Chemistry debunks the biggest aspartame health myths

(Derek I. Batting) #21

I get the feeling you’re being intentionally vague. Correct me if I’m wrong.
Are you hinting that they might not publish whatever their actual findings were, but rather a bias or perhaps a bought-and-paid-for party line or lobbyist agenda?

(Stephanie Hanson) #22

Pretty much. I generally look at funding sources and then study design when reading a study

(Derek I. Batting) #23

I don’t blame you one bit. Always follow the money, they say! Also, how the study was run, where it was published (if at all), was it peer reviewed, how was it controlled, etc.

For what it’s worth, I can’t find a single paper (that I, the general public) have access to that deals in any way with Aspartame. I think the PBS article kind of got it wrong when they said:

However, a new video from the American Chemical Society pulls together the latest research on the food additive

The ACS is responsible for producing the videos through Reactions, their web series on YouTube.

Reactions is a show that uncovers the chemistry all around us. We answer the burning questions you’ve always wanted to ask:

-How can I get my smartphone battery to last longer?
-What if humans could photosynthesize?
-How can I get my teeth to look whiter?
-Why is pizza so delicious?
-Is it OK to pee in the pool? (Spoiler: No. No it’s not. Stop it.)
Reactions are happening everywhere. But the best ones are right here on YouTube.
Business/Press Inquiries: Reactions [at] acs [dot] org

Created by Adam Dylewski
Reactions team: Darcy Gentleman, Kyle Nackers, Sean Parsons, Elaine Seward, Janali Thompson, Kirk Zamieroski
Produced by the American Chemical Society

The fine print: The views expressed in these videos do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the American Chemical Society or its members.

(Stephanie Hanson) #24

I really would like to know why Carlshead pizza is just as yummy as non keto. Maybe we could get them to film it. Read that as humor.

(Derek I. Batting) #25

I wonder if they take suggestions. :smiley:

(Guardian of the bacon) #26

I thought that was why I had to breathe all of them chlorine fumes?

(Derek I. Batting) #27

People have always assumed that chlorine was the chemical devil behind their red, irritated eyes after a dip in the pool. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) annual healthy swimming report says that isn’t actually the case.

The true cause, it says, is nitrogen in urine binding to chlorine to form chloramine—a derivative of ammonia. “It’s not the chlorine itself,” Michele Hlavsa, chief of the CDC’s healthy swimming program, told Today. “It’s chlorine mixed with poop and sweat and a lot of other things we bring into the water with us.” The compound can also make swimmers’ noses run and cause them to cough.

And pools’ “chlorine” smell isn’t actually the chlorine either. The stronger a pool’s scent, the more it is filled with pee, poop, sweat and dirt, says the CDC. “Healthy pools…don’t have a strong chemical smell.”

Chlorine is in pools not to deal with the pee but to kill harmful germs like E. coli. When urine is added in large quantities, tackling it becomes chlorine’s full-time job, which allows germs to linger in the water.

Source: http://www.newsweek.com/its-pee-not-just-chlorine-irritates-eyes-pool-346766

(Mark Bousquet) #28

Thanks, Jacquie! This part of the Wiki entry is KEY:

He was the Chief Executive Officer of The Dow Chemical Company from December 1987 to November 1995,

Financial interest is definitely a bias.

(Derek I. Batting) #29

That still doesn’t change the fact that Aspartame isn’t causing cancer or embalming you as you ingest it. There’s still peer-reviewable science involved here. :smiley:

(Mark Bousquet) #30

I’ve only just begun, my friend. :slight_smile:

(Guardian of the bacon) #31

The things you can learn on a ketogenic diet.[quote=“DBatting, post:27, topic:5713”]
Source: http://www.newsweek.com/its-pee-not-just-chlorine-irritates-eyes-pool-346766
[/quote]

(Derek I. Batting) #32

Begun what? Are you going to somehow single-handedly prove Aspartame causes cancer? :smiley:

For what it’s worth, the American Cancer Society doesn’t believe it causes cancer either.

In the largest study of this issue, researchers from the NCI looked at cancer rates in more than 500,000 older adults. The study found that, compared to people who did not drink aspartame-containing beverages, those who did drink them did not have an increased risk of lymphomas, leukemias, or brain tumors.

A recent study of more than 125,000 people found a link between consumption of aspartame sweetened soda and the risk of leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma in men, but not in women. Since it also found a link between sugar sweetened soda and lymphoma in men, the researchers concluded that the links they found could be explained by chance.

Source: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/aspartame.html

(Mark Bousquet) #33

Oh and by the way, anyone who ever says anything along the lines that “science is well established and incontrovertible” should be questioned. IMHO!

:smiley:

(Mark Bousquet) #34

Appealing to authority is a losing strategy.

American Cancer Society, eh? Yeah, ok. LOL

(Mark Bousquet) #35

Appears aspartame was owned by Monsanto for a while. Interesting…

(Derek I. Batting) #36

OK, I’m sorry. I’m going to have to end the conversation if this is going to degrade into the calling of fallacies and dismissive remarks. Believe or don’t, but the most current science backs the claim.

(Derek I. Batting) #37

You do understand we’re talking about the actual testable affects of Aspartame in humans, not what massive food conglomerate owned the company that produced it, right?

(Mark Bousquet) #38

If there is big money interests behind this science you are presenting, should it not leave doubt? :slight_smile:

(Derek I. Batting) #39

Absolutely, but I get the sense you’re throwing the baby out with the bath water here. It might also be beneficial to see who actually did fund and conduct the studies they are referencing. Are you sure ACS funded any of them?

(Loraine Hansen) #40

THANK YOU, DEREK!!! I KNEW IT! My sister is a graduate of Harvard University in the field of Nutritional Biochemistry (she graduated during the 1970’s). When I became a massage therapist 15 years ago, I was bombarded by people claiming all these terrible things about Aspartame. I STILL get people who are convinced that it is the cause of autoimmune diseases, and cancer and all KINDS of crap.

I would talk to my sister, who consistently debunked these myths, based on her education and common sense! No matter what I said to anyone, they never believed me and always looked down their noses at me. I didn’t care, but it made me mad anyway. I’m glad I have a smart sister who knew better, and taught me the truth, and now how awesome that there is a scientific study that has been published to tell the TRUTH! There have always been scientific studies proving this, (i.e., my sister’s education at Harvard in the '70’s!), but people have never really known about, or cared to read them.

Thanks for posting this. It’s an awesome read.