Download M.E. #6 - Sustainable Living Systems

Mindful Eating #6
Aspartame, MSG and the Revolving Door
by Jill Davies
2.7.09
Aspartame is the technical name for the sweeteners NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and EqualMeasure. It is, by far, the most dangerous food additive on the market. It is a nerve toxin and can
cause a wide variety of symptoms. Aspartame is made up of three chemicals: aspartic acid,
phenylalanine, and methanol (wood alcohol).
Aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the
FDA. Many of these reactions are very serious including seizures and death. According to
researchers and physicians studying the adverse effects of aspartame, the following chronic illnesses
can be triggered or worsened by ingesting aspartame: brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy,
chronic fatigue syndrome, parkinson's disease, alzheimer's, mental retardation, lymphoma, birth
defects, fibromyalgia, and diabetes. A variety of less extreme effects include: headaches,
dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, slurred speech, loss of taste, vertigo,
memory loss, and joint pain.
Dr. Russell Blaylock, in his book, “Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills” exposes the truth about
aspartame, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and hydrolyzed vegetable protein (which contains high
levels of MSG). In almost 500 scientific references he shows how these excitatory amino acids in
our food supply are causing serious chronic neurological disorders and a myriad of other acute
symptoms. ‘Excitatory’ refers to their effect on neuron function.
Another effect of these neurotoxins is weight gain. To study obesity and diabetes scientists need
obese mice and rats. No strain of rat or mice is naturally obese, so the scientists have to create
them. They make these morbidly obese creatures by feeding them MSG. They even have a title for
the race of fat rodents they create: "MSG-Mice".
But you say, we have agencies in Washington, especially the Food and Drug Administration (FDA),
using lots of tax money to study these things and protect us from any adverse effects! A close look
at the history of the approval of aspartame is a lesson in corporate rule.
In 1965, a researcher for G.D. Searle Company, now owned by Monsanto, was working with a new
synthesized chemical (aspartame) in the search for an anti-ulcer drug, and the mixture spilled and
got onto the researcher’s fingers. Later, when he licked his fingers to pick up a piece of paper, he
noticed a very strong sweet taste.
1970. Searle Co. conducted several animal feeding studies to test for toxicity of aspartame. Dr.
Harry Waisman tested seven infant monkeys that were given aspartame with milk. One died after
300 days. Five of the seven had grand mal seizures. The actual results were hidden from the FDA
when Searle submitted its initial applications for approval. Neuroscientist and researcher John W.
Olney found that oral intake of glutamate (MSG), aspartate and cysteine, all excitotoxic amino
acids, cause brain damage in mice.
1971. Ann Reynolds, a researcher who was hired by Searle confirmed aspartame’s neurotoxicity in
infant mice. Dr. John Olney informed Searle that aspartic acid caused holes or lesions in the brains
of mice.
1973. Searle’s petition to the FDA for approval to market aspartame as a sweetening agent was
published in the Federal Register. Studies that were submitted by Searle to demonstrate lack of
serious toxicity were criticized by the FDA review team. Lots of studies were done but Searle
continuously withheld or obfuscated critical information from the FDA about the toxicity studies.
1977. Donald Rumsfeld, who had been Chief of Staff in the Gerald Ford Administration, was hired
as Searle’s President to handle the aspartame approval difficulties as a “legal problem rather than a
scientific problem.”
1979. The FDA somehow concluded that Searle’s aspartame studies could be accepted and they
convened the Public Board of Inquiry process for deciding if aspartame should be allowed for use in
foods.
1980. The Public Board Of Inquiry voted unanimously to reject the use of aspartame until
additional studies on aspartame’s potential to cause brain tumors could be done.
January 21, 1981, the day after Ronald Reagan took office as U.S. President, Searle reapplied for
the approval of aspartame and submitted several new studies. (Reagan was soon to replace the FDA
Commissioner.) Donald Rumsfeld was quoted as telling his sales force that, if necessary, “he
would call in all his markers and that no matter what, he would see to it that aspartame would be
approved that year.” The FDA commissioner, before he was replaced, appointed a new 5-member
panel to review the aspartame issues. Three of the five continued to oppose the approval.
1981. The new FDA Commissioner Arthur Hayes approved aspartame for use in dry foods by
overruling the Public Board of Inquiry and ignoring the law which says that a food additive should
not be approved if tests are inconclusive.
1983. Aspartame was approved for use in soft drinks and the FDA doubled the Acceptable Daily
Intake (ADI) of aspartame from 20 mg/kg to 50 mg/kg.
Between 1979 and 1982, four FDA officials who took part in the aspartame approval process went
through the “revolving door” and took jobs in closely linked industries. And, shortly after the FDA
approval for aspartame in carbonated beverages, FDA Commissioner, Arthur Hayes left the FDA
under charges of improprieties and was hired as a consultant ($1,000 per day) with Searle’s public
relations firm.
1983. Two petitions were filed with the FDA objecting to the approval of aspartame.
1984. The FDA denied the request to hold a public safety hearing on questions raised in the
petitions and refused to put the approval on hold.
1985. Monsanto bought G.D. Searle and created the NutraSweet Company and started major
marketing campaigns all around the world.
1987. The United Press reported that more than 10 federal officials involved in the NutraSweet
approvals took jobs in the private sector linked to the aspartame industry.
The Cure: If you use any products containing aspartame or MSG and are feeling bad, the cure is
simple and free. Stop ingesting these neurotoxins and after two or three weeks see if you feel
better.
Stevia is a natural sweetener derived from a South American herb and cannot be patented. The
FDA has refused to approve it as a food additive but it can be obtained as a supplement. However,
a new (patented) extract of stevia has just been approved as a food additive following political
pressure from industry giants Coca-Cola and Cargill. The two new stevia-based sweeteners,
PureVia and Truvia should show up in soft drinks this year. Both use "rebiana" which is something
the corporations could patent and is made of a stevia extract and something else, I don't know what.
- Jill Davies, Director, Sustainable Living Systems