if you continuously destroy up to 50 percent of your gut flora by regularly consuming sucralose, then poor health is virtually guaranteed. So please, do not make “Fruitwater” a staple drink thinking you’re doing something beneficial for your health... Remember, pure water IS a zero calorie drink. You cannot find a beverage that contains fewer calories. If you think about it, why on earth would you choose?artificially sweetened?water over regular mineral water? If you want some flavor, just squeeze a little bit of fresh lemon or lime into mineral water as they have virtually no fructose in them.Unfortunately, most public health agencies and nutritionists in the United States still recommend these toxic artificial sweeteners as acceptable and even preferred alternatives to sugar, which is at best confusing and at worst seriously damaging the health of those who listen to this well-intentioned but foolish advice. Contrary to popular belief, research has shown that artificial sweeteners can stimulate your appetite, increase carbohydrate cravings, and stimulate fat storage and weight gain. In fact,?diet sodas?may actually?double?your risk of obesity. So much for being an ally in the battle against the bulge...The Case Against ALL Bottled Waters...While we’re on the subject of commercially available water products, let me remind you that?bottled water?in general is a bad idea. Not only are you paying about 1,900 percent more for the same or similar water you get straight from your tap, water stored in plastic bottles have other health risks as well. The plastic often used to make water bottles contains a variety of health-harming chemicals that can easily leach out and contaminate the water, such as:Cancer-causing?PFOAsPBDEs (flame retardant chemicals), which have been linked to reproductive problems and altered thyroid levelsThe reproductive toxins,?phthalatesBPA, which disrupts the endocrine system by mimicking the female hormone estrogenIf you leave your water bottle in a hot car, or reuse it, your exposure is magnified because heat and stress increase the amount of chemicals that leach out of the plastic. So the container your water comes in needs to receive just as much attention as the water itself, and plastic is simply not a wise choice from a health perspective … not to mention the extreme amounts of toxic waste produced!What’s the Healthiest Beverage You Can Drink?Sweetened beverages, whether it’s sweetened with sugar, HFCS, naturally-occurring fructose, or artificial sweeteners, are among the worst culprits in the fight against obesity and related health problems, including diabetes, heart- and liver disease, just to name a few. Remember that sweetened beverages also include flavored milk products, bottled teas, and “enhanced” water products. Ditching ALL of these types of beverages can go a long way toward reducing your risk for chronic health problems and weight gain. So what?should?you drink?Your best, most cost effective choice is to drink filtered tap water. The caveat though is to make sure you?filter?your tap water. I've written a large number of articles on the hazards of?tap water, from fluoride to dangerous chemicals and?drugs, to?toxic disinfection byproducts?and heavy metals, so having a good filtration system in place is more of a necessity than a luxury in most areas. Remember, nothing beats pure water when it comes to serving your body’s needs. If you really feel the urge for a carbonated beverage, try sparkling mineral water with a squirt of lime or lemon juice.Another option to consider is to bottle your own water from a gravity-fed spring. There's a great website called?where you can find natural springs in your area. This is a great way to get back to nature and teach your children about health and the sources of clean water. The best part is that most of these spring water sources are free! Just remember to bring either clear polyethylene or glass containers to collect the water so no unsafe chemicals can contaminate your water on the way home. If you choose to use glass bottles, be sure to wrap them in towels to keep them from breaking in the car.Aspartame, The Most Dangerous Substance on the MarketNovember, 2011Aspartame is the technical name for the brand names NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure. It was discovered by accident in 1965 when James Schlatter, a chemist of G.D. Searle Company, was testing an anti-ulcer drug.Aspartame was approved for dry goods in 1981 and for carbonated beverages in 1983. It was originally approved for dry goods on July 26, 1974, but objections filed by neuroscience researcher Dr. John W. Olney and consumer attorney James Turner in August 1974, as well as investigations of G.D. Searle's research practices caused the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to put approval of aspartame on hold (December 5, 1974). In 1985, Monsanto purchased G.D. Searle and made Searle Pharmaceuticals and The NutraSweet Company separate subsidiaries.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/migrainesdizzinessseizuresnauseanumbnessmuscle spasmsweight gainrashesdepressionfatigueirritabilitytachycardiainsomniavision problemshearing lossheart palpitationsbreathing difficultiesanxiety attacksslurred speechloss of tasteTinnitusvertigomemory lossjoint pain?According to researchers and physicians studying the?adverse effects of aspartame, the following chronic illnesses can be triggered or worsened by ingesting of aspartame:Brain tumorsmultiple sclerosisepilepsychronic fatigue syndromeparkinson's diseasealzheimer'smental retardationlymphomabirth defectsfibromyalgiaDiabetes????Aspartame is made up of three chemicals: aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol. The book?"Prescription for Nutritional Healing,"?by James and Phyllis Balch, lists aspartame under the category of "chemical poison." As you shall see, that is exactly what it is.What Is Aspartame Made Of?Aspartic Acid (40 percent of Aspartame)Dr. Russell L. Blaylock, a professor of neurosurgery at the Medical University of Mississippi, recently published a book thoroughly detailing the damage that is caused by the ingestion of excessive aspartic acid from aspartame. Blaylock makes use of almost 500 scientific references to show how excess free excitatory amino acids such as aspartic acid and glutamic acid (about 99 percent of monosodium glutamate or MSG is glutamic acid) in our food supply are causing serious chronic neurological disorders and a myriad of other acute symptoms.How Aspartate (and Glutamate) Cause DamageAspartate and glutamate act as neurotransmitters in the brain by facilitating the transmission of information from neuron to neuron. Too much aspartate or glutamate in the brain kills certain neurons by allowing the influx of too much calcium into the cells. This influx triggers excessive amounts of free radicals, which kill the cells. The neural cell damage that can be caused by excessive aspartate and glutamate is why they are referred to as "excitotoxins." They "excite" or stimulate the neural cells to death.Aspartic acid is an amino acid. Taken in its free form (unbound to proteins), it significantly raises the blood plasma level of aspartate and glutamate. The excess aspartate and glutamate in the blood plasma shortly after ingesting aspartame or products with free glutamic acid (glutamate precursor) leads to a high level of those neurotransmitters in certain areas of the brain.The blood brain barrier (BBB), which normally protects the brain from excess glutamate and aspartate as well as toxins, 1) is not fully developed during childhood, 2) does not fully protect all areas of the brain, 3) is damaged by numerous chronic and acute conditions, and 4) allows seepage of excess glutamate and aspartate into the brain even when intact.The excess glutamate and aspartate slowly begin to destroy neurons. The large majority (75 percent or more) of neural cells in a particular area of the brain are killed before any clinical symptoms of a chronic illness are noticed. A few of the many chronic illnesses that have been shown to be contributed to by long-term exposure to excitatory amino acid damage include:Multiple sclerosis (MS)Parkinson's diseaseALSHypoglycemiaMemory lossAIDSHormonal problemsDementiaEpilepsyBrain lesionsAlzheimer's diseaseNeuroendocrine disordersThe risk to infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly and persons with certain chronic health problems from excitotoxins are great. Even the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), which usually understates problems and mimics the FDA party-line, recently stated in a review that:"It is prudent to avoid the use of dietary supplements of L-glutamic acid by pregnant women, infants, and children. The existence of evidence of potential endocrine responses, i.e., elevated cortisol and prolactin, and differential responses between males and females, would also suggest a neuroendocrine link and that supplemental L-glutamic acid should be avoided by women of childbearing age and individuals with affective disorders."Aspartic acid from aspartame has the same deleterious effects on the body as glutamic acid.The exact mechanism of acute reactions to excess free glutamate and aspartate is currently being debated. As reported to the FDA, those reactions include:Headaches/migrainesFatigue (blocks sufficient glucose entry into brain)Anxiety attacksNauseaSleep problemsDepressionAbdominal painsVision problemsAsthma/chest tightnessOne common complaint of persons suffering from the effect of aspartame is memory loss. Ironically, in 1987, G.D. Searle, the manufacturer of aspartame, undertook a search for a drug to combat memory loss caused by excitatory amino acid damage. Blaylock is one of many scientists and physicians who are concerned about excitatory amino acid damage caused by ingestion of aspartame and MSG.A few of the many experts who have spoken out against the damage being caused by aspartate and glutamate include Adrienne Samuels, Ph.D., an experimental psychologist specializing in research design. Another is Olney, a professor in the department of psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University, a neuroscientist and researcher, and one of the world's foremost authorities on excitotoxins. (He informed Searle in 1971 that aspartic acid caused holes in the brains of mice.)Phenylalanine (50 percent of aspartame)Phenylalanine is an amino acid normally found in the brain. Persons with the genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) cannot metabolize phenylalanine. This leads to dangerously high levels of phenylalanine in the brain (sometimes lethal). It has been shown that ingesting aspartame, especially along with carbohydrates, can lead to excess levels of phenylalanine in the brain even in persons who do not have PKU.This is not just a theory, as many people who have eaten large amounts of aspartame over a long period of time and do not have PKU have been shown to have excessive levels of phenylalanine in the blood. Excessive levels of phenylalanine in the brain can cause the levels of serotonin in the brain to decrease, leading to emotional disorders such as depression. It was shown in human testing that phenylalanine levels of the blood were increased significantly in human subjects who chronically used aspartame.Even a single use of aspartame raised the blood phenylalanine levels. In his testimony before the U.S. Congress, Dr. Louis J. Elsas showed that high blood phenylalanine can be concentrated in parts of the brain and is especially dangerous for infants and fetuses. He also showed that phenylalanine is metabolized much more efficiently by rodents than by humans.One account of a case of extremely high phenylalanine levels caused by aspartame was recently published by the?"Wednesday Journal"?in an article titled "An Aspartame Nightmare." John Cook began drinking six to eight diet drinks every day. His symptoms started out as memory loss and frequent headaches. He began to crave more aspartame-sweetened drinks. His condition deteriorated so much that he experienced wide mood swings and violent rages. Even though he did not suffer from PKU, a blood test revealed a phenylalanine level of 80 mg/dl. He also showed abnormal brain function and brain damage. After he kicked his aspartame habit, his symptoms improved dramatically.As Blaylock points out in his book, early studies measuring phenylalanine buildup in the brain were flawed. Investigators who measured specific brain regions and not the average throughout the brain notice significant rises in phenylalanine levels. Specifically the hypothalamus, medulla oblongata, and corpus striatum areas of the brain had the largest increases in phenylalanine. Blaylock goes on to point out that excessive buildup of phenylalanine in the brain can cause schizophrenia or make one more susceptible to seizures.Therefore, long-term, excessive use of aspartame may provide a boost to sales of serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as Prozac and drugs to control schizophrenia and seizures.Methanol a.k.a wood alcohol/poison (10 percent of aspartame)Methanol/wood alcohol is a deadly poison. Some people may remember methanol as the poison that has caused some "skid row" alcoholics to end up blind or dead. Methanol is gradually released in the small intestine when the methyl group of aspartame encounters the enzyme chymotrypsin.The absorption of methanol into the body is sped up considerably when free methanol is ingested. Free methanol is created from aspartame when it is heated to above 86 Fahrenheit (30 Centigrade). This would occur when aspartame-containing product is improperly stored or when it is heated (e.g. as part of a "food" product such as Jello).Methanol breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde in the body. Formaldehyde is a deadly neurotoxin. An EPA assessment of methanol states that methanol "is considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion once it is absorbed. In the body, methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde and formic acid; both of these metabolites are toxic." They recommend a limit of consumption of 7.8 mg/day. A one-liter (approx. 1 quart) aspartame-sweetened beverage contains about 56 mg of methanol. Heavy users of aspartame-containing products consume as much as 250 mg of methanol daily or 32 times the EPA limit.Symptoms from methanol poisoning include headaches, ear buzzing, dizziness, nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances, weakness, vertigo, chills, memory lapses, numbness and shooting pains in the extremities, behavioral disturbances, and neuritis. The most well known problems from methanol poisoning are vision problems including misty vision, progressive contraction of visual fields, blurring of vision, obscuration of vision, retinal damage, and blindness. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen, causes retinal damage, interferes with DNA replication and causes birth defects.Due to the lack of a couple of key enzymes, humans are many times more sensitive to the toxic effects of methanol than animals. Therefore, tests of aspartame or methanol on animals do not accurately reflect the danger for humans. As pointed out by Dr. Woodrow C. Monte, director of the food science and nutrition laboratory at Arizona State University: "There are no human or mammalian studies to evaluate the possible mutagenic, teratogenic or carcinogenic effects of chronic administration of methyl alcohol."He was so concerned about the unresolved safety issues that he filed suit with the FDA requesting a hearing to address these issues. He asked the FDA to:"Slow down on this soft drink issue long enough to answer some of the important questions. It's not fair that you are leaving the full burden of proof on the few of us who are concerned and have such limited resources. You must remember that you are the American public's last defense. Once you allow usage (of aspartame) there is literally nothing I or my colleagues can do to reverse the course. Aspartame will then join saccharin, the sulfiting agents, and God knows how many other questionable compounds enjoined to insult the human constitution with governmental approval."Shortly thereafter, the Commissioner of the FDA, Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr., approved the use of aspartame in carbonated beverage. He then left for a position with G.D. Searle's public relations firm.It has been pointed out that some fruit juices and alcoholic beverages contain small amounts of methanol. It is important to remember, however, that methanol never appears alone. In every case, ethanol is present, usually in much higher amounts. Ethanol is an antidote for methanol toxicity in humans. The troops of Desert Storm were "treated" to large amounts of aspartame-sweetened beverages, which had been heated to over 86 degrees F in the Saudi Arabian sun. Many of them returned home with numerous disorders similar to what has been seen in persons who have been chemically poisoned by formaldehyde. The free methanol in the beverages may have been a contributing factor in these illnesses. Other breakdown products of aspartame such as DKP (discussed below) may also have been a factor.In a 1993 act that can only be described as "unconscionable," the FDA approved aspartame as an ingredient in numerous food items that would always be heated to above 86 degree F (30 degree C).Diketopiperazine (DKP)DKP is a byproduct of aspartame metabolism. DKP has been implicated in the occurrence of brain tumors. Olney noticed that DKP, when nitrosated in the gut, produced a compound that was similar to N-nitrosourea, a powerful brain tumor causing chemical. Some authors have said that DKP is produced after aspartame ingestion. I am not sure if that is correct. It is definitely true that DKP is formed in liquid aspartame-containing products during prolonged storage.G.D. Searle conducted animal experiments on the safety of DKP. The FDA found numerous experimental errors occurred, including "clerical errors, mixed-up animals, animals not getting drugs they were supposed to get, pathological specimens lost because of improper handling," and many other errors. These sloppy laboratory procedures may explain why both the test and control animals had 16 times more brain tumors than would be expected in experiments of this length.In an ironic twist, shortly after these experimental errors were discovered, the FDA used guidelines recommended by G.D. Searle to develop the industry-wide FDA standards for good laboratory practices.DKP has also been implicated as a cause of uterine polyps and changes in blood cholesterol by FDA Toxicologist Dr. Jacqueline Verrett in her testimony before the U.S. Senate. ................
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