aspartame: methanol, formaldehyde, formic acid toxicity: brief review: Murray 12.10.2 rmforall

[Guest guest]

aspartameNM/message/912

aspartame: methanol, formaldehyde, formic acid toxicity:

brief review: Murray 12.10.2 rmforall

Rich Murray, MA Room For All rmforall@...

1943 Otowi Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505 USA 505-986-9103

aspartameNM/messages

for 913 posts in a public searchable archive

aspartameNM/message/862 long review

Confirming evidence and a general theory are given by Pall (2002):

aspartameNM/message/909

testable theory of MCS type diseases, vicious cycle of nitric oxide &

peroxynitrite: MSG: formaldehyde-methanol-aspartame:

L. Pall: Murray: 12.9.2 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/910

formaldehyde & formic acid from methanol in aspartame:

Murray: 12.9.2 rmforall

It is certain that high levels of aspartame use, above 2 liters daily

for months and years, must lead to chronic formaldehyde-formic acid

toxicity, since 11% of aspartame (1,120 mg in 2L diet soda, 5.6 12-oz

cans) is 123 mg methanol (wood alcohol), immediately released into the

body after drinking (unlike the large levels of methanol locked up in

molecules inside many fruits), then quickly transformed into

formaldehyde, which in turn becomes formic acid, both of which in

time become carbon dioxide and water-- however, about 30% of the

methanol remains in the body as cumulative durable toxic metabolites of

formaldehyde and formic acid-- 37 mg daily, a gram every month.

If 10% of the methanol is retained as formaldehyde, that would give 12

mg daily formaldehyde accumulation, about 60 times more than the 0.2 mg

from 10% retention of the 2 mg EPA daily limit for formaldehyde in

drinking water.

Bear in mind that the EPA limit for formaldehyde in

drinking water is 1 ppm,

or 2 mg daily for a typical daily consumption of 2 L of water.

aspartameNM/message/835

RTM: ATSDR: EPA limit 1 ppm formaldehyde in drinking water July 1999

5.30.2 rmforall

This long-term low-level chronic toxic exposure leads to typical

patterns of increasingly severe complex symptoms, starting with

headache, fatigue, joint pain, irritability, memory loss, and leading to

vision and eye problems and even seizures. In many cases there is

addiction. Probably there are immune system disorders, with a

hypersensitivity to these toxins and other chemicals.

aspartameNM/message/860

RTM: FDA: objections to neotame approval 8.3.2 rmforall 38 pages

aspartameNM/message/868

Murray: submit complaints and papers to FDA Docket 02P-0317

by Jan 12 2003: Recall Aspartame as a Neurotoxic Drug 9.20.2 rmforall

http://www.dorway.com/tldaddic.html 5-page review

HJ Aspartame (NutraSweet) addiction.

Townsend Letter 2000 Jan; HJMD@...

http://www.sunsentpress.com/ sunsentpress@...

Sunshine Sentinel Press P.O.Box 17799 West Palm Beach, FL 33416

800-814-9800 561-588-7628 561-547-8008 fax

aspartameNM/message/669

1038-page medical text " Aspartame Disease: An Ignored Epidemic "

published May 30 2001 $ 85.00 postpaid data from 1200 cases

available at http://www.amazon.com

over 600 references from standard medical research

http://www.aspartameispoison.com/contents.html 34 chapters

, Hyman J., 1924- ,

Useful insights for diagnosis, treatment and public heath: an updated

anthology of original research, 2002, 798 pages,

Palm Beach Institute for Medical Research, Inc.

P.O. Box 17799, West Palm Beach, FL 33416

fax 561-547-8008 dr.roberts@...

aspartame disease pages 627-685, 778-780 .

aspartameNM/message/859

RTM: : the life work of a brilliant clinician:

aspartame toxicity 8.2.2 rmforall

, Hyman J., 1924- ,

Useful insights for diagnosis, treatment and public heath: an updated

anthology of original research, 2002, 798 pages,

Palm Beach Institute for Medical Research, Inc.

P.O. Box 17799, West Palm Beach, FL 33416

fax 561-547-8008 dr.roberts@...

aspartame disease pages 627-685, 778-780 .

aspartameNM/message/790

RTM: Moseley:

review " Aspartame Disease: An Ignored Epidemic " 2.7.2 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/782

RTM: , Terpening, Schmidt, Gums:

full text: aspartame, MSG, fibromyalgia 1.17.2 rmforall

Jerry D , M Terpening, Siegfried OF Schmidt, and G Gums

Relief of Fibromyalgia Symptoms Following

Discontinuation of Dietary Excitotoxins.

The ls of Pharmacotherapy 2001; 35(6): 702–706.

Malcolm Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Gainesville, FL, USA.

BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia is a common rheumatologic disorder that is

often difficult to treat effectively.

CASE SUMMARY: Four patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome

for two to 17 years are described.

All had undergone multiple treatment

modalities with limited success. All had complete, or nearly complete,

resolution of their symptoms within months after eliminating monosodium

glutamate (MSG) or MSG plus aspartame from their diet.

All patients were women with multiple comorbidities

prior to elimination of MSG.

All have had recurrence of symptoms whenever MSG is ingested.

Siegfried O. Schmidt, MD Asst. Clinical Prof. siggy@...

Community Health and Family Medicine, U. Florida, Gainesville, FL

Shands Hospital

West Oak Clinic Gainesville, FL 32608-3629 352-376-5071

Debbie J. Hypes painfreeliving@... 304-872-4141 (Case # 1 of 4)

P.O Box 25 Lookout, WV 25868-0025 She has about 1,000 on her local

mailing list, and has been a volunteer activist since 1997. Her guide

first came out in 1997: http://www.Pain-Free-Living.net

" The Food Plan: How To Do It " $ 5 by mail, free by email.

Her sister Darlene, now 47, cured her own severe fibromyalgia in 1995

by using an elimination diet, and then Debbie also cured herself by

1997. Their doctor, Siegfried Schmidt, paying attention, tried it on

two selected women, who got well, and are his third and fourth cases.

aspartameNM/message/846

RTM: aspartame in Merck Maxalt-MLT worsens migraine,

AstraZeneca Zomig, Eli Lilly Zyprexa,

J & J Merck Pepcid AC (Famotidine 10mg) Chewable Tab,

Pfizer Cool Mint Listerine Pocketpaks 7.16.2 rmforall

Migraine MLT-Down: an unusual presentation of migraine

in patients with aspartame-triggered headaches.

Newman LC, Lipton RB Headache 2001 Oct; 41(9): 899-901.

[Merck 10-mg Maxalt-MLT, for migraine, has 3.75 mg aspartame,

while 12 oz diet soda has 200 mg.]

Headache Institute, St. Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY

Department of Neurology newmanache@...

Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY

Innovative Medical Research RLipton@...

aspartameNM/message/855

RTM: Blumenthall & Vance:

aspartame chewing gum headaches Nov 1997 7.28.2 rmforall

Harvey J. Blumenthal, MD, Dwight A Vance, RPh

Chewing Gum Headaches.

Headache 1997 Nov-Dec; 37(10): 665-6.

Department of Neurology, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine,

Tulsa, USA. neurotulsa@...

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

gum sweetened with aspartame. [6-8 mg aspartame per stick chewing gum]

http://ww.presidiotex.com/barcelona/index.html

Trocho C, Pardo R, Rafecas I, Virgili J, Remesar X,

Fernandez- JA, Alemany M [ " Trok-ho " ]

Formaldehyde derived from dietary aspartame binds to tissue

components in vivo. Life Sci 1998 Jun 26; 63(5): 337-49.

Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Biologia,

Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.

http://www.presidiotex.com/barcelona/index.html

Alemany, PhD (male) alemany@...

aspartameNM/message/864

Murray: Butchko, Tephly, Mc: Alemany: aspartame formaldehyde

adducts in rats 9.8.2 rmforall

Prof. Alemany vigorously affirms the validity of the Trocho study

against criticism:

Butchko, HH et al [24 authors], Aspartame: review of safety.

Regul. Toxicol. Pharmacol. 2002 April 1; 35 (2 Pt 2): S1-93, review

available for $35, [an industry paid organ]. Butchko:

" When all the research on aspartame, including evaluations in both the

premarketing and postmarketing periods, is examined as a whole, it is

clear that aspartame is safe, and there are no unresolved questions

regarding its safety under conditions of intended use. "

[They repeatedly pass on the ageless industry deceit that the methanol

in fruits and vegetables is as as biochemically available as that in

aspartame-- see the 1984 rebuttal by Monte, below.]

aspartameNM/message/911

RTP ties to industry criticized by CSPI: Murray: 12.9.2 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/873

MCS, aspartame, formaldehyde, other toxicants: Kerns: Murray 9.27.2

rmforall [an excellent overview]

aspartameNM/message/872

immune system reactions due to formaldehyde from the 11% methanol in

aspartame: Thrasher: Tephly: Monte: Murray 9.27.2 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/867

Murray: Thrasher:

simple tests for immune system reactions due to formaldehyde from the

11% methanol in aspartame: Tholen 9.17.2 rmforall

J. Nutrition 1973 Oct; 103(10): 1454-1459.

Metabolism of aspartame in monkeys.

Oppermann JA, Muldoon E, Ranney RE.

Dept. of Biochemistry, Searle Laboratories,

Division of G.D. Searle and Co. Box 5110, Chicago, IL 60680

They found that about 70% of the radioactive methanol in aspartame put

into the stomachs of 3 to 7 kg monkeys was eliminated within a day as

carbon dioxide in exhaled air and as water in the urine. They did not

mention that this meant that about 30% of the methanol must transform

into formaldehyde and then into formic acid, much of which must remain

as toxic products in all parts of the body. They did not report any

studies on the distribution of radioactivity in body tissues, except

that blood plasma proteins after 4 days held 4% of the initial

methanol. This study did not monitor long-term use of aspartame.

aspartameNM/message/628

Rich Murray: Professional House Doctors: Singer: EPA: CPSC:

formaldehyde toxicity 6.10.1 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/863

Murray: : CIIN: EPA: Gold: Thrasher & Kilburn: Shaham:

formaldehyde toxicity 8.22.2 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/645

Rich Murray: 18 recent formaldehyde toxicity [Comet assay] abstracts

6.25.1 rmforall

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Rich Murray: Gold: Koehler: Walton: Van Den Eeden: Leon:

aspartame toxicity 6.4.1 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/623

Rich Murray: : Gold: Schiffman: Spiers:

aspartame toxicity 6.4.1 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/870

Aspartame: Methanol and the Public Interest 1984:

Monte: Murray 9.23.2 rmforall

Dr. Woodrow C. Monte Aspartame: methanol, and the public health.

Journal of Applied Nutrition 1984; 36 (1): 42-54.

(62 references) Professsor of Food Science

Director of the Food Science and Nutrition Laboratory

Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287

6411 South River Drive #61 Tempe, Arizona 85283-3337

602-965-6938 woody.monte@... [now retired in New Zealand]

The methanol from 2 L of diet soda, 5.6 12-oz cans, 20 mg/can, is

112 mg, 10% of the aspartame. The EPA limit for water is 7.8 mg daily

for methanol (wood alcohol), a deadly cumulative poison. Many users

drink 1-2 L daily. The reported symptoms are entirely consistent

with chronic methanol toxicity. (Fresh orange juice has 34 mg/L, but,

like all juices, has 16 times more ethanol, which strongly protects

against methanol.)

" Fruit and vegetables contain pectin with variable methyl ester

content. However, the human has no digestive enzymes for pectin (6, 25)

particularly the pectin esterase required

for its hydrolysis to methanol (26).

Fermentation in the gut may cause disappearance of pectin (6) but the

production of free methanol is not guaranteed by fermentation (3). In

fact, bacteria in the colon probably reduce methanol directly to formic

acid or carbon dioxide (6) (aspartame is completely absorbed before

reaching the colon). Heating of pectins has been shown to cause

virtually no demethoxylation; even temperatures of 120 deg C produced

only traces of methanol (3). Methanol evolved during cooking of high

pectin foods (7) has been accounted for in the volatile fraction during

boiling and is quickly lost to the atmosphere (49).

Entrapment of these volatiles probably accounts for the elevation in

methanol levels of certain fruit and vegetable products

during canning (31, 33). "

Recent research [see links at end of post] supports his focus on the

methanol to formaldehyde toxic process:

" The United States Environmental Protection Agency in their Multimedia

Environmental Goals for Environmental Assessment recommends a minimum

acute toxicity concentration of methanol in drinking water at 3.9 parts

per million, with a recommended limit of consumption below 7.8 mg/day

(8). This report clearly indicates that methanol:

" is considered a cumulative poison

due to the low rate of excretion once it is absorbed.

In the body, methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde and

formic acid; both of these metabolites are toxic. " (8)....

Recently the toxic role of formaldehyde (in methanol toxicity) has been

questioned (34). No skeptic can overlook the fact that, metabolically,

formaldehyde must be formed as an intermediate to formic acid

production (54).

Formaldehyde has a high reactivity which may be why it

has not been found in humans or other primates during methanol

poisioning (59)....

If formaldehyde is produced from methanol and does have a reasonable

half life within certain cells in the poisoned organism the chronic

toxicological ramifications could be grave.

Formaldehyde is a known

carcinogen (57) producing squamous-cell carcinomas by inhalation

exposure in experimental animals (22). The available epidemiological

studies do not provide adequate data for assessing the carcinogenicity

of formaldehyde in man (22, 24, 57).

However, reaction of formaldehyde

with deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) has resulted in irreversible

denaturation that could interfere with DNA replication and result in

mutation (37).... "

http://www.dorway.com/barua.html

Dr. J. Barua (ophthalmic surgeon), Dr. Arun Bal (surgeon)

Emerging facts about aspartame.

Journal Of The Diabetic Association Of India 1995; 35 (4):

(79 references) barua@...

" ...the total amount of methanol absorbed will be approximately

10% of aspartame ingested. An EPA assessment of methanol states

that methanol, 'is considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate

of excretion once it is absorbed. The absorbed methanol is then

slowly converted to formaldehyde...' "

" Reaction of formaldehyde with DNA has been observed,

by spectrophotometry and electron microscopy, to result in

irreversible denaturation. "

" DKP has been implicated in the occurence of brain tumors. "

aspartameNM/message/804

RTM: Hetle & Eltervaag: 2001 thesis

abstract: aspartame brain damage in mice:

Sonnewald 1995 study full text 2.17.2 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/346

WebMD: Barclay: Barth:

survey shows aspartame hurts memory in students 11.9.00

http://www.psy.tcu.edu/psy/barth.htm

M. Barth Department of Psychology t.barth@...

Texas Christian University TCU Box 298920 Fort Worth, TX 76129

Chairman, Physiological Psychology 817-921-7410

aspartameNM/message/760

Kovatsi L, Tsouggas M

The effect of oral aspartame administration on the

balance of magnesium in the rat.

Magnes Res 2001 Sep;14(3): 189-94.

Laboratory of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece kovatsi@...

aspartameNM/message/689

Karikas GA, Schulpis KH, Reclos GJ, Kokotos G

Measurement of molecular interaction of aspartame and

its metabolites with DNA. Clin Biochem 1998 Jul; 31(5): 405-7.

Dept. of Chemistry, University of Athens, Greece

http://www.chem.uoa.gr gkokotos@...

http://www.medscape.com/MedGenMed/braintumors

Lennart Hardell, M.D., PhD, in 1999 reported in Sweden that both

cell phone use and heavy aspartame use correlate with increased

brain cancers lennart.hardell@... +46 19 602 15 46

aspartameNM/message/31

Murray: Wurtman: aspartame & seizures 11.9.85 10.30.99

Wurtman RJ Aspartame: possible effect on seizure susceptibility.

Lancet 1985 Nov 9; 2(8463): 1060.

J. Wurtman, Ph.D. dick@... 617-253-3091

Professor of Neuroscience

Prof. of Health Sciences and Technology

Massachusetts Institute of Technlogy Cambridge, Mass. 02139

aspartameNM/message/32

Murray: Drake: aspartame & panic attacks 9.13.86 10.30.99 rmforall

Miles E. Drake, MD

Panic attacks and excessive aspartame ingestion.

Lancet 1986 Sep 13; 2(8507): 631.

Department of Neurology and Psychiatry,

Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA

http://www.truthinlabeling.org/ Truth in Labeling Campaign [MSG]

Adrienne s, PhD The toxicity/safety of processed

free glutamic acid (MSG): a study in suppression of information.

Accountability in Research 1999; 6: 259-310. 52-page review

P.O. Box 2532 Darien, Illinois 60561

858-481-9333 adandjack@...

L. Blaylock, MD 601-982-1175 Madison, Mississippi

http://www.bioterrorismbook.com/ " Bioterrorism: How You Can Survive "

Advanced Nutritional Concepts,LLC PO Box 2670 Ridgeland, MS 39158-2670

http://www.dorway.com/blayenn.html

Excitotoxins, neurodegeneration and neurodevelopment.

The Medical Sentinel Journal 1999 Fall; (95 references)

" Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills " , 1977, 298 p., 493 references.

" Health and Nutrition Secrets that can save your life " , 2002, 459 p.,

558 + 30 references, $ 30 http://www.healthpress.com/

goodbooks@... PO Box 37470 Albuquerque, NM 87176

505-888-1394 fax 505-888-1521 Kathleen Frazier, Publisher

R. Schwartz, MD " In Bad Taste: The MSG Syndrome " , 1988, 123 p.

aspartameNM/message/841

RTM: Merisant Co., MSD Capital, Dell Computer Corp., NutraSweet Co.,

JW Childs Assc.: aspartame-neotame toxicity 7.10.2 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/857

RTM: www.dorway.com: original documents and long reviews of flaws in

aspartame toxicity research 7.31.2 rmforall

http://www.dorway.com O. Rietz over 12,000 print pages

Mission-Possible-USA Betty i 770-242-2599

Bettym19@... dorietz@...

http://www.dorway.com/asprlink.html many links

http://www.dorway.com/nslawsuit.txt Jeff , Attorney

http://www.dorway.com/upipart1.txt

UPI reporter Gordon: 96K 3-part expose Oct 1987

http://www.dorway.com/doctors.txt

What many informed doctors are saying/have said about aspartame

http://www.HolisticMed.com/aspartame 603-225-2100

Aspartame Toxicity Information Center Mark D. Gold

mgold@... 12 East Side Drive #2-18 Concord, NH 03301

http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/abuse/methanol.html

" Scientific Abuse in Aspartame Research "

Aspartame Consumer Safety Network and Pilot Hotline [1987-2001]

Nash Stoddard, Founder & President

P.O. Box 780634 Dallas, TX 75378 .

214-352-4268 marystod@...

http://web2.airmail.net/marystod/index.html

http://web2.airmail.net/marystod/espanol.htm

Toxicology Sourcebook: " Deadly Deception: Story of Aspartame "

aspartameNM/message/858

RTM: s: Strong: : Gold: flaws in double-blind studies re

aspartame and MSG toxicity 8.1.2 rmforall

" Survey of aspartame studies: correlation of outcome and funding

sources, " 1998, unpublished: http://www.dorway.com/peerrev.html

Walton found 166 separate published studies in the peer reviewed

medical literature, which had relevance for questions of human safety.

The 74 studies funded by industry all (100%) attested to aspartame's

safety, whereas of the 92 non-industry funded studies, 84 (91%)

identified a problem. Six of the seven non-industry funded studies

that were favorable to aspartame safety were from the FDA, which

has a public record that shows a strong pro-industry bias.

Ralph G. Walton, MD, Prof. of Clinical Psychology, Northeastern Ohio

Universities, College of Medicine, Dept. of Psychiatry, Youngstown,

OH 44501, Chairman, The Center for Behavioral Medicine,

Northside Medical Center, 500 Gypsy Lane, P.O. Box 240 Youngstown,

OH 44501 330-740-3621 rwalton193@...

http://www.neoucom.edu/DEPTS/Psychiatry/walton.htm

http://google.com gives 105,000 websites for " aspartame " , while

http://groups.google.com/ finds on 700 MB of posts from 20-years of

Usenet groups, 72,300 posts, and

http://www.AllTheWeb.com gives 177,012, the top four being leading and

very well informed volunteer anti-aspartame sites.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed/ lists 712 aspartame items.

http://www.readthelabel.org.uk/ Additives Survivors' Network (UK)

geoffbrewer@...

http://www.aspartame.ca/ T. Linnell admin@...

http://www.aspartame.ca/page_a10.html

Canadian Class Action Law Suit

aspartameNM/message/802

RTM: 700.club.com: CBN:

Totheroh & on: aspartame expose 2.13.2 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/805

RTM: Ive:

UK Daily Mirror Magazine: aspartame toxicity 2.18.2 rmforall

re " dry drunk " : Bisbort: danger to President Bush from aspartame

toxicity: Murray: 2.24.2 9.29.2 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/876

hyperthyroidism (Graves disease) in and Barbara Bush, 1991--

aspartame toxicity? 1997: Murray 10.9.2 rmforall

http://www.vegsource.com extensive vegan information

http://www.vegsource.com/articles/kradjian_milk.htm

Kradjian MD Discusses Milk

Substitute saccharine and, even better, stevia (at health food stores).

Avoid all products with aspartame and MSG. Gradually reduce alcohol,

caffeine (coffee, cocoa, and teas), meat, fish, eggs, milk, butter, and

cheese, food additives and colors, fluoride, city water: enjoy organic

rice, beans, nuts, vegetables, fruits, with modest use of soy products

and sprouted grain breads, flax seed and olive oils, and fill your jugs

with deionized water.

**********************************************************************

Serious symptom syndrome summary:

Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal, Canderel, Benevia) is reported by

scientific studies and case histories to be toxic: * headaches

* many body and joint pains (or burning, tingling, tremors, twitching,

spasms, cramps, or numbness) * fever, fatigue

* " mind fog " , " feel unreal " , poor memory, confusion, anxiety,

irritability, depression, mania, insomnia, dizziness, slurred speech,

ringing in ears, sexual problems, poor vision, hearing, or taste

* red face, itching, rashes, burning eyes or throat,

dry mouth or eyes, mouth sores * hair loss

* obesity, bloating, edema, anorexia,

poor or excessive hunger or thirst * breathing problems

* nausea, diarrhea or constipation * coldness * sweating

* racing heart, high blood pressure, erratic blood sugar levels

* seizures * birth defects * brain cancers * addiction

* aggrivates diabetes, autism, ADHD, allergies,

and interstitial cystitis (bladder pain)

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http://members.tripod.com/~mission_possible/scotland_branch.html

http://www.aspartame.ca/ Canada

http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/4578/ Canada

http://www.cybernaute.com/earthconcert2000/AspartaMalcache.htm

http://www.reseauproteus.net/therapies/nutritio/aspartame.htm

http://ww2.grn.es/avalls/aspa1.htm Spain

http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Falls/8669/ Brazil

http://www.phd.com.br/aspartame.htm

http://hem.passagen.se/mission.possible.sweden/

http://home.online.no/~dusan/foods/aspartame.html Norway

http://www.aspartaam.nl/info/product.html Holland, in Dutch

http://www.laleva.org/ Italy

http://www.laleva.org/alimenti/dorwayaspartame.html

http://users.westnet.gr/~cgian/aspartame.htm Greece

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