An Article On Aspartame (Fake Sweetner)

I borrowed this article from my professor who is a practicing clinical nutritionist in Conneticut. The lure of a calorie free product is almost sometimes too good to pass up, but when you start understanding the chemistry of the product, and understand just how your body responds to the foreign substance, it gets you thinking!


Artificial Sweeteners,
Maybe Not So Sweet & Innocent
By Albert Grazia, M.S.
Clinical Nutritionist

It’s a dieter’s and diabetic’s dream come true, artificially sweetened products they can consume all day without worrying about sugar. Sounds almost too good to be true. As a clinical nutritionist I was skeptical and decided to examine this phenomena closer.
First of all, when you ask most consumers of diet soda to tell you what type of sweetener is added they will simply respond “aspartame.” But if you probe further and ask what’s in aspartame, they will likely shrug they shoulders and once again repeat “aspartame.” Most people are not aware of aspartame’s composition because there are no requirements to list its individual ingredients on food labels.
Aspartame was originally discovered by accident in 1965 by a chemist working for the Searle Company. He was actually testing an ulcer drug when he spilled some chemicals on his hand. Later when he licked his finger to turn a page, he experienced an intensely sweet taste. He was amazed to discover how sweet this substance was when he accidentally tasted it. Searle submitted their own safety studies and obtained FDA approval to market aspartame. They formed the NutraSweet Company, which is now owned by Monsanto. Today, aspartame is widely available and can be found in almost 9,000 food products.
Aspartame’s popularity with dieters comes from the fact that it can sweeten a wide variety of foods without adding any additional calories. Unfortunately, this may not be without a price. Aspartame tastes about 200 to 400 times sweeter than sugar. This creates a problem, because the brain is fooled into believing an abnormally high amount of glucose has entered the bloodstream. In response, the pancreas is stimulated to secrete insulin to lower serum glucose levels. This may cause blood sugar levels to fall below normal leading to a serious condition known as hypoglycemia. The brain’s preferred source of energy is derived from glucose and when blood sugar levels fall too low, the brain panics and sends out food craving messages. This may cause the individual to actually eat more food (usually the wrong foods such as high sugar/high fat). This will sabotage any weight loss intentions.
Aspartame’s three ingredients can be found in any nutrition or biochemistry textbook. It’s 40% aspartic acid, (an amino acid) and 50% phenylalanine, (another amino acid). Both of these amino acids are bound to a molecule of methanol (wood alcohol), which comprises the remaining 10% of this all-natural, artificial sweetener. Since it contains two amino acids, it is not considered a carbohydrate.
Let’s explore the ingredients separately, starting with aspartic acid. This amino acid in free form (unbound) can pass the blood brain barrier and accumulate in the brain. Once there, it has the potential to act as an “excitotoxin” and it can excite or over stimulate neurons.
Excess levels of phenylalanine in the blood can interfere with the brain’s absorption of another amino acid, tryptophan. This in turn can result in lower levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin since tryptophan is required for its production. Decreased serotonin levels in the brain may be associated with depression. In addition, since serotonin is a precursor to the hormone melatonin, sleep disorders may also be a consequence.
One serious caution for the use of aspartame may involve individuals with the genetic disorder known as phenylketonuria (PKU). In this instance, the enzyme required to metabolize phenylalanine is defective and compounds known as phenylketones are produced. This substance accumulates in the blood and may cause brain damage in these individuals.
Once aspartame enters the small intestine, methanol is released and absorbed into the body. Methanol is then metabolized to formaldehyde (embalming fluid) and to formic acid (normally found in the sting of red ants). Due to its low excretion rate, the EPA considers methanol a cumulative poison. They recommend that the consumption of methanol be limited to 7.8 mg per day. It is interesting to note that one 8 ounce serving of a diet beverage contains 14 mg of methanol. Symptoms of methanol toxicity includes vision problems, headaches, dizziness, nausea, gastrointestinal disorders, weakness, behavioral changes and memory loss.
Aspartame has been widely tested on rodents, with no reported deaths attributed to aspartame consumption. However, one possible confounding variable in these safety studies is the fact that rodents have different enzyme systems than humans and are better able to metabolize aspartame. Therefore, it can be concluded that it is perfectly safe to give aspartame to your pet rat.

On a bit more personal note...

As many of you know, I have a lot of experience working with children. A popular children’s book, especially around the potty training age is called “Everybody Poops” by Taro Gomi. (An excellent read by the way). The point of this book is to get children comfortable with the natural process of digestion that constantly occurs in their bodies. I would like to say that any blog I do on digestive issues is for this same reason. Everyone eats, so everyone needs to understand how our bodies’ process the food and nutrients. The biochemical processes that occur in our bodies are complex, and by no means do you need to know the particulars of every single reaction (you can leave that to me, and I will do my best to put it into practical words). What you do need to know is this: Our bodies are “fearfully and wonderfully made” and what we put into them is a determinant of how we respect them. The biggest reason why I decided to go into nutrition is that God laid it on my heart to teach people how to be better stewards of their bodies. It had to start with personal changes. When I was younger, even into my first couple years of college, I was not respecting my body by oftentimes depriving it of the nutrients it needed. When I began to study the complexities of the human body, down to the cellular level, I was hit in the face by the realization that God desires for us to take care of what He has so graciously given us. When we deprive the body of what it needs, or when we stuff it full of everything it does not need, we are in fact belittling the beauty of life. We can never be certain of what is going to happen each and every day…we can do everything right, eat right, exercise, and still end up sick. But ultimately, there is a bigger purpose to owning our health – to serve and worship our magnificent creator. I will continue some posts about digestive issues this week, and I would encourage you to ask me questions if you have them about anything you may be concerned about. You can ask anonymously if you prefer, and then I will address the issue so that the rest of the readers can benefit as well. It is my passion to help you better take care of yourself. I am so appreciative of those of you who are following my blog, and I will do my best to keep it interesting!

GERD: Much more than a funny sounding word.

Heartburn is such a common occurance for so many Americans. One is every 10 Americans has a daily episode of heartburn. For many of those people, the symptoms are chronic, and relief seems so far out of reach. This chronic suffering has been given the title of gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. This disease is of major concern, as 25% to 35% of Americans have been diagnosed (1). If you are one of those people, you know how miserable it can be.

The standard symptoms of this disease are heartburn, regurgitation, and dysphagia (trouble swallowing). Other symptoms may include coughing, chest pain, or even wheezing. Prolonged symptoms cause serious damage to the lungs, and can add many complications to the patient’s health, including increased risk of pheumonia, asthma, or even idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (1).

The cause of this disease, physiologically speaking, starts with the relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter. This most commonly occurs in cases of obesity or pregnancy. In other words, when there is a direct increase in body mass, GERD is more of a possibility. “In obese individuals, epidemiologic studies suggest the prevalence of GERD considerably higher than in the non obese population (2). In pregnancy, there is an elevation in progesterone which increases the patient’s risk of developing GERD, as progesterone reduces lower esophageal spincter tone which leads to reflux. Also in pregnancy, morning sickness (vomiting), increased volume of food, changes in sleeping habits, all weaken the esophagus’ function. GERD is typically first treated with medication, but the symptoms can be managed and controlled through diet.

Foods that worsen the symptoms are citrus fruits, chocolate, drinks with caffeine or alcohol, fatty and fried foods, garlic and onions, mint flavorings, spicy foods, as well as tomato based foods (3). First and foremost, avoiding large meals is key. Eat smaller, more frequent meals to avoid added pressure on your digestive system. Certain specific foods can help alleviate symptoms. Apples, such a red delicious apple, can help as well as almonds and drinking an increased amount of water, which will dilute the stomach acid. Chamomile and fennel tea sooths the esophagus. Adding two to three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to a glass of water can also help prevent GERD symptoms from reoccurring.

Conventional medications used to treat GERD are calcium carbonate, antacid-alginic acid combinations, H2 blockers, and proton pump inhibitors. Before treatment begins, a full dietary and lifestyle patient history needs to be obtained so that treatment can be individualized. Every person is different, and will have different triggers of different symptoms. Not everyone will react positively to every food treatment or to every medical treatment.

1. Kolhstadt, Ingrid. “Food and Nutrients in Disease Management.” Pgs. 159-170. 2. Friedenberg, Frank, et al. “The Association Between Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Obsesity” American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2008; 103:2111-2122. 3. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gerd/