Aspar(NotSo)Tame?
In my quest to be less fat, I’ve been drinking quite a bit of diet soda lately.
Somebody told me to do a little research into Aspartame (the artificial sweetener of just about every diet goo on the market) and decide whether I really wanted to drink that stuff after all.
Lots of people think Aspartame is a pretty nasty substance. At least on the web, however, much of these folks have the source of their misgivings in the “Nancy Markle Hoax“. This turned out to be a bogus letter written by another woman who is neither a scientist nor a doctor. Her claims are pretty sensational, and are repeated ad nauseum by people too lazy to do a little of their own research.
Discounting this kind of “I pasted it in my website because it must be true” tripe, there are a few seemingly more reputable sources of concern out there. Here’s one of the better sites, with many links to physician statements: Aspartame Warning.
Much of the concern out there focuses on what Aspartame turns into when warmed (in the can, or in the body): Formaldehyde.
In my research, I also discovered the FDA did an investigation on GD Searle (the inventors of Aspartame) after Aspartame was already on the market. They wanted to see if the trials done on animals (prior to approval for humans) were conducted appropriately. The FDA concluded that Searle did quite a few things to cover up what the sweetener really did to animals:
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“Instead of performing autopsies on rhesus monkeys that suffered seizures after being fed aspartame, the company had financed a new monkey seizure study with a different methodology that showed no problems.” (Gordon 1987, page 496 of US Senate 1987)
Animals which had died were sometimes recorded as being alive and vica versa. “These include approximately 20 instances of animals reported as dead and then reported as having vital signs normal again at subsequent observation periods.” (Gross 1985, page S10835)
“Contrary to protocol, slides were not prepared of this [unusual lesions from the Aspartame (DKP) study) tissue for microscopic examinstions . . . .” (Gross 1985, page S10837 of Congressional Record 1985b)
[There were] “clerical or arithmetic errors which resulted in reports of fewer tumors.” (Schmidt 1976c, page 27 of US Senate 1976b)
Source: Preapproval “Research” & History of Aspartame
Oddly, the FDA has since claimed Aspartame to be safe.
Hmmm.
Just to be safe: real Coke for me from now on!
Monday, April 19th 2004 at 4:56 pm
Around the time-frame of 1998-2000, I was drinking diet soda (to the exclusion of sugared soda). During that time period, I experienced severe, sometimes temporarily debilitating headaches (I would literally be walking through the apartment and, wracked with a headache, have to stop until it passed because the pain was excruciating).
I sort of accidentally discovered that the problem was the diet soda. When I stopped drinking it, the headaches disappeared, and have never come back. After that happened to me, I discovered that massive headaches are a common symptom for people who have reactions to Aspartame. Some people told me it was bullshit (implying that I was “duped” by the web sites), but what other explanation was there? I didn’t see the information until after I’d discovered the cause, and I’m not going to start drinking diet soda again, just to see if they’ll come back. :-p
I do consume things with Aspartame (for example, light yogurt or sugar free cookies), but not soda any more. My consumption is on a much smaller scale, and is apparently tolerable.
Tuesday, April 20th 2004 at 5:15 pm
If you’re really wanting to lose weight. Drink water. Lotso water!
It’s the changing of your habits that will lead you to losing weight, much more dramatically then making some external change from pepsi to diet pepsi. Switching to water is a great way to externalize the change in mindset and habits.
I haven’t had a mountain dew in… so long I can’t even remember! And I hit my target of 150lbs after 18 months.
Good luck Woody!
Tuesday, April 20th 2004 at 9:18 pm
Brad, cool story… I can’t say I’m surprised about the headaches. Glad you found a solution.
Danny, thanks for the encouragement. I was 232 on New Years Eve this year, and am down around 210… my goal is 200 by my anniversary in mid-June, then 190 by the end of the year. You’re right about the water thing… I’m a slacker and need to get better at that. Now that my Diet Mt Dew is gone, I guess I can drink water… if I have to. Do they make it with caffeine? That’d be a big help.
So far the weight loss has been due to excercise and the South Beach Diet, which should really be called South Beach Don’t Eat Like a Smacktard Anymore Diet. I like it… I’m actually eating lots of good-for-you stuff and liking it. Never thought I’d like whole wheat bread, but now I do. I tried Atkins a few years ago… that sucked: it wasn’t something I could envision doing for the rest of my life. South Beach isn’t so much a diet as it is retraining yourself not to eat crap anymore.
Anyway, Danny, congrats on 150! Dude, is there anything left?
Wednesday, April 21st 2004 at 9:48 am
Sounds like your doing great Woody, congrats!
I haven’t read about the South Beach Diet, but from what you said, thats the same approach I used, and you’re right. Wheat bread is pretty good. My diet has been pretty simple. Turkey/chicken with brown rice and a vegetable. I eat really small portions, roughly 4-5 times a day. Well, thats when I have the time to prep the food each day, which can be kinda irritating.
I got down to 150 around the beginning of December. I basically stopped lifting, was concentrating on cardio work. Its hard because I hate to run and basically have to force myself to go everyday. Once I hit 150, I slowed down my cardio work and started lifting more. I am now back up to about 175. 180 is my upper limit. When I hit that, I lay off the weights and pick up the cardio. I knew 150 was way to low, but I wanted to get the fat burned off! Still a small pudge around the middle, and I’m starting to think maybe I’m getting past the point where my body is going to let that go
Hope everything is going well for you and yours.
Shout out to Z. Keep in touch guys
Wednesday, April 21st 2004 at 10:08 am
Caffeinated water? Sure!
Buzz Water - Bzzzzzzzz
Water Joe - Ya kill the water joe, you buy some mo’
Krank2O - Is it just me, or does the name of the stuff sound illegal?
Oh, and by the way Danny, just to confuse you: There’s a “Z” that posts here that isn’t me (the “original” Z) … so, uhh … he says Hi. :-p