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Aspartame alert: Diet soda destroys kidney function
E. Huff
NaturalNews
Thursday, Dec 17th, 2009
Scientists from Brigham and Women's Hospital in
Boston have revealed results from a study outlining some of
the effects of artificial sweeteners on the body. Conducted
on a group of 3,000 women, the results indicated that those
who drank two or more artificially-sweetened beverages a day
doubled their risk of more-rapid-than-normal kidney function
decline.
The study accounted for various other risk factors including
the woman's age, her blood pressure, if she smoked, and if she
had any other pre-existing conditions such as heart disease
or diabetes. The 11-year study evaluated the effects of all
sweetened drinks on progressive kidney decline and discovered
that two or more diet drinks leads to a two-fold increase in
rapid kidney decline incidences.
Though study results did not show any correlation between sugar-
or corn syrup-sweetened drinks and the onset of rapid kidney
decline, these ingredients are implicated in causing diabetes
and obesity and should not be perceived as safe merely because
they did not have a direct correlation in this particular study
topic.
High sodium intake was also implicated in the study as promoting
progressive kidney decline. Since diet soda contains excessive
amounts of sodium, higher than sugar soda, it is no surprise
that diet sodas were the primary offenders in the study. However
it is unclear from this particular study which ingredient plays
the larger role in progressive kidney decline, the artificial
sweeteners or the sodium content.
Studies on aspartame
When aspartame was first approved in the 1970s under the name
"NutraSweet", studies were submitted as supposed proof
that the artificial chemical was safe. The FDA initially approved
the chemical in 1974 for use in a limited number of foods based
upon the studies submitted by G.D. Searle Co., the company that
invented aspartame.
Following a discovery made shortly thereafter by a research
psychiatrist who found that aspartic acid, a primary ingredient
in aspartame, caused holes to form in the brains of mice, the
FDA decided to form its own internal task force to investigate
the initial claims made by the Searle Co.
What the agency discovered was a series of falsified claims,
compromised study results, and missing information. The claims
made in favor of aspartame were so dubious and the evidence
so faulty that the FDA decreed that a grand jury should investigate
Searle Co.'s claims. Unfortunately, the case failed to move
forward when U.S. Attorney Thomas Sullivan and Assistant U.S.
Attorney William Conlon failed to initiate any legal action.
Conlon was later hired by the law firm that represented Searle
Co.
Investigation revealed that aspartame had caused tumors, seizures,
brain holes, and death in many of the studies. All negative
findings had been altered or scrubbed from the final reports
delivered to the FDA when aspartame was first reviewed.
Time and time again the question over whether aspartame is
safe has led to investigations that never go anywhere. Studies
are continually released in support of the chemical's safety
even though they fail to address the results of other studies
that show it to be harmful.
Other artificial sweeteners
A study published in the January, 2008 issue of the Journal
of Toxicology and Environmental Health revealed that the newer
artificial sweetener, sucralose, alters gut microflora and inhibits
the assimilation of dietary nutrients.
Commonly marketed as being "made from sugar", sucralose
had undergone no long-term human studies to verify its safety
in humans. Like aspartame, initial studies revealed negative
reactions by lab animals on whom it was tested, indicating that
there could be the same potential problems in humans.
The EU Food Commission, Canadian health officials, and the
U.S. FDA all rejected the initial studies submitted by McNeil
Nutritionals, the marketers of sucralose, because of the negative
results. However they encouraged the company to continue researching
until they "got it right". McNeil simply lowered the
levels of sucralose used in their studies until an acceptable
limit was found. After several tries, sucralose was finally
approved.
Stevia, a safe alternative
A great many varieties of artificial sweeteners have been approved,
many scandalously, despite the fact that safe, natural alternatives
exist. Stevia, for instance, is a sweet herb from South America
that is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar. Claiming inadequate
safety research, the FDA has long refused the herb from being
included on the "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS)
list.
Up until last year, all forms of stevia could only be sold
as dietary supplements. The extract could not be labeled as
a "sweetener" and it could not be included in any
food items.
Once the parent companies of both Pepsi and Coca-Cola discovered
how to manipulate and patent a segment of stevia, however, it
suddenly became safe to use as a sweetener and is now sold on
grocery store shelves in packets similar to the artificial sweeteners.
The FDA reluctantly added the natural stevia extract to the
GRAS list as well.
Stick with natural and unprocessed
When it comes to health, a person's best bet is to avoid artificial
sweeteners altogether. There are plenty of preferable, safe
alternatives such as stevia which will allow for a little extra
sweetness without all the harmful side effects.
"When the people find they can vote themselves
money, that will herald the end of the republic."
- Fall Of The Republic - Buy
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