NutraSweet™ (aspartame) can be a significant cause of fatigue for many people.  Even the Center for Disease Control now recognizes that CFS patients often improve (1, 2) when discontinuing NutraSweet™.

History

When I was drinking diet soda, I noticed that at the same time in the afternoon every workday, I would get a great deal of gas.  I realized that something I was eating for lunch must be doing it.  I discontinued aspartame (NutraSweet™) and found that was the problem.

Three days after I discontinued it, I went into severe withdrawal.  I could barely get out of bed and my eyes were so puffy, I could not open them completely.   It would be two months before I felt even as well as I did before I gave it up.

There is no question that aspartame/NutraSweet was a major cause of my CFS.

I did some research on the web and was shocked at what I found.  I found that my experience was not unique. I also found that I could expect a recovery period of several months.

Withdrawal

I have not tried this, but it may be worthwhile to withdraw from aspartame/NutraSweet slowly.  It may be worthwhile to attempt cutting down on aspartame/NutraSweet over a period of two months before completely giving it up.

I wish I had better information on this, and I ask that people who have experience write to me and let me know how this works.

NutraSweet™/Aspartame Information

The Holistic Med site has excellent information on aspartame/NutraSweet.  You will not believe how this stuff ever got approved.  Out of 74 studies submitted by G.D. Searle to the FDA, none found significant problems.  Out of 90 independent studies, 83 found problems.

Some of the things pulled by this company are appalling:

"[The manufacturer] lied and they didn't submit the real nature of their observations because had they done that it is more than likely that a great number of these studies would have been rejected simply for adequacy. What Searle did, they took great pains to camouflage these shortcomings of the study. As I say filter and just present to the FDA what they wished the FDA to know and they did other terrible things for instance animals would develop tumors while they were under study. Well they would remove these tumors from the animals."

- FDA Toxicologist and Task Force member, Dr. Andrian Gross (Wilson 1985)

The FDA scientific panel was against approving it, but was overruled by the FDA commissioner who later took a job with G.D. Searle.

Two studies appeared to be downright fraudulent.  In one, blood was reported to have been drawn from hamsters at week 38 of the study when in fact those animals were already dead.  A grand jury was convened, but the statute of limitations ran out before any indictments were issued.  The US District Attorney who was in charge was already talking to Searle's law firm about a job before the time limit ran out.

According to information I found, the FDA has received over 10,000 complaints about aspartame compared to less than 4,000 complaints for all other consumer products combined!  The FDA estimates that only one percent of all people who have bad reactions report them!  This means there have been over one million known bad reactions.  This does not include people who had bad reactions, but did not realize they were caused by aspartame.  This could easily amount to millions more.

A number of people I know have told me that when they tried aspartame/NutraSweet, they immediately noticed light-headedness or headaches.  These people were lucky.   They discovered right away they could not tolerate this stuff.

Do you still think this stuff is safe?

Other Artificial Sweeteners

Thanks to the web, far fewer people are consuming Nutrasweet today.  The manufacturers have raced to put new artificial sweeteners on the market.

Unfortunately, their safety is just as dubious.  While Nutrasweet was often featured on the label of diet products, these other sweeteners are often hidden among the ingredients.  Beware of "neotame", "sucralose", "acesulfame-K", and "acesulfame potassium".

The best thing is to beware of sweet low calorie products.  (Low fat products that are not otherwise low calorie are OK.)

The HolisticMed site has a healthier sweetener list.  Frankly, in my opinion, most people are simply better off giving up all artificial sweeteners.

Giving Up Sweets

When I gave up aspartame/NutraSweet, I thought it would be impossible.  I thought I could never give up artificial sweeteners!

It wasn't nearly as tough as I thought.  I found that sweets made me crave more sweets.  A can of soda, either diet or regular, made me want more.

The key then was to give up sweets cold turkey.  I quit aspartame/NutraSweet completely and I went back to using a very small amount of sugar.  I use one teaspoon of sugar in my coffee, just enough to make it palatable.  I now drink Lipton unsweetened iced tea when I feel the need for something other than water.

Aspartame/NutraSweet™ Links

The information is getting out!  Check out these links:

World Environmental Conference Report

Copies of this letter have been circulated via e-mail, but had some significant errors.  Read the original and correct version here!

HolisticMed healthier sweetener list

If you must use an artificial sweetener, choose one off this list.

Nancy Markle Site

Aspartame Kills Site

Holisticmed aspartame site

History of aspartame

You will be shocked at how this stuff was approved despite numerous problems.

Aspartame, MSG and Excitotoxins

The Aspartame - NutraSweet Controversy

And yet more on aspartame.

Mining Co Letters

Two of the "guides" at the Mining Co site posted articles backing the use of aspartame and disputing problems with the product.  I wrote the following letters to the site and to the guides:

Mining Co Letter

Urban Legend Letter

Lupus Section Letter

[ Back ] [ Up ] [ Next ]