Aspartame Causes Cancer in Rats at Levels Currently Approved for Humans
A statistically significant increase in the incidence of malignant tumors, lymphomas and leukemias in rats exposed to varying doses of aspartame appears to link the artificial sweetener to a high carcinogenicity rate, according to a study accepted for publication today by the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP).
"Our study has shown that aspartame is a multipotential carcinogenic compound whose carcinogenic effects are also evident at a daily dose of 20 milligrams per kilogram of body weight (mg/kg), notably less than the current acceptable daily intake for humans," the authors write. Currently, the acceptable daily intake for humans is set at 50 mg/kg in the United States and 40 mg/kg in Europe.
Aspartame is the second most widely used artificial sweetener in the world. It is found in more than 6,000 products including carbonated and powdered soft drinks, hot chocolate, chewing gum, candy, desserts, yogurt, and tabletop sweeteners, as well as some pharmaceutical products like vitamins and sugar-free cough drops. More than 200 million people worldwide consume it. The sweetener has been used for more than 30 years, having first been approved by the FDA in 1974.
The treated animals showed extensive evidence of malignant cancers including lymphomas, leukemias, and tumors at multiple organ sites in both males and females. The authors speculate the increase in lymphomas and leukemias may be related to one of the metabolites in aspartame, namely methanol, which is metabolized in both rats and humans to formaldehyde. Both methanol and formaldehyde have shown links to lymphomas and leukemias in other long-term experiments by the same authors.
Dr. Zach's Comments:
- If you are drinking Diet Soda because you still believe it is healthier for you...STOP IMMEDIATELY. There is potentially nothing more disease causing in our American Diets than soft drinks (especially those sweetened with aspartame, aka NutraSweet, aka artificial sweeteners).
- Your body metabolizes aspartame into some very dangerous and deadly compounds. Aspartame's metabolites include aspartic acid (also found in the venom of poisonous insects such as fire ants), methanol (caused blindness in those who tried to substitute it for alcohol in prohibition times) and finally formaldehyde (a preservative... hey at least you'll be saving the mortician some work when you die from drinking this stuff!).
- Jokes aside, folks, aspartame has always been and will continue to be a huge disease causer in our society. Please, Please stop drinking diet sodas, and for that matter truly limit any soda you drink as nothing good can come from you drinking it.
- What your body genuinely desires is water, and a lot more of it than you're giving it. If you can drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of pure water per day, you'll be amazed by the results (and no...the water in juices and teas don't count). Remember, over 80% of your body is water, and if you don't replenish what's lost through sweat, breathing, and elimination, you'll find yourself in a chronically dehydrated state. Dehydration can cause fatigue, headaches, joint and muscle pain, cramping, mood swings, and many more issues.
