(NaturalNews) In December of 1965, while James Schlatter, a chemist for G.D. Searle & Company, was working on an anti-ulcer drug candidate he accidentally discovered aspartame. He was recrystallizing aspartame from ethanol when the mixture spilled onto the outside of the flask he was using. Some of the powder landed on his fingers. Schlatter discovered the sweet taste of aspartame when he absent-mindedly licked his finger later. He realized that the sweet taste must have been the aspartame.
The first report of the discovery of the artificial sweetener was in the
Journal of the American Chemical Society. It stated:
"We wish to report another accidental discovery of an organic compound with a profound sucrose (table sugar) like taste... Preliminary tasting showed this compound to have a potency of 100-200 times sucrose depending on concentration and on what other flavors are present and to be devoid of unpleasant aftertaste."
G.D. Searle has spent the last 40 years aggressively and recklessly promoting their accidental discovery with total disregard to the evidence they have gathered that show how dangerous and toxic this chemical is to human beings.
As early as 1984, studies were performed that clearly indicated the toxicity of Nutrasweet (aspartame) to living organisms. In 1984, the State of Arizona completed studies showing that aspartame in carbonated beverages can break down into free methanol (among other things) in 99°F temperatures. Compare this to human beings' average body temperature and we begin to see a problem.
On May 13, 1998, the University of Barcelona produced a study clearly showing that Aspartame was transformed into formaldehyde in the bodies of the living creatures, and that upon later examination the formaldehyde had spread throughout the vital organs of their bodies.
The chemical breakdown of Aspartame in the human body is as follows:Methanol, from Aspartame, is released in the small intestine when it meets the enzyme chymotrypsin.
The methanol is then converted to formaldehyde. The formaldehyde is next converted to formic acid. Formic acid is toxic and is commonly used as an activator to strip epoxy and urethane coatings. Phenylalanine and aspartic acid (90% of Aspartame) are amino acids normally used in the synthesis of protoplasm when supplied by the foods eaten. When unaccompanied by other amino acids, they become neurotoxic.
The FDA has established at least 92 medical/health problems that have symptoms associated with Aspartame. These include abdominal pain, anxiety attacks, Arthritis, Asthma and asthmatic reactions, bloating, edema , blood sugar control problems, brain cancer, breathing difficulties, burning eyes or throat, burning urination, chest pains, chronic cough, chronic fatigue, confusion, death, depression, diarrhea, dizziness, excessive thirst or hunger, flushing of face, hair loss or thinning of hair, headaches/migraines, dizziness, hearing loss, heart palpitations, hives , hypertension, impotency and sexual problems, insomnia, irritability, joint pains, laryngitis, marked personality changes, memory loss, menstrual problems or changes, migraines and severe headaches, muscle spasms, nausea or vomiting, seizures and convulsions, slurring of speech, swallowing pain, tachycardia, tremors, tinnitus, vertigo, vision loss, and weight gain.
Aspartame disease mimics the symptoms and many times worsens the following diseases:Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, Lupus, Diabetes, Epilepsy, Alzheimer's Disease, birth defects, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Lymphoma, Lyme Disease, and Attention Deficit Disorder.
In September 2004, an affidavit was signed describing the third world studies and the health hazards of aspartame. These studies were conducted in 1983 and 1984 by the G.D. Searle Company and were translated to English from Spanish in 1984. The "double blind" studies showed irrefutable evidence that aspartame caused severe health problems and even death to the study group. According to the affidavit, the doctor directing the studies has not been seen since the approval of aspartame in 1984. The affidavit also describes how the affiant was directed by G.D. Searle officials to destroy all records of the studies (including filed notes and/or translations) possessed by the affiant. The affiant also described how the translations were forwarded to the G.D. Searle corporate offices in Illinois.
These studies were destroyed and kept from the public and from health investigators.
About the author
Jo Hartley
Wife, Mother of 8, and Grandmother of 2
Jo is a 41 year old home educator who has always gravitated toward a natural approach to life. She enjoys learning as much as possible about just about anything!
http://loftymatters.com - Current Events
http://winemaiden.com - Simply Abundant Living
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