Dr. Ted Broer
says aspartame ~ paint thinner.
Aspartame: A Chronicle of Crime
High points from an article by Dr.Ted Broer, Naturopath from Florida
Aspartame breaks down in the body into its component chemicals, including methanol, aspartic acid, phenylalanine and a little known chemical called diketopiperazine (DKP).
Methanol, also known as wood alcohol, has caused blindness in countless alcoholics. It is often used as a paint thinner and as an industrial cleaner. When methanol is metabolized by the body, it is broken down into formaldehyde (yes, just like embalming fluid) and formic acid.
Stedman's Medical Dictionary describes methanol as a "toxic, mobile liquid used as an industrial solvent, anti-freeze and in chemical manufacture; ingestion may result in severe acidosis, visual impairment and other effects of the central nervous system."
Effects in the body from human consumption of methanol include lethargy, fainting, headaches, nausea and vomiting, blindness, cough, breathing difficulties and other vision problems. Methanol has been shown to cause birth defects in developing fetuses, as well as other reproductive defects. According to the Sax's Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials, the "main toxic effect (of methanol) is exerted upon the nervous system, particularly the optic nerve, and possibly the retinae which can progress to permanent blindness. Once absorbed, methanol is only very slowly eliminated. Coma resulting from massive exposure may last as long as 2-4 days. The products formed in the body by its oxidation are formaldehyde and formic acid, both of which are toxic. Because of its slow elimination, methanol should be regarded as a cumulative poison. Though single exposure may cause no harmful effect, daily exposure may result in the accumulation of sufficient methanol in the body to cause illness. Death from ingestion of less than 30 ml has been reported". To bring things into perspective, just one little blue packet of NutraSweet, (1 gram) breaks down into 100 mg. of methanol.
Additional little known facts concerning NutraSweet are as follows: Aspartic acid, a component of aspartame, is a known neurotoxin and an active part of the poison administered by ant stings, According to Dr. John Olney this by-product of aspartame caused holes to develop in the brains of lab animals fed the chemical. The researcher also documented that the chemical caused chromosomal damage which did not become evident until the animals reproduced and their genetic expression was evident.
Phenylalanine is an amino acid or a basic element of protein. Phenylketonuria is a genetic disorder in which the person is unable to metabolize the amino acid phenylalanine. When blood levels of this amino acid rise, the toxicity causes irreversible brain damage. Because of this, people with phenylketonuria are particularly at risk of serious brain damage if they consume just one liter of aspartame sweetened soda pop in a day; thus the warning on the label. However, anyone who overwhelmed his or her body's ability to metabolize phenylalnine by consuming large quantities of aspartame could as well be at risk of irreversible brain damage in a similar manner. The toxic effects of this chemical are cumulative and do not often show up in short term testing. Phenylalanine can alter normal brain levels of serotonin, the neurotransmitter responsible for emotional brain activity, causing symptoms including PMS, insomnia, mood swings, carbohydrate cravings and severe depression.
James Turner, a consumer safety attorney, and Dr. John Olney, Research Psychiatrist at the Washington University School of Medicine, filed legal objections to aspartame's approval. The team presented documented evidence that animals fed the chemical during research conducted by Dr. Olney at Searle's request, developed brain tumors. The health advocates demonstrated that aspartame ingestion could easily cause brain damage and mental retardation in humans.
When aspartame sweetened beverages are stored for as little as 8 weeks even at reasonably cool temperatures below 68 degrees F. up to 20% of the aspartame would be broken down to its basic elements. (The "lost" aspartame degrades to DKP, methanol (methyl alcohol), aspartic acid, and phenylalanine.) According to the 1985 Congressional Record, when aspartame laced products are stored or heated above 85 degrees for a period as short as a few weeks (such as when products are produced, stored, shipped to the marketplace, stored on shelves, purchased by consumers, left in the pantry or garage until desired) absolutely no aspartame is left in the beverage, only its by-products.
People who are over weight drink it thinking it will help them to become slim when in fact they have found that it does the opposite and the more active the person the more weight they will gain.
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