I've extracted the conclusions from these reports as a guide to results.
The studies cover the following topics:
- Cancer
- Weight gain
- Cardio
- Genotoxic
activity
- Migraine/headaches
- Interference
with gut bacteria
- Methanol
toxicity
- Altering
insulin activity
- ADHD/ADD
- Panic attacks
- Prenatal
exposure
- Cognitive/biochemical
- Neurological Symptoms/Psychiatry
- Alzheimer's Disease
- Oxidative
Stress
- Hives
- Seizures and
mania
- Twinned studies with Monosodium Glutamate
Long-term aspartame and saccharin intakes are related to greater volumes of visceral, intermuscular, and subcutaneous adipose tissue: the CARDIA study - HERE
Nature.com/International Journal of Obesity - July 2023
Conclusions
Results suggest that long-term intakes of aspartame, saccharin, or diet soda may increase AT deposition and risk of incident obesity independent of diet quality or caloric intake. Coupled with previous evidence, alternatives to national recommendations to replace added sugar with ArtSw should be considered since both may have health consequences.
Results suggest that long-term intakes of aspartame, saccharin, or diet soda may increase AT deposition and risk of incident obesity independent of diet quality or caloric intake. Coupled with previous evidence, alternatives to national recommendations to replace added sugar with ArtSw should be considered since both may have health consequences.
Psychosomatics - Journal of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry
... This patient's clinical course suggests that high intake of aspartame may have triggered a seizure and subsequent manic episode. Although sustained treatment with imipramine could of course provoke mania in a bipolar patient, this does not appear likely in this case. There was no history of manic episodes, no known family history of bipolar illness, and no difficulty provoked by the same dose of imipramine five years prior to and one year subsequent to the use of aspartame. The high level of caffeine absorbed could also conceivably have played a role, but again the re was it least a six-year history of consumption at essentially the same level without difficulty. Clinicians should bear in mind the possible impact of aspartame on catecholamine and indolamine metabolism, and inquire about use of this artificial sweetener when assessing patients with affective disorder. ...
(the patient had been consuming large amounts of iced tea sweetened with Aspartame) admin
(the patient had been consuming large amounts of iced tea sweetened with Aspartame) admin
The Possible Role of Aspartame in Seizure Induction - HERE
Ralph G. Walton
Dietary Phenylalanine and Brain Function
CHAPTER 18 | The Possible Role of Aspartame in Seizure Induction
... Although aspartame is widely used, and generally considered safe, there is evidence that it has an effect on monoamine metabolism which could theoretically lower seizure threshold. Eight cases are presented in whom it would appear likely that seizures were induced by ingestion of this artificial sweetener. Clinicians are urged to take into account the possible role of aspartame when evaluating patients with seizures, or with disorders in which alterations in catecholamine and indolea-mine metabolism have been implicated. ...
Uncoupling sweet taste and calories: comparison of the effects of glucose and three intense sweeteners on hunger and food intake - HERE
Physiol Behav. 1988;43(5):547-52. doi: 10.1016/0031-9384(88)90207-7.
...The results of this study must be interpreted with reference to the prevailing experimental conditions, but they suggest that intense sweeteners can produce significant changes in appetite. Of the intense sweeteners, aspartame gave rise to the most pronounced effects.
Low-Dose Aspartame Consumption Differentially Affects Gut Microbiota-Host Metabolic Interactions in the Diet-Induced Obese Rat - HERE (full report) 2014
Marie S. A. Palmnäs (1 , 2 ), Theresa E. Cowan (3), Marc R. Bomhof (3), Juliet Su (2), Raylene A. Reimer (1, 3), Hans J. Vogel (1,2), Dustin S. Hittel (1, 3) and Jane Shearer (1 , 3)
Michael Müller, Editor
1 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada,
2 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada,
3 Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada,
University of East Anglia, United Kingdom,
PLoS One. 2014; 9(10): e109841.
...In summary, results of this study show APM to mitigate many of the negative effects associated with HF feeding including lower body mass, adiposity, caloric consumption and fasting insulin levels. In spite of this, APM resulted in hyperglycemia and an impaired ability to respond to insulin (ITT), which could be due to enhanced gluconeogenesis fueled by production of the SCFA propionate by the gut microbiota. This mechanism warrants future investigation and may explain the increased risk of metabolic disease states with regular APM consumption observed in population-based studies...
(APM is Aspartame) admin emphasis.
Aspartame and brain cancer - HERE
H.J. RobertsThe Lancet | Published:February 01, 1997
... I have documented other severe neuropsychiatric reactions to aspartame products—most notably headache, seizures, confusion and depression, and the probable acceleration of Alzheimer's disease by aspartame products. I believe that our society faces a preventable medical disaster if aspartame products are not promptly removed from public use. ...
Aspartame as a dietary trigger of headache. HERE
Headache, 1989 Feb;29(2):90-2.
Chewing gum headaches - HERE (abstract only)
Headache. 1997 Nov-Dec;37(10):665-6.
Abstract:
Aspartame, a popular dietetic sweetener, may provoke headache in some susceptible individuals. Herein, we describe three cases of young women with migraine who reported their headaches could be provoked by chewing sugarless gum containing aspartame.
Platelet Glycine, Glutamate and Aspartate in Primary Headache - HERE
International Headache Society, September 1991
Abstract
Platelet levels of glutamic and aspartic acid and glycine were measured in patients with migraine with aura, migraine without aura, tension headache and cluster headache. High levels of these amino acids were found in patients with migraine with aura compared to normal subjects and other headache groups. During headache, glutamate levels further increased in migraine with aura patients. These findings may have relevance to the neurological symptoms of migraine with aura.
(aspartate or aspartic acid is found in Aspartame) admin emphasis
The Effect of Aspartame on Migraine Headache - HERE
... The results of this study indicated that the ingestion of aspartame by migraineurs caused a significant increase in headache frequency for some subjects. The implications of these findings and suggestions for further research are discussed. ...
Aspartame ingestion and headaches: a randomized crossover trial. HERE
... This experiment provides evidence that, among individuals with self-reported headaches after ingestion of aspartame, a subset of this group report more headaches when tested under controlled conditions. It appears that some people are particularly susceptible to headaches caused by aspartame and may want to limit their consumption. ...
Aspartame exacerbates EEG spike-wave discharge in children with generalized absence epilepsy:
a double-blind controlled study - HERE
Clinical Trial Neurology. 1992 May;42(5):1000-3. doi: 10.1212/wnl.42.5.1000.
....Aspartame appears to exacerbate the amount of EEG spike wave in children with absence seizures. Further studies are needed to establish if this effect occurs at lower doses and in other seizure types.
Migraine MLT‐Down: An Unusual Presentation of Migraine in Patients With Aspartame‐Triggered Headaches - HERE (2008)
Headache: The Journal of Head and Face pain.
...We now report two patients with known aspartame‐triggered migraine in whom an acute agent containing aspartame worsened rather than relieved their migraine. ...
PANIC ATTACKS AND EXCESSIVE ASPARTAME INGESTION - HERE
Department of Neurology,
Ohio State University College of Medicine,
Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
Letters to the Editor: The Lancet
... The artificial sweetener aspartame has been alleged to cause seizures(1) and neuropsychiatric symptoms(2) in large doses. I have observed the precipitation by aspartame abuse of panic attacks in a previously symptomless patient with mitral valve prolapse, the association of which with anxiety disorder and panic attacks is controversial.(3) The effects of aspartame on brain amines(4, 5) support the role of catecholamines in panic attacks and suggest that persons with mitral valve prolapse may have an exaggerated sensitivity to aspartame excess. ...
The effect of food chemicals on cell aging of human diploid cells in in vitro culture
J Toxicol Sci. 1993 Aug;18(3):143-53.
...By successive treatment (29 or 25 times) with non-genotoxic chemical aspartame (N-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine) ... The results showed that seven genotoxic and nine non-genotoxic chemicals promoted cell aging.
Nutritional Status of Diet Soft Drinks Consumption Among Chilean School Children HERE (2021)
ACTA SCIENTIFIC NUTRITIONAL HEALTH (ISSN:2582-1423)
Volume 5 Issue 2 February 2021
Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of excess malnutrition accompanied by a significant percentage of children who drink diet
soft drinks daily. School children who drink diet soft drinks every day are at increased risk of obesity
Intake of artificially sweetened soft drinks and risk of preterm delivery: a prospective cohort study in 59,334 Danish pregnant women - HERE
Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Sep;92(3):626-33
Conclusions: Daily intake of artificially sweetened soft drinks may increase the risk of preterm delivery. Further studies are needed to reject or confirm these findings.
Life-Span Exposure to Low Doses of Aspartame Beginning during Prenatal Life Increases Cancer Effects in Rats -HERE (2007)
Cancer Research Center, European Ramazzini Foundation of Oncology and Environmental Sciences, Bologna, Italy
... CONCLUSIONS: The results of this carcinogenicity bioassay confirm and reinforce the first experimental demonstration of APM’s multipotential carcinogenicity at a dose level close to the acceptable daily intake for humans. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that when life-span exposure to APM begins during fetal life, its carcinogenic effects are increased. ...
The impact of food additives, artificial sweeteners and domestic hygiene products on the human gut microbiome and its fibre fermentation capacity - HERE
European Journal of Nutrition pp 1–18 online 18th December 2019
Conclusions
This study improves understanding of how additives might affect the gut microbiota composition and its fibre metabolic activity with many possible implications for human health.
Self-Assembly of Artificial Sweetener Aspartame Yields Amyloid-Like Cytotoxic Nanostructures -HERE (downloadable pdf)
Determination of Aspartame Levels in Soft Drinks Consumed in Ankara, Turkey - HERE (downloadable pdf available)
... Our data revealed that mean levels of aspartame were found within Turkish Food Codex in all samples. However, some samples were not found appropriate according to the label information. ...
Associations of Sugar and Artificially Sweetened Soda with Albuminuria and Kidney Function Decline in Women - HERE
The effect of aspartame metabolites on human erythrocyte membrane acetylcholinesterase activity - HERE
... Additionally, neurological symptoms, including learning and memory processes, may be related to the high or toxic concentrations of the sweetener metabolites. ...
Adverse reactions to aspartame: Double-blind challenge in patients from a vulnerable population - HERE
... We conclude that individuals with mood disorders are particularly sensitive to this artificial sweetener and its use in this population should be discouraged. ...
(This was the study featured in my Dr Ralph Walton comic: Aspartame | Eye Emergency. The study had to be discontinued due to two eye emergencies after consuming Aspartame)
(This was the study featured in my Dr Ralph Walton comic: Aspartame | Eye Emergency. The study had to be discontinued due to two eye emergencies after consuming Aspartame)
Oral stimulation with aspartame increases hunger. HERE
Physiol Behav. 1990 Mar;47(3):555-9.
... Relative to groups given nothing or unsweetened gum base to chew, groups given the sweetened gum bases increased hunger ratings, but not in a manner monotonically related to aspartame concentration. ...
The effect of sucrose- and aspartame sweetened drinks on energy intake, hunger and food choice of female, moderately restrained eaters - HERE (free pf)
... Conclusion: These results suggest that in females with eating restraint, substituting sucrose-sweetened drinks for diet drinks does not reduce total energy intake and may even result in a higher intake during the subsequent day. ...
... Of note, the brain is not the only tissue having glutamate receptors. Numerous glutamate receptors have been found both within the skin epidermis, heart's electrical conduction system, and the heart itself [2, 3, 4]. Thus, MSG and aspartame are both excitotoxins of cardiac tissue as well. The AFIB Report found that 10% of patients with atrial fibrillation found MSG and 4% listed aspartame as triggers for their attacks. In a study of 200 cardiac patients, 16% experienced detectable changes in their heart rate or rhythm after consuming aspartame [5].
... In short, this case report merely adds more credence that MSG and aspartame elimination diets may be beneficial for some patients with atrial fibrillation in clinical practice. ...
Neurobehavioral effects of aspartame consumption. HERE (abstract only)
... When consuming high-aspartame diets, participants had more irritable mood, exhibited more depression, and performed worse on spatial orientation tests. Aspartame consumption did not influence working memory. Given that the higher intake level tested here was well below the maximum acceptable daily intake level of 40-50 mg/kg body weight/day, careful consideration is warranted when consuming food products that may affect neurobehavioral health.
© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Artificial sweeteners and metabolic dysregulation: Lessons learned from agriculture and the laboratory. HERE
Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2016 Jun;17(2):179-86.
... As a result, simple substitution of artificial sweeteners for sugars in humans may not produce the intended consequences. Instead consumption of artificial sweeteners might contribute to increases in risks for obesity or its attendant negative health outcomes. As a result, it is critical that the impacts of artificial sweeteners on health and disease continue to be more thoroughly evaluated in humans. ...
Aspartame-induced hives HERE - (pdf)
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunilogy: LETTER| VOLUME 95, ISSUE 2, P639-640, FEBRUARY 1995,
... Because of these deficiencies in study design, I am concerned that the NutraSweet Company–sponsored study by Geha et al. does not accurately reflect the incidence of aspartame-induced hives. I hope that, from among the dozens of allergists who have cases of aspartame-induced hives, additional studies will be forthcoming. ...
Genotoxic Activity of Saccharin, Acesulfame-K, Stevia and Aspartame-Acesulfame-K in Commercial Form - HERE (downloadable pdf)
Journal of Clinical Toxicology | June 27, 2018
... Saccharin and the combination of aspartame-acesulfame-K have genotoxic activity and represent a genetic risk for consumers. Acesulfame-K and stevia are harmless and stevia even possesses antigenotoxic activity at concentrations below 5%. ...
Direct and indirect cellular effects of aspartame on the brain. HERE (abstract only)
Eur J Clin Nutr. 2008 Apr;62(4):451-62.
...The aim of this study was to discuss the direct and indirect cellular effects of aspartame on the brain, and we propose that excessive aspartame ingestion might be involved in the pathogenesis of certain mental disorders (DSM-IV-TR 2000) and also in compromised learning and emotional functioning. ...
Aspartame, a widespread sweetener used in many food products, is considered as a highly hazardous compound. Aspartame was discovered in 1965 and raises a lot of controversy up to date. Astrocytes are glial cells, the presence and functions of which are closely connected with the central nervous system (CNS). The aim of this article is to demonstrate the direct and indirect role of astrocytes participating in the harmful effects of aspartame metabolites on neurons. The artificial sweetener is broken down into phenylalanine (50%), aspartic acid (40%) and methanol (10%) during metabolism in the body. The excess of phenylalanine blocks the transport of important amino acids to the brain contributing to reduced levels of dopamine and serotonin. Astrocytes directly affect the transport of this amino acid and also indirectly by modulation of carriers in the endothelium. Aspartic acid at high concentrations is a toxin that causes hyperexcitability of neurons and is also a precursor of other excitatory amino acid - glutamates. Their excess in quantity and lack of astrocytic uptake induces excitotoxicity and leads to the degeneration of astrocytes and neurons. The methanol metabolites cause CNS depression, vision disorders and other symptoms leading ultimately to metabolic acidosis and coma. Astrocytes do not play a significant role in methanol poisoning due to a permanent consumption of large amounts of aspartame. Despite intense speculations about the carcinogenicity of aspartame, the latest studies show that its metabolite - diketopiperazine - is cancirogenic in the CNS. It contributes to the formation of tumors in the CNS such as gliomas, medulloblastomas and meningiomas. Glial cells are the main source of tumors, which can be caused inter alia by the sweetener in the brain. On the one hand the action of astrocytes during aspartame poisoning may be advantageous for neuro-protection while on the other it may intensify the destruction of neurons. The role of the glia in the pathogenesis of many CNS diseases is crucial.
(Abbreviation: CNS - central nervous system)
The debate over neurotransmitter interaction in aspartame usage. HERE
J Clin Neurosci. 2018 Oct;56:7-15.
... Hence ongoing research is instantly needed to understand the specific roles of aspartame metabolite, elevated cortisol, and gut dysbiosis with emerging neurophysiological symptom in aspartame consumers to improve healthy life in its consumers. ...
Artificial sweeteners induce glucose intolerance by altering the gut microbiota. HERE
The truth about artificial sweeteners – Are they good for diabetics? HERE
Indian Heart Jv.70(1); Jan-Feb 2018
... While they may reduce the caloric intake, per se they may not have any beneficial effects on control of diabetes because they may themselves alter the insulin sensitivity. In addition they may have other safety concerns like cancer. ...
(maybe monkeys are not the best subjects for determining toxicity or cumulative toxicity in humans consuming aspartame or the administered dose should be higher?) - admin emphasis
Aspartame administration to the infant monkey: hypothalamic morphology and plasma amino acid levels. HERE
... On the basis of blood absorption curves, it appears that infant monkeys metabolize aspartate and glutamate and phenylalanine somewhat more rapidly than man. ... *
Morphological and behavioral effects of perinatal exposure to aspartame (Nutrasweetw) on rat pups - HERE (full report pdf)
...Aspartame, ingested voluntarily together with monosodium glutamate, has been reported to cause hypothalamic damage in weanling rats (Olney, Labruyere, & Gubareff, 1980); however, when large doses of aspartame or aspartame plus glutamate were intubated into infant monkeys, no such damage was observed (Reynolds, Bauman , Stegink, Filer, & Naidu , 1984). ...
Aspartame: review of recent experimental and observational data. HERE
... In the regulation of admitted uses for aspartame the possibility of intake levels exceeding the ADI-limit in some groups of consumers should be a point of attention. ...
Formaldehyde, aspartame, and migraines: a possible connection. HERE
Dermatitis. 2008 May-Jun;19(3):E10-1.
... Aspartame is a widely used artificial sweetener that has been linked to pediatric and adolescent migraines. Upon ingestion, aspartame is broken, converted, and oxidized into formaldehyde in various tissues. We present the first case series of aspartame-associated migraines related to clinically relevant positive reactions to formaldehyde on patch testing. ...
The Association Between Artificial Sweeteners and Obesity. HERE
Artificial sweeteners are not the answer to childhood obesity. HERE
Appetite. 2015 Oct;93:85-90.
In addition, artificial sweeteners can alter gut microbiota in rodent models and humans, which can also contribute to impaired glucose regulation. Use of artificial sweeteners may also be particularly problematic in children since exposure to hyper-sweetened foods and beverages at young ages may have effects on sweet preferences that persist into adulthood. Taken as a whole, current evidence suggests that a focus on reducing sweetener intake, whether the sweeteners are caloric or non-caloric, remains a better strategy for combating overweight and obesity than use of artificial sweeteners. ...
Possible neurologic effects of aspartame, a widely used food additive.... HERE (pdf)
... Perhaps regulations concerning the sale of food additives should be modified to require the reporting of adverse reactions and the continuing conduct of mandated safety research. ...
Aspartame Sensitivity? A Double Blind Randomised Crossover Study - HERE
... However, aspartame sensitive participants rated more symptoms particularly in the first test session, whether this was placebo or control. ...
Consuming aspartame with and without taste: differential effects on appetite and food intake of young adult males. HERE
Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Canada.
... In addition, consuming APM-sweetened CMW produces a short-term increase in subjective appetite. ...
Physiological mechanisms mediating aspartame-induced satiety. HERE
Physiol Behav. 2003 Apr;78(4-5):557-62.
...In conclusion, it is unlikely that aspartame increases satiety via CCK- or GLP-1-mediated mechanisms, but small changes in circulating phenylalanine concentrations may influence appetite. ...
Immunoreactive beta-endorphin increases after an aspartame chocolate drink in healthy human subjects. HERE
Physiol Behav. 1991 Nov;50(5):941-4.
... Plasma beta-endorphin concentrations were more elevated after the aspartame drink than after sucrose or fasting, while insulin increased after drinking as much with aspartame as with sucrose. ...
Aspartame in conjunction with carbohydrate reduces insulin levels during endurance exercise - HERE (pdf)
... Although the results of the current study do not provide evidence for an underlying mechanism responsible for the variation in the exercise-induced insulin response, the disparity between insulin levels warrant further investigation with a larger cohort of clinically relevant subject populations (e.g. metabolic syndrome, diabetes, etc.). Additionally, we believe that these results may also need to be considered when designing nutrition-based, exercise intervention studies. ...
... In the same pH groups, it was clearly observed that stability of aspartame decreased with increasing storage temperature. ...
Associations of Sugar and Artificially Sweetened Soda with Albuminuria and Kidney Function Decline in Women - HERE
... Conclusions Consumption of ≥2 servings per day of artificially sweetened soda is associated with a 2-fold increased odds for kidney function decline in women. ...
Synergistic interactions between commonly used food additives in a developmental neurotoxicity test. HERE
... Exposure to non-nutritional food additives during the critical development window has been implicated in the induction and severity of behavioral disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ... These data have implications for the cellular effects of common chemical entities ingested individually and in combination. ...
(testing Brilliant Blue and L-glutamic acid, Quinoline Yellow and aspartame)
Cytotoxic effects of aspartame on human cervical carcinoma cells - HERE (pdf)
...The results found in this study are in agreement with results obtained by Sasaki et al.33 The metabolites of aspartame might have the potential to cause severe deleterious effects within cells at high concentrations...
...The present study serves to provide further information on the potential effects of aspartame on cervical carcinoma cells…
Artificial sweeteners induce glucose intolerance by altering the gut microbiota. HERE
Nature. 2014 Oct 9;514(7521):181-6.
...We identify NAS-altered microbial metabolic pathways that are linked to host susceptibility to metabolic disease, and demonstrate similar NAS-induced dysbiosis and glucose intolerance in healthy human subjects. Collectively, our results link NAS consumption, dysbiosis and metabolic abnormalities, thereby calling for a reassessment of massive NAS usage.
Nature. 2014 Oct 9;514(7521):181-6.
...We identify NAS-altered microbial metabolic pathways that are linked to host susceptibility to metabolic disease, and demonstrate similar NAS-induced dysbiosis and glucose intolerance in healthy human subjects. Collectively, our results link NAS consumption, dysbiosis and metabolic abnormalities, thereby calling for a reassessment of massive NAS usage.
A Bitter Aftertaste: Unintended Effects of Artificial Sweeteners on the Gut Microbiome - HERE
Cell Metabolism | Volume 20, Issue 5, 4 November 2014, Pages 701-703
...The authors discovered a similar response to NAS consumption in nondiabetic humans, showing that these effects extend to human dietary choices. Healthy volunteers who did not normally consume NAS were fed saccharin daily for 1 week. The majority of these subjects developed poorer glycemic responses within 1 week, and had altered intestinal microbiota, distinguishing them from nonresponders, who had neither altered glycemic responses nor microbial changes...
Effect of aspartame and protein, administered in phenylalanine-equivalent doses, on plasma neutral amino acids, aspartate, insulin and glucose in man - HERE
Pharmacol Toxicol. 1991 May;68(5):408-12.
...The study showed that the intake of aspartame in a not unrealistically high dose produced a marked and persistent increase of the availability of Phe to the brain, which was not observed after protein intake. The study indicated, furthermore, that Phe was cleared faster from the plasma after consumption of protein compared with aspartame.
Neuropharmacological evaluation of movement disorders that are adverse reactions to specific foods - HERE
Int J Neurosci. 1994 May;76(1-2):61-9.
...In the third, the movement consisted of rhythmic contractions of the arms and legs that were triggered by aspartame... These observations suggest that, in susceptible individuals, foods can trigger movement disorders through an action on dopamine and other neurotransmitter pathways in the brain. A videotape of the reactions of the first two patients is available.
Increasing brain tumor rates: is there a link to aspartame? - HERE
J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 1996 Nov;55(11):1115-23.
...We conclude that there is need for reassessing the carcinogenic potential of aspartame.
Aspartame: Possible Effect on Seizure Susceptibility - HERE
Wurtman, RJ. Lancet. Vol. 2, no. 8463, 1060 p. 1985. Funded By: MIT.
Conclusion/Findings: Woman who drank large amounts of Diet Coke and other aspartame flavored beverages experienced headaches, nausea, visual hallucinations, and a grand-mal seizure.
Effect of exclusion of frequently consumed dietary triggers in a cohort of children with chronic primary headache - HERE
Nutr Health. 2017 Mar;23(1):47-50.
Conclusions: This study demonstrates the potential scale and significance of seven frequently consumed foods or food additives as triggers for primary headache in children. Also this is the first study to show that headaches can be triggered by the cumulative effect of a food that is frequently consumed, rather than by single time ingestion.
(including MSG and Aspartame) Admin emphasis
The concept of migraine as a state of central neuronal hyperexcitability - HERE
Neurol Clin. 1990 Nov;8(4):817-28.
Abstract
This article explores the hypothesis that migraine with aura is associated with a state of central neuronal hyperexcitability. The authors propose that this central neuronal hyperexcitability involves overactivity of the excitatory amino acids, glutamate, and possibly aspartate. Stimuli that activate the migraine attack evoke neuronal depolarization, slow depolarization shifts, and spreading suppression of spontaneous neuronal activity possible by glutamate and K+ dependent mechanisms. A low brain Mg2+ and consequent reduced gating of glutamatergic receptors may provide the link between the physiologic threshold for a migraine attack and the mechanisms of the attack itself by promoting glutamate hyperactivity, neuronal hyperexcitability, and susceptibility to glutamate-dependent spreading depression.
(aspartate, or aspartic acid found in Aspartame) Admin emphasis
College students' use of high-intensity sweeteners is not consistently associated with sugar consumption - HERE
J Am Diet Assoc. 1991 Jun;91(6):686-90.
Abstract
This study, which replicated the 1980 investigation of Parham and Parham, sought to determine whether the use of high-intensity sweeteners (HISs) effectively reduced sugar intake among college students. At the time of the earlier study, saccharin was the only available HIS; the current investigation considered the use of both saccharin and aspartame. Both studies used 24-hour recalls and food frequency data to assess the use of HISs and to determine intakes of sugars, energy, and selected dietary components. In this study 61% (82 of 135) of the women and 31% (18 of 58) of the men used HISs regularly. Among the women using HISs, sugar intake was significantly lower than among the women not using HISs, but both groups reported consuming a high proportion of energy from sugars. Among the men, use of HISs was associated with a significantly greater intake of sugars. The difference in the pattern of use between men and women is attributed to differences in concerns about weight and dieting. Compared with the earlier study, this investigation found a higher incidence of HIS use by both sexes and more use by men. Unlike the earlier findings, HIS use was not accompanied by a general restriction of food intake. There was no evidence that HISs were associated with a biologically significant reduction in sugar intake.
Not-so-healthy sugar substitutes? - HERE
Curr Opin Behav Sci. 2016 Jun; 9: 106–110.
Replacing sugar-sweetened beverages with diet soft drinks containing sugar substitutes that provide few or no calories has been suggested as one strategy for promoting improved public health outcomes. However, current scientific evidence indicates that routine consumption of beverages with non-nutritive sweeteners not only fails to prevent disease, but is associated with increases in risks for the same health outcomes associated with sugar-sweetened beverages, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke. Results from pre-clinical studies have provided plausible biological mechanisms that could promote these counterintuitive negative health effects of artificial sweeteners. Taken together, scientific studies currently indicate that public health will be improved by reducing intake of all sweeteners, both caloric and non-caloric.
Oral stimulation with aspartame increases hunger - HERE
Physiol Behav. 1990 Mar;47(3):555-9. doi: 10.1016/0031-9384(90)90126-o.
Abstract
We evaluated whether "sweetness" increases hunger. Groups of 10 male and 10 female subjects chewed a gum base containing one of four concentrations of aspartame (0.05%, 0.3%, 0.5%, or 1.0%) for 15 min. Relative to groups given nothing or unsweetened gum base to chew, groups given the sweetened gum bases increased hunger ratings, but not in a manner monotonically related to aspartame concentration. The most effective aspartame concentration to increase hunger was 0.3% for females and 0.5% for males. The highest aspartame concentrations had a time-dependent, biphasic effect on appetite, producing a transient decrease followed by a sustained increase in hunger ratings. Thus, the concentration of the sweetener, the sex of the subject and the time after chewing, were all important determinants of whether "sweetness" increased hunger.
Gain weight by “going diet?” Artificial sweeteners and the neurobiology of sugar cravings - HERE
Neuroscience 2010
...These pilot investigations are consistent with a revised hypothesis: Sweetness decoupled from caloric content offers partial, but not complete, activation of the food reward pathways.
Serum methanol concentrations in rats and in men after a single dose of aspartame - HERE
Food Chem Toxicol. 1986 Mar;24(3):187-9. doi: 10.1016/0278-6915(86)90227-9.
Abstract
Serum methanol concentrations were measured in rats and in humans given oral aspartame. The dose given to rats was the FDA's projected 99th percentile daily intake for humans, assuming aspartame were to replace all sucrose sweeteners in the diet (34 mg/kg). Four male adult volunteers each received 500 mg, equivalent to 6-8.7 mg/kg, which is approximately the FDA's estimate of mean daily human consumption. Both treatments caused a rise in serum methanol. In rats the mean peak value was 3.1 mg/litre 1 hr after administration; serum methanol returned to endogenous values 4 hr after treatment. In the men, the mean rise over endogenous values was 1.06 mg/litre after 45 min. Two hours after treatment, serum methanol had returned to basal levels. The temporary serum methanol increase showed peak values within the range of individual basal levels.
Aspartame-lnduced Granulomatous Panniculitis - HERE (pay to read)
Annals of Internal Medicine, February 1985
...This report describes the first confirmed case of aspartame-induced granulomatous panniculitis.
Aspartame Methanol and the Public Health - HERE
January 1984, The Journal of applied nutrition 36(1)
...The question asked whether uncontrolled consumption of this new sweetener might increase the methanol intake of certain individuals to a point beyond which our limited knowledge of acute and chronic human methanol toxicity can be extrapolated to predict safety...
Excitotoxins: A Possible New Mechanism for the Pathogenesis of Ischemic Retinal Damage - HERE (pay to read)
Arch Ophthalmol. 1989;107(3):339-341. doi:10.1001/archopht.1989.01070010349021
...The common mechanism thought to underlie these diverse pathologic processes is the presence of excessive amino acid neurotransmitters, specifically, glutamate and aspartate, which can lead to neuronal cell swelling, lysis, and death. The term excitotoxin has been used to describe the dual action of these amino acid substances: neuronal excitation under normal conditions and cell toxicity when they are present in excess...
It has been known for some time that glutamate, when administered systemically or applied locally to the brain or retina in animal experiments, causes a degeneration of neuronal tissue...
Evaluation of Consumer Complaints Related to Aspartame Use - HERE
In February 1984, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested CDC's assistance in evaluating consumer complaints that FDA had received about consumption of aspartame-containing products. The request followed an increase in aspartame-related complaints in the latter half of 1983. Complaints to the FDA increased from 108 in the first 6 months of 1983 to 248 in the last 6 months. This increase coincided with approval of aspartame for use in soft drinks in July 1983.
Emerging Facts about Aspartame. - HERE (free pdf)
Dr. J. Barua, Dr. A Bal. Journal of the Diabetic Association of India. 1995; Vol.
Conclusion/Findings: Cites numerous studies showing dangers of aspartame
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