Aspartame - a comic

[Avalina Kreska]

Having suffered first hand with this chemical disguised as a natural sweetener, and my husband having a psychotic breakdown due to consuming 2 litres of diet pop every day, I'd like you to take a look at my comic and make appropriate comments I say appropriate because for many years anyone showing Aspartame for what it truly is is bombarded by 'industry' funded hackers (although hopefully we have none on this site). It mimics serious disease too. Hope i am not duplicating an issue and I hope the visual aspect of the comic helps to get the idea across.

My Comic

 

[Not dead yet!]

I think it's very informative and has a nice style (drawing style I mean). It isn't funny though.

The problem is very serious. When I looked up methyl ester, it nearly forced me to look up FAME's which intrigued me because Aspartic acid could be the catalyst for a reaction that takes place inside our bodies, based on some descriptions. Not that it would need to be, since our stomach is acidic enough.

I'd really like to know if "transesterification" of fats creates trans fatty acids. Because if so, then everything with Aspartame should be labeled a trans fat. It might be a loophole since the reaction happens in our body, but that's just... worse.

I never touch liquid meds, not because of the Aspartame, but because of the hydrogenated fats they always contain. And since they're not a food, no label law.

If I use a fake sweetener I use saccharin. I'm not sure I fall into any of the categories of your survey though. It's kind of binary. I personally haven't had an issue with Aspartame, but then again, I automatically avoid things that are chemical laden. When I did have that diet coke someplace like a restaurant, I didn't feel any odd effects. But my experience is not proof of anything.

 

[Avalina Kreska]

I think it's very informative and has a nice style (drawing style I mean). It isn't funny though.

The problem is very serious. When I looked up methyl ester, it nearly forced me to look up FAME's which intrigued me because Aspartic acid could be the catalyst for a reaction that takes place inside our bodies, based on some descriptions. Not that it would need to be, since our stomach is acidic enough.

I'd really like to know if "transesterification" of fats creates trans fatty acids. Because if so, then everything with Aspartame should be labeled a trans fat. It might be a loophole since the reaction happens in our body, but that's just... worse.

I never touch liquid meds, not because of the Aspartame, but because of the hydrogenated fats they always contain. And since they're not a food, no label law.

If I use a fake sweetener I use saccharin. I'm not sure I fall into any of the categories of your survey though. It's kind of binary. I personally haven't had an issue with Aspartame, but then again, I automatically avoid things that are chemical laden. When I did have that diet coke someplace like a restaurant, I didn't feel any odd effects. But my experience is not proof of anything.

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How the term is received is important. Point taken. Although I have found that many people respond to reading 'comics' rather than long boring posts; maybe the term 'illustrative presentation' would be better.

I understand about the poll when re-reading it - I haven't given anyone an opportunity to say they 'know' about Aspartame, although the term binary I might need to have explained to me in this context.

I'm not a chemist or a doctor, and therefore cannot help you with "transesterification" of fats creates trans fatty acids, although you may be onto something, perhaps you might be able to ask a professional (without assuming that you are not a chemist or doctor).

And yes, the problem is very serious, thank-you for your observations.

 

[Not dead yet!]

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How the term is received is important. Point taken. Although I have found that many people respond to reading 'comics' rather than long boring posts; maybe the term 'illustrative presentation' would be better.

I understand about the poll when re-reading it - I haven't given anyone an opportunity to say they 'know' about Aspartame, although the term binary I might need to have explained to me in this context.

I'm not a chemist or a doctor, and therefore cannot help you with "transesterification" of fats creates trans fatty acids, although you may be onto something, perhaps you might be able to ask a professional (without assuming that you are not a chemist or doctor).

And yes, the problem is very serious, thank-you for your observations.

I think you've explained the problem better than I've ever seen it explained elsewhere. About the poll, maybe an option for "I know about it and I'm undecided about the effects." or something similar. I would've checked that one. While I've heard people talk about Aspartame, I don't know anyone in my close circle who actively avoids it. Plenty of people talking about it online though. I appreciate the insights.

 

[Hip]

I'd like you to take a look at my comic and make appropriate comments

Your comic making skills are great, but I think your artistic talents may be misdirected by focusing on aspartame. It seems to me that aspartame is just one of those Internet stories that gets exaggerated out of all proportion. You see websites describing aspartame as a "deadly poison" or similar, yet millions of people have aspartame every day, and don't drop dead.

Real deadly toxins are chemicals like botox (botulinum toxin), where just a few billionths of a gram are fatal. Whereas with aspartame, you would need to consume 320 grams a day before you even start to get any toxicity. Ref: 1

If websites use such extreme exaggeration to describe a fairly innocuous substance as aspartame, what words do you have left when you come to botox or sarin, which are real deadly toxins!?

Have a look at some skeptic websites such as this or this to get some perspective on aspartame.



But returning to your comic-making skills: I am sure these could help create some wonderful illustrations of the issues that exist in the world of ME/CFS. As you may know, the major problem that exists in the world of ME/CFS is that many medical professionals (and the general public too) see ME/CFS as an "all in the mind" condition, rather than a real physical disease.

So ME/CFS activists are always trying to make people aware that ME/CFS is a serious and real physical disease, not an "all in the mind" disorder. Activists are always looking for better ways to try to get this message across, and I think your comic-making talents could express these messages in a way that grabs people's attention.

 

[Avalina Kreska]

Your comic making skills are great, but I think your artistic talents may be misdirected by focusing on aspartame. It seems to me that aspartame is just one of those Internet stories that gets exaggerated out of all proportion. You see websites describing aspartame as a "deadly poison" or similar, yet millions of people have aspartame every day, and don't drop dead.

Real deadly toxins are chemicals like botox (botulinum toxin), where just a few billionths of a gram are fatal. Whereas with aspartame, you would need to consume 320 grams a day before you even start to get any toxicity. Ref: 1

If websites use such extreme exaggeration to describe a fairly innocuous substance as aspartame, what words do you have left when you come to botox or sarin, which are real deadly toxins!?

Have a look at some skeptic websites such as this or this to get some perspective on aspartame.



But returning to your comic-making skills: I am sure these could help create some wonderful illustrations of the issues that exist in the world of ME/CFS. As you may know, the major problem that exists in the world of ME/CFS is that many medical professionals (and the general public too) see ME/CFS as an "all in the mind" condition, rather than a real physical disease.

So ME/CFS activists are always trying to make people aware that ME/CFS is a serious and real physical disease, not an "all in the mind" disorder. Activists are always looking for better ways to try to get this message across, and I think your comic-making talents could express these messages in a way that grabs people's attention.

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Aspartame toxicity can be cumulative depending on the condition of the blood brain barrier. 'Extreme exaggeration' - really - I have suffered first hand from taking this substance, and so did my husband who suffered a psychotic breakdown without any mental health history - he was addicted to the diet soda until he was hospitalised and then I found out about the side effects of Aspartame. Many of our health issues ceased when we stopped consuming Aspartame, and he never had another psychotic breakdown. Did you actually read the illustration? Dr. Blaylock, a neurosurgeon identified the 'excitotoxin'. Perhaps you need to re-read the comic, also for the fraudulent approval pushed through by none other than Donald Rumsfeld. So many underhanded tactics going on. This is history; not exaggeration. My efforts are not misdirected. There's a woman who received a 50 year sentence for apparently killing her husband, but it was what he was drinking that caused it, as a medical examiner proved, but because she was trying to get Aspartame as a cause, the powers that be made sure she would never leave prison if she were to try and make a case against Aspartame. Her name is Diane Fleming. I don't need to get 'perspective', you need to read more carefully what experts have said, this includes a renowned psychiatrists and a neurosurgeon etc. Watch 'Sweet Misery - A Poisoned World' by a former M.S. patient (who is fully recovered after removing Aspartame in her diet).

Watch here

Here's what happened to Dr. Ralph Walton when he tried to test Aspartame.
Eye emergency

Dr.Robert's view of what happens when eating sugar-free gum
The dangers of eating sugar-free gum

 

[Hip]

I have suffered first hand from taking this substance, and so did my husband who suffered a psychotic breakdown without any mental health history - he was addicted to the diet soda until he was hospitalised and then I found out about the side effects of Aspartame. Many of our health issues ceased when we stopped consuming Aspartame, and he never had another psychotic breakdown.

You are yourself ascribing this psychotic breakdown to aspartame, but events like this never occur just once, and if aspartame had the tendency to trigger psychosis, you would see other similar cases in the medical literature. So the fact that we do not see cases like this suggests that your husband's psychotic episode might have another cause.

Although note that if your husband has phenylketonuria (PKU), which is a rare inherited genetic condition which can cause difficulty metabolizing the dietary amino acid phenylalanine (which aspartame is a source of), then it's quite possible that drinking lots of aspartame-containing drinks or foods might lead to neuropsychological problems. People with PKU have to avoid certain foods containing the amino acid phenylalanine, as well as of course avoiding aspartame. Do you know if your husband has been checked for PKU?

In my own case, I developed some mild psychosis (lasting several years) after contracting a viral infection, the same infection that appeared to trigger my ME/CFS. This viral infection caused terrible neuropsychological symptoms in myself and several others who caught the same virus (a list of the horrible mental symptoms induced by my virus is found on my website). Infection can be a cause of psychosis, especially Borrelia infections. So infection is another angle to consider.

Did you or your husband ever use pesticides? These toxic compounds can cause neuropsychiatric symptoms including psychosis if your are exposed to large amounts. Long term use of pesticides in the home or garden has been shown to increase the risk of developing various diseases.

Did you actually read the illustration?

Yes I did have a look at it. The Dr Russell Blaylock you mention only offers his opinion that aspartame has adverse effects; but opinion is not the same as scientific evidence, which comes from scientific studies.

Then you mentioned formaldehyde. The fact that aspartame breaks down into the toxin formaldehyde in the body initially sounds bad — until you realize that you get more twice as much formaldehyde from eating a banana, according to this article.


It appears that the whole aspartame scare was single-handedly created by one Betty Martini (also known as Nancy Markle), who is detailed here. She fabricated a lot of stuff that has no evidence to support it, like the unsupported idea that aspartame causes multiple sclerosis. Some people just like making stuff up.

Here's what happened to Dr. Ralph Walton when he tried to test Aspartame.
Eye emergency

Another beautifully illustrated comic strip; it looks really nice. But here's what Wikipedia has to say about Dr Ralph Walton:

Ralph G. Walton, a psychiatrist at Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, stated in a self-published 1996 analysis of aspartame research that industry-funded studies found no safety concerns while 84 of 92 independent studies did identify safety concerns.

This analysis by Walton was submitted to the television show 60 Minutes and has been extensively discussed on the Internet. An analysis of Walton's claims showed that Walton left out at least 50 peer-reviewed safety studies from his review of the literature and that most of the research he cites as non-industry funded were actually letters to the editors, case reports, review articles or book chapters rather than published studies.

In a rebuttal to Walton's statements, the Aspartame Information Service (a service provided by Ajinomoto, a primary producer and supplier of aspartame), reviewed the publications Walton cites as critical of aspartame, arguing that most of them do not involve aspartame or do not draw negative conclusions, are not peer-reviewed, are anecdotal, or are duplicates.

So it is good to do some additional checks on the stories you read on the Internet.

 

[Hip]

I found this 2006 article from the New York Times, which mentions the aspartame cancer studies performed by Dr Morando Soffritti in Italy.

Dr Soffritti's 2006 study found higher rates of cancer in rats given aspartame. This was a large and expensive study, and so I think the idea that aspartame might be a human carcinogen has some credibility. Soffritti's 2010 study also showed carcinogenic effects from aspartame in mice.

Although the methodology of Soffritti's studies has been questioned: see here. And Wikipedia says that:

Reviews have found no association between aspartame and cancer. These reviews have looked at numerous carcinogenicity studies in animals, epidemiologic studies in humans, as well as in vitro genotoxicity studies. These studies have found no significant evidence that aspartame causes cancer in animals, damages the genome, or causes cancer in humans at doses currently used.

 

[Remy]

My favorite video on aspartame...and no, I am not an "industry" paid shill.

 

[Hip]

Just found this interesting article on sweetener safety. It lists some new sweeteners I had not heard of before, neotame and advantame. It classifies all the sweeteners as safe.

By contrast, the Center for Science in the Public Interest say that:

Controversies have swirled around most of the artificial sweeteners. Acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose may pose a slight risk of cancer.

The artificial sweetener neotame and the natural "high-potency" sweeteners rebiana and thaumatin appear to be safe. But research on all of them is relatively limited.

 

[Remy]

Mod Note: Poll was removed at OP's request.