Everyone consumes this drug in small doses daily, but most people don’t know just how bad Aspartame is for the body. Aspartame is an artificial sweeter that is found in most diet products. Some of these products include diet sodas, sugar free gum, Splenda, and any other product thats labeled as “sugar free.” Dr Russell L. Blaylock a professor of neurosurgery at the University of Mississippi, recently published a book that goes into depth of the dangers of Aspartame. Baylock came up with 500 scientific references that show how the ingestion of excessive aspartic acid from Aspartame is extremely detrimental to the human body.
Some of the worst known documented side effects of Aspartame include blindness in both or one eye, tinnitus, seizures, alzheimer’s, headaches, dizziness, depression, anxiety, aggression, insomnia, burning skin irritations, and the list goes on and on. A recent study shows that Aspartame is the common denominator for over 92 different health symptoms at the root of modern disease. To make matters worse 1 in 5 Americans consume a diet beverage on average per day. So there is no question that Aspartame is a serious problem in our current society today.
At this point in my research I began to question why Aspartame was approved safe by the FDA. If aspartame is proven to have harmful side effects why would the FDA release it for millions of americans to consume on a daily basis. As my research went on, I learned that in 1987 the FDA surveyed 67 scientist on their studies of Aspartame. 12 scientist reported that Aspartame could cause harmful health issues, 26 scientist were somewhat concerned about the safety of aspartame, and 29 were confident in the safety of Aspartame. The FDA felt those results were enough to pass this substance to the public.
Now the moral debate begins. After concluding my research on Aspartame I still am on the fence whether or not I will continue to use this product. Yes I now know the dangers of this substance but is it really gonna stop me next time I want a piece of gum or sweet tea? The only possible solution is moderation. There are countless products and foods in todays world that can be labeled as “harmful” to our health. This being said that shouldn’t stop you from living your life the way you want, and choosing to consume or use certain products. If Americans can harness the ability to be a little more moderate I believe illness and disease rate would decrease by a sufficient amount.
Wow! This article really speaks to me. Those who personally know me would say I’m obsessed with Diet Dr. Pepper. I still think its a miracle that I can sip on the fizzy, tasty beverage for zero calories!! I could drink diet soda like water if I had an unlimited supply! In the past, I’ve avoided other’s warnings about the dangers in artificial sweeteners, convincing myself that anything’s better then consuming a regular soda for a whooping 250 calories! However, your article made me realize that aspartame can have serious side effects on my body. Although I’ll never be able to go “cold turkey” on my beloved diet beverages, I’ll certainly be more conscious about consuming the ingredient to no end.
I was particularly interested in this post when I saw it’s title. This is because I have recently begun (attempting) to be more conscience about what I eat/drink. In general, I try to avoid soda in general, but diet soda in particular due to my parents warnings against the drink. It was interesting to get a summary of what exactly I am avoiding.
Also, I think this post in incredibly relevant to class, due to the statistical studies that revolve around the issue. I liken it to the smoking debate we reviewed in class, in that information about the topic is scarce, and good data is hard to come by. If there were better statistical studies about this topic, I think more people would be hesitant to consume products that contain Aspartame. For now, it reminds me of the early 1900’s discussion about smoking: people know it’s bad, but because there is confusion, people don’t fully comprehend just how bad.