BIO Mary Nash Stoddard on Twitter

PRESENTING: MARY NASH STODDARD - Co-Founder of the massive international anti-aspartame movement in the mid 1980's, following the brain tumor death of her forty two year old husband, Mike. Ms. Stoddard suffered a life threatening aspartame-related blood disorder in 1985, whereupon, The NutraSweet Co. offered her an all-expense paid vacation for two anywhere in the world, if she would agree to be tested by their doctors. She declined, with the blessing of her doctor, and the rest is history. She has conducted multi-national lecture tours and is a popular visiting professor at colleges, universities and medical schools. "Deadly Deception - Story of Aspartame" is a toxicology sourcebook, edited by Ms. Stoddard, documenting the harmful effects of the world's most toxic artificial sweetener. The companion one hour "Deadly Deception" video is further documentation - taped at a prestigious scientific conference. Stoddard's efforts, over more than two decades, led to the present rejection of the sweetener by many of the food and beverage giants of industry, as they rush to distance themselves from the liabilities associated with use of a neuro-toxic substance in their products. She has testified in court as an Expert Medical Witness and like her counterpart, Erin Brokovitch, helped with a number of lawsuits on behalf of consumers. Her powerful message has reached millions around the world through the airwaves on radio and television, in print and through popular personal appearances. Honors, Awards, Societies: • Expert Medical Witness [1992-present] * Guest Presenter Gulf War Veterans Annual Conference - [Las Vegas 1999] * Visiting Professor: U. T. Southwestern Medical School [1997] * Visiting Professor: American University School of Journalism [1999] * Visiting Professor: University of North Texas at Denton Dept. of Science [1990 and 2005] • Visiting Professor: University of Houston Bioneers Conference [2006] * Invited speaker: Hebrew Univ. Jerusalem - [1997] * Keynote speech: Mexican Government's Annual Conference on Sweeteners [1999] * Appointed Judge - State of Texas [1977-1984] * Broadcast Journalist - [1965-present] * President's Council on Food Safety - [1998-1999] * International Lecture Tours - [1996-present] * Testimony Senate Committee Hearing on Safety of Aspartame - Washington [1987] * Panelist at National News Conference Announcing Dr. John Olney's Brain Tumor/Aspartame Connection - Washington D.C. [1998] * Inducted Member Texas Radio Hall of Fame [2002-present] Representative of the Texas Rice Growers Association [Miss Rice] Board member: Irving Symphony Orchestra Board Member: Irving Community Theater Founding Board Member Radio Station KNON [public radio], Dallas Charter member City of Dallas Citizens Safety Committee Board Member Dallas Mayor’s Fee Task Force Vice President Operation Get Involved, [liaison committee of the D.P.D.] Board member Dallas Homeowners League President Save Open Space Texas Steering Committee Presidential Election Award for Public Service - Mexican Government State of Texas Board of Adjustment

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Aspartame Linked to Depression/Suicide by Research

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 Aspartame Linked by Researchers
to Depression and Suicide
Mary Nash Stoddard 
Founder Aspartame Consumer Safety Network [1987] www.aspartamesafety.com

DALLAS - October 2, 2006 - For the record, 92 aspartame-related symptoms, including 5 deaths, have been reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Fully 75% of all complaints to the US FDA implicate the artificial sweetener, aspartame, better known as: NutraSweet, Canderel, Equal, etc.  
 At Aspartame Consumer Safety Network [Dallas-based all volunteer international organization], we are increasingly concerned with the more sinister reported psychological side effects of aspartame ingestion. One aspartame component, phenylalanine (50% of the molecule) has been shown in the laboratory to block production of a necessary neurotransmitter, serotonin, which controls sleep patterns and moods. Many daily users of products containing the sweetener such as diet drinks, gums, etc. report both manic and suicidal depressions among other their symptoms. Aspartame also breaks down in heat and in the body to the highly addictive depressant, methanol (10% wood alcohol), formaldehyde [embalming fluid], formic acid and diketopiperazine (a documented brain tumor agent.) 

 Even subtle alterations of brain patterns in aspartame users may be deemed significant, according to these prominent brain researchers: 

 Richard Wurtman, M.D., head of Brain Science at MIT says, "There is  evidence that levels of serotonin or 5-HIAA are subnormal in CSF  (cerebrospinal fluid) samples from violent psychiatric patients and in  brains of people who died by suicide." 1 

 "In rats, the administration of glucose and aspartame by gavage  increased brain levels of tyrosine and phenylalanine and decreased brain  serotonin concentration. It has been argued that these changes in brain  amino acid and biogenic amine levels in rats may have important  behavioral implications for humans." 2 

 Ralph Walton, M.D., a respected researcher at the Department of  Psychiatry, Northeastern Ohio Univ. College of Medicine and Director of  Research Western Reserve Care System, states, "We conclude that  individuals with mood disorders are particularly sensitive to this  artificial sweetener and its use in this population should be discouraged." 3 

 Lane Lenard, Ph.D. wrote: "In one meta-analysis, five out of seven studies  reported reduced levels of serotonin and/or 5-HIAA in the brain stems  of suicide victims." 

 Neurologist, Russell Blaylock, writes that, "In the case of children,  the damage done at the time of initial exposure produces no obvious outward  effects. However, when the child reaches a later stage of development,  the damage may present itself as an emotion control disorder [violent  episodes, schizophrenia, paranoia]. Hundreds of millions of children are at great risk and their parents are not even aware of it. Early  exposure to excitotoxins [aspartame] could cause a tendency for episodic  violence and criminal behavior in later years." 5 

 Aspartame (aka NutraSweet/Equal), as shown in the literature, can be a powerful, mind-altering drug - driving some over the abyss into dark, sinister depressions they can not shake, even with the use of antidepressants. Suicide, for many individuals may seem to be the only way out. 

 On a brighter note, abstinence from aspartame has been reported to have a miraculous effect on some, allowing for a happier existence and the ability to cope with life's normal problems in a non threatening way. A clear understanding of this issue may mean the difference between life and death for some. 

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 End notes

 1 Wurtman, Richard J. M.D.; Effects of Dietary Amino Acids,  Carbohydrates, and Choline on Neurotransmitter Synthesis; The Mount  Sinai Journal of Medicine; Vol. 55, No. 1, January 1988. From the Dept.  of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, and The Clinical Research Center,  Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA.] 

 2 JAMA, July 19,1985- Vol. 254, No.3, p.402 

 3 Adverse Reactions to Aspartame: Double-Blind Challenge in Patients from a Vulnerable Population, the Journal of Biological Psychiatry, 1993 

 4 Lane Lenard, Ph.D. as reported in Life Enhancement, January, 1998  5 Blaylock, Russell M.D., Excitotoxins - The Taste That Kills 

Mary Nash Stoddard, Founder and President Aspartame Consumer Safety Network and Pilot Hotline [1987 - present]
 * Author: "Deadly Deception - Story of Aspartame" [Odenwald Press 1998]
 * Expert Medical Witness [1992-present]
 * Guest Lecturer: U. T. Southwestern Medical School [1996]
 * Visiting Professor: American University [1999] and Univ. of North Texas at Denton [1990 - 2005], University of Houston [2006]
 * Invited speaker: Hebrew Univ. Jerusalem - [1997]
 * Keynote speech: Mexican Government's Conference on Sweeteners [1999]
 * Appointed Judge - State of Texas Board [1977-1984]
 * Broadcast Journalist - FCC Licensed - Texas Radio Hall of Fame - [1965-present]
 * President's Council on Food Safety - [1998-1999]
 * International Lecture Tours - [1996-present]
 * Established/Operates Worldwide Pilot Hotline [1987 - present]
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Mary Nash Stoddard, author of Deadly Deception - Story of Aspartame, [Odenwald 1998], can be reached at: Aspartame Consumer Safety Network - P.O. Box 2001 - Frisco TX 75034
or email: marystod@airmail.net
website: http://www.aspartamesafety.com 
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Phenylalanine, 50% of the aspartame molecule, uses the same active transport channel as tryptophan to cross the blood-brain barrier, and, interferes with the production of serotonin.