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Millions of people drink aspartame each day in their diet sodas and other sugar-free foods, though there are
many other sweetener options to
choose from. The brand name artificial sweeteners made with aspartame include Equal and Nutra-Sweet. In the
past, study results have suggested that there might be a
link between aspartame consumption and increased risk of some types of cancer, particularly when aspartame
consumption was unusually high. Virtually all of these previous studies were in groups of rats, not people,
and the amount of aspartame given to rats was up to several times their body weight - a feat which might be physically
impossibly to do via diet cola consumption.
A new federal study
has looked at people, not rodents, and shows that there was no increased cancer risk from aspartame consumption. The
researchers in the study looked at over 500,000 American diets to draw their conclusions. The study has been praised by
consumer groups and was presented to the American Association of Cancer research earlier this week. (Our sister blog -
The Cancer Blog - is also talking about this
study.)
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4-06-2006 @2:19PM Aaron said... that's as may be, but it still tastes awful.
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4-06-2006 @2:30PM Jolene Siana said... That stuff is poisin. Who did this study?
I drank diet soda for years and recently stopped after reading the book "Skinny Bitch."
Aspartame made my head tingle. Just google it and you'lll find all of the unhealhty side effects.
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4-06-2006 @2:46PM dave said... yay! i'm invincible now!
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4-06-2006 @2:52PM Spoonman said... What about brain lesions or blindness? I personally am related to two people who after they stopped drinking aspertaeme entirely, their constant migraines and vision disorders went away.
I think we'll have to wait to trust the validity of this study. Perhaps if the head of the agency that did the testing doesn't leave to take a 7-figure job with Monsanto like the head of the FDA that approved aspertaeme in the first place did.
Does this also mean they're going to redo all the studies they've done to prove cancer causes smoke by having rats smoke 300 ciggies a day? :)
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4-06-2006 @2:57PM mike said... I agree the regular diet versions of most big name sodas taste bad, like Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi, Diet Sprite with the exception of Diet Dr. Pepper. However, if you haven't tried the Zero versions of Coke or Sprite you should. They're much more 'normal' tasting than the Diet versions.
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4-06-2006 @4:24PM tom said... Got to love the responses that come out of the woodwork: "Just google it and you'll find all of the unhealhty side effects", "I personally am related to two people who after they stopped drinking aspertaeme entirely, their constant migraines and vision disorders went away." We fund scientific studies precisely so we can have some more reliable data to trust than anecdotal reports and assorted webpages. I'm guessing that you could google just about any food under the sun (especially an artificial one) and find anecdotal reports of health problems and, likely, cancer risk.
I'm inclined to trust the National Cancer Institute over the web's collected anecdotal evidence -- that's why I hope this kind of negative-finding story gets as much press as possible (because we know for sure that any story reporting danger, no matter how tentative the findings, is sure to make the evening news).
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4-07-2006 @6:15AM CECIL said... It good to hear some good news about diet sodas,If people only knew the link between sugar soda's and overweightness.Hey and what ever happen to Tab soda?
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4-07-2006 @6:19AM bwheelz105 said... Studies have shown their is a major link of aspartamae with MS and Lupus. Many times misdiagnosed. Once off the diet symptoms of these deases dissappear.
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4-07-2006 @6:26AM chris said... I drink at least 2 liters of diet soda a day. No problems so far. Except the caffeine headache when I skip a day.
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4-07-2006 @6:31AM Barb said... I actually crave diet sodas! But I have had to stop drinking them. I am not 40 -- but for a year I thought I had a terrible disease -- my hands and feet ached awful -- sometimes it was just hard to stand -- it was like I had a crippling disease -- I would just cry because of the pain. My mom - the health nut - suggested I drink a water instead of diet drink - I did -- and after about a month -- I noticed I wasnt waking up crying anymore -- or begging my children and husband to squeeze and rub my hands tightly to help eliviate the pain -- I still didnt believe it - but when I break down and start drinking the diet drink again -- and eliminate the water -- my pains come back -- no lie -- I just did it to myself again this week!!!!!!
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4-07-2006 @6:34AM michael gavila said... I have drink any soda for a month
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4-07-2006 @6:44AM Heidi Lewis said... Can you really believe this? The sales are down for soft drinks I heard...What about the fact that when I started taking hormone pills they said it was SAFE..It gave me tumors all over my arms and legs..They NEVER went away......I now have a large brain tumor...Whatever. Certain ppl react differently to things....Chemicals are chemicals and not natural.
Anything that isn't natural and is being processed,
can affect our health sooner or later....This is my experience and I pray others think twice before they believe. I have drank plenty of diet drinks...I also have another legion or tumor on top of my head which is smaller 1.8cm...the other large one is 4.5cm
I'm having to sell my house quick to pay for the 20%
that I need to get the best nuerologist I can find quick...I believe in my heart that these drinks caused my brain tumors....I am overweight and tried to lose weight or at least not gain weight by drinking diet drinks.....Anyone know of the best nuero surgeon in Dallas,Tx or somewhere in Texas I would grately appreciate it...I am in a life or death situation......Thanks for reading this...I just want others to know what I am feeling..
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4-07-2006 @6:45AM russ said... well due you rember sacrin thay fornd that it caused cancer an pulled from the market in the 60 or70 if thay pull aspertain youl thr truth
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4-07-2006 @6:46AM flame said... I gave up soda in April, 2004 and went from having a full blown migraine every 14 to 15 days to maybe one every 2 or 3 months that is less severe and shorter in duration. I also no longer take any prescribed medications for migraines as I did then which have their own side effects as well.
Peronsally I have come to the conclusion that soda is poison and we need to avoid all the preservatives put into our food to extend the shelf life.
Add to that also corn syrup. Read the label on most any prepared product and you will find corn syrup listed.
Explain to me why Campbell's Tomato Soup has corn syrup in it, will ya? They couldn't when I called them.
I know countless people who, once giving up artificial sweeteners, no longer had joint pain.
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4-07-2006 @6:49AM Tammy said... I started drinking diet soft drinks over 2 yrs ago. now regular soft drinks taste funny. its all in what you get use to. the thing is by changing nothing in my diet but the soft drinks i lost a little over 20 pounds and have kept it off. (i lost it in like 3 months) as far as the cancer risk, well i guess if you research anything long enough you will find out it causes some horrible disease.
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4-07-2006 @6:49AM ALICIA said... FOR ALL YOU READERS THAT DONT LIKE DIET COKE THEIR IS HOPE!!! I WENT ON A DIET ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO AND COULDNT DRINK ANYTHING BUT WATER IT GOT OLD!!! SO I STARTED MAKING MYSELF DRINK DIET COKE AND AS SOON AS YOU KNOW IT I WAS HOOKED. WHEN I GOT OFF MY DIET I STILL WANTED IT. AT FIRST WHEN I DRINKED IT I GOT THAT BAD AFTER TASTE BUT NOW ITS GREAT. I SO GLAD I AM NOT GOING TO GET CANCER FROM DIET COKE!!! BUT WHAT DOESNT CAUSE CANCER THESE DAYS. IF GOD ATTENDS YOU TO HAVE IT YOU WILL AND IF NOT YOU WONT. THANKS FOR YOUR TME AND GOD BLESS!!!
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4-07-2006 @6:51AM Doug Lambert said... why use aspartame when you have the choice of Splenda which tastes better anyway?
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4-07-2006 @6:52AM Terri Murphy said... It would be nice if those reporting concerns would at least spell aspartame correctly. If you had done enough research to have a credible opinion about the effects of the sweetener, you would know how to spell it? By the way, I am not a great fan of the taste of aspartame, and believe for the most part, whole natural foods are best. FDA (which should)nor Monsanto don't alway move in the public's best interest. I think there are much bigger fish to fry, however, than nutrasweet. Anyway, soon, Splenda will be "all the raging heat" as it will eventually take the place of nutrasweet in most products. Another day another cause.
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4-07-2006 @7:02AM Terri Murphy said... I would think anyone with a credible opinion about the effects of a food additive, such as ASPARTAME, would at least know how to spell it? By the way, I don't care for the taste, and believe for the most part, natural whole foods are best. The FDA (which should) and Mosanto (which doesn't care) are not always looking out for our best interests, but in the case of Nutrasweet, random accounts of detrimental health issues are not going to fly. The point is now moot. There are much bigger "fish to fry!" Anyway, soon, Splenda will be the take the place of aspartame in most foods.....so there you go. Another day, another cause.
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4-07-2006 @7:03AM Kim Gabel said... You might consider a doing a little more research on the Amercian Cancer Society. They now say there is no relationship between the sweetener and tumors.
Taken from a link on this site:
"Is there any relationship between aspartame and cancer or tumor formation?
The American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute and the FDA have investigated the allegation regarding aspartame and human brain tumors and concluded that aspartame does not increase the incidence of brain tumors or cause cancer.
To test the link between aspartame and tumor formation, approximately 100 animal studies were conducted prior to its 1981 FDA approval. In some FDA studies, animals received huge amounts of aspartame (more than 1,000 cans of diet soft drink) for up to two years. No increase in brain tumors or any other type of tumor occurred, nor were there any other safety concerns in those animals. In addition to the scientific evidence that shows no relationship between aspartame consumption and tumor formation, there is no physiological reason why aspartame would cause cancer. Because it never enters the bloodstream, it cannot travel to essential organs, including the brain. When aspartame is digested, the body handles the amino acid components in the same way it handles them from other food sources."
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