| Artificial sweeteners including aspartame, | | | | cans of soda to day to as much as 11 cans a day |
| sucralose(splenda) & Truvia are safe for children, | | | | (the average was 2 cans per day or about 7% of |
| teens and adults. Every regulatory agency, scientific | | | | the ADI).Even at this high level of intake there was |
| body, and peer reviewed medical studies have | | | | no increase risk of cancer or any other medical |
| confirmed again and again that these sweeteners do | | | | problems. |
| not cause cancer, nervous system diseases, cellulite | | | | Dr George Blackburn, a noted Harvard researcher |
| or any other medical problem. | | | | made it clear, "Man is not a rat." In one of the |
| People really like the taste of sugar, we are born | | | | longest and largest study, Dr Blackurn found not only |
| with the desire and it only seems to increase as we | | | | no complications, but signficiant weight loss in dieters |
| age. Diabetic and individuals seeking to prevent | | | | drinking AS. |
| weight related medical complications have switched | | | | And finally here is the expert committee report from |
| to consuming more and more artificial sweeteners | | | | the American Cancer Society Guidelines(2007) |
| (AS) not only in soft drinks but in almost every food | | | | "Does aspartame cause cancer? No...Current evidence |
| possible. Yet the issue of safety and even efficacy | | | | does not demonstrate any link between aspartame |
| still sparks controversy. | | | | ingestion and risk of cancer." In Italy, from the |
| In 1977 4.8% of the population used AS's daily, it has | | | | European Society for Medical Oncology |
| quadrupled to more than 15% today. Still not has high | | | | (2007): "The present work indicates a lack of |
| as one might assume given their popularity. During | | | | association between saccharin, aspartame and other |
| the same period the number of overweight children | | | | sweeteners and the risk of several common |
| has exploded from 5% to 34% and the adults from | | | | neoplasms." |
| 44 to 67%. | | | | Aspartame and multiple sclerosis, seizures, chronic |
| The safety and efficacy of artificial sweeteners for | | | | fatigue, visual disturbances- |
| weight control has been the subject of continued | | | | No Relation: Again all of these reports are based on |
| controversy in the press and all over the Internet. | | | | anecdotal stories. No reliable reports have proven any |
| Numerous health problems have been blamed on the | | | | connection between aspartame and these disorders. |
| use of AS ranging from multiple sclerosis, cellulite to | | | | Surprisingly, the answers are much simpler than one |
| cancer and kidney stones. When the FDA and the | | | | would think: Of the two issues, safety and efficacy, |
| National Cancer Institute and such consumer | | | | the safety is has been settled by all reasonable |
| organizations as Center for Science in the Public | | | | individuals: AS's are safe. |
| Interest settle one issue, another arises. Who should | | | | Aspartame does carry a cautionary note, however. It |
| the consumer believe and what should he do? Should | | | | isn't safe for people who have the rare hereditary |
| the consumer avoid artificial sweeteners because of | | | | disease phenylketonuria (PKU). Products that contain |
| fear of cancer only to get diabetes, heart disease | | | | aspartame must carry a PKU warning on the label. |
| and other obesity related problems? | | | | There are published safety standards for |
| It's hard to know who to believe because there are | | | | consumption of AS. The term ADI(Acceptable Daily |
| some many voices. Safety issues long ago settled by | | | | Intake) is used. by the FDA, the Joint Commission of |
| the regulatory agencies are brought up by | | | | Experts on Food Additives of the World Health |
| anti-artificial activists who spend a great degree of | | | | Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, |
| effort alerting the public as to what they perceive as | | | | the European Food Safety Agency. In general the |
| the dangers of AS. Most are hypothetical questions | | | | ADI's include about 20 cans (12 oz.) per day of diet |
| totally lacking scientific evidence. While they claim to | | | | cola for aspartame, 12 packets of saccharin |
| be unbiased and "independent" they simply are not | | | | sweetener and 6 cans of diet cola for sucralose. Here |
| qualified to be able to scientifically evaluate the | | | | are some of the issues on the use of artificial |
| numerous safety evaluations, complex toxicological | | | | sweeteners and the generally accepted conclusions |
| studies and expert committee reports. Instead of | | | | regarding their safety |
| using peer reviewed medical reports their conclusions | | | | Here are the position papers of the major academic |
| are based on personal experience and anecdotal | | | | institutions involved in the safety issue of artificial |
| stories. As in all life sciences false positives and false | | | | sweeteners: |
| negatives are a fact of life and expertise is required | | | | "Present levels of aspartame consumption appear to |
| to properly interpret data from such studies. | | | | be safe for those who do not have PKU.... The blood |
| Over-simplistic interpretations lead to incorrect | | | | phenylalanine levels reported in response to loading |
| conclusions. | | | | doses of aspartame in normal adults and those |
| What is the consumer to do in this situation? Like | | | | heterozygous for the PKU gene do not seem to be |
| any issue, the consumer needs to seek out the most | | | | sufficiently high to warrant concern of toxicity to the |
| trusted, experienced and educated experts he can | | | | individual or even duringpregnancy." American |
| find. This is not difficult since there are literally a | | | | Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition, Task |
| mountain of reliable scientific studies, some old and | | | | Force on the Dietary Management of Metabolic |
| some very recent. | | | | Disorders, December 1985 Final Report |
| Here are the issues to answer: | | | | "The American Diabetes Association finds the use of |
| 1. Based on the most reliable, scientifically proven | | | | the two commercially available non-caloric sweeteners |
| studies are artificial sweeteners safe? | | | | saccharin and aspartame to be acceptable. The use |
| 2. Do artificial sweeteners help people lose weight | | | | of both sweeteners is encouraged for the particular |
| and prevent the complications of obesity? | | | | advantages of each." Position statement of the |
| To answer these questions I have relied on the best | | | | American Diabetes Association, "Use of No caloric |
| scientific studies I was able to find over the past 20 | | | | Sweeteners," 1990 |
| years. Here are the guidelines I have used to | | | | "Evidence indicates that long-term consumption of |
| evaluate the data. | | | | aspartame is safe and is not associated with any |
| 1. Only scientific studies written by MD's or PhD from | | | | adverse health effects." American Dietetic |
| recognized university medical centers are even | | | | Association "Use of Nutritive and Nonnutritive |
| considered. | | | | Sweeteners" position statement, July 1993 |
| 2. The scientific evidence had to be presented in a | | | | "Available evidence suggests that consumption of |
| scientific, recognized, peer reviewed medical journal, | | | | aspartame by normal humans is safe and is not |
| containing not only the qualifications of the authors, | | | | associated with serious adverse health effects." |
| the location of the studies, pertinent medical | | | | American Medical Association Council on Scientific |
| references as well as any disclosures of conflict of | | | | Affairs report, published in The Journal of the |
| interests of the authors. | | | | American Medical Association, July 19, 1985 |
| 3. Evidence from regulatory agencies both US and | | | | The finest scientists from all over the world have |
| European, and position papers from expert | | | | agreed that artificial sweeteners used in moderation |
| committees of scientific associations. | | | | are safe for adults, children, pregnant women and |
| Aspartame and Headaches: No Cause and Effect | | | | even lactating women. |
| Randomized, double blind controlled studies in | | | | The regulatory agencies across the world as do all of |
| individuals who were convinced that aspartame | | | | the professional societies have reached a similar |
| caused their headaches done in a clinical research | | | | conclusion: substituting artificial sweetened beverages |
| center failed to show that aspartame produced | | | | and foods for naturally sweetened ones, especially |
| headaches. Numerous long terms, high dose | | | | the juices and sodas, can lead to a significant |
| aspartame studies showed no evidence of headaches | | | | reduction in calories for those on calorie-reduced diets |
| from aspartame. | | | | but who still crave sweets. |
| Aspartame and Cancer: NO Cause and no Effect | | | | However, adding more calories because the sugar |
| Researchers examined the relationship between | | | | calories are reduced defeats the whole purpose. |
| aspartame and lymphoma, leukemia, and malignant | | | | The debate about the safety and efficacy of artificial |
| brain cancers and found no increase rate of any | | | | sweeteners will most likely continue for years until |
| malignancy due to consumption of artificial | | | | more conclusive studies come up with a definitive |
| sweeteners in animals or humans. After an Italian | | | | answer. In the meantime, artificial sweeteners can be |
| report of increased cancer in rats fed large doses of | | | | found in everything from cookies to ice cream to |
| AS, the FDA and the European Food Safety | | | | sodas. |
| Authority (EFSA) re-examined all of the human and | | | | Anybody who wants to avoid foods containing |
| animal evidence again and confirmed the safety of | | | | aspartame can identify its presence from the label. |
| AS and rejected the need for further studies. The | | | | Consumers can make informed choices because food |
| National Cancer Institute examined human data from | | | | manufacturers are required to list food additives and |
| the NIH Diet and Health Study of over half a million | | | | other ingredients, including sweeteners, on labels. |
| retirees which included participants drinking from 1-2 | | | | |