Aspartame Poisoning and Chewing Gum
A New Zealand doctor has "confirmed" a case of aspartame poisoning from excessive consumption of chewing gum.
When Ms Cormack, 25, of Wellington, began suffering crippling muscle cramps and tingling in her hands and feet about five months ago, she feared she was having a heart attack. She started suffering heart palpitations, anxiety attacks, depression and skin rashes, was unable to sleep and had to take sick leave. (source)
Despite various tests, and prescriptions on anti-inflammatories and Valium - the symptoms persisted... Until Ms Cormack ceased her 4 packet-a-day chewing gum habit. Her symptoms disappeared within 24 hours.
There are currently many foods that can result in adverse reactions in different people (nuts, dairy, soy, gluten, etc). For these people, the process of isolating the cause (typically through a lengthy elimination diet) is difficult.
However - we know these foods can cause reactions. With aspartame - authorities claim that there is no scientific evidence of any adverse health effects.
The debate over aspartame will continue for some time yet.
In the mean time - you must find what works for you. As far as artificial sweeteners are concerned - it's worth asking the question as to why everything we eat need be so sweet...
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59 Comments
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Created / Updated: November 23, 2011
...Are we speaking of 4 tablets, or 4 packets of tablets a day? *just wants to be sure she's not misunderstanding*
But if it's 4 packets a day, holy cow... Moderation, anyone?
And aspartame is still the spawn of Satan in my book, but that's just me. *shudders*
ReplyWow, that is a lot of gum!
I haven't suffered any side effects of aspartame, though I do try to limit it. My brother, on the other hand, gets severe headaches if he gets anywhere near it.
Brian
ReplySince I've stopped chewing gum, I've noticed my stomach gets upset when I have a piece.
ReplyMines do the same...I feel like throwing up
ReplyI would say that she ought to switch to gum with sugar, but on 4 packs a day, that would add several hundred calories to her diet!
ReplyForget the aspartame poisoning, does this woman even have teeth anymore?
By the way, study after study after study after study has cleared aspartame of any possible health problems (US and European tests, double blind, peer reviewed), so there is no real "debate" over it, except by people who are irrationally afraid of molecules.
That being said, any chemical, be it an organic one, or even our food, will react differently with each person. Every person's body is a huge chemical factory with it's own unique chemical fingerprint.
I would be really curious to see her total aspartame consumption from the gum, vs. intake of diet soda.
I bet you my 8 liters of Diet Coke a day would far outweigh any crazy gum story. And no, no rashes, no side effects, just a guy with a quenched thirst.
ReplyThen again, I'm 6'4, and a very endomorphic sort of guy, so my consumption can probably be handled better than most...
That's a highly irresponsible comment coming from someone that I can only imagine lacks a degree in microbiology, or even if you did have one, I highly doubt you have reviewed all the studies and the paper work first hand. That being said, I don't trust the government, they allow all different kinds of carcinogenics in our food. you know what happens to Splenda when it is metabolized? Neither do the Scientists, about 15% of it never leaves the body after metabolism breaks it down to a chlorine based molecule. Also, it is known to calcify your organs, that is, turn them to stone. Maybe that's where all that "residue" goes after all. Aspartame breaks down to methanol, which breaks down to the equivalent of embalming fluid. You aren't scared? I bet you just aren't informed, do the research before making other people ignorant like you are. No offense. It is the same type of mentality that will elect an Obama or a McCain. We just "should" vote for them, everyone says we should...
ReplySo do you actually have any information to add, or are you so truly naive that you actually believe scare tactic reports from organizations that are directly opposed to artificial sweeteners as actual scientific studies? Let's see in particular a scientific study on organ calcification due to splenda use.
Aspartame is definitely questionable in how it affects the body, but there's really no concrete proof(to my knowledge)that it does serious harm to the body.
ReplyA degree in microbiology could help but a degree in OrganicChemistry would be what you want. And i never heard of any one turning to stone? Have you? make a reference to a recognised organic chemistry or any scientific journal then only will you have something to talk about. But being this interested in your health is a good thing don't try to worry too much. Or don't eat chewing gum........!
ReplyI suffered severe heartburn(GERD)for several years never knowing the exact cause. I stopped eating normal things known to cause heartburn...didn't help. I should own stock in antacid companies...Then I quit drinking the aspartame laden "Crystal Light" drinks that were a large part of my liquid intake daily. (you know...tastes great, no calories.) and magically within a few days my symptoms disappeared. I have completely removed Aspartame from my diet and never have heartburn anymore.
ReplyA few years ago instead of drinking beer while cutting my lawn I drank 2 beverages (Crystal Light) and had much of the same reaction as the lady chewing gum. I was admitted to the hospital thinking I was having a heart attack (I was under age 30 and working out 3 - 4 times per week).
The doctors were able to confirm it was not a heart attack, but a reaction to something that I ingested that caused the syptoms and the rash. I went through the lengthy diet study and found I was only allergic to Aspartame. I am very careful now and make sure I do not use it in any form.
I also believe the sensitivity is hereditary as my daughter and nephew have shown allergic reaction signs to Aspartame.
ReplyI find that I get heartburn or GERD more frequently when I consume aspartame on a regular basis. I have a hard time chewing even one piece of gum with it! My boyfriend, on the other hand, can drink cans and cans of diet pop and not have any problems at all. Everyone is different.
ReplyI think, like many foods, some people just have a sensitivity to it. I was razzing my husband about not drinking enough water (he claims he can't drink it-he blames it on almost drowning as a kid-debateable I know, but don't get me started) and then he found the new flavoured water-you know raspberry splash etc. with only aspartame in them. So he started drinking 4-5 500 ml bottles a day, and began getting wicked headaches. When he stopped the flavoured water, the headaches stopped too. We then found a brand that uses Splenda instead (I know-still artificial) and he's been fine. On the other hand, I chew about a pack a day of aspartame gum (it keeps me from mindlessly eating) and I haven't noticed any ill effects. Go figure.
ReplyWell, you're one of the lucky ones!!!
Replyeverytime i drink flavoured water my hands and face go numb and tingley i get tunnled vision slurred speach somtimes i cant talk at all and thats followed by a excruciating migraine im going to cut it out completley and see if it happens anymore...
ReplyI like to listen to my body because it tells me when additives just "aren't right". I used to be addicted to diet Coke, diet Pepsi, both of which were (I think they still are, I don't drink them now) sweetened with Nutrasweet (Aspartame). Every morning I would wake up with a fuzzy feeling on the top of my head. Once I drank more diet Coke or Pepsi, it would go away.
Needless to say, I don't use Nutrasweet anymore.
As far as "sugarless" gum, the kind I was recently chewing did not contain Aspartame, but contained sugar alcohols, which gave me cravings for sugar. Once I stopped chewing it, the cravings went away. I'm not aware of any gum that doesn't cause some kind of difficulty, whether tooth decay, sugar cravings, or the issue noted above re: Aspartame.
ReplyHere's one such study (Centers for Disease Control):
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00000426.htm
They poo-poo'd the aspartame complaints because of "no specific constellation of symptoms". Basically, they considered the symptoms experienced to affect too many different "organ systems" to be believable.
That's because aspartame affects the nervous system, which does create symptoms not only including headaches but also gastrointestinal disruptions, as the GI tract is covered in nerves.
The scientists are assholes. They don't want to believe, and went so far (in this study) as to attribute the complaints to "suggestibility", pointing out that most were lodged by women. Assholes.
An "irrational fear of molecules". Is that what's it called when we avoid unnatural chemicals entering our bodies and prefer food?
ReplyI'm a big natural foods fan so I try to stay away from crap like aspartame anyway. I have found that Stevia powder meets all of my sweetness demands and I feel like the point at the end of this blog entry should be underlined and bold.
What's up with our need for everything to be so sweet anyway? We eat so much crappy non-food food that we don't even know what it's supposed to taste like anymore.
ReplyHoly crap. My boyfriend Nate is 6'4 and drinks excessive Diet Coke. That's just weird.
ReplyI try to avoid that much consumption of anything that is not water. And water, I still have to balance with other things... and the avoidance goes doubly so for processed foods... including aspartame.
I don't know... all that Aspartame news and myths... i just don't believe it... you have to take too much to have any effect on your system. I strongly believe all those news are marketing driven...
ReplyI have to admit I can eat a pack of gum in a few hour....I usually do! I know is crazy!
ReplyI recently began feeling a tingling sensation on my right hand. Is very weird.....I saw a doctor who couldn't figure out what it was. I'm giving up sugar free gum after reading this article. Maybe this article I've found the answer to my problem!