Aspartame and Pancreatitis

[Guest guest]

Cindy,

You wrote, " Has anyone ever heard of the artificial sweetener, aspartame,

causing pancreatitis attacks? "

The simple answer is Yes, but rarely.

To understand a bit more, Aspartame (L-asparty-L-phenylalanine methyl ester)

(NutraSweet)is a small molecule made up of three components: Phenylalanine,

aspartic acid, and methanol. When digested, these components are released

into the bloodstream.

Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid, the daily consumption of which is

required to maintain life. There are actually sound scientific reasons to

believe that increasing the brain levels of these large neutral amino acids

could affect the synthesis of neurotransmitters and in turn affect bodily

functions controlled by the autonomic nervous system.

Aspartic acid, is not an essential amino acid but is normally easily utilized

for human metabolism. However, under conditions of excess absorption it has

caused endocrine disorders with markedly elevated plasma levels of

luteinizing hormone. The amount of luteinizing hormone in the blood is a major

determinant of menstrual cycle.

Interestingly, however, both of these amino acids are not a concern since

they are very difficult to be absorbed, anyway. Proteins are complex molecules

which contain many chemically bonded amino acids. It takes several enzymes to

break these bonds and liberate the amino acids. This is a slow process and

saves the body from large numbers of any one of these 21 amino acids being

released into the bloodstream at any one time.

Methanol on the other hand, is a poisonous substance. The methanol is

subsequently released within hours of consumption after being broken down in

the

small intestine. Absorption is hastened considerably if the methanol is

ingested as free methanol as it occurs in soft drinks. Regardless of whether

the

aspartame-derived methanol exists in food in its free form or not, 10% of the

weight of aspartame intake will be absorbed by the blood stream as methanol

within hours after consumption. Actually, one molecule of methanol for each

molecule of aspartame consumed releases into the bloodstream. Methanol has no

therapeutic properties and is considered only as a toxicant. The ingestion of

two teaspoons is considered lethal in humans.

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. 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. "

The Food and Drug Administration have received well over a thousand written

complaints relative to aspartame consumption. By far, the most numerous of

these include leg cramps, back pain, severe headache, abdominal pain, labored

breathing, vertigo and visual loss, the latter being a very important clue to

making a diagnosis of methanol poisoning. Other striking clinical features

associated only with the oral administration of methanol are elevated serum

amylase and the finding of pancreatitis, or pancreatic necrosis on autopsy.

The Aspartame website states that, " Upon digestion, aspartame breaks down

into three components (aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol), which are

then absorbed into the blood and used in normal body processes. Neither

aspartame nor its components accumulates in the body. " It is a fact, though that

methanol is a poison and has no benefit in the human body. Aspartame states that

though there have been substantial complaints about the relationship between

adverse health and aspartame use, there have not been any clinical studies

done to support this. Please note that the research has been on methanol and

not Aspartame, per se.

I think what is important here is your own philosophy of complimentary and

alternative medicine, which focuses on the foods and supplements which we

consume. There are many items which the FDA have cleared which I choose to not

consume or put on my body. I personally avoid taking anything that has any

possible causative factors associated to pancreatitis.

Karyn E. , RN

Executive Director, PAI

Indianapolis, Indiana