AminoSweet: Poison (Aspartame) Rebranded

The 55 Year Saga of Aspartame

In 2015, Aspartame changed its name to AminoSweet. In the USA, Aspartame is marketed under names such as Nutrasweet and Equal. A sachet of Equal contains about 37 milligrams of aspartame. A 12-ounce can of diet soda contains around 200 milligrams.

Aspartame has been linked to possible brain tumours; to anxiety and amygdala changes; to an increased risk of blood and lymph cancers; and to microbiome damage; and that is just the start.

But let’s back up to the beginning. Created by scientists at G D Searle and Company in 1970 as an anti-ulcer drug, it was accidentally found to taste sweet. It was then rushed through the company’s testing regime, and launched after gaining FDA approval. One test seemed to have been overlooked: Dr. Harold Waisman, a biochemist at the University of Wisconsin, conducted aspartame safety tests on infant monkeys; of the seven monkeys that were being fed aspartame mixed with milk, one died and five others had grand mal seizures.

A few years later in 1980, when serious health problems were noted, the FDA banned aspartame and instigated a criminal review against the company. The FDA cited the risk of brain tumours amongst other concerns.

In 1981, the CEO of the Searle (none other than former US Defence secretary, and CIA leader, Donald Rumsfeld) decided to ‘call in his markers’ to get it approved. Yet still it was rejected 3-2 by the FDA’s investigating panel. FDA chairman Arthur Hull, then appointed a sixth member of the committee. Now a 3-3 draw, he used his casting vote to give it approval. He later went to work at PR firm, Burson-Marsteller, who work with both Monsanto and Searle. Monsanto went on to buy the sweetener from Searle, after two rival sweeteners in the market were each linked with cancer.

What ever the name, AminoSweet, marketed as a natural sweetener, actually contains aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol.

The Data

Aspartame has demonstrated significant neurotoxic effects through multiple mechanisms. When consumed, it elevates phenylalanine and aspartic acid levels in the brain, which inhibits the synthesis and release of crucial neurotransmitters including dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin[1].

Neurological Effects

Brain Chemistry Changes
The sweetener acts as a chemical stressor by elevating plasma cortisol levels and increasing free radical production, making the brain more vulnerable to oxidative stress[1]. Studies have revealed histopathological changes in the brain, including neuronal damage, reactive gliosis, and increased oxidative stress markers in the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and striatal tissues[2].

Neurotransmitter Disruption
Aspartame alters the brain’s excitation-inhibition balance by down-regulating GABA signaling and up-regulating glutamate signaling in the amygdala[5]. Its metabolites affect the neurochemical state of the brain, influencing neurotransmitter levels that regulate mood, cognition, learning, and other vital functions[3].

Clinical Manifestations

The neurotoxic effects manifest as various symptoms and conditions:

– Learning and memory impairments
– Anxiety and depression
– Headaches and migraines
– Seizures
– Insomnia
– Behavioral changes[1][2]

Particularly concerning is the recent discovery that these neurotoxic effects can be transmitted to future generations, with anxiety-like behavior and changes in amygdala gene expression observed in two generations of offspring from aspartame-exposed subjects[5].