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, November 9, 2010

Top Psychiatrist Research on Aspartame/Neotame Safety

SURVEY OF ASPARTAME STUDIES:
CORRELATION OF OUTCOME
AND FUNDING SOURCES

Ralph G. Walton, M.D.
Chairman
The Center for Behavioral Medicine
Forum Health
Professor and Chairman
Department of Psychiatry
Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine

Please address all correspondence to the author at:
The Center for Behavioral Medicine
Northside Medical Center
500 Gypsy Lane
Youngstown, Ohio 44501
Dr. Walton RWalton193@aol.com

ABSTRACT

Studies of aspartame in the peer reviewed medical literature were surveyed for funding source and study outcome. Of the 166 studies felt to have relevance for questions of human safety, 74 had Nutrasweet® industry related funding and 92 were independently funded. One hundred percent of the industry funded research attested to aspartame's safety, whereas 92% of the independently funded research identified a problem. A bibliography supplied by the Nutrasweet® Company included many studies of questionable validity and relevance, with multiple instances of the same study being cited up to 6 times. Questions are raised both about aspartame's safety and the broader issue of the appropriateness of industry sponsorship of medical research.

INTRODUCTION

Serious questions have been raised about the reliability of industry sponsored studies of the safety of synthetic chemicals.1 Aspartame, in particular, has been the focus of significant ongoing controversy.2

As early as 1970, eleven years prior to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) granting approval for the use of aspartame in dry foods, Olney raised the question of the chemical's potential neurotoxicity. 3,4,5 and recently suggested a linkage to increasing brain tumor rates.6 Wurtman has demonstrated that aspartame can significantly increase brain phenylalanine and tyrosine levels, and can suppress the usual increase in tryptophan that follows a carbohydrate rich meal.7 These neurochemical changes have been linked to numerous adverse clinical events including seizures, 8,9,10 mood disorders, 9, 11,12 headaches, 13 and paradoxical effects on appetite.14

Despite these studies suggesting adverse reactions there is extensive literature attesting to aspartame's safety. Allegations have been made that many of the studies supporting the product's safety have been funded by the Nutrasweet® industry, with consequent questions of appropriateness.15 To date, however, there has been no study correlating outcome with funding source in aspartame related research.

A search of the peer reviewed medical literature, utilizing multiple databases, including Medline, yielded 527 citations on aspartame. Of this number, 165 were felt to have relevance for questions of human safety. The accompanying chart (Table 1) lists these 166 studies, designates the funding source and whether or not an adverse reaction to aspartame was identified.

Seventy-four studies had aspartame related industry sponsorship (Searle, the Nutrasweet® Company, Ajinomoto, or the International Life Sciences Institute Nutrition Foundation) and 91 had non-industry related funding. Some of the studies have multiple funding sources. If an aspartame related industry was one of the sources, the study was considered industry-sponsored.
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Dr. Walton, James Turner, Sen. Metzenbaum and Mary Nash Stoddard appeared on the panel of the Brain Tumor Press Conference in Washington, where Dr. John Olney unveiled the results of his study on Aspartame and Brain Tumors.