Some say aspartame is only dangerous when heated. It is true that aspartame breaks down when heated. Initially, the FDA would not approve aspartame in foods that were heated. But, in l993 they approved it for baked goods! And consider this — according to the National Soft Drink Association, aspartame breaks down at 86 degrees. Our body temperature is 98.6 degrees. If you ingest aspartame, it will become heated over the breakdown threshhold as soon as it reaches your stomach!

Especially Harmful to Children

Besides causing a wide variety of diseases in adults, aspartame particularly harms growing children. The undeveloped nervous systems of children are more vulnerable to even mild doses. In a recently published medical journal article, Dr. H.J. Roberts points out that since aspartame was introduced, there has been an enormous increase in the incidence of brain cancer in the United States, especially in children. He is the author of the book, Aspartame (NutraSweet): Is it Safe?

Can be Fatal to Fetuses and Infants

In, "Aspartame Murders Infants" by James Bowen, M.D., Dr. Bowen shows that aspartame causes abortions, birth defects, triggers immunologic attack and fetal wastage, and chelates metals -- promoting heavy metal poisoning.

The phenylalanine can also alter how the brain is formed during the fetal formation of the brain. After that, it can produce lowering of the seizure threshold causing greater likelihood of seizures.

Research shows that these chemicals are passing through the blood-brain barrier and accumulating in critical areas of the brain.

Aspartame causes destruction at every point in the fertility process: it ruins female sexual response and induces male sexual dysfunction, it disrupts fetal development by inducing defects or by aborting. A child born live to a mother who used aspartame may have damaged DNA forever.

Not only does APM (aspartame) encourage attack of the fetus by breaking down the normal functions of the maternal immune system, but APM directly damages the fetus. Consider that even moderate use of alcohol by the mother endangers the fetus and its future.

Yet, the methyl alcohol in aspartame is fifty times as potent an intoxicant as ethyl alcohol [beverage alcohol]. Children born with fetal alcohol syndrome experience lifelong deformity, disability and loss of mental acuity. Imagine what their lives are like when born to mothers who consumed aspartame?

The neurotoxins in the carefully crafted APM molecule are about 20,000 times more potent than beverage alcohol. And according to James Bowen, M.D., formaldehyde is 5,000 times more potent.

"Because of APM's extreme toxicity, even minute doses are destructive --damaging fetal nervous systems and related structures. Eyes and hearing come to mind. All tissues are similarly damaged as beyond its functional neurological intoxicating effects, methyl alcohol/formaldehyde is the strongest organic base in the living organism and is a polymerizing agent, turning tissue into plastic.

From such poisoning there is no escape, it is obligatory metabolism by alcholdehydrogenase of methyl alcohol into nascent formaldehyde, occurring 75% in the cytosol [cytoplasm] and 25% in the mitochondria."

When isolated, the amino acid, aspartic acid, is excitotoxic --it excites neurons or brain cells to death. Aspartame (APM) is 40% aspartic acid. Also like formaldehyde, APM damages chromosomes. But what's even more horrifying is that the chromosomal damage in the mother doesn't ever get repaired and may be passed on to the fetus and future generations forevermore.

Nature normally operates under a system of checks and balances in order to ensure health and safety. Isolated chemicals have no such system. Natural foods are complex mixes of amino acids -- no food is merely one or two isolated amino acids, as is APM. While phenylalanine and methanol occur naturally in foods, they occur in a form the body cannot use and with other mechanisms that protect the body against any damage. Not so with APM.

According to Dr. Bowen, the isolated phenylalanine from APM causes mental retardation in fetuses:

"The PHE (phenylalanine) in a plate of beans is absorbed in about 20 hours in competition with the other amino acids. The PHE in a Diet Coke is absorbed in a few minutes in competition with nothing. This is highly significant because amino acid biochemistry at enzyme sites is competitive and PHE out-competes all the others, which means isolated PHE from APM, in the fetal brain with no competition, destroys it!"

The further breakdown of APM creates carcinogens responsible for brain tumors.

Michael B. Schachter, M.D., F.A.C.A.M. states:

"If an approved drug had as many complaints as aspartame, it would have been removed from the market long ago. But, aspartame has been approved as a safe food additive and not a drug. The manufacturer does not have to track adverse reactions once the food additive has been approved, as in the case of new drugs. Aspartame was approved for use in dry foods and as a sugar substitute in 1981 and for soft drinks in 1983."

How could aspartame have ever received FDA approval?

"The history of the FDA approval process for this substance raises many questions about possible conflicts of interest. Suffice to say no less than 10 officials involved in the approval process took jobs with aspartame-related companies, soon after leaving their governmental posts."

The April 17 CAMA newsletter stated:

"Aspartame/NutraSweet/Equal was invented by the G.D. Searle Co., acquired by Monsanto in 1985. For 16 years the FDA denied approval. In 1981, Commissioner Arthur Hayes ignored the objections of a Public Board of Inquiry and the American Soft Drink Association and blessed it. The tests submitted by Searle were so bad the Department of Justice initiated prosecution of Searle for fraud, but the defense lawyers hired the prosecutors, Sam Skinner and William Conlon, and the case died with the statute of limitations expiring."

Protect Yourself and Your Family

If the FDA won't protect you and your children from these destructive poisons, do it yourself. Read labels and stop buying or ingesting any products containing aspartame, phenylalanine, NutraSweet, or Equal. Educate your children, make sure they know what to avoid and why. If you care about your health and your family's health and its future generations, protect yourselves.

Here are two excellent books on the subject for further reading:

Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills, by neurosurgeon Russell Blaylock, M.D., (available at amazon.com)

Aspartame (NutraSweet) Is It Safe? Charles Press, H. J. Roberts, M.D (also available at amazon.com)

If you're wondering what you can use instead, try Stevia — it's all-natural, non-caloric, and full of vitamins and minerals. Click here for more info: http://therealessentials.com/stevia.html

Try Agave, the organic, extremely low-glycemic sweetener that is 50 percent sweeter than table sugar! Since it's sweeter than sucrose, you use less Agave than sugar. It pours and tastes like honey, dissolves instantly and can be used in beverages and food recipes: http://therealessentials.com/food.html

Cane sugar, date sugar, and turbinado sugar, available at your local health food store, are healthier sweeteners. Even plain sugar is a better choice than aspartame.

Whatever you use, use your head and protect yourself and your family.