A Moment on the Lips, Forever in the Hips: The Dangers of Aspertame and Other Sweeteners

Sweetness is usually correlated with sugar. The problem with sugar, otherwise known as sucrose, is that it has a lot of calories. These calories lead to weight gain if not spent by exercise, but now that humans have the knowledge and technology to create various substances, there are artificial sweeteners that do not have calories at all and taste even sweeter than sucrose. Many Americans avoid sugar-sweetened drinks by drinking beverages filled with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame to avoid weight gain. However, studies have shown that the adverse neurological and visceral effects of aspartame demonstrate that artificial sweeteners are more harmful than helpful; therefore, artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame, should not be ingested.

Aspartame can cause neurological effects that are hazardous to humans. Aspartame is metabolized into 50 percent phenylalanine, 40 percent aspartic acid, and 10 percent methanol (Maher and Wurtman). The main problem lies in the lone amino acid. Phenylalanine is a vital amino acid, but it is also a “neurotoxin”—a molecule that causes adverse effects in the brain. Increased phenylalanine levels in the brain can repress enzymes required to make certain neurotransmitters which results in drastic consequences. For instance, phenylalanine can repress enzymes needed to make serotonin neurotransmitters, and if these neurotransmitters are not created, the organism can suffer neurological problems such as depression, anxiety, and seizures. Results from a study by Timothy J. Maher and Richard J. Wurtman show that 50 percent of lab rats went into convulsions after being dosed with 250 milligrams per kilogram of aspartame. One can of diet soda usually contains only 50 milligrams per kilogram of asp...

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...ercise to avoid weight gain, or avoid sugary drinks all together. Most people probably would not choose the latter, although it is the healthiest choice. After all, what is life without sweetness?

Works Cited

Collison, Kate S, et al. “Prediabetic changes in gene expression induced by aspartame and monosodium glutamate in trans fat-fed C5731/6J mice.” Nutr Metab (Lond). 2013. PubMed Central. Web. 18 November 2013.

Maher, Timothy J, and Wurtman, Richard J. “Possible Neurologic Effects of Aspartame, a Widely Used Food Additive.” Environmental Health Perspectives. 1987. PubMed Central. PDF file. 18 November 2013.

Swithers, Susan E. “Artificial Sweeteners Produce the Counterintuitive Effect of Inducing Metabolic Derangements.” 2013. Cell Press. PDF file. 19 November 2013.

Taubes, Gary. “What Really Makes Us Fat.” New York Times. 30 June 2012. Web. 29 November 2013.