The attached document, which is floating around the Web, details a number of deadly side effects of aspartame (NutraSweet). One side effect stems from the release of methanol when aspartame is heated to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. The paper goes on to suggest this may be the cause of “gulf war syndrome,” since the troops all drank diet drinks that had sat in the desert sun for several days.
Other claimed dangers of aspartame may not be so farfetched, but it’s hard to tell. Folks have been arguing about the safety of this stuff for more than 20 years. The weight of scientific evidence is that the sweetener is harmless. Nonetheless since its introduction in 1981 thousands of people have complained to federal health authorities that aspartame gives them headaches or worse.
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Other claims quickly noted: (1) Aspartame causes reduced cognitive ability and other problems in airplane pilots. Several studies have failed to confirm these effects. (2) Aspartame causes blindness because it produces methanol (wood alcohol) when digested. Aspartame does produce a small quantity of methanol, but research shows that even if someone drinks enormous quantities of diet pop the amount is much less than what’s needed to produce toxic effects, even in soft drinks stored above 86 degrees Fahrenheit. (3) Aspartame is especially dangerous to pregnant women and infants. Experiments suggest any danger is slight, but to be on the safe side pregnant women and babies probably shouldn’t have the stuff.
Write Cecil Adams at the Chicago Reader, 11 E. Illinois, Chicago 60611; E-mail him at cecil@chireader.com; or visit the Straight Dope area at America Online, keyword: Straight Dope.
