the 11% methanol component of aspartame becomes formaldehyde, now ruled a carcinogen by WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer: Mur(WEBMASTER) <webmaster@...>ray 2004.06.16 rmforall

[Guest guest]

aspartameNM/message/1094

the 11% methanol component of aspartame becomes formaldehyde, now ruled a

carcinogen by WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer: Murray

2004.06.16 rmforall

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,9869053%5E1702,00.\

html

Formaldehyde linked to cancer

From correspondents in Lyon, France

June 17, 2004

THE International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) ruled today that the

common chemical formaldehyde, to which more than one million workers are

exposed in Europe, was a carcinogen.

The IARC, part of the World Health Organisation, said there was sufficient

evidence to show that formaldehyde caused cancer of the nose and mouth,

which is relatively rare in developed countries.

It said there was also strong but not sufficient evidence that leukaemia

could be caused by formaldehyde, which is used in the production of resins

used as adhesives and binders in the timber and paper industries.

Formaldehyde is also used in the production of plastics and coatings, in

textile finishing, in the manufacture of industrial chemicals and as a

disinfectant and preservative.

The IARC said the introduction of resins that released less formaldehyde and

improved ventilation had decreased the level of exposure in recent years.

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

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Post: GPO Box 4245 Sydney NSW 2001

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http://www.iarc.fr/

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is part of the World

Health Organization.

IARC's mission is to coordinate and conduct research on the causes of human

cancer, the mechanisms of carcinogenesis, and to develop scientific

strategies for cancer control. The Agency is involved in both

epidemiological and laboratory research and disseminates scientific

information through publications, meetings, courses, and fellowships.

IARC, 150 Cours Albert , 69372 Lyon CEDEX 08, France

Tel: +33 (0)4 72 73 84 85 - Fax: +33 (0)4 72 73 85 75

com@... ; grosse@...

; baan@... ; vainio@... ; boffetta@... ; hainaut@...

; ntr@... ; sasco@... ; franceschi@... ; ohgaki@...

; hall@... ; rivoire@... ;

http://www.iarc.fr/pageroot/PRELEASES/pr153a.html

International Agency for Research on Cancer

PRESS RELEASE N° 153 WHO 15 June 2004

IARC CLASSIFIES FORMALDEHYDE AS CARCINOGENIC TO HUMANS

" Twenty-six scientists from 10 countries evaluated the available evidence on

the carcinogenicity of formaldehyde, a widely used chemical " , reports Dr

Boyle, Director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer

(IARC), part of the World Health Organization.

The working group, convened by the IARC Monographs Programme, concluded that

formaldehyde is carcinogenic to humans. Previous evaluations, based on the

smaller number of studies available at that time, had concluded that

formaldehyde was probably carcinogenic to humans, but new information from

studies of persons exposed to formaldehyde has increased the overall weight

of the evidence.

Based on this new information, the expert working group has determined that

there is now sufficient evidence that formaldehyde causes nasopharyngeal

cancer in humans, a rare cancer in developed countries. " Their conclusion

that there is adequate data available from humans for an increased risk of a

relatively rare form of cancer (nasopharyngeal cancer), and a supporting

mechanism, demonstrates the value and strengths of the Monographs

Programme, " emphasized Dr Boyle.

The working group also found limited evidence for cancer of the nasal cavity

and paranasal sinuses and " strong but not sufficient evidence " for

leukaemia. The finding for leukaemia reflects the epidemiologists' finding

of strong evidence in human studies coupled with an inability to identify a

mechanism for induction of leukaemia, based on the data available at this

time.

" By signalling the degree of evidence for leukaemia and cancer of the nasal

cavity and paranasal sinuses, the working group identified areas where

further clarification through research is needed. This represents a service

to Public Health " , Dr Boyle concluded.

Formaldehyde is produced worldwide on a large scale. It is used mainly in

the production of resins that are used as adhesives and binders for wood

products, pulp, paper, glasswool and rockwool. Formaldehyde is also used

extensively in the production of plastics and coatings, in textile finishing

and in the manufacture of industrial chemicals. It is used as a disinfectant

and preservative (formalin) in many applications.

Common sources of exposure include vehicle emissions, particle boards and

similar building materials, carpets, paints and varnishes, foods and

cooking, tobacco smoke, and the use of formaldehyde as a disinfectant.

Levels of formaldehyde in outdoor air are generally low but higher levels

can be found in the indoor air of homes.

Occupational exposure to formaldehyde occurs in a wide variety of

occupations and industries: for example, it is estimated that more than one

million workers are exposed to some degree across the European Union.

Short-term exposures to high levels have been reported for embalmers,

pathologists and paper workers.

Lower levels have usually been encountered during the manufacture of

man-made vitreous fibres, abrasives and rubber and in formaldehyde

production industries.

A very wide range of exposure levels has been observed in the production of

resins and plastic products. The development of resins that release less

formaldehyde and improved ventilation has resulted in decreased exposure

levels in many industrial settings in recent decades.

The working group also evaluated two glycol ethers (2-butoxyethanol and

1-tert-butoxy-2-propanol) and evaluated these as not classifiable as to

their carcinogenicity to humans, due to the inadequate level of evidence in

humans and limited evidence in experimental animals available to the

experts. Further research is needed on these widely-used solvents.

The IARC Monographs

The IARC Monographs series publishes authoritative independent assessments

by international experts of the carcinogenic risks posed to humans by a

variety of agents, mixtures and exposures.

Since its inception in 1972, the series has reviewed more than 880 agents,

and IARC Monographs have become well-known for their thoroughness, accuracy

and integrity. http://monographs.iarc.fr/

For details about evaluation criteria, please link to

http://monographs.iarc.fr/monoeval/eval.html

For more information, please contact Dr Nicolas Gaudin, Chief,

Communications, at com@... or Dr Yann Grosse at grosse@...

World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer

Organisation mondiale de la Santé Centre international de Recherche sur le

Cancer

150, cours Albert- 69372 Lyon Cedex 08 (France)

Telephone: 33 472 738 485 Facsimile: 33 472 738 311

http://www.iarc.fr

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

aspartameNM/message/1071

research on aspartame (methanol, formaldehyde, formic acid) toxicity:

Murray 2004.06.16 rmforall

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

1943 Otowi Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505 USA 505-501-2298

[ NutraSweet, Equal, Canderel, Benevia, E951 ]

aspartameNM/message/927

Rumsfeld, 1977 head of Searle Corp., got aspartame FDA approval:

: Murray 2002.12.23 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1039

three-page review: aspartame (methanol, formaldehyde) toxicity:

Murray 2003.11.22 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1026

brief aspartame review: formaldehyde toxicity: Murray 2003.09.11 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1025

aspartame & formaldehyde toxicity: Murray 2003.09.09 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1018

aspartame toxicity coverup increases danger of corporate meltdown:

C. Carakostas of Coca-Cola: Murray 2003.08.11 rmforall

http://www.isrtp.org/new_members/members1.htm

The International Society of Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology

Carakostas, C., DVM, PhD Director/Scientific & Regulatory

Affairs The Coca-Cola Company PO Drawer 1734 Atlanta, GA 30301

T. 404/676-4234 F. 404/676-7166 E-mail: mcarakostas@...

http://www2.coca-cola.com/ourcompany/columns_aspartame.html [photo]

Aspartame: The world agrees it's safe By Carakostas, DVM, PhD

Director, Scientific and Regulatory Affairs, Coca-Cola

It is commendable that Carakostas mentions the core problem, albeit

disparagingly, and overlaid with multiple untruths: " During digestion,

aspartame yields a very small amount of methanol-- as do many other food

substances. The body converts this methanol to formaldehyde, which is

instantly converted to formate. Formate is quickly eliminated as carbon

dioxide and water. "

Carakostas deceptively make claims, unsupported by research, that the amount

of methanol from aspartame is " very small " , that many foods release as much,

and that little of the inevitable formaldehyde or formic acid toxic products

accumulate in body tissues. This executive, with a PhD in veterinary

science, is deceiving people about very serious multiple toxicities.

Thus, there is evidence here cited from 1973 to 2004 that research and

reviews by immense vested interests about aspartame must be scrutinized with

the greatest skepticism. The greatest Internet myth about aspartame is

this: " Aspartame is the most thoroughly tested food additive in history. "

aspartameNM/message/1088

Murray, full plain text & critique:

chronic aspartame in rats affects memory, brain cholinergic receptors, and

brain chemistry, Christian B, McConnaughey M et al, 2004 May:

2004.06.05 rmforall

Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2004 May; 78(1): 121-7.

Chronic aspartame affects T-maze performance, brain cholinergic receptors

and Na(+),K(+)-ATPase in rats.

Christian B, McConnaughey K, Bethea E, Brantley S, Coffey A, Hammond L,

Harrell S, Metcalf K, Muehlenbein D, Spruill W, Brinson L, McConnaughey M.

Department of Pharmacology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina

University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA;

North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, Durham, NC 27811.

http://www.ecu.edu/pharmacology/faculty/mcconnaughey.html

Mona M. McConnaughey, Ph.D. Research Assistant Professor

Department: PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY

Office: Brody Medical Science 6E-120A 252-744-2756

MCCONNAUGHEYM@...

This study demonstrated that chronic aspartame consumption in rats can lead

to altered T-maze performance and increased muscarinic cholinergic receptor

densities in certain brain regions.

Control and treated rats were trained in a T-maze to a particular side and

then periodically tested to see how well they retained the learned response.

Rats that had received aspartame (250 mg/kg/day) in the drinking water for 3

or 4 months showed a significant increase in time to reach the reward in the

T-maze, suggesting a possible effect on memory due to the artificial

sweetener.

Using [(3)H]quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) (1 nM) to label muscarinic

cholinergic receptors and atropine (10(-6) M) to determine nonspecific

binding in whole-brain preparations,

aspartame-treated rats showed a 31% increase in receptor numbers when

compared to controls.

In aspartame-treated rats, there was a significant increase in muscarinic

receptor densities in the

frontal cortex, midcortex, posterior cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus and

cerebellum of 80%, 60%, 61%, 65%, 66% and 60%, respectively.

The midbrain was the only area where preparations from aspartame-treated

rats showed a significant increase in Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity.

It can be concluded from these data that long-term consumption of aspartame

can affect T-maze performance in rats and alter receptor densities or

enzymes in brain. PMID: 15159141

A Searle Laboratories team in 1976 reported that in 4 monkeys fed aspartame,

by 12 hours: " ...the major fraction (70%) of the [aspartate] label appeared

in the expired air (Fig.6)...Urinary and fecal 14C [ aspartate derived ]

amounted to 4--6% of the administered [ aspartate ] label. "

This gives a total of a maximum 76% excreted aspartate from the aspartame,

indicating that 24% of this excitotoxin was retained in the body. It is

reasonable to conclude that daily use of aspartame must lead to substantial

accumulation of this excitotoxin, aspartate, in body tissues.

Their 1979 review said: " Aspartame... is hydrolyzed in the gut to yield

aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol....

Aspartate may also be incorporated into body constitutents such as other

amino acids, proteins, pyrimidines, asparagine, and N-acetylaspartic acid. "

J Environ Pathol Toxicol. 1979 Mar-Apr; 2(4): 979-85.

A review of the metabolism of the aspartyl moiety of aspartame in

experimental animals and man.

Ranney RE, Oppermann JA.

Department of Drug Metabolism and Radiochemistry, Searle Laboratories,

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

60680

Aspartame (3-amino-N-(alpha-carboxyphenethyl) succinamic acid, methyl ester;

the methyl ester of aspartylphenylalanine, SC-18862) is hydrolyzed in the

gut to yield aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol.

This review of the literature describes the metabolic paths followed by

aspartate in its conversion to CO2 or its incorporation into body

constituents.

About 70 percent of 14C from [asp-14C]-aspartame is converted in the monkey

to 14CO2.

Some of the aspartate is converted at the intestinal mucosal level to

alanine by decarboxylation.

This amino acid may be oxidized to CO2 by entering the tricarboxylic acid

cycle via pyruvate and acetyl CoA.

In addition, transamination of aspartate to oxaloacetate permits this

product also to enter the tricarboxylic acid cycle.

Aspartate may also be incorporated into body constitutents such as other

amino acids, proteins, pyrimidines, asparagine, and N-acetylaspartic acid.

It is concluded that the aspartate moiety of aspartame is metabolized in a

manner similar to that of dietary aspartic acid.

Publication Types: Review PMID: 376770

aspartameNM/message/1067

eyelid contact dermatitis by formaldehyde from aspartame, AM Hill & DV

Belsito, Nov 2003: Murray 2004.03.30 rmforall [ 150 KB ]

aspartameNM/messages

115 members, 1094 posts in a public searchable archive

aspartame/messages

801 members, 16,975 posts in a public, searchable archive

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.

Fully 11% of aspartame is methanol-- 1,120 mg aspartame in 2 L diet soda,

almost six 12-oz cans, gives 123 mg methanol (wood alcohol).

The methanol is immediately released into the body after drinking--

unlike the large levels of methanol locked up in complex molecules inside

many fruits and vegetables.

Within hours, the liver turns much of the methanol into formaldehyde, and

then much of that into formic acid, both of which in time are partially

eliminated as 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, accumulating in and affecting every tissue.

If only 10% of the methanol is retained daily 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

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

Murray 2002.05.30 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, rashes, 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.

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 8 hours, with little

additional elimination, 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, both 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.

The low oral dose of aspartame and for methanol was 0.068 mmol/kg, about 1

part per million [ppm] of the acute toxicity level of 2,000 mg/kg, 67,000

mmol/kg, used by Mc (1979).

Two L daily use of diet soda provides 123 mg methanol, 2 mg/kg for a 60 kg

person, a dose of 67 mmole/kg, a thousand times more than the dose in this

study.

By eight hours excretion of the dose in air and urine had leveled off at

67.1 +-2.1% as CO2 in the exhaled air and 1.57+-0.32% in the urine, so 68.7

% was excreted, and 31.3% was retained.

This data is the average of 4 monkeys.

" ...the 14C in the feces was negligible. "

" That fraction not so excreted (about 31%) was converted to body

constituents through the one-carbon metabolic pool. "

" All radioactivity measurements were counted to +-1% accuracy... "

This indicates that the results could not be claimed to have a precision of

a tenth of a percent. OK, so this is a nit-pick-- but I believe espousing

spurious accuracy is a sign of scientific insecurity.

The abstract ends, " It was concluded that aspartame was digested to its

three constituents that were then absorbed as natural constituents of the

diet. "

Thus, the concept is very subtly insinuated that methanol, as a

constituent of aspartame, is absorbed as a natural constituent of the diet.

" Dietary methanol is derived in large part from fresh fruits and

vegetables. "

This is a serious error, since the large amounts of methanol in fresh fruits

and vegetables are not readily released by human digestion. (W. C. Monte,

1984)

Nowhere in this report are mentioned the dread words, " formaldehyde " and

" formic acid " .

Of course, methanol and formaldehyde toxicity studies are highly relevant to

the issue of aspartame toxicity. [ Aspartame has to be turned into its

toxic products, formaldehyde and formic acid, in the body, before it is

toxic, so some pro-aspartame reseach studies test aspartame outside the

body, and then proclaim that they have proved that it is not toxic. ]

aspartameNM/message/915

formaldehyde toxicity: Thrasher & Kilburn: Shaham: EPA: Gold:

: CIIN: Murray 2002.12.12 rmforall

Thrasher (2001): " The major difference is that the Japanese demonstrated

the incorporation of FA and its metabolites into the placenta and fetus.

The quantity of radioactivity remaining in maternal and fetal tissues

at 48 hours was 26.9% of the administered dose. " [ Ref. 14-16 ]

Arch Environ Health 2001 Jul-Aug; 56(4): 300-11.

Embryo toxicity and teratogenicity of formaldehyde. [100 references]

Thrasher JD, Kilburn KH. toxicology@...

Sam-1 Trust, Alto, New Mexico, USA.

http://www.drthrasher.org/formaldehyde_embryo_toxicity.html full text

http://www.drthrasher.org/formaldehyde_1990.html full text Jack Dwayne

Thrasher, Alan Broughton, a Madison. Immune activation and

autoantibodies in humans with long-term inhalation exposure to formaldehyde.

Archives of Environmental Health. 1990; 45: 217-223. " Immune activation,

autoantibodies, and anti-HCHO-HSA antibodies are associated with long-term

formaldehyde inhalation. " PMID: 2400243

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: 2002.12.09 rmforall

Environ Health Perspect. 2003 Sep; 111(12): 1461-4.

Elevated nitric oxide/peroxynitrite theory of multiple chemical sensitivity:

central role of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in the sensitivity mechanism.

Pall ML.

School of Molecular Biosciences, 301 Abelson Hall, Washington State

University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA. martin_pall@...

The elevated nitric oxide/peroxynitrite and the neural sensitization

theories of multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) are extended here to propose

a central mechanism for the exquisite sensitivity to organic solvents

apparently induced by previous chemical exposure in MCS.

This mechanism is centered on the activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)

receptors by organic solvents producing elevated nitric oxide and

peroxynitrite, leading in turn to increased stimulating of and

hypersensitivity of NMDA receptors.

In this way, organic solvent exposure may produce progressive sensitivity to

organic solvents.

Pesticides such as organophosphates and carbamates may act via muscarinic

stimulation to produce a similar biochemical and sensitivity response.

Accessory mechanisms of sensitivity may involve both increased blood-brain

barrier permeability, induced by peroxynitrite, and cytochrome P450

inhibition by nitric oxide.

The NMDA hyperactivity/hypersensitivity and excessive nitric

oxide/peroxynitrite view of MCS provides answers to many of the most

puzzling aspects of MCS while building on previous studies and views of this

condition. PMID: 12948884

Prof. Pall describes processes by which an initial trigger exposure, such as

carbon monoxide or formaldehyde, can generate hypersensitivity to many

substances. He himself had recovered from a sudden, debilitating attack of

multiple chemical sensitity in June/July 1997.

aspartameNM/message/1055

hormesis: possible benefits of low-level aspartame (methanol, formaldehyde)

use: Calabrese: Soffritti: Murray 2004.03.11 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1056

disorders of NMDA glutamate receptors in brain range from high activity

(MCS, CF, PTSD, FM, from carbon monoxide or formaldehyde (methanol,

aspartame)-- Pall)

to low activity (schizophrenia-- Coyle, Goff, Javitts):

Murray 2004.03.13 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1090

aspartame, MSG, excitotoxins, NMDA glutamate receptors, multiple sclerosis:

Blaylock: i: Murray 2004.06.09 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/97

Lancet website aspartame letter 1999.07.29:

Excitotoxins 1999 Part 1/3 Blaylock: Murray 2000.01.14 rmforall

The Medical Sentinel Journal 1999 Fall; (95 references)

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

aspartameNM/message/946

Functional Therapeutics in Neurodegenerative Disease Part 1/2:

Perlmutter 1999.07.15: Murray 2003.01.10 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1034

Brain cell damage from amino acid isolates (aspartame releases

phenylalanine, aspartate, methanol [formaldehyde, formic acid] Bowen &

Evangelista May 6 2002: Murray 2003.11.10 rmforall

http://www.aspartame.ca/Brain%20Cell%20Damage.pdf

Brain cell damage from amino acid isolates 5.6.2 41 references

detailed 22 page review by D. Bowen, MD and Arthur M. Evangelista,

former FDA Investigator orwilly@...

aspartameNM/message/628

Professional House Doctors: Singer: EPA: CPSC:

formaldehyde toxicity: Murray 2001.06.10 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1047

Avoiding Hangover Hell 2003.12.31 Mark Sherman, AP writer:

Swift, MD [ formaldehyde from methanol in aspartame ]:

Murray 2004.01.16 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1048

hangovers from formaldehyde from methanol (aspartame?):

Schwarcz: Linsley: Murray 2004.01.18

aspartameNM/message/1052

DMDC: Dimethyl dicarbonate 200mg/L in drinks adds methanol 98 mg/L

( becomes formaldehyde in body ): EU Scientific Committee on Foods

2001.07.12: Murray 2004.01.22 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/782

RTM: , Terpening, Schmidt, Gums:

full text: aspartame, MSG, fibromyalgia 2002.01.17 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 more patients, who got well, and are his third and fourth cases.

http://www.perque.org/Fibromyalgia.pdf

A Novel Treatment for Fibromyalgia Imrpoves Clinical Outcomes in a

Community-Based Study.

A. Deuster, M. Jaffe. RJaffe@...

Journal of Musculoskeletal Pain. 1998; Vol. 6(2): 133-149.

http://www.perque.com/ info@... 800-525-7372

Using blood tests, the researchers ran a panel of 350 antigens including

environmental chemicals, food additives and preservatives, crustaceans,

diary products, fish, fruits, grains, meats, mollusks, and oils.

Normal, healthy people react to only two or less of this panel. The greatest

offenders were:

MSG 42.5 % (17 out of 40 patients)

Candida albicans 37.5

Caffeine 37

Chocolate/cocoa 37

Food colorings 37

Cola beverages 37

Cow Dairy Products 25

Sulfite/metabisulfite 22.5

Xylene 22.5

Yogurt 22.5

Aspartame 20

BHA 20

Cadmium 20

Lead 20

Tylenol 20

Yeast 20

Sodium benzoate 20

Orange 20

C. Trocho (1998):

" In all, the rats retained, 6 hours after administration, about 5% of the

label, half of it in the liver. "

They used a very low level of aspartame ingestion, 10 mg/kg, for rats, which

have a much greater tolerance for aspartame than humans.

So, the corresponding level for humans would be about 1 or 2 mg/kg.

Many headache studies in humans used doses of about 30 mg/kg daily.

aspartameNM/message/925

aspartame puts formaldehyde adducts into tissues, Part 1/2

full text, Trocho & Alemany 1998.06.26: Murray 2002.12.22 rmforall

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

Formaldehyde derived from dietary aspartame binds to tissue components in

vivo.

Life Sci June 26 1998; 63(5): 337-49.

Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular,

Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.

http://www.bq.ub.es/cindex.html Línies de Recerca: Toxicitat de

l'aspartame http://www.bq.ub.es/grupno/grup-no.html

Sra. Carme Trocho, Sra. rio Pardo, Dra. Immaculada Rafecas,

Sr. Jordi Virgili, Dr. Xavier Remesar, Dr.

Fernandez-, Dr. Marià Alemany [male]

Fac. Biologia Tel.: (93)4021521, FAX: (93)4021559

Sra. Carme Trocho " Trok-ho " Fac. Biologia Tel.: (93)4021544,

FAX: (93)4021559

alemany@... bioq@... josefer@...

rafecas@... remesar@...

Abstract:

Adult male rats were given an oral dose of 10 mg/kg aspartame,

14C-labeled in the methanol carbon.

At timed intervals of up to 6 hours, the radioactivity in plasma and several

organs was investigated.

Most of the radioactivity found (>98% in plasma, >75% in liver) was bound to

protein.

Label present in liver, plasma and kidney was in the range of 1-2% of total

radioactivity administered per g or mL, changing little with time.

Other organs (brown and white adipose tissues, muscle, brain, cornea and

retina) contained levels of label in the range of 1/12th to 1/10th of that

of liver.

In all, the rats retained, 6 hours after administration, about 5% of the

label, half of it in the liver.

The specific radioactivity of tissue protein, RNA and DNA was quite uniform.

The protein label was concentrated in amino acids, different from

methionine, and largely coincident with the result of protein exposure to

labeled formaldehyde.

DNA radioactivity was essentially in a single different adduct base,

different from the normal bases present in DNA.

The nature of the tissue label accumulated was, thus, a direct consequence

of formaldehyde binding to tissue structures.

The administration of labeled aspartame to a group of cirrhotic rats

resulted in comparable label retention by tissue components, which suggests

that liver function (or its defect) has little effect on formaldehyde

formation from aspartame and binding to biological components.

The chronic treatment of a series of rats with 200 mg/kg of non-labeled

aspartame during 10 days results in the accumulation of even more label when

given the radioactive bolus, suggesting that the amount of formaldehyde

adducts coming from aspartame in tissue proteins and nucleic acids may be

cumulative.

It is concluded that aspartame consumption may constitute a hazard because

of its contribution to the formation of formaldehyde adducts. PMID: 9714421

[ Extracts ]

" The high label presence in plasma and liver is in agreement with the

carriage of the label from the intestine to the liver via the portal vein.

The high label levels in kidney and, to a minor extent, in brown adipose

tissue and brain are probably a consequence of their high blood flows (45).

Even in white adipose tissue, the levels of radioactivity found 6 hours

after oral administration were 1/25th those of liver.

Cornea and retina, both tissues known to metabolize actively methanol

(21,28) showed low levels of retained label.

In any case, the binding of methanol-derived carbon to tissue proteins was

widespread, affecting all systems, fully reaching even sensitive targets

such as the brain and retina....

The amount of label recovered in tissue components was quite high in all the

groups, but especially in the NA rats.

In them, the liver alone retained, for a long time, more than 2 % of the

methanol carbon given in a single oral dose of aspartame, and the rest of

the body stored an additional 2 % or more.

These are indeed extremely high levels for adducts of formaldehyde, a

substance responsible of chronic deleterious effects (33), that has also

been considered carcinogenic (34,47).

The repeated occurrence of claims that aspartame produces headache and other

neurological and psychological secondary effects-- more often than not

challenged by careful analysis-- (5, 9, 10, 15, 48) may eventually find at

least a partial explanation in the permanence of the formaldehyde label,

since formaldehyde intoxication can induce similar effects (49).

The cumulative effects derived from the incorporation of label in the

chronic administration model suggests that regular intake of aspartame may

result in the progressive accumulation of formaldehyde adducts.

It may be further speculated that the formation of adducts can help to

explain the chronic effects aspartame consumption may induce on sensitive

tissues such as brain (6, 9, 19, 50).

In any case, the possible negative effects that the accumulation of

formaldehyde adducts can induce is, obviously, long-term.

The alteration of protein integrity and function may needs some time to

induce substantial effects.

The damage to nucleic acids, mainly to DNA, may eventually induce cell death

and/or mutations.

The results presented suggest that the conversion of aspartame methanol into

formaldehyde adducts in significant amounts in vivo should to be taken into

account because of the widespread utilization of this sweetener.

Further epidemiological and long-term studies are needed to determine the

extent of the hazard that aspartame consumption poses for humans. "

aspartameNM/message/864

Butchko, Tephly, Mc: Alemany: aspartame formaldehyde

adducts in rats: Murray 2002.09.08 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 W.C. Monte. ]

In the same report, Schiffman concludes on page S49, not citing any

research after 1997, " Thus, the weight of the scientific evidence

indicates that aspartame does not cause headache. "

Dr. S. Schiffman, Dept. of Psychiatry, Duke University

sss@... 919-684-3303, 660-5657

aspartameNM/message/911

RTP ties to industry criticized by CSPI: Murray: 2002.12.09 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/846

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: Murray 2002.07.16 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

Blumenthall & Vance: aspartame chewing gum headaches Nov 1997:

Murray 2002.07.28 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 ]

Subject: Re: Murray: Butchko:

Tephly: critique of Trocho report Apr 2002 8.29.2

Date: Fri, 30 Aug 2002 09:49:56 +0200

From: Marià Alemany <alemany@...>

" Rich Murray " <rmforall@...>

References: 1

Dear Rich,

Thank you for the opportunity to say something about the " paper " by Tephly

that followed our study on the incorporation of aspartame-derived methanol

label into DNA and protein of rats.

I don't know if responding to that publication is worth the effort.

Surprisingly, a serious journal, such as Life Sciences published a rebuttal

of our previous paper as a normal " research paper " , but including no new

information neither experimental work.

This is only a sample of the " scientific " power of the advocates of

aspartame.

Anybody can extract conclusions from this anomaly, but it seems to me that

there was nothing new in that pamphlet that may add information to what we

already explained in our paper.

The responses to the questions raised by Tephly are already in our paper,

which means that either that it was not read or, worst, it was misread.

The presence of aspartame-derived label in DNA and protein adducts is

unquestionable and unquestioned, and agrees with previous studies.

Then, what importance has the mechanism of incorporation?

There were adducts, and they represent loss of function and mutation.

That was our thesis.

The reference to previous studies showing very low levels of formaldehyde in

blood do not refute our data.

First of all, measuring formaldehyde is tricky,

and in any case, the circulating levels would be below the current limit of

detection for most of the methods used.

That is the current explanation for the low levels of methanol in plasma

after aspartame loading: they are zero, using most of the methods available

for methanol, since the expected levels are currently below the limit of

detection...

In addition, it is not logical to expect to find measurable levels of

formaldehyde in a medium (blood) containing a huge amount of protein.

Formaldehyde reacts immediately with proteins because it is highly reactive:

that is the reason why we have found it in cell protein and DNA.

It is absurd to expect it to forfeit binding with cell proteins and go all

the way into the bloodstream!

Remember that formaldehyde is used to preserve corpses precisely because it

binds protein (including those of putrefactive bacteria) and prevents its

degradation.

The " alternative " point expressed by Tephly, suggesting that aspartame

methanol-label goes all the way into formic acid and the C1 pathway was

thoroughly refuted by us, using experimental data.

There was no labelled methionine nor thymine in protein and DNA respectively

in the rat protein we recovered from rats treated with aspartame.

This means--unequivocally-- that the label present in DNA and protein

adducts was NOT incorporated into amino acids or nucleic acid bases.

The only explanation for our data was that the label was in the form of

formaldehyde adducts.

If this explanation does not satisfy other scientists, they are free to

repeat the experiment and show where we went wrong, or to probe and prove

experimentally their hypotheses. Otherwise, our results stand unchecked

and, consequently, should be deemed true.

I hope that this information will help any attentive reader understand why

we have left for good this field of study.

Best regards.

------------------------------

Prof.Dr. Marià Alemany

Grup de Recerca Nitrogen-Obesitat

Departament de Nutrició i Bromatologia

Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona

Av. Diagonal, 645; 08028 Barcelona Espanya/España/Spain

tel. +34 93 403 4606; fax: +34 93 403 7064; E-mail: alemany@...

Life Sci 1999; 65(13): PL157-60. [ letter, usually not peer reviewed ]

Comments on the purported generation of formaldehyde and adduct

formation from the sweetener aspartame.

Tephly TR R. Tephly 319-335-7979 thomas-tephly@...

ttephly@... Department of Pharmacology

The University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242, USA.

A recent paper by Trocho et al. (1) describes experiments meant to show that

formaldehyde adducts are formed when rats are administered the sweetener

aspartame.

These authors assume that the methanol carbon of aspartame generates

formaldehyde which then forms adducts with protein, DNA, and RNA.

Doses employed range widely.

In this letter, studies which have been published previously and which were

not cited by these authors are reviewed in order to put into perspective the

disposition of methanol and formaldehyde in monkeys and humans, species

relevant to the toxicity of methanol and its toxic metabolite, formic acid.

PMID: 10503962, UI: 99431287

[ A number of pro-aspartame studies by Tephly and associates, invariably

funded by the aspartame industry (Monsanto, NutraSweet) are criticized in

detail at:

http://www.HolisticMed.com/aspartame mgold@...

Aspartame Toxicity Information Center Mark D. Gold

12 East Side Drive #2-18 Concord, NH 03301 603-225-2100

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

" Scientific Abuse in Aspartame Research "

Gold points out that industry methanol assays were too insensitive to

properly measure blood methanol levels. ]

aspartameNM/message/1016

President Bush & formaldehyde (aspartame) toxicity: Ramazzini Foundation

carcinogenicity results Dec 2002: Soffritti: Murray 2003.08.03 rmforall

p. 88 " The sweetening agent aspartame hydrolyzes in the gastrointestinal

tract to become free methyl alcohol, which is metabolized in the liver

to formaldehyde, formic acid, and CO2. (11) "

Medinsky MA & Dorman DC. 1994; Assessing risks of low-level

methanol exposure. CIIT Act. 14: 1-7.

Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2002 Dec; 982: 87-105.

Results of long-term experimental studies on the carcinogenicity of

formaldehyde and acetaldehyde in rats.

Soffritti M, Belpoggi F, Lambertin L, Lauriola M, Padovani M, Maltoni C.

Cancer Research Center, European Ramazzini Foundation for Oncology and

Environmental Sciences, Bologna, Italy. crcfr@...

Formaldehyde was administered for 104 weeks in drinking water supplied

ad libitum at concentrations of 1500, 1000, 500, 100, 50, 10, or 0 mg/L

to groups of 50 male and 50 female Sprague-Dawley rats beginning at

seven weeks of age.

Control animals (100 males and 100 females) received tap water only.

Acetaldehyde was administered to 50 male and 50 female Sprague-Dawley

rats beginning at six weeks of age at concentrations of 2,500, 1,500,

500, 250, 50, or 0 mg/L.

Animals were kept under observation until spontaneous death.

Formaldehyde and acetaldehyde were found to produce an increase in total

malignant tumors in the treated groups and showed specific carcinogenic

effects on various organs and tissues. PMID: 12562630

Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2002 Dec; 982: 46-69.

Results of long-term experimental studies on the carcinogenicity of

methyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol in rats.

Soffritti M, Belpoggi F, Cevolani D, Guarino M, Padovani M, Maltoni C.

Cancer Research Center, European Ramazzini Foundation for Oncology and

Environmental Sciences, Bologna, Italy. crcfr@...

Methyl alcohol was administered in drinking water supplied ad libitum at

doses of 20,000, 5,000, 500, or 0 ppm to groups of male and female

Sprague-Dawley rats 8 weeks old at the start of the experiment.

Animals were kept under observation until spontaneous death.

Ethyl alcohol was administered by ingestion in drinking water at a

concentration of 10% or 0% supplied ad libitum to groups of male and

female Sprague-Dawley rats; breeders and offspring were included in the

experiment.

Treatment started at 39 weeks of age (breeders), 7 days before mating,

or from embryo life (offspring) and lasted until their spontaneous death.

Under tested experimental conditions, methyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol

were demonstrated to be carcinogenic for various organs and tissues.

They must also be considered multipotential carcinogenic agents.

In addition to causing other tumors, ethyl alcohol induced malignant

tumors of the oral cavity, tongue, and lips.

These sites have been shown to be target organs in man by epidemiologic

studies. Publication Types: Review Review, Tutorial PMID: 12562628

Surely the authors deliberately emphasized that aspartame is well-known

to be a source of formaldehyde, which is an extremely potent, cumulative

toxin, with complex, multiple effects on all tissues and organs.

This is even more significant, considering that they have already tested

aspartame, but not yet released the results:

p. 29-32 Table 1: The Ramazzinni Foundation Cancer Program

Project of [200] Long-Term Carcinogenicity Bioassays: Agents Studied

No. No. of Bioassays Species No. Route of Exposure

108. " Coca-Cola " 4 Rat 1,999 Ingestion, Transplantal Route

109. " Pepsi-Cola " 1 Rat 400 Ingestion

110. Sucrose 1 Rat 400 Ingestion

111. Caffeine 1 Rat 800 Ingestion

112. Aspartame 1 Rat 1,800 Ingestion

http://members.nyas.org/events/conference/conf_02_0429.html

Soffritti said that Coca-Cola showed no carcinogenicity.

It may be time to disclose these important aspartame results.

Finally, an intripid and much published team in Japan has found DNA damage

in 8 tissues from single non-lethal doses of aspartame (near-significant

high levels of DNA damage in 5 tissues) and many other additives in groups

of just 4 mice:

Mutat Res 2002 Aug 26; 519(1-2): 103-19

The comet assay with 8 mouse organs: results with 39 currently used food

additives.

Sasaki YF, Kawaguchi S, Kamaya A, Ohshita M, Kabasawa K, Iwama K,

Taniguchi K, Tsuda S.

Laboratory of Genotoxicity, Faculty of Chemical and Biological

Engineering, Hachinohe National College of Technology,

Tamonoki Uwanotai 16-1, Aomori 039-1192, Japan.

yfsasaki-c@... s.tsuda@...

We determined the genotoxicity of 39 chemicals currently in use as food

additives.

They fell into six categories-dyes, color fixatives and

preservatives, preservatives, antioxidants, fungicides, and sweeteners.

We tested groups of four male ddY mice once orally with each additive at

up to 0.5xLD(50) or the limit dose (2000 mg/kg) and performed the comet

assay on the glandular stomach, colon, liver, kidney, urinary bladder, lung,

brain, and bone marrow 3 and 24 h after treatment.

Of all the additives, dyes were the most genotoxic.

Amaranth, Allura Red, New Coccine, Tartrazine, Erythrosine, Phloxine, and

Rose Bengal induced dose-related DNA damage in the glandular stomach, colon,

and/or urinary bladder.

All seven dyes induced DNA damage in the gastrointestinal organs at a low

dose (10 or 100 mg/kg).

Among them, Amaranth, Allura Red, New Coccine, and Tartrazine induced

DNA damage in the colon at close to the acceptable daily intakes (ADIs).

Two antioxidants (butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated

hydroxytoluene (BHT)), three fungicides (biphenyl, sodium

o-phenylphenol, and thiabendazole), and four sweeteners (sodium

cyclamate, saccharin, sodium saccharin, and sucralose) also induced DNA

damage in gastrointestinal organs.

Based on these results, we believe that more extensive assessment of

food additives in current use is warranted. PMID: 12160896

aspartameNM/message/934

24 recent formaldehyde toxicity [Comet assay] reports:

Murray 2002.12.31 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/935

Comet assay finds DNA damage from sucralose, cyclamate, saccharin in

mice: Sasaki YF & Tsuda S Aug 2002: Murray 2003.01.01 rmforall

[ Also borderline evidence, in this pilot study of 39 food additives,

using test groups of 4 mice, for DNA damage from for stomach, colon,

liver, bladder, and lung 3 hr after oral dose of 2000 mg/kg aspartame--

a very high dose. Methanol is the only component of aspartame that can lead

to DNA damage. ]

aspartameNM/message/961

genotoxins, Comet assay in mice: Ace-K, stevia fine; aspartame poor;

sucralose, cyclamate, saccharin bad: Y.F. Sasaki Aug 2002:

Murray 2003.01.27 rmforall [A detailed look at the data] ]

J Toxicol Sci. 2002 Dec; 27 Suppl 1: 1-8.

[Genotoxicity studies of stevia extract and steviol by the comet assay]

[Article in Japanese]

Sekihashi K, Saitoh H, Sasaki Y. yfsasaki-c@...

Safety Research Institute for Chemical Compounds Co., Ltd., 363-24 Shin-ei,

Kiyota-ku, Sapporo 004-0839, Japan.

The genotoxicity of steviol, a metabolite of stevia extract, was evaluated

for its genotoxic potential using the comet assay.

In an in vitro study, steviol at 62.5, 125, 250, and 500 micrograms/ml did

not damage the nuclear DNA of TK6 and WTK1 cells in the presence and absence

of S9 mix.

In vivo studies of steviol were conducted by two independent organizations.

Mice were sacrificed 3 and 24 hr after one oral administration of steviol at

250, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg.

DNA damage in multiple mouse organs was measured by the comet assay as

modified by us.

After oral treatment, stomach, colon, liver, kidney and testis DNA were not

damaged.

The in vivo genotoxicity of stevia extract was also evaluated for its

genotoxic potential using the comet assay.

Mice were sacrificed 3 and 24 hr after oral administration of stevia extract

at 250, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg.

Stomach, colon and liver DNA were not damaged.

As all studies showed negative responses, stevia extract and steviol are

concluded to not have DNA-damaging activity in cultured cells and mouse

organs. PMID: 12533916

aspartameNM/message/857

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

aspartame toxicity research: Murray 2002.07.31 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/858

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

aspartame and MSG toxicity: Murray 2002.08.01 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

aspartameNM/message/622

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

aspartame toxicity: Murray 2001.06.04 rmforall four double-blind studies

Headache 1988 Feb; 28(1): 10-4

The effect of aspartame on migraine headache.

Koehler SM, Glaros A PMID: 3277925, UI: 88138777

Shirley M. Koehler, PhD 904-858-7651 skoehler@...

http://www.med.umich.edu/abcn/alpha/alpha-K.html#Koehler

Alan Glaros glarosa@... 816-235-2074

They conducted a double-blind study of patients, ages 18-55, who had

a medical diagnosis of classical migraines (normally having 1-3

migraines in 4-weeks), who were not on medications (other than

analgesics), and who suspected that aspartame had a negative effect on

their migraine headaches. The subjects were given 1200 mg daily,

aspartame or placebo, for four weeks, about 17 mg/kg. The placebo

group had no increase in headaches. Approximately half of the subjects

(5 of 11) who took aspartame had a large, statistically significant

(p = 0.02), increase in migraine headache frequency, but not in

intensity or duration, compared to baseline or placebo. Only 11 of

25 subjects completed the program: 8 dropped out, 4 began new

medications, 2 had incomplete records. They were at home.

Since 1/3 of the subjects dropped out, they may have been choosing

to avoid headaches-- were they unpaid? To achieve statistical

signifance with only 11 subjects hints that the incidence rate from

aspartame is very high, about 1/2, for migraine cases who believe

that they are hurt by aspartame.

aspartameNM/message/1077

eight depressed people react strongly to aspartame, Prof. Ralph G. Walton,

MD, 1993 double-blind study, full text: Murray 2004.04.26 rmforall

Walton, RG, " Adverse reactions to aspartame: double-blind challenge in

patients from a vulnerable population, " 1993, with Hudak and

Ruth J. Green-Waite, Biological Psychiatry, 34 (1), 13-17.

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

Eight depressed patients, ages 24-60, and five non-depressed controls,

ages 24-56, employed at the hospital, were given for 7 days either

aspartame or a placebo, and then after a 3 day break, given the

opposite. Each got 2100 mg aspartame daily, 30 mg/kg bodyweight,

equal to 10-12 cans of diet soda daily, about a gallon. Despite the

very small number of subjects, the results were dramatic and

statistically significant. The eight depressed patients reported with

aspartame, compared to placebo, much higher levels of nervousness,

trouble remembering, nausea, depression, temper, and malaise. (For each

symptom, p<0.01) The five normals did not report strong enough

differences between aspartame and placebo to be significant.

Initially, the study was to be on a group of 40, but was halted by the

Institutional Review Board because of severe reactions among 3 of the

depressed patients.

Again, statistical significance with only 8 depressed patients:

" In this study, patients most often began to report significant

symptoms after day 2 or 3. " The incidence rate is very high,

indeed, about 1/3. The most common symptoms are entirely typical

of thousands of case histories.

K. Van Den Eeden, T.D. Koepsell, W.T. Longstreth, Jr,

G. van Belle, J.R. Daling, B. McKnight, " Aspartame ingestion and

headaches: a randomized crossover trial, " 1994, Neurology, 44, 1787-93

K. Van Den Eeden,PhD 550-450-2202 skv@...

Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program

3505 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94611-5714

http://www.dor.kaiser.org/dorhtml/investigators/_Van_Den_Eeden.html

In their introduction, they comment:

" In addition, the FDA had received over 5,000 complaints as of July,

1991 in a passive surveillance system to monitor adverse side effects.

(17) Neurologic problems constitute the primary complaints in these

and several other case series, with headaches accounting for

18 to 45 %,depending on the case series reported. (17-19) "

Subjects, ages 18-57, were recruited who believed they got headaches

from aspartame, but were otherwise mentally and physically healthy.

They were paid $ 15 total, and were at home. Of the 44 subjects, 32

contributed data to the 38-day trials: a week of inert placebo, a week

of either aspartame or placebo, followed by a week of the opposite, and

then this two-week cycle repeated. The daily dose was about 30 mg/kg.

" The proportion of days subjects reported having a headache was

higher during aspartame treatment compared with placebo treatment

(aspartame = 0.33, placebo = 0.24; p = 0.04) (table 5) " .

Of the 12 subjects not included in the data, 7 reported adverse

symptoms before withdrawing.

Again, statistical significance with a moderate number of healthy

subjects, willing to be recruited by a newspaper ad, who believed

aspartame hurt them. The number of headaches for each subject

for each treatment week are given: it appears that 4 subjects

had the strongest increase in headaches from the run-in week

or placebo week to their first week on aspartame, jumping from 0 to 5,

1 to 6, 1 to 4, 0 to 5 headaches per week. So, about 4 of the 44

healthy people recruited for the study, who believed aspartame hurt

them, had a stong increase in headaches from the first week of daily

asparame exposure, while 7 reported adverse symptoms before leaving,

a total of 11 out of 44, an incidence ratio of 1/4.

This is sky high, if we consider that, if the incidence ratio for the

about two hundred million users in the USA is 1 of 100, that is 2

million cases. It is plausible that the incidence ratio lies between 1

and 10 out of 100 for continuous daily exposure. These three flames

should have set off alarm bells, with extensive follow-up studies and

much more careful study of thousands of case histories. But these

little flares were adroitly smothered by thick blankets of industry

funded fluff:

aspartameNM/message/623

: Gold: Schiffman: Spiers:

aspartame toxicity: Murray 2001.06.04 rmforall two double-blind studies

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 $ 60.00 postpaid data from 1200 cases

available at http://www.amazon.com

over 600 references from standard medical research

aspartameNM/message/790

Moseley: review " Aspartame Disease: An Ignored Epidemic " :

Murray 2002.02.07 rmforall

, Hyman J., 1924- ,

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

anthology of original research, 2002, 798 pages,

aspartame disease, pages 627-685, 778-780

aspartameNM/message/859

: the life work of a brilliant clinician: aspartame toxicity:

Murray 2002.08.02 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1070

critique of aspartame review, French Food Safety Agency AFSSA 2002.05.07

aspartamgb.pdf (18 pages, in English), Hirsch:

Murray 2004.04.13

aspartameNM/message/957

safety of aspartame Part 1/2 12.4.2: EC HCPD-G SCF:

Murray 2003.01.12 rmforall EU Scientific Committee on Food, a whitewash

aspartameNM/message/1045

http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/scf2002-response.htm

Mark Gold exhaustively critiques European Commission Scientific

Committee on Food re aspartame ( 2002.12.04 ): 59 pages, 230 references

aspartameNM/message/989 On 2003.04.10

the European Union Parliament voted 440 to 20 to approve sucralose,

limit cyclamates & reevaluate aspartame & stevia: Murray 2003.04.12 rmforall

There is an astonishing amount of positive research about stevia, banned in

the EU, and not allowed to be claimed as a sweetener in the USA:

aspartameNM/message/1084

26 stevia safety abstracts since 1993: aspartame vs stevia debate on

alt.support.diabetes, Schmidt, OD: Murray 2004.05.17

http://www.eatright.org/Nutritive(1).pdf

J Am Diet Assoc. 2004 Feb; 104(2): 255-75.

Position of the American Dietetic Association: use of nutritive and

nonnutritive sweeteners. American Dietetic Association.

aspartameNM/message/1068

critique of aspartame review by American Dietetic Association Feb 2004,

B. Duffy & Madeleine J. Sigman-Grant: Murray 2004.05.14 rmforall

http://www.dorway.com ( O. Rietz, died 2003 ) over 12,000 print

pages

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

Bettym19@... http://www.dorway.com/asprlink.html many links

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

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

What many informed doctors are saying/have said about aspartame

Nash Stoddard

Toxicology Sourcebook: " Deadly Deception Story of Aspartame "

Aspartame Consumer Safety Network and Pilot Hotline [since 1987]

PO Box 780634 Dallas TX 75378-0634

phone: 214.387.4001 marystod@... http://www.aspartamesafety.com

http://www.sweetpoison.com/

http://www.sweetpoison.com/food-additives-to-avoid.html

Dr. Janet Starr Hull, PhD, CN jshull@...

aspartameNM/message/802

700.club.com: CBN:

Totheroh & on: aspartame expose : Murray 2002.02.13 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/805

Ive: UK Daily Mirror Magazine: aspartame toxicity:

Murray 2002.02.18 rmforall

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

aspartameNM/message/262

aspartame expose 96K Oct 1987 Part 1/3: Gordon, UPI reporter:

Murray 2000.07.10 rmforall

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

aspartameNM/message/53

aspartame history Part 1/4 1964-1976: Gold: Murray 1999.11.06 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/928

revolving door, Monsanto, FDA, EPA: NGIN: Murray 2002.12.23 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/841

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

JW Childs Assc.: aspartame-neotame toxicity 2002.07.10 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/876

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

aspartame toxicity? 1997: Murray 2002.10.09 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/874

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

toxicity: Murray: 2002.02.24 2002.09.29 rmforall

aspartameNM/message/1065

politicians and celebrities hooked on diet sodas (aspartame):

Murray 2004.03.24 rmforall

http://google.com gives 247,000 websites for " aspartame " , with the top

8 of 10 listings being anti-aspartame, while

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

Usenet groups, 92,300 posts, the top 10 being anti-aspartame.

http://news.google.com 33 recent aspartame items from 4500 sources.

http://www.AllTheWeb.com gives 43,913, the top 8 of 10 anti.

http://teoma.com/index.asp gives 78,200 websites, top 8 of 10 anti.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed lists 760 aspartame items.

Many scientific studies and case histories report: * headaches * many body

and joint pains (or burning, tingling, tremors, twitching, spasms, cramps,

stiffness, numbness, difficulty swallowing) * fever, fatigue, swollen

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

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

problems, poor vision, hearing (deafness, tinnitus), or taste * red face,

itching, rashes, allergic dermatitis, hair loss, burning eyes or throat, dry

eyes or mouth, mouth sores, burning tongue * obesity, bloating, edema,

anorexia, poor appetite or excessive hunger or thirst * breathing

problems, shortness of breath * nausea, diarrhea or constipation * coldness

* sweating * racing heart, low or high blood pressure, erratic blood sugar

levels * hypothryroidism or hyperthyroidism * seizures * birth defects

* brain cancers * addiction * aggrivates diabetes, autism, allergies,

lupus, ADHD, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple chemical

sensitivity, multiple sclerosis, pseudotumor cerebri and interstitial

cystitis (bladder pain).

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aspartameNM/message/870

Aspartame: Methanol and the Public Interest 1984: Monte:

Murray 2002.09.23 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 [retired 1992]

Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287 woodymonte@...

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.)

" The greater toxicity of methanol to man is deeply rooted in the limited

biochemical pathways available to humans for detoxification.

The loss of uricase (EC 1.7.3.3.),

formyl-tetrahydrofolate synthetase (EC 6.3.4.3.) (42)

and other enzymes (18) during evolution sets man apart from all

laboratory animals including the monkey (42).

There is no generally accepted animal model for methanol toxicity (42, 59).

Humans suffer " toxic syndrome " (54) at a minimum lethal dose

of <1 gm/kg, much less than that of monkeys, 3-6 g/kg (42, 59).

The minimum lethal dose of methanol

in the rat, rabbit, and dog is 9.5, 7.0 , and 8.0 g/kg, respectively (43);

ethyl alcohol is more toxic than methanol to these test animals (43). "

" 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 fruits 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 posisioning (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 squanous-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)... "

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

Geoff Brewer <geoffbrewer@...>

http://www.chem.ox.ac.uk/mom/aspartame/aspartame.html

http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/webprojects2000/srogers/sarah.html

<sr8442@...>

http://www.react.ie/Health/Nutrition/Aspartame.htm Ireland

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

http://www.aspartame.ca/indexa.html T. Linnell <admin@...>

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

http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/ Australia FAILSAFE diet

http://www.bradymax.com/nzaa/ New Zealand

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

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.ostara.org/aspartam/#menue Germany

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

http://www.laleva.org/ <archimede@...> Italy 9 languages

http://www.laleva.cc/alimenti/alimenti.html aspartame vs stevia 4.17.03

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

http://www.cseindia.org/html/cola-indepth/index.htm India

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