I previously discussed a company that launched an anti-aspartame campaign in New Zealand, and ever since, I’ve been sent tons of questions concerning the various dangers of aspartame.
Aspartame is a non-saccharine artificial sweetener currently used in over 6,000 diet and low calorie food products. Popular trademark brands of the sweetener in the United States include NutraSweet®, Equal®, and Tropicana Slim®, which are used to sweeten a number of sodas and chewing gums.
However, research done on aspartame has shown that it may not be completely safe for human consumption, and may cause a number of health complications if taken in large amounts. Efforts to revoke FDA approval on aspartame have so far been unsuccessful, so it is advisable to simply avoid these products whenever possible.
What Can Aspartame Do to You?
Aspartame is an NMDA receptor antagonist, which means that it inhibits the release of neurotransmitters that cause pain within the body. NMDA receptor antagonists are often used as a form of anesthesia for animals, but not on humans due to the fact that they often cause brain damage in rodents. The possible side effects of aspartame on humans include headaches, brain tumors, brain lesions, and lymphoma [1] [2].
Why Was Aspartame Approved by the FDA?
Aspartame gained FDA approval while it was owned by Donald Rumsfeld, who was at that time the CEO of the pharmaceutical company G.D. Searle & Company. Rumsfeld earned millions of dollars by marketing the product as NutraSweet, and when medical research into the product confirmed the risk of brain tumors, Rumsfeld simply hired another FDA board member to overturn the ban that the current board had inflicted.
Did you know? Despite its apparent danger to animals and humans, aspartame has been approved by the FDA a total of 26 times over the last 23 years. Read more
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