Aspertame reaction?

[karynnix]

My dad has had major trouble the past year with health issues. He has spells of fever, swelling in his hands and legs, severe joint pain, drowsiness, and problems concentrating. Every test that the doctor has done has come back negative (lupus, lyme's disease, rheumatoid arthritis...and the list goes on...). He was reading a few days ago about aspertame side effects. He thought that he was helping himself by cutting out sugar, but maybe he is experiencing aspertame reaction? Has anyone experienced this??

 

[irishbosoxfan]

I am allergic to aspartame but my only reaction is headache now because I know the warning signs

But before I realized I was allergic it was headache,dizziness,nausea then passing out.

Maybe your dad could be allergic and those are the long term effects--He should talk to his doctor about it and until he can get in have him cut out all diet type foods--(saccharin also causes reactions with me)--and see if any of the symptoms improve

Let us know how it goes!

 

[cymomtx]

Has he also looked at Celiac Supia (glutin allergy)? The symptoms are very similar also.

 

[karynnix]

Has he also looked at Celiac Supia (glutin allergy)? The symptoms are very similar also.

No, but I'll mention that...Thanks!!

 

[Selket]

No experience having problems with nutrasweet and splenda type sweeteners but I think that Lisbet who posts here (TalkingHands) had a very big problem with aspartame. Perhaps send her a PM or hopefully she'll see this message.

I assume they did some other tests too - like thyroid function and the like which could explain some of those things.

 

[Talking Hands]

As Selket mentioned I have a severe problem with aspartame. My symptoms were simlar to you father's. What confirmed it to us is going off all diet drinks and foods for 6 weeks and seeing a drastic improvement in my symptoms and when we added it back in the symptoms returned full force. Now I use only Splenda. I am also sensitive to the sugar alcohols so cannot have most sugar free candy and have to read labels.
Good luck to your Dad. Oh, be cautious if he decides to use Splenda as some are allergic to that. My best friend is.

 

[kimntrent]

Aspertame is not good for you. When it breaks down it breaks into an arsnic. Arsnicgenics have been found to cause Cancer. Sorry right there put me over the top to stop drinking sodas and things with it in there.

 

[pugdog]

Just after the migrane that knocks me out I start to have things leave me the way they came in, not fun. There are other ways to cut sugar vs getting sick and possible cancer from aspertame.

 

[phillybeth]

Aspertame is not good for you. When it breaks down it breaks into an arsnic. Arsnicgenics have been found to cause Cancer. Sorry right there put me over the top to stop drinking sodas and things with it in there.

Actually it doesn't. Arsenic is a heavy metal and is not contained in aspartame.

In the lab, aspartame CAN break down into methanol (wood alcohol) if the conditions are right. It's unlikely that these conditions would exist inside the body though.

As to a possible allergy, the best and easist thing to do is eliminate all artificial sweetners from the diet. If the symptoms improve, and then come back when they are re-introduced, it's a pretty safe bet that the sweeteners are causing your dad's difficulties.

 

[djblu883]

in addition to the other symptoms mentioned I'd like to ad that it has also been linked to many diagnosis of MS. ANd when those who consumed it got it out of their systems the symptoms went away...

 

[karynnix]

Thanks to all of you! I hope that we are getting closer to a diagnosis. Isn't it funny that the more we try to help ourselves, the more damage we do?

 

[rhiannonwales]

I dont use any artificial sweetners, and this is some of the reason why.I have "heard" that aspartame will kill ants if they ingest it(now thats freaky) and its connected to Monsanto, the group thats known for genetically enginnered produce ( thanks but ill pass on that)
Even Splenda freaks me out, because ther is just something unnatural about cracking open the sugar molecule and selectively substituting three atoms of chlorine for three hydrogen-oxygen groups on the sucrose molecule.
Yes thats right i said chlorine....ummmm tasty.

I personally got really upset when they passed that law that all schools had to remove sugary snacks and drinks from vending machines, not because i think kids should have tons of sugar (NOT! lol) but because they are substituting them with diet drinks and waters/juices and snacks that contain splenda and aspartame, sometimes even together!

 

[rhiannonwales]

In the lab, aspartame CAN break down into methanol (wood alcohol) if the conditions are right. It's unlikely that these conditions would exist inside the body though.

QUOTE]
Methanol is gradually released in the small intestine when the methyl group of aspartame encounters the enzyme chymotrypsin.

The absorption of methanol into the body is sped up considerably when free methanol is ingested. Free methanol is created from aspartame when it is heated to above 86 Fahrenheit (30 Centigrade). This would occur when aspartame-containing product is improperly stored or when it is heated (e.g., as part of a "food" product such as Jello).

Methanol breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde in the body. Formaldehyde is a deadly neurotoxin. An EPA assessment of methanol states that methanol "is considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion once it is absorbed. In the body, methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde and formic acid; both of these metabolites are toxic." They recommend a limit of consumption of 7.8 mg/day. A one-liter (approx. 1 quart) aspartame-sweetened beverage contains about 56 mg of methanol. Heavy users of aspartame-containing products consume as much as 250 mg of methanol daily or 32 times the EPA limit.

Is this not a likely condition?

 

[HaleyB]

Aspartame triggers seizures in some people as well.

Is aspartame the one where the chemist that created it begged the FDA not to approve it for diet sodas or was that the other one?

 

[mamaduck]

These are my husband's symptoms as well. He is intolerant (not allergic) to wheat, citrus, and onion. He also has acidosis. You might want to google those things.

 

[karynnix]

Thank you all so much for your input...since he has cut out the aspertame, he feels great! It's truly amazing!!

 

[Talking Hands]

Wonderful news. Glad your Dad is feeling better. While nutrasweet is ok for some many have reactions to it and need to avoid it. Sometimes you really are better off with a small amount of sugar than using the artificial sweeteners

 

[edcrbnsoul]

Splenda makes me ill, I was having leg cramps and had a rash I couldnt figure out what was wrong with me, the only new thing I added to my diet was the Splenda so I googled splenda side effects and after reading I stopped taking it and felt better within 2 days and haven't had symptoms since.