Serotonin Connection and Aspartame - Depression, GWS, etc.

Aspartame May Be Linked to Depression, Suicide
by Mary Nash Stoddard / Founder of the Aspartame Consumer Safety Network ... ______ Mary Nash Stoddard, author of Deadly Deception - Story of Aspartame, ...www.omplace.com/articles/Aspartame.html - 7k - Cached - Similar pages
Aspartame May Be Linked to Depression, Suicide
by Mary Nash Stoddard / Founder of the Aspartame Consumer Safety Network

DALLAS - February 1, 2001 - For the record, 92 aspartame-related symptoms - including 5 deaths - have been reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. At least 75% of all complaints to the USFDA are regarding the artificial sweetener, better known as: NutraSweet, Canderal, 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 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, Phd 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 anti-depressants. 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.

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, Phd 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 - 2001]
Author: "Deadly Deception - Story of Aspartame" [Odenwald Press 1998]
Expert Medical Witness [1992-2001]
Visiting Professor: U. T. Southwestern Medical School [1996]
Visiting Professor: American University [1999] and Univ. of North Texas at Denton [1990]
Invited speaker: Hebrew Univ. Jerusalem - [1997]
Keynote speech: Mexican Government's Conference on Sweeteners [1999]
Appointed Judge - State of Texas [1977-1984]
Broadcast Journalist - [1965-2000]
President's Council on Food Safety - [1998-1999]
International Lecture Tours - [1996-2000]
http://web2.airmail.net/marystod ____________________________________________________________ __________ Mary Nash Stoddard, author of Deadly Deception - Story of Aspartame, [Odenwald 1998], can be reached at: P.O. Box 780634, Dallas, TX 75378 phone: 214-352-4268, or email: marystod@airmail.net


Feedbacks on Aspartame
The site was by Mary Stoddard, a nice lady who's devoted her life to educating people on this chemical. I called my mother at 6 a.m. and _very quietly_ read ...www.earthrainbownetwork.com/FeedbksAspartame.htm - 33k - Cached - Similar pages
Aspartame Poisoning _ Symptoms
Author: joanne <joanne@inetex.com>
Date: 1998/12/22
Forum: alt.support.mult-sclerosis

Excuse me, may I interrupt here? My mother has been on many medications
because she is mentally ill. When she started developing pains in her legs
and slurred speech we took her to the doctor. He didn't know what was wrong
with her and we soon changed her medication as I was blaming that. Soon
after she descended the staircase into mania like that which I had never
seen, and hope never to experience again. Soon I found find out that ALL
of the symptoms she experienced were being caused by massive, long-term
consumption of Aspartame.

First, her muscles started going (she started falling down alot) and anxiety
attacks became a daily event. I was seeking help for her as I saw a
deepening depression that I did not like, increased irritibility, heard her
complaining daily of dizziness and the right side of her face was fallen and
experiencing some kind of paralysis. She obviously was suffering fatigue as
we couldn't get her off the couch. After a few months she became
increasingly manic.

My mom started staying up all night yelling, pounding, smashing much more
violently than usual saying that my grandfather was going to kill her, so
she was preparing to kill him in self-defence. I immediately started
fighting with doctors to get her into a mental hospital. I am telling you
this very personal information because I want you to KNOW that this
possibility is very real and I am not exaggerating the details. This is
just how it was. After three months of battling with doctors I finally got
her into a mental hospital, not from her illness, but from taking too much
Aspartame. She was in the hospital for over a month and guess what? They
didn't serve Aspartame. Within 3 days of being there, my mom was back to
normal (except for the brain tumour). I just couldn't believe the change in
her behaviour. It was almost instant.

At the time, everyone in my family thought she was nuts, except me. My mom
had been stable all of my 32 years and I knew these symptoms were being
caused by "something" though I didn't know what. I thought it was the
long-term use of her medication. After four years of trying to find a
needle in a haystack and deeply regretting changing her medication, I found
a site which brought it all home. The site was by Mary Stoddard, a nice
lady who's devoted her life to educating people on this chemical. I called
my mother at 6 a.m. and _very quietly_ read the page to her. She
immediately went to the toilet and flushed the sweeteners down the drain.
I did not have to argue with her, I simply read her the information which
was pretty conclusive in and of itself. Then I phoned the woman in the
States to thank her as she may well have saved my mother's life.

I thank God every day for the Net or I never would have figured it out. The
symptoms were just too strange. By the way, Mary Stoddard's site is at:http://web2.airmail.net/marystod/

The list below doesn't mention tumours in the temporal lobe, though it does
mention brain cancer..; ) It lists many other symptoms of which people
should be aware. The symptoms my mother suffered seem pretty common so
please make note of them. If a member of your family develops a brain
tumour in the right temporal lobe, question them on their intake of
Aspartame. If they start complaining of blurring vision and start slurring
their speech, this is a dead give-away. Remember, it took me four years to
figure out what was wrong with my mom. Please don't go through that. And
don't bother trying to change them, just hand them the information and let
them learn it for themselves. I've learned the hard way that harping does
not work. Maybe print off the information and offering it to them with the
hope of their recognizing their symtoms might help them willingly part the
sweeteners. Also, Mary's questionnaire is at:http://www.aspartamesafety.com/ and she gladly answers all
questions, so please feel free to ask her.

Since this happened to my mother, I have been an active proponent against
Aspartame in the form of letter writing and educating the public on its
potential side-effects. It took many years of consumption and huge doses to
bring my 220 lb mother to her knees. It would take far less for a smaller
human being. Just be forewarned that these effects are real and happening
to real people, like my mom and my family.

Blessings and peace,
Joanne M. Stephenson
KIN Internationalhttp://www.inetex.com/joanne
*****************
Stay alert for the top five:

* Confusion - inability to think or concentrate
* Anxiety Attacks - mood swings - sudden rages
* Weakening Muscles - collapsing for no reason - may complain of unstable
ankles or knees
* Blurring Vision
* Slurred Speech

SIGHTINGS
GWI And Other Illnesses By Mary Nash Stoddard <marystod@airmail.net> ... ACSN Founder, Mary Nash Stoddard (a veteran's widow) is available to answer ...www.rense.com/health/aspertame.htm - 11k - Cached - Similar pagesSIGHTINGS
Aspartame And Diet
Drinks - Contributors To
GWI And Other Illnesses
By Mary Nash Stoddard <marystod@airmail.net>
9-16-98


Dallas -- When stored or heated above  85 degrees F, as in desert heat, Aspartame in "diet drinks" breaks  down into neurotoxic substances: Methanol (wood alcohol), Formaldehyde  (embalming fluid), Formic Acid (ant sting venom) and DKP (brain tumor agent). The major soft drink companies shipped free diet soft drinks (Businessweek,  Dec.'90) to our Desert Storm troops, where they broke down in storage into  highly toxic substances. The symptoms reported by many sufferers of "Gulf  War Syndrome" mimic the ones of those reporting problems associated  with Aspartame use here ... but, the military personnel symptoms are greater  because they were drinking/eating "expired" Diet Pepsi and then  some! Since Aspartame is capable of changing the DNA (in lab tests), birth defects in offspring can be readily addressed. Family members are also  experiencing illness, possibly from their continued use of these products.  What is the real reason behind Gulf War Syndrome? Based on volumes of available research, we believe it was what they were eating and drinking Aspartame in extreme desert heat.

ACSN Founder, Mary Nash Stoddard (a veteran's  widow) is available to answer questions and support allegations regarding  this important issue and how it is adversely affecting 3 out of 5 who use it. ACSN's special Pilot's Hotline has logged over 800 pilot-related calls.  Pilots are having grand mal seizures in the cockpits of commercial airline  flights, and others are crashing the flight simulator at training facilities  while in seizure. Dozens have lost their flying status because of Aspartame.  Seizures, loss of vision, vertigo, suicidal depressions, heart problems,  etc. are routinely reported to ACSN. Many consumers report bizarre psychological symptoms as well. This happens when the Phenylalanine in Aspartame depletes  levels of the neurotransmitter, Serotonin, a brain chemical which regulates aggressive behaviors and sleep patterns, among other things.

The U.S. Air Force has formally warned  all pilots to abstain from consuming Diet Drinks in their official Flying  Safety publication (May & August 1992.) Their Aspartame Alert article  was based on that of the U.S. Navy to pilots earlier in Navy Physiology.  78% of all consumer complaints to the FDA are about reactions to Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal, etc).

Recently, a letter was sent to COPA in  which a pilot expressed his concerns over questionable adverse effects  from consumption of diet drinks containing aspartame. By 1986, the FDA  and the Centre for Disease Control in the U.S. had evaluated 3,000 known complaints. Fellow pilots who may have had similar side effects may be  interested in the information below:

The January, 1990, Plane and Pilot magazine  featured an article on drugs and alcohol vis-a-vis safe flying practices  that also talked about food additives. It explained that diet soft drinks  are sweetened artificially by Aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal), and that Aspartame contains 10% methanol. That caught my attention! I know that  methanol (wood alcohol) is a poisonous substance, which on ingestion causes  blindness and death; two teaspoons full are considered lethal.

The article disclosed that methanol destroys  the brain, albeit a little at a time, and that effects are cumulative.  Depending on a person's physical state and tolerance level, immediate effects  can either be severe (resulting in epileptic seizures, including grand  mal, blindness, chest palpitations), or less noticeable (causing blurred vision, bright flashes, tunnel vision, ringing or buzzing in ears, migraine  headaches, dizziness, loss of equilibrium, lip and mourth reactions); less  noticeable effects might be passed off as temporary or caused by something  else. But everyone is affected in one way or another, since methanol causes toxic reactions, not just allergic ones in a few unfortunates.

Here are some direct excerpts from the  article: "An Air Force pilot traced the patterns of tremors and seizures  he suffered for two years directly to his patterns of NutraSweet consumption.  When he travelled to areas where diet sodas were not avialable, he was  free of the symptoms. But, when he resumed intake of the beverages, his tremors resumed, grew more severe and culminated in a grand mal seizure  that ended his flying career. His medical problems ceased when he quit  ingesting NutraSweet, but it was too late to restore his flying status."

"Another pilot suffered similar  symptoms only when using Aspartame products. But FAA revoked his medical  certificate when it was informed of the symptoms. After only two cups of  artificially sweetened hot chocolate, a pilot experienced blurred vision  so severe he was unable, in flight, to read the instruments and very narrowly  avoided a tragic landing. Safely on the ground, he related his symptoms  to the secretaries in his office. Both of them told of experiencing similar symptoms after ingesting Aspartame products."

I, too, had bad experiences with Aspartame.  It replaced saccharin about 10 years ago. As a marathon runner in his 30s,  I consumed litres of diet drinks daily at that time. When I first drank  pop with Aspartame, it had immediate and severe effects upon my consciousness  and vision. After a few scary incidents, pop consumption and problems seemed related.

I described symptoms and circumstances  to my doctor. He ran tests, but never seriously listened to my concern  of relating pop with the effects. He was a reasonably competent G.P., but  not ready to distrust, let alone blame, an FDA approved sweetener. Eventually,  I quit ingesting Aspartame and have not had incidents since. Employed in  the professions and a post-graduate, I conduct research occasionally and  am aware of the difficulty of matching cause and effect (and the danger  of doing it improperly.) But, there is no doubt in my mind that "tests" with my body proved that Aspartame is bad (at least for me.)

When I spoke about this to a non-flying,  weightlifting gym friend, he volunteered for a test. After drinking one  can of diet pop, his ears started ringing within minutes and he got a pulsating  sensation in his brain.

Apparently, the other main components  of Aspartame, Phenylalanine [50%], Aspartic Acid [40%], combined with the Methanol [10%], create a witch's brew of 16 breakdown products after digestion  that cause illness. Animal tests revealed brain tumors, some cancerous;  holes in the brain, womb tumors, uterine tumors and reproductive dysfunctions.  Studies on humans indicated that pregnant women and young children run  especially high risks. There is evidence of birth defects in offsprings,  including severe retardation, genetic damage, especially in women who carry  the PKU (Phenylketonuria) gene, heart problems and emotional and psychiatric disorders.

If pilots want more information, I encourage  them to call (or Email) the Aspartame Consumer Safety Network in Dallas,  Texas U.S.A. and talk to ACSN & Worldwide Pilot Hotline Founder, Mary  Nash Stoddard (Email: marystod@airmail.net) ACSN promises  confidentiality if asked, and will send an eye-opening information package.


Mary Nash Stoddard, Founder
Aspartame Consumer Safety Network and Pilot Hotline
[Promoting FDA Recall of Aspartame - since 1987]
phone: 1-214-387-4001
email: marystod@airmail.net
http://www.aspartamesafety.com