Aspartame - Is it really dangerous... How can we tell?

Last night while I waited for all the kids to fall asleep, I happened across a "documentary" channel.

The current documentary was about aspartame... and most of the documentary was centered around the fact that it causes holes in the brains of rats.

I didn't understand much of the chemical scientific mumbo jumbo but got the gist. Basically they were saying that several of the molecules of aspartame are actually poison and when the stuff is dissolved in our bodies those poisons go to work.

Today, I'm going to see what's going on......

First to Snopes:

I was interested to learn that snopes was "debunking" a chain letter and email campaign which was linking aspartame with Alzheimer's. According to Snopes, there was no truth to the allegations.

Well, I was so convinced by the documentary... that I continued to research... then I read something that Snopes wrote: "Just because something is beyond your comprehension doesn't mean it's scientific." I felt the fool. Because I believed the documentary without understanding.

AND yet, still not convinced that there isn't something to worry about, I went to the web.

Here's the Snopes Link: http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/aspartame.asp

Second the FDA

I found the FDA paper very easily, and it basically details that there were some concerns that aspartame would cause brain tumors in humans. The final analysis is that they don't believe it causes harm to humans... however it says: "there was not sufficient scientific evidence presented to the PBOI that aspartame did not cause brain tumors in rats."

This paper concluded:

"In 1981 after extensive review of the record by FDA scientists, then Commissioner Arthur Hull Hayes approved aspartame as a food additive. In his decision Hayes noted that additional scientific data from a Japanese study about the brain tumor issue corroborated his decision. The PBOI chairman later wrote in a letter to Hayes that the Japanese data would have caused that panel to give aspartame an "unqualified approval."

"As data stood, we were unable to reach a communal feeling of confidence in aspartame's innocuousness on this score and expressed this unease in our report to you. By the same token, we wish to express our endorsement of your final decision in this matter," wrote Walle J. H. Nauta, M.D., Ph.D., of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology."

That worries me a little... Walle J.H. Nauta, M.D. Ph. D of MIT is basically saying, we support your decision even if we don't agree. right? Am I reading that wrong?

So, now I'm confused, Snopes seemed to indicate that there wasn't anything to worry about with aspartame, and the FDA although saying that there was nothing to worry about is kind of saying that we approved it for human use... but it seems to be a problem for rats.

Third Source: Wiki-pedia

Well well well..... I gotta tell you, it may not be scientific... but any wiki-pedia entry to has Donald Rumsfeld listed as a driving force for approval... makes me nervous and itchy..

Honestly, my hole ridden brain may have a problem wrapping itself around all that chemical compound analysis... but when I read something like:

"At that point in time, there was no requirement in place in FDA regulations to include brain research in the approval process, only cancer research. Searle's Chief Operating Officer, Donald Rumsfeld, reapplied for FDA certification immediately after U.S. President Ronald Reagan took office.[8] In 1981, Reagan appointed Arthur Hull Hayes as FDA commissioner. Citing data from a Japanese study that had not been available to the members of the PBOI[citation needed], Hayes approved aspartame for use in dry goods.[9] "

So now I don't really know what to believe.

An unfortunate quirk of my personality is to want to believe that government and big business conspiracies do exist at the expense of the general population and are propagated by the corporations ability to weigh their earnings against the % of fatalities... or chance of getting caught.

So, I have read the "Japanese Data/Study" referred to in all three of the places that I have so far searched for answers... and yet, I haven't actually FOUND the Japanese Data/Study...

on with the quest

I can't write much more this morning... So I will leave you with this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame_controversy

The above link is the wikipedia outline of the Aspartame Controversy... (Please keep in mind, that I don't believe wikipedia is governed by any omniscient judge of truth and facts... but rather it is frequently used as a vehicle to further forward causes and press releases...)

I can only say this....

What if only a little bit is true.

Even the FDA papers hint at a controversy and discrepancy in opinions.

Surprise Surprise, whenever I Google or search for Japanese Data regarding Aspartame, although no specific study is found, I found many pages stating that Japan since listed aspartame as a hazard and has moved to stevia for it's sugar replacements...

Now... that may or may not be true. What is true... is that there is a controversy over aspartame that is not so easily debunked by a common person like myself.

There seem to be many studies stating that the use of aspartame is safe for most people... and many studies that say... it is killing rats, and that there is an increase in brain tumors and all kinds of maladies that are directly related to aspartame.

I wonder, where is the truth....

Perhaps... sugar isn't all that bad.

What do you think?