Aspertame On My Brain?

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There have been lots of criticism of aspertame over

the years though mostly from " alternative " views. At

the same time, several studies have shown no harm in

minimal use. This critique on mental function,

comes from a fairly reputable nutrition journal

REVIEW

Direct and indirect cellular effects of aspartame on

the brain

P Humphries1,2, E Pretorius1 and H Naude? 1

1

Department of Anatomy, University of Pretoria,

Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa and 2Department of

Anatomy, University of the

Limpopo, South Africa

The use of the artificial sweetener, aspartame, has

long been contemplated and studied by various

researchers, and people are

concerned about its negative effects. Aspartame is

composed of phenylalanine (50%), aspartic acid (40%)

and methanol (10%).

Phenylalanine plays an important role in

neurotransmitter regulation, whereas aspartic acid is

also thought to play a role as an

excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous

system. Glutamate, asparagines and glutamine are

formed from their

precursor, aspartic acid. Methanol, which forms 10% of

the broken down product, is converted in the body to

formate, which

can either be excreted or can give rise to

formaldehyde, diketopiperazine (a carcinogen) and a

number of other highly toxic

derivatives. Previously, it has been reported that

consumption of aspartame could cause neurological and

behavioural

disturbances in sensitive individuals. Headaches,

insomnia and seizures are also some of the

neurological effects that have been

encountered, and these may be accredited to changes in

regional brain concentrations of catecholamines, which

include

norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine. The aim of

this study was to discuss the direct and indirect

cellular effects of

aspartame on the brain, and we propose that excessive

aspartame ingestion might be involved in the

pathogenesis of certain

mental disorders (DSM-IV-TR 2000) and also in

compromised learning and emotional functioning.

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition advance online

publication, 8 August 2007;

doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602866 European Journal of

Clinical Nutrition (2007), 1 – 12