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From: Rich Murray on 11 Jul 2008 10:16
opportunities re BA Magnuson, GA Burdock et al., Aspartame Safety
Evaluation 2007 Sept., Critical Reviews in Toxicology: Rich Murray
2008.07.11
http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_07_01_archive.htm
Friday, July 11, 2008
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1550
____________________________________________________


"Of course, everyone chooses, as a natural priority, to enjoy peace,
joy, and love by helping to find, quickly share, and positively act
upon evidence about healthy and safe food, drink, and environment."

Rich Murray, MA Room For All rmforall(a)comcast.net
505-501-2298 1943 Otowi Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505

http://RMForAll.blogspot.com new primary archive

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/messages
group with 127 members, 1,550 posts in a public archive

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartame/messages
group with 1,125 members, 22,796 posts in a public archive
____________________________________________________



[ See also:
two detailed critiques of industry affiliations and biased science in
99 page review with 415 references by BA Magnuson, GA Burdock and 8
more, Critical Reviews in Toxicology, 2007 Sept.: Mark D Gold 13 page:
also Rich Murray 2007.09.15: 2008.03.24
http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_07_01_archive.htm
Monday, March 24, 2008
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1531 ]


Introduction:

As a volunteer medical layman information activist, ( note that all
citizens are laymen outside the domain of their specific areas of
expertise ) who for over nine years has earnestly provided detailed,
long, fair, civil reviews on the Net of mainly mainstream aspartame
toxicity research and related topics, as well as responsible world
media and Net sources, I submit a version of my 240 KB critical review
of an aspartame approving, Ajinomoto funded review by BA Magnuson, GA
Burdock, et al. 2007, (which herein is designated as “ASE”), to the
world public.

I welcome cogent criticism, which usually I will promptly add
uncensored to my public archive.

bias, omissions, incuriosity = opportunity, aspartame safety
evaluation, Magnuson BA, Burdock GA, Williams GM, 7 more, 2007 Sept,
Ajinomoto funded 98 pages html [ $ 32 pdf ]: Murray 2007.09.15
http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.html
Saturday, September 15, 2007 240 KB

"Of course, everyone chooses, as a natural priority, to enjoy peace,
joy, and love by helping to find, quickly share, and positively act
upon evidence about healthy and safe food, drink, and environment."

Rich Murray, MA Room For All rmforall(a)comcast.net 505-501-2298 1943
Otowi Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505

http://RMForAll.blogspot.com new primary archive

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/messages
group with 127 members, 1,550 posts in a public archive

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartame/messages
group with 1,124 members, 22,793 posts in a public archive

My inspiring mentor since January 1999 has been another conscientious
medical layman, Mark David Gold, gives an excellent 13-page critique
of ASE that details undue industry affiliations by the authors and
specific faults in their opus:
http://www.HolisticMed.com/aspartame mgold(a)holisticmed.com
Aspartame Toxicity Information Center, Mark D. Gold
12 East Side Drive #2-18 Concord, NH 03301 603-225-2100

two detailed critiques of industry affiliations and biased science in
99 page review with 415 references by BA Magnuson, GA Burdock and 8
more, Critical Reviews in Toxicology, 2007 Sept.: Mark D Gold 13 page:
also Rich Murray 2007.09.15: 2008.03.24
http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_03_01_archive.htm
Monday, March 24, 2008
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1531

http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/burdock/

"Nearly every section of the Magnuson (2007) review has research that
is misrepresented and/or crucial pieces of information are left out.

In addition to the misrepresentation of the research, readers
(including medical professionals) are often not told that this review
was funded by the aspartame manufacturer, Ajinomoto, and the reviewers
had enormous conflicts of interest."

[ See also:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/957
safety of aspartame Part 1/2 12.4.2: EC HCPD-G SCF:
Murray 2003.01.12 EU Scientific Committee on Food, a whitewash

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/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 ]

www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a781888262&fulltext=713240928
$ 32

Bernadene A. Magnuson,
George A. Burdock,
John Doull,
Robert M. Kroes, [deceased]
Gary M. Marsh,
Michael W. Pariza,
Peter S. Spencer,
William J. Waddell,
Ronald Walker,
Gary Murray Williams.
"Aspartame: A Safety Evaluation Based on Current Use Levels,
Regulations, and Toxicological and Epidemiological Studies,"
Critical Reviews in Toxicology, 37(8), 629-727, 2007 Sept [415
references]


http://www.utoronto.ca/nutrisci/faculty/Magnuson/
Bernadene A. Magnuson, Ph.D.
Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences
Senior Scientific and Regulatory Consultant, Cantox Health Science
International, 2233 Argentia Road, Suite 308, Mississauga, ON L5N 2X7
Tel: (905) 542 2900 Fax: (905) 542 1011 BMagnuson(a)cantox.com;
Research
My research interests have been in the area of diet and cancer and I
am now interested in the new and exciting area of nanotechnology and
its role in nutrition. ]
____________________________________________________


details on 6 epidemiological studies since 2004 on diet soda (mainly
aspartame) correlations, as well as 13 other mainstream studies on
aspartame toxicity since summer 2005: Murray 2007.11.14
http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2007_11_01_archive.htm
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1490

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1340
aspartame groups and books: updated research review of 2004.07.16:
Murray 2006.05.11


formaldehyde and formic acid in FEMA trailers and other sources
(aspartame, dark wines and liquors, tobacco smoke): Murray 2008.01.30
http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_01_01_archive.htm
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1508

The FEMA trailers give about the same amount of formaldehyde and
formic acid daily as from a quart of dark wine or liquor, or two
quarts (6 12-oz cans) of aspartame diet soda, from their over 1 tenth
gram methanol impurity (one part in 10,000), which the body quickly
makes into formaldehyde and then formic acid -- enough to be the major
cause of "morning after" alcohol hangovers.

Methanol and formaldehyde and formic acid also result from many fruits
and vegetables, tobacco and wood smoke, heater and vehicle exhaust,
household chemicals and cleaners, cosmetics, and new cars, drapes,
carpets, furniture, particleboard, mobile homes, buildings, leather...
so all these sources add up and interact with many other toxic
chemicals.

methanol impurity in alcohol drinks [ and aspartame ] is turned into
neurotoxic formic acid, prevented by folic acid, re Fetal Alcohol
Syndrome, BM Kapur, DC Lehotay, PL Carlen at U. Toronto, Alc Clin Exp
Res 2007 Dec. plain text: detailed biochemistry, CL Nie et al.
2007.07.18: Murray 2008.02.24
http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.htm
Sunday, February 24, 2008
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1524


http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1530-0277.2007.00541.x

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research
Volume 31 Issue 12 Page 2114-2120, December 2007

Bhushan M. Kapur, b.kapur(a)utoronto.ca;
Arthur C. Vandenbroucke, PhD, FCACB
Yana Adamchik,
Denis C. Lehotay, dlehotay(a)health.gov.sk.ca;
Peter L. Carlen carlen(a)uhnres.utoronto.ca;
(2007) Formic Acid, a Novel Metabolite of Chronic Ethanol Abuse,
Causes Neurotoxicity, Which Is Prevented by Folic Acid
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 31 (12), 2114-2120.
doi:10.1111/j.1530-0277.2007.00541.x

Abstract

Background:
Methanol is endogenously formed in the brain and is present as a
congener in most alcoholic beverages.

Because ethanol is preferentially metabolized over methanol (MeOH) by
alcohol dehydrogenase, it is not surprising that MeOH accumulates in
the alcohol-abusing population.

This suggests that the alcohol-drinking population will have higher
levels of MeOH's neurotoxic metabolite, formic acid (FA).

FA elimination is mediated by folic acid.

Neurotoxicity is a common result of chronic alcoholism.

This study shows for the first time that FA, found in chronic
alcoholics, is neurotoxic and this toxicity can be mitigated by folic
acid administration.

Objective:
To determine if FA levels are higher in the alcohol-drinking
population and to assess its neurotoxicity in organotypic hippocampal
rat brain slice cultures.

Methods:
Serum and CSF FA was measured in samples from both ethanol abusing and
control patients, who presented to a hospital emergency department.
[ CSF = Cerebral Spinal Fluid ]

FA's neurotoxicity and its reversibility by folic acid were assessed
using organotypic rat brain hippocampal slice cultures using
clinically relevant concentrations.

Results:
Serum FA levels in the alcoholics (mean ± SE: 0.416 +- 0.093 mmol/l, n
= 23) were significantly higher than in controls (mean ± SE: 0.154 +-
0.009 mmol/l, n = 82) (p < 0.0002).

FA was not detected in the controls' CSF (n = 20), whereas it was
>0.15 mmol/l in CSF of 3 of the 4 alcoholic cases.

Low doses of FA from 1 to 5 mmol/l added for 24, 48 or 72 hours to the
rat brain slice cultures caused neuronal death as measured by
propidium iodide staining.

When folic acid (1 umol/l) was added with the FA, neuronal death was
prevented. [ umol = micromole ]

Conclusions:
Formic acid may be a significant factor in the neurotoxicity of
ethanol abuse.

This neurotoxicity can be mitigated by folic acid administration at a
clinically relevant dose.

Key Words:
Formic Acid, Folic Acid, Methanol, Neurotoxicity, Alcoholism.

From the Department of Clinical Pathology (BMK), Sunnybrook Health
Science Centre, Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, The
Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada;

St. Michael's Hospital (ACV), Toronto, Canada;

Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, (BMK, ACV),
Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada;

Departments of Medicine (Neurology) and Physiology (YA, PLC), Toronto
Western Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario,
Canada;

and University of Saskatchewan (DLC), Saskatchewan, Canada.

Received for publication May 1, 2007; accepted September 24, 2007.

Reprint requests: Dr. Bhushan M. Kapur, Department of Clinical
Pathology, Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, 2075 Bayview Ave,
Toronto, Ontario, M4N 3M5, Canada;
Fax: 416-813-7562; E-mail: b.kapur(a)utoronto.ca;

Copyright 2007 by the Research Society on Alcoholism. DOI: 10.1111/j.
1530-0277.2007.00541.x
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 2007 Dec.
Alcohol Clin Exp Res, Vol. 31, No 12, 2007: pp 2114-2120

NEUROTOXICITY AND BRAIN damage are common concomitants findings of
chronic alcoholism (Carlen and Wilkinson, 1987; Carlen et al., 1981;
Harper, 2007).

The cause of ethanol-induced neurotoxicity is still unclear.

We present here a novel hypothesis for neurotoxicity: increased formic
acid (FA) levels produced from methanol (MeOH), whose catabolism is
blocked by ethanol.

Axelrod and Daly (1965) demonstrated the endogenous formation of MeOH
from S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) in the pituitary glands of humans and
various other mammalian species.

Presence of MeOH in the breath of human subjects was reported by
Ericksen and Kulkarni (1963).

Most alcoholic beverages also have a small amount of MeOH as a
congener (Sprung et al., 1988).

As ethanol (EtOH) has a higher affinity for alcohol dehydrogenase
(ADH) than MeOH, EtOH is preferentially metabolized (Mani et al.,
1970).

As a result, MeOH accumulation from endogenously produced MeOH, and/
or, that consumed as part of an alcoholic beverage, has been reported
in concentrations up to 2 mmol/l in heavy drinkers (Majchrowicz and
Mendelson, 1971).

Toxicity resulting from MeOH consumption is extensively documented in
both humans and animals and has been attributed to its metabolite, FA
(Benton and Calhoun, 1952; Roe, 1946, 1955; Wood, 1912; Wood and
Buller, 1904).

The rate of formate oxidation and elimination is dependent on adequate
levels of hepatic folic acid, particularly hepatic tetrahydrofolate
(THF) (Johlin et al., 1987; Tephly and McMartin, 1974).

Significantly higher formate levels were obtained when folate-
deficient animals were exposed to MeOH as compared with folate-
sufficient animals (Lee et al., 1994; McMartin et al., 1975; Noker et
al., 1980).

To understand ethanol's toxicity, one must consider FA produced from
MeOH, and its elimination mediated by folic acid.

We postulate that in the chronically drinking patient, we will find
higher levels of FA than in the nondrinking population, and that
formate is neurotoxic.

We also hypothesize that treatment with folic acid, which is a
critical factor in the catabolism of FA, can prevent or diminish FA
neurotoxicity.
____________________________________________________


Pondering how to proceed for two months, I realized the value of my
existing opus and modus operandi. It is best to submit this text as a
working preprint, in the public domain, allowing readers to access the
wonderful opportunities today on the Net for immediate, full,
unlimited, detailed, uncensored, global public collaboration, forever
archived, freely accessible, and very conveniently searchable. Thus,
the text is a portal to aid agile readers in hopping quickly in any
direction and depth they want, with hyperlinked references throughout.

The focus here, largely bypassing the isolated fortress islands of
vested interest operations, vainly entrenched to impede open-ended
investigation, shut down debate, defend narrowly construed self-
interest, spread confusion, instill propaganda -- all the dull,
tedious, pious pleadings of false authority, the mistakable artifice
of modern PR spin artists, in the service of criminal capitalism -- is
opportunity.

Opportunity is not optional. Just as new collaborations of
responsibility arose in the face of nuclear and thermonuclear bombs
after 1945, so again now with the current chemical catastrophe:


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1453
Souring on fake sugar (aspartame), Jennifer Couzin, Science
2007.07.06: 4 page letter to FDA from 12 eminent USA toxicologists re
two Ramazzini Foundation cancer studies 2007.06.25: Murray 2007.07.18

Dr. Kamal M. Abdo, PhD,
Carlos A. Camargo, Jr., MD, DrPH,
Devra Lee Davis, PhD, MPH,
David E. Egilman MD, MPH,
Samuel S. Epstein, MD,
John R. Froines, PhD,
Dale Hattis, PhD,
Kim Hooper, PhD,
James Huff, PhD,
Michael F. Jacobson, PhD,
Peter F. Infante, DDS, DrPH.
Letter to U.S. FDA commissioner. Questions about the safety of the
artificial sweetener aspartame.
Int J Occup Environ Health. 2007 Oct-Dec; 13(4): 449-50. No abstract
available. PMID: 18085059

" In light of the new aspartame study, which extends and corroborates
the finding from an earlier study, we urge the FDA to immediately
commence a careful review of the new study.

Considering how widely aspartame in consumed by young children, as
well as adults, in the United States and abroad, it is essential that
this review be done as expeditiously as possible.

If that review confirms that aspartame caused cancer in the laboratory
animals, the FDA must invoke the Delaney amendment and revoke its
approval for the artificial sweetener. 8 "

www.ramazzini.it/fondazione/pdfUpload/Science_06.07.2007.pdf

SCIENCE VOL 317 6 JULY 2007 page 31

Souring on Fake Sugar

Fearful it causes cancer, 12 U.S. environmental health experts last
week asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to review the
potential health risks of the artificial sweetener aspartame, which
appears in everything from medicines to diet sodas.

A study published last month in Environmental Health Perspectives
found somewhat more leukemias and lymphomas in male rats receiving
less aspartame than the recommended maximum for humans; at higher
doses, the rats had a marked increase in cancers throughout the body.

Pregnant rats were fed the sweetener, and animals received it once
they'd been weaned. The work, by scientists at the European Ramazzini
Foundation of Oncology and Environmental Sciences in Bologna, Italy,
is "more sensitive and more realistic" than earlier aspartame studies,
says James Huff of the National Institute of Environmental Health
Sciences, who signed onto the FDA letter drafted by the
Washington, D.C.-based watchdog group Center for Science in the Public
Interest.

But because the study conflicts with earlier work, FDA spokesperson
Michael Herndon says that the agency finds the study unpersuasive and
that "aspartame is safe."

FDA's European counterpart has not responded publicly to the study. --
Jennifer Couzin

www.cspinet.org/new/200706251.html
www.cspinet.org/new/200706251_print.html
http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/aspartame_letter_to_fda.pdf


http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/GFCFKids/messages

This group, after nine years, has 12,708 members and 335,599 posts in
a public archive: “This list is unmoderated and unrestricted. The
principle aim of this list is to provide a discussion forum for
parents of children on the autism spectrum who are avoiding gluten and
casein and other substances in their children's diets. “


British Columbia guidelines against "any drinks with artificial
sweeteners" in January 2008 in school vending machines, stores,
cafeterias or fundraisers -- also recently in Ontario and Quebec,
Janet Steffenhagen 2007.12.28 Vancouver Sun: Murray 2008.04.10
http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_04_01_archive.htm
Thursday, April 10, 2008
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1537

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1426
ASDA (unit of Wal-Mart Stores WMT.N) and Marks & Spencer will join
Tesco and also Sainsbury to ban and limit aspartame, MSG, artificial
flavors dyes preservatives additives, trans fats, salt "nasties" to
protect kids from ADHD: leading UK media: Murray 2007.05.15

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNMmessage/1451
Artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose) and coloring agents will
be banned from use in newly-born and baby foods, the European
Parliament decided: Latvia ban in schools 2006: Murray 2007.07.12

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1341
Connecticut bans artificial sweeteners in schools, Nancy Barnes, New
Milford Times: Murray 2006.05.25

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1369
Bristol, Connecticut, schools join state program to limit artificial
sweeteners, sugar, fats for 8800 students, Johnny J Burnham, The
Bristol Press: Murray 2006.09.22


Summary:

1. The preceding items indicate a few facets of exponentially evolving
global responses on many levels to chemical catastrophe. AspartameNM
was set up nine years ago to facilitate this process with detailed,
thorough, referenced information, civil discourse based on reason and
public evidence, and openness to dialogue among diverse and opposed
points of view. It may well evolve into a new type of scientific
journal, with an unusually broad membership, allowing fully democratic
co-evolution of articles, discussions, research and public affairs
proposals, funding, project implementations, completely transparent
and perpetually archived communication during all phases, constant
sharing of data, conclusions, and open questions to consider, with
constantly co-created traditions of organization, responsibility, and
ownership, naturally allied with other “open source” service
societies, like Wikipedia and Citizendium, and the many 12-Step
communities.

This review exists within and serves this context of a wider global
society, extremely diverse yet complexly unified, aided by service
societies not bound by past concepts: national, political, economic,
educational, governmental, legal, medical, spiritual, scientific.
Multiple exponential emergencies mandate multiple exponential service
societies.

Here, it is helpful for the specific case of aspartame toxicity to
present salient capsules, with full references and texts given in the
rest of this text.

2. Aspartame is a triple toxin, since all three of its loosely bound
components along with their complex metabolites are toxic, especially
for the many vulnerable groups who are also long-term, heavy users,
above 6 cans diet soda, 1,200 mg aspartame, daily for years:
Phenylalanine 50%, aspartic acid 39%, methanol 11% -- methanol
likewise owes its toxicity entirely to its rapid conversion in humans
to formaldehyde and thence to formic acid. About 30-40% of the
methanol remains in human tissues as cumulative, toxic products, as
yet largely unobserved and unexplored.

3. It is fruitless to study aspartame without tracking its actual
metabolic fate in specific tissues in individual humans.

4. There is extreme individual variation -- involving genetics, diet,
health status, drugs and medicines, age, sex, stress, other toxins and
protective factors like adaquate folic acid levels.

5. According, studies that focus on averages, such as much of
epidemiology and double blind experimental tests, are completely blind
to the realities.

6. Therefore, it is essential to do deep, detailed, exhaustive studies
on individuals, starting with case histories.

7. It is necessary to thoroughly integrate all studies on methanol,
formaldehyde, formic acid, folic acid, acetaldehyde, alcohol hangover,
addiction studies, and all sources of methanol and formaldehyde,
including alcohol drinks, tobacco and wood smoke, air pollution,
degradation of pectins from fruits and vegetables by bacteria in the
colon, and the modern diet and environment. The toxic level of
concern for formaldehyde from air in mobile homes is about the same
as the dose from 3 cans of diet soda.

8. Folic acid in most people expedites the safe metabolism of
methanol and formaldehyde, so it must be included in most research. It
is urgent to immediately assess and publicize its value. Its presence
in fruits and vegetables may account for the low level of reported
symptoms.

9. There are many, many other such co-factors.

10. Behavioral measures for neurotoxicity show immediate harm at much
lower doses, compared to biochemical and genetic effects.

11. Thus, current safety levels are too high by an order of magnitude
or more for methanol, formaldehyde, formic acid, and so on.

12. During the Stone Age, high levels of methanol from fermented
fruit and of formaldehyde from wood fires may have have helped humans
survive fungi, germs, and viruses. These possible benefits should be
evaluated for many kinds of people and conditions.

13. Thus, evolution may have operated to make alcohol, acetaldehyde,
formaldehyde, and formic acid addictive.

14. A small population in the Stone Age may have evolved
overproduction of brain cells to counter neurotoxicity, leading to
larger brains overall and a thus a major survival gain. Then, overall
positive selection pressure would also promote addiction to nonlethal
levels of neurotoxins, as is common today for caffeine, alcohol,
tobacco, cocaine, heroin, marihuana, etc.

15. Formaldehyde is well known as an initial and subsequent trigger
for hypersensitivity, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.

16. The Comet assay enables fast, inexpensive, subtle measures of
genetic damage from neurotoxins in single cells.

17. ASE reference (Larsen and Richold, 1999): re survey of teenage
diabetics

3.5. "Methanol generated from aspartame is estimated to average 33 mg/
day or 0.55 mg/kg bw/day for a 60-kg individual.

For individuals in the 95th percentile the estimated methanol
consumption figures are 93.9 mg/day or 1.57 mg/kg bw/day for a 60-kg
individual." [ three times more than the average ]

[ Thus, 114% of the European ADI of 40 mg/kg bw/day for a 60-kg
teenager gives 2,736 mg aspartame daily, with the 11% methanol 301 mg
daily, so 30% retention of cumulative durable toxic products of
formaldehyde and formic acid would be 90 mg daily -- 2700 mg a month.

About 150 mg methanol impurity in ordinary liquors is a major cause
of "morning after" hangovers, due to the conversion of methanol into
formaldehyde and formic acid, with methanol blood levels
reduced to about 3%, 5 mg/l, 13 h after drinking.

However, almost all of the methanol from aspartame is quickly released
into the blood.

It is urgent to assess the specific health status of this "small
subpopulation" of teenage diabetics who endure these remarkable toxic
exposures.

18. Table 1. NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study aspartame intake levels
from beverages, 1995-2000 (N = 473,984)
[ adapted from article -- a 12-oz can diet soda has 200 mg aspartame ]

0 -- under 100 -- 100-200 -- 200-400 -- 400-600 -- 600-1200 -- over
1200 mg/d
[ highest value 3400 mg ]

cohort %
46 -------- 25 -------- 13 ---------- 7 -------- 5 ----- about 3 ----
under 1


This is the first good data about the percentage of aspartame users
who use over 3 cans daily, averaging 5 cans daily at 200 mg per 12 oz
can diet soda.

About 4 % of 473,984 is 19,000 people, with a peak intake of 17 cans
daily, and average 5 cans daily.

It would be worthwhile to investigate a wide variety of symptoms for
the 0.1 % of highest level users, about 500 people.

18. Besides their recent studies on lifetime aspartame
carcinogenicity, the Ramazzini team in 2002 found similar cancers from
studies with alcohol, acetaldehyde, methanol, and formaldehyde at
levels corresponding to those from conversion from aspartame.


Critique:

Naturally, I want to cut to the chase with pertinent critical
comments, often giving quotes from the ASE text and its 415
references, and then my comments in square brackets.

ASE 6. "As aspartame is completely hydrolyzed following intake,
studies employing either intraperitoneal administration or direct
exposure of cells in vitro to intact aspartame do not reflect human
exposures and therefore, must be carefully interpreted." [ Spot on! ]

ASE 3.1.1 [ They state that 22 mg ingested aspartame releases 2.4 mg
methanol, Stegink, 1987 -- i.e., which is 11% of the aspartame.

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). If
30 % of the methanol is turned into formaldehyde, the amount of
formaldehyde, 37 mg, is 18 times the USA EPA limit for daily
formaldehyde in drinking water, 2 mg in 2 L water.

For instance, hangover researchers claim that it is the ~150 mg/L
methanol impurity, about one part in 10,000, twice the level from
aspartame in diet sodas, in dark wines and liquors that, turned into
formaldehyde and then formic acid, is the major cause of the common
symptoms of "morning after" hangover.

In addition, the half-life of methanol in blood is about 2.5 h, (SE
Jones et al. 1987) and hangover symptoms occur 13 hours later, five
half-lives, so by then the methanol blood level is reduced about 32
fold, to about 3 %, or 5 mg/L (YS Woo et al. 2005) -- whereas the
methanol from aspartame is quickly available in full. ]


[ ASE reference 254: Oppermann JA, Muldoon E, Ranney RE.
Metabolism of aspartame in monkeys.
J. Nutrition 1973 Oct; 103(10): 1454-1459. [ free full text via
PubMed ]
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. ]


ASE 3.1.5. "Ilback et al. (2003) surveyed 1120 diabetics and reported
that average daily intakes of aspartame by children and adult
diabetics were below the ADI, for both the top 5% and 10% consumers.

Worst-case intakes were calculated for the 10 diabetic children [ 1.1%
of adults and children ] consuming the highest amounts of artificially
sweetened foods and using the highest concentrations of
sweetener allowed in food products.

The worst-case calculation was based on the following assumptions:
(1) All sweeteners found in the diet were replaced by aspartame;
(2) the level of aspartame in foods was the maximum allowed by
regulations, not the concentration actually used in the foods; and
(3) the intake was based on the highest reported consumption of 10
diabetic children consuming the highest amounts of artificially
sweetened foods.

These worst-case calculations showed that consumption by this small
subpopulation would exceed the ADI by only a small percentage (about
114% of the ADI), and thus the authors concluded that there is a
sufficient safety margin for aspartame, even in high consuming
diabetics in a single time point (Ilback et al., 2003). "

"Therefore, a short period of exposure slightly above the ADI is not
considered to pose any significant risk (Larsen and Richold, 1999)."

ASE 3.3. "Methanol generated from aspartame is estimated to average
33 mg/day or 0.55 mg/kg bw/day for a 60-kg individual.

For individuals in the 95th percentile the estimated methanol
consumption figures are 93.9 mg/day or 1.57 mg/kg bw/day for a 60-kg
individual." [ three times more than the average ]

[ Thus, 114% of the European ADI of 40 mg/kg bw/day for a 60-kg
teenager gives 2,736 mg aspartame daily, with the 11% methanol 301 mg
daily, so 30% retention of cumulative durable toxic products of
formaldehyde and formic acid would be 90 mg daily -- 2700 mg a month.

About 150 mg methanol impurity in ordinary liquors is a major cause
of "morning after" hangovers, due to the conversion of methanol into
formaldehyde and formic acid, with methanol blood levels
reduced to about 3%, 5 mg/L, 13 h after drinking.

It is urgent to assess the specific health status of this "small
subpopulation" of teenage diabetics who endure these remarkable toxic
exposures.

Many aspartame reactors used over 12 12-oz cans daily diet soda for
years. At 200 mg each, this is 2400 mg daily aspartame, 264 mg
methanol, and at 30%, 80 mg retained formaldehyde and formic acid
products -- disposition, biochemistry, and concentrations unknown as
yet to world science.

This fundamental crucial ignorance is hardly grounds for
disingenuously dismissing every one of hundreds of mainstream research
reports and thousands of individual cases by informed professionals
and affected people.

Yet, this is all that is offered the ASE review, by a paid expert
panel set up by the Burbank Group, funded by Ajinomoto. Should not
the "remuneration," past or continuing be disclosed, along with any
contractual obligations?

The greatest gift of science to humanity since 1600 is the vision of
unfettered, yet disciplined, curiosity, publicly and respectfully
shared, about all aspects and levels of our infinite reality.

Questions raised generate partial answers, which open up ever
expanding frontiers of more questions, within a overall richness of
understanding and subtlety of communication that is profoundly
meaningful, awesomely beautiful, and of the greatest practical value.

Like all the other previous reviews, invariably committee work at its
worst, the ASE review, fails totally at being curious, at spotting
telling details (where frisky devils cavort), acknowledging
fundamental unknowns, and raising pointed questions to inspire their
peers.

Once again, good, intelligent, trained, experienced, dedicated,
earnest scientists have failed themselves and science, by acquiescing
to participation, true, very well paid, in a ceremonial public ritual
dance of
groupthink to support vast vested interests.

Once again, the good tidings are immediately proclaimed in a global
media campaign, a Katrina deluge of relentless, repetitious, pious,
preaching --
Our witch doctors have met and burned much incense, the baleful
concerns are all laid to rest, so go ye villagers and consume ye yet
more in peace.

Once again, but with some progress.

Now, there are many times more references, with ever more on recent
studies.

Now, there is explicit discussion, or at least mention, of areas of
ignorance.

Now, at least on the edge of the table of discourse, are closely
related fields of methanol, formaldehyde, formic acid, alcohol
hangover, MSG, additives, tobacco, addiction, vehicle exhaust, diet,
genetic variation, drug interactions, the many new modern diseases,
whole population epidemiology, global data bases mining -- all growing
exponentially, all intimately, instantly linked on the Net.

Now, every match sets off fire.

Now, there are Net groups with permanent, open archives, where
citizens and experts collaborate on every problem, i.e. opportunity.

AspartameNM -------------------- 127 members ---- 1,550 posts
Aspartame ---------------------- 1,124 members --- 22,793 posts
GlutenFreeCaseinFreeKids ---- 12,708 members -- 335,599 posts

The ASE review will ignite a new level of creative world collaboration
to finally remove gratuitous toxins.

This is the purpose of this critical review.

Now, corporations are inevitably competing to maximize the health,
energy, clarity, intelligence, sanity, and creative productivity not
only of their staff, but their customers, and all people.

A huge opportunity: find a safe, inexpensive process to remove all
methanol from alcohol beverages, solving the billion-dollar disease of
alcohol hangovers.

In this regard, it is tragic to delay study of the role of folic acid
as a safe, inexpensive preventive of toxicity from methanol and
formaldehyde.

A corporate tipping point: whether to continue the mistake of
continuing to bet the ranch on a single highly profitable, but sadly
toxic product, in a radically uncontrolled information environment
that can this year produce an Enron-level meltdown, with tedious,
hundred billion dollar civil and criminal liabilities, a la tobacco,
or immediately shut down the operation, release all secret files and
research, and set up hundred billion dollar funds to recompense
individuals and governments, while funding independent groups to
definitively study the health issues -- which can rapidly lead to good
business opportunities.

Corporations probably best cooperate to expedite this forward moving
retreat.

ASE members and Burdock Group: The ASE review should be made available
for free on the Net, along with the full text of the references and
many more related studies and a open, public archive, unedited public
action group for civil discussion and collaboration.

All financial and secrecy contracts should be made public, along with
the details of the history of meetings and communications, especially
how dissent and conflict were managed.

The ASE review should best evolve into a on-going public collaboration
like Wikipedia or Citizendium. ] [ for more of 67 pages, use initial
URL ..... ]
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