GREED vs HEALTH Aspartame/Nutra Sweet

[Guest guest]

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

GREED vs HEALTH

Which Will Win?

by Dr. Lendon

I knew there was something wrong with aspartame (ASP, Nutrasweet /Equal),

but I could not quite put my finger on it. Yes, the ingredients are

chemicals found naturally in foods, but is a little different when it is

ingested as a sweetener with little or no " food " around it. I just received

an eye-opener called " THE DEADLY DECEPTION, " compiled by the ASPARTAME

CONSUMER SAFETY NETWORK (ACSN, PO Box 780634, Dallas, TX 75378.) Founded in

1987, it serves as a support group and clearinghouse for vital information.

One of the opening pages hit me:

" 85% of all complaints registered with the Food and Drug Administration

(FDA) concerns aspartame's adverse reactions. "

It is now reported that FIVE DEATHS and at least 70 different symptoms have

resulted from its use. The list includes neurological, dermatological,

cardiac, respiratory all the symptoms I have ever seen reported for food

sensitivities, low blood sugar, Alzheimer's, Chronic Fatique syndrome,

amalgam-filling disease and methanol poisoning. The Searle Pharmaceutical

Company has actually covered up or, at the very least, failed to report

adverse reactions just so the FDA would allow this product to be used by

millions worldwide. Aspartame (L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanyl-methyl-ester) is

about 200 times as sweet as sugar with virtually no calories. It sounds

ideal for those who need to have the sweet taste, but not the calories.

This compound breaks down in the system to:

a.. 1) phenylalanine (50%) which can be neurotoxic and in some

susceptible people will cause seizures

b.. 2) aspartic acid (40%) which can cause brain damage in the developing

brain

c.. 3) methanol (10%) which turns into formaldehyde embalming fluid an

obvious toxin.

They all have adverse effects, but not everyone is affected equally. This

is why the scientific community is having trouble evaluating these

anecdotal reports. But I think you can see why Searle and the FDA have

minimized the adverse reactions; there might be a loss of revenue.The

symptoms easily might lead a doctor to make a diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue

Syndrome. These chemicals " change the ratio of the amino acids in the blood

stream. " The MENTAL SYMPTOMS that ASP can produce in a person is thought to

be related to the increase in violence and suicides in our population. ASP

causes a blockage of the formation of serotonin in the brain. Since

tryptophan has been taken off the market by the FDA, there are many people

who cannot make enough serotonin from their food, and they are more

suseptible to insomnia, depression, and/or PMS. If these genetically

deficient people are also swallowing ASP, they will more readily have

headaches, insomnia, depression, hostility, anxiety, and a host of other

negative symptoms. No wonder sales of the new drug, Prozac, have

skyrocketed. ASP is known to disturb thyroid function. The pituitary uses

serotonin as its neurotransmitter to tell the thyroid what to do. ASP will

inhibit the formation of that neurotransmitter. It can do anything. These

ingredients may not actually cause mental problems but can certainly

trigger them by interferring with the ratio of the various brain

neurotransmitters. It is the same with sugar, additives, alcohol, or food

sensitivities. A person may be susceptible to brain chemical alterations,

but the reaction only occurs when there is stress plus the ingestion of ASP.

MARY NASH STODDARD, who heads up the ACSN, has been diagnosed with that

devastating EMS (EosinophiliaMyalgia Syndrome) because of her severe

generalized aches and an elevated eosinophil count. When she stopped the

ASP the disease disappeared. (And we all thought that disease was only due

to the tainted tryptophan from the Japanese company.) The FDA and Searle

(the Nutrasweet Co.) claim that all the symptoms reported are just

anecdotal, and these people should see their doctor for a definitive

diagnosis. (most of them have, and the doctor could not name the disease.)

Three out of five of the negative responders have headaches, to the point

of being diagnosed as migraines.This company feels that because so many

millions of doses are being taken everyday and the numbers of reactions are

so few, ASP is very safe as a sugar substitute. But if people are using ASP

as a sugar substitute they are living in a fools' paradise. Research has

shown that most people who are sensitive to ASP will notice an increase in

hunger pangs. The blood sugar actually falls when the sweet taste in the

mouth from the ASP send a message to the brain that some sugar is going

down the gullet, and the pancreas better kick in with some extra insulin.I

think that most intelligent people might notice that they do not feel good

after drinking ASP loaded drinks and just quit the stuff. When the symptoms

disappear, we would not necessarily call Searle or the FDA. Many people

cannot drink red wine, or eat chocolate, but they do not call the companies

or sue the grocer.

" The Deadly Deception " cites chapter and verse of the coverup by Searle and

the FDA. Here are some highlights from the book " The Deadly Deception " :

1969 - Dr. Harry Waisman fed ASP mixed with milk to monkeys. One died

after 300 days of ASP and five others had grand mal seizures. Searle

deleted this negative study when the company submitted safety evidence to

the FDA.

1970 - The FDA banned cyclamate during the time that the safety of

saccharin was being questioned. The time seemed ripe for ASP.

1971 - Dr. Olney, a research psychiatrist, told Searle that aspartic

acid caused " holes in the brains of mice. "

1974 - Searle people said these studies raised " no health problems. "

Searle told the FDA about these findings after approval was granted.

1975 - Many of the test animals fed ASP developed large TUMORS. These

were NOT reported to the FDA.

1977 - Despite the many complaints about ASP, Conlon and

Sullivan, the US attorneys, took no action, in five years the statute of

limitations for a grand jury investigation expired. A year later Conlon

took a position with the law firm that represents Searle. (U.S. Attorney,

Skinner did the same and ended up Chief of Staff in Bush's White

House. ed.)

1980 - A Public Board of Inquiry of three scientists was activated. These

(2 MDs and one PhD) voted to ban ASP. Because of those negative findings a

five member Commissioner's Team of Scientists was impaneled: Three said

ban; two said it was safe. Another member was added. You guessed it:

deadlock. Dr. Verrett, PhD, toxicologist on the team said,

" Bureau officials were working up to a whitewash. Safety questions remain

unanswered. "

1981 - Dr. Arthur Hull , Jr. was appointed the new FDA Commissioner

and overuled the Public Board of Inquiry's recommended ban of ASP. He said

his approval was part of the Reagan administration's new reform! Throughout

the 1980's Searle has pointed out that the best evidence of ASP's safety

was the fact that it had been approved in more than 60 countries. But these

foreign approvals had been based on these controversial test, and the

questionable approval of the FDA. It was approved as a " food additive, " and

hence, exempt from continued safety monitoring. (Searle is not obligated to

monitor any adverse reactions.)

1983 - THE NATIONAL SOFT DRINK ASSOCIATION wrote to the FDA that ASP was

breaking down in warm climates. But the Association later accepted ASP. Dr.

office approved the use of ASP in soft drinks just two months before

he quit his job as FDA chief. He then obtained a job with a public

relations firm who represents NutraSweet.

1984 - Seven million pounds of NutraSweet are swallowed by about 100,000

people.

1985 - Reports of side-effects mount.

1987 - ACSN is founded by Nash Stoddard and consumer advocate,

. They believe ASP should be recalled and retested as a drug.

(Also, former US Atty. prosecuting G.D. Searle for falsifying original

tests, recused himself at the last minute, taking a position with Sidley &

Austin, Searle's lawfirm. He was later appointed head of the Dept. of

Transportation, over the FAA, and then moved into position of Chief of

Staff in Bush's White House. Skinner was honored by the Epilepsy Foundation

in Chicago as their man-of-the-year. Former MONSANTO ATTORNEY, JUDGE

CLARENCE THOMAS was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court, amidst swirling

controversy. Ed.)

A grass-roots effort to stop the use of ASP would be like us common folk

trying to get Columbia to stop producing heroin. If we can't get Searle to

stop (because it is big bucks for them) we can at least ask our patients

and friends to STOP USING IT IF THEY HAVE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS:

Headaches

Nausea

Vertigo

Hearing Loss

Tinnitus

Insomnia

Numbness of Extremities

Blurred Vision

Blindness/Eye Problems

Memory Loss

Slurred Speech

Mild to Suicidal Depression

Personality Changes

Mood Changes

Anxiety Attacks

Hyperactivity (child or adult)

Gastrointestinal Disorders

Seizures

Skin Lesions

Muscle Cramps

Joint Pain

Fatigue

PMS

Menstrual Irregularities

Chest Pain

Arythmia

Edema

Increased Appetite

Sensitive people would more likely notice the connection between ingestion

and symptoms. Some people do not notice anything until they stop taking ASP

in any form, and then they feel marvelous.

Death is also listed as a symptom.

ASPARTAME MAY TRIGGER OR

MIMIC THE FOLLOWING ILLNESSES:

a.. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

a.. Epstein-Barr

a.. Post-Polio Syndrome

a.. Lyme Disease

a.. Meniere's Disease

a.. Alzheimer's Disease

a.. ALS

a.. Epilepsy

a.. Multiple Sclerosis

a.. EMS

a.. Hypothyroidism Mercury Sensitivity from Amalgam Fillings

(add: Fibromyalgia, Graves, Lupus, non Hodgkins Lymphoma, ADD as well. Ed.)

These are more than allergies or sensitivities. We're talking about ASP

actually producing diseases, or disease syndromes.How does one take Searle

to court for damages? Are there more suicides now because tryptophan is not

available? ASP causes a blockage of levels of serotonin which is the brain

chemical made from tryptophan. We get tryptophan and its end product,

serotonin, if we eat a decent diet, but if we add ASP, we may not be able

to make enough serotonin to keep us from the above symptoms. It was

discovered long ago that serotonin is lower in the brains of the depressed

than in the brains of those not so. , MD, in the Jr Peds, 78:

985-990, wrote way back in 1971 that the serotonin concentration in the

blood platelets of hyperactive kids was lower than in the not so active.

The hyperactivity of the children became less as the serotonin levels rose.

Vitamin B6 will help to raise the serotonin.

What about this connection: The National Cancer Institute has discovered an

increased incidence of malignant brain tumors in the years following the

1983 licensing of ASP for beverages. In the research on rats ingesting ASP

back in the early 1970's, brain tumors were observed.Doctors are not

helpful to their patients who complain of the above symptoms because the

connection with symptoms and aspartame are anecdotal and there are no tests

for the condition except the improvement when ASP is discontinued. Dr.

Toft, a chiropractor from andria, Minnesota, felt awful until he

stopped ASP. He finds that the media will not touch this controversy,

because, as we all might suspect, it will definitely hurt advertising

revenue.Can you get your patients and friends to write for " The Deadly

Deception, " and then do what you can to stop this menace? The Nutrasweet

people have a commercial on TV bragging that they now have 200,000,000

people consuming the ASP in over 4,000 different products. ( " That many

people couldn't be wrong! " ) Next time you're mugged ask the perpetrator if

he is getting ASP; or when you see someone sitting on the sidewalk, tired,

alone and depressed, ask him if he is drinking soft drinks. Chances are,

ASP IS RESPONSIBLE FOR A LOT OF SICKNESS AND CRIME. It is not what Mother

Nature wants us to eat.

(reprinted with permission) Dr. Lendon 's " The Facts " , October 1991

Return to Home Page

*§ Health_and_Healing §*

Health_and_Healing

Subscribe:......... Health_and_Healing-subscribe

digest emails:..... Health_and_Healing-digest

Individual emails:. Health_and_Healing-normal

To Post:........... Health_and_Healing

To unsubscribe:.... Health_and_Healing-unsubscribe

§ NEW! Health and Healing NEWSLETTER, Just Health News! §

Information:....... HH_Newsletter/

Subscribe:......... HH_Newsletter-subscribe

List owner:........ HH_Newsletter-owner

Unsubscribe:....... HH_Newsletter-unsubscribe

To post, send for approval to:..HH_Newsletter

**COPYRIGHT NOTICE**

In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107,

any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without

profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving

the included information for non-profit research and educational purposes

only. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml