1) A) Why were artificial sweeteners introduced and when was the first product made with them sold? B) Are there any studies to find out if the gut floras are affected by aspartame since it was first researched as an inhibitor for a gastrointestinal secretory hormone medication? C) Were there any studies done on the artificial sweeteners that are now in almost all pre-made foods before they were introduced on the market, if so what were they? D) Who first introduced artificial sweeteners for human consumption? E) How did the public react when artificial sweeteners were first introduced?
2) I am interested in the topic of the safety of artificial sweeteners because in 2004, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. While I was in the early stages of my diagnosis, I saw two prominent neurologists in their field and each asked me a shocking question. They asked if I ate a diet high in aspartame and monosodium glutamate. In their experiences, these foods can mimic the symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
Two brilliant neurologists are checking me over to see why I could no longer see out of my right eye and they are wondering if it could be caused by my eating habits? I have brain and spinal cord lesions hat took away my eyesight and other neurologic issues, and I go to great lengths to keep another attack at bay. What caught me off guard was there is a legal and ‘safe’ chemical being placed in our foods that runs the risk of giving a normal healthy person the same issues I was experiencing. I hope to learn more about artificial sweeteners through my research and writing. I would like to gain a better understanding of the history of these chemicals in food. I am going to do more research regarding clinical trials that were conducted on human consumption and the effects on the body.
In continuation of my research, I will be looking for any legislation regarding their consumption, labeling, or court cases pertaining to the use of artificial sweeteners. 3) The current stance on aspartame from the FDA, U. S. Food and Drug Administration, is there is no credible evidence showing harm being caused by aspartame to the human consumers based on current and past studies. The FDA and the European Food Safety Authority have established that consumer consumption of aspartame is safe at 40-50 mg per kg per day (Magnuson et al. , 2007). This translates to roughly 213 to 267 oz. f diet soda, for someone who weighs 80 kg, per day to reach the recommended daily limit. Countless studies have been done testing aspartame’s effects on rats, mice, dogs, humans, etc.
According to at least two peer reviewed research articles aspartame does not appear to pose a potential health risk even if the consumer completely replaced all sweeteners eaten, to aspartame (Magnuson et al. , 2007). In one study, aspartame was eliminated from the diets of test subjects who suffered from fibromyalgia. The study’s results indicated that there was no significant difference in the test subject’s pain etween the test and control groups (Vellisca & Latorre, 2014). These findings lead the researchers to conclude that there was no correlation between the test subjects’ pain and their consumption of aspartame. In other words, aspartame did not create or increase pain for the study group’s participants.
People who disapprove or aspartame are quick to point out that aspartame was not originally developed to be consumed as a sweetener. Instead, it was supposed to be used as an inhibitor for a drug used to treat gastric ulcers. Aspartame is approved by the FDA as both a tabletop sweetener and as an inactive ngredient in drug formulations (Magnuson et al. , 2007). Aspartame, with its 92 listed side effects (Gold, 2002), has been discouraged from being consumed by pregnant women and young children. Smaller mostly independent studies are finding, “.. profound adverse neurologic, cardiopulmonary, endocrine, and allergic effects of aspartame products. “(Roberts, 2004) Studies that were cited by the FDA did not find correlations between aspartame and the health risks Dr. Roberts found.
A possible explanation for the discrepancies in the findings of the studies is the length of time in which the studies were onducted. Aspartame has been referenced as a slow, silent killer acting like a very slow poison (Gold, 2002). Ethical practices of some larger studies are being called into question, since most of their sponsors are in the food industry and can stand to lose significant income based off the study’s results. The largest contributors to these studies are Searle, the NutraSweet Company, Ajinomoto, and the International Life Sciences Institute Nutrition Foundation. Further research is needed to validate or disprove the clear discrepancies between the two sides of the aspartame debate.
The risk taken to reduce the caloric intake when consuming sugary foods is not worth the risk. 4) I am writing this for the average person who is trying to eat healthier. The readers I am aiming for are people who are not looking for the next fad diet, but more of a healthier lifestyle of eating. These readers want to make an informed decision about what foods they are eating. The hope is that the reader will read the paper with an open mind looking to analyze the information contained in the text to help them make an informed decision. The demographics of the readers will be diverse, a family ooking to feed their kids better, an older reader looking to live a healthier lifestyle, or a young adult who is learning to cook and buy food on their own.
The one thing they all share is the want to make an informed decision about their health and food choices. My audience will affect my writing by allowing me to take a more since I fit into this demographic as well. It also will not be written in a technical terminology so the average consumer can better understand the subject matter. The goal of the paper is to help consumers make a more informed decision about their eating habits. A lofty goal would be to create enough of a conversation that a well-funded, but not by a company that is invested in the food industry, long term, double blind research study that is as peer accepted.
5) The consumption of artificial sweeteners such as aspartame has tripled in their consumption since they were first introduced in 1985. Leading the public to call into question their safety and furtherance of use. Numerous medical and physiological studies have been conducted over the years trying to prove or disprove if artificial sweeteners are causing harm. Both sides of the rgument cannot seem to agree, and both publish studies that disagree with the impact aspartame has on the consumers’ well- being. Further adding confusion to the debate is the large amounts of money the food industry is spending to have these studies done, calling into question, the ethical standards, and values the studies are producing. Should artificial sweeteners be allowed to remain in foods, are they worth the risk? No to both parts, artificial sweeteners have not proven their prolonged use is safe for consumption. An absence of evidence should not grant an automatic pass into the consumers’ goods.
