Nexus - 0228 - New Times Magazine-pages

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METHANOL, ALSO KNOWN AS WOOD ALCOHOL/ It has been pointed out that some fruit juices and alcoholic bev- POISON (10% OF ASPARTAME) erages contain small amounts of methanol. It is important to Methanol/wood alcohol is a deadly poison. Some people may remember, however, that methanol never appears alone. In every remember methanol as the poison that has caused some 'skid row' _case, ethanol is present, usually in much higher amounts. Ethanol alcoholics to end up blind or dead. Methanol is gradually released _ is an antidote for methanol toxicity in humans.’ in the small intestine when the methyl group of aspartame encoun- The troops of Desert Storm were "treated" to large amounts of ters the enzyme chymotrypsin. aspartame-sweetened beverages which had been heated to over The absorption of methanol into the body is sped up consider- 86°F in the Saudi Arabian sun. Many of them returned home with ably when free methanol is ingested. Free methanol is created numerous disorders similar to what has been seen in persons who from aspartame when it is heated to above 30°C (86°F). This have been chemically poisoned by formaldehyde. The free would occur when an aspartame-containing product is improperly methanol in the beverages may have been a contributing factor in stored or when it is heated (e.g., as part of a ‘food’ product such as __ these illnesses. Other breakdown products of aspartame such as Jello). DKP (discussed below) may also have been a factor. Methanol breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde in the In a 1993 act that can only be described as unconscionable, the body. Formaldehyde is a deadly neurotoxin, An EPA assessment FDA approved aspartame as an ingredient in numerous food items of methanol states that methanol “is consid- that would always be heated to ered a cumulative poison due to the low above 30°C (86°F). rate of excretion once it is absorbed. In the body, methanol is oxidised to formaldehyde Due to the lack of : couple of key DIKETOPIPERAZINE (DKP) enzymes, humans are many times and formic acid; both of these metabolites Diketopiperazine (DKP) is a are toxic." They recommend a limit of con-| more sensitive to the toxic effects by-product of aspartame metab- sumption of 7.8 mg/day. A one-litre olism. DKP has been implicat- (approx. | quart) aspartame-sweetened bev- of methanol than animals. ed in the occurrence of brain erage contains about 56 mg of methanol. Therefore, tests of aspartame or tumours. Olney noticed that Heavy users of aspartame-containing prod- i DKP, when nitrosated in the ucts consume as much as 250 mg of methanol on animals do not gut, produced a compound methanol daily or 32 times the EPA limit.’ which was similar to N- Symptoms from methanol poisoning accurately reflect the danger for nitrosourea, a powerful brain include: headaches, ear buzzing, dizziness, umans. tumour-causing chemical. Nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances, weak- Some authors have said that hess, vertigo, chills, memory lapses, numb- : DKP is produced after aspar- ness and shooting pains in the extremities, behavioural distur- _ tame ingestion. I am not sure if that is correct. It is definitely true bances, and neuritis. The most well-known problems from _ that DKP is formed in liquid aspartame-containing products dur- methano] poisoning are vision problems, including misty vision, ing prolonged storage. See Chart | below. progressive contraction of visual fields, blurring of vision, obscu- ration of vision, retinal damage and blindness. Formaldehye is a CHART 1: known carcinogen, causes retinal damage, interferes with DNA Breakdown of aspartame and replication and causes birth defects.’ L-phenylalanine methyl ester, DKP, Due to the lack of a couple of key enzymes, humans are many times more sensitive to the toxic effects of methanol than animals. Therefore, tests of aspartame or methanol on animals do not accu- rately reflect the danger for humans. As pointed out by Dr Woodrow C. Monte, Director of the Food L-aspartylphenylalanine, and L-phenylalanine, at bottling time, after six months, and after thirty months* Science and Nutrition Laboratory at Arizona State University, my é a 36 ry "There are no human or mammalian studies to evaluate the possi- B mH B 7 B itling ble mutagenic, teratogenic or carcinogenic effects of chronic ang eau lias administration of methyl alcohol."" He was so concerned about the unresolved safety issues that he Aspactainn 550.0 mg 155.34 mg 19-70 mig filed suit with the FDA, requesting a hearing to address these : ; issues. He asked the FDA to "slow down on this soft-drink issue nia 0.0 mg 28.62 mg 13.01 mg long enough to answer some of the important questions. It's not . i‘ . fair that you are leaving the full burden of proof on the few of us DKP 0.0 135.66 who are concerned and have such limited resources. You must ane mee ieaems remember that you are the American public's last defense. Once L-aspartyl- you allow usage [of aspartame], there is literally nothing ] or my phenylalanine 0.0 mg 158.31 mg 189.05 mg colleagues can do to reverse the course. Aspartame will then join saccharin, the sulfiting agents and God knows how many other L-phenylalanine 0.0 mg 42.22 mg 101.27 mg questionable compounds enjoined to insult the human constitution with governmental approval.""° (* From: Tsang, Wing-Sum, et al. (1985), "Determination of Shortly thereafter, the Commissioner of the FDA, Arthur Hull Aspartame and its Breakdown Products in Soft Drinks by Hayes, Jr, approved the use of aspartame in carbonated beverages. Reverse-Phase Chromatography with UV Detection", Journal of He then left for a position with G. D. Searle's public relations Agriculture and Food Chemistry, vol. 33, no. 4, pp. 734-738.) firm." Sat CHART 1; Breakdown of aspartame and L-phenylalanine methyl! ester, DKP, L-aspartylphenylalanine, and L-phenylalanine, at bottling time, after six months, and after thirty months* Date 6 Months 36 Months of after after Bottling Bottling Bottling Aspartame 550.0 mg 155.34 mg 19.70 mg L-phenylalanine methyl ester 0.0 mg 28.62 mg 13.01 mg DKP 0.0 mg 135.66 mg 173.28 mg L-aspartyl- phenylalanine 0.0 mg 158.31 mg 189.05 mg L-phenylalanine 0.0 mg 42.22 mg 101.27 mg (* From: Tsang, Wing-Sum, et al. (1985), "Determination of Aspartame and its Breakdown Products in Soft Drinks by Reverse-Phase Chromatography with UV Detection", Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, vol. 33, no. 4, pp. 734-738.) CHART 1; Breakdown of aspartame and L-phenylalanine methyl! ester, DKP, L-aspartylphenylalanine, and L-phenylalanine, at bottling time, after six months, and after thirty months* 6 Months after Bottling Date of Bottling 550.0 mg 155.34 mg 28.62 mg 0.0 mg 135.66 mg 158.31 mg 0.0 mg 42.22 mg NEXUS ¢ 27 OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 1995