Aspartame is a sugar substitute found in various products, including diet drinks. Some groups claim it causes cancer, headaches, mood disorders, and other medical conditions, but studies show little risk for the average person, except for a possible increase in migraines. Recommended daily intake is 40-50 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.
Aspartame is used as a sugar substitute in some foods and beverages. It has been at the center of the debate about the potential dangers to those who consume products containing the sweetener. Some groups have suggested that aspartame’s dangers include cancer, headaches, mood disorders, and a host of other medical conditions, while others refute those claims.
Manufacturers use aspartame as a sugar substitute in various products. This artificial sweetener is most commonly found in diet drinks. Since the caloric value of aspartame is so small, many see it as a way to continue the consumption of dieters and others who contain the ingredient in an effort to achieve weight loss goals.
Initially approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1981, various health and food safety agencies around the world followed suit. As reports of dangerous side effects have surfaced, several countries, manufacturers, and jurisdictions have undertaken further scientific studies on the additive. Some manufacturers, especially those in the UK, have voluntarily stopped using the ingredient in their private label products due to some of aspartame’s reported dangers.
Various safety risks have been associated with aspartame. Some of the dangers of aspartame have been linked to deception, but others have been linked to scientific studies and consumer reports. Cancer, headaches, and mood disorders such as anxiety and irritability have been associated with aspartame.
Studies have focused on the metabolites when discerning the dangers of aspartame. Aspartame metabolites include methanol, aspartic acid, and phenylalanine. There appears to be no associated risk from these byproducts of aspartame consumption. In fact, the average person consumes greater amounts of these metabolites in meats, vegetables, and other food products.
Concerns surrounding the dangers of aspartame tend to rest with the level of consumption and not with the additive itself. People with an abnormally high intake of diet drinks and other aspartame-containing products should be concerned and limit their intake to recommended daily amounts. The current recommended amount is 40 milligrams per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight according to the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Food, while the FDA recommends a level of 50 milligrams per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight.
Studies continually show that aspartame poses little risk to the average person, with one exception. Reports show a possible increase in the occurrence of migraines with the consumption of products containing aspartame. Besides migraines, there is limited evidence for the other putative risks.
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