ASPARTAME(NUTRASWEET) BY DIABETICS

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H. J. ROBERTS,M.D., P.A.300 27TH STREETWEST PALM BEACH, FL 33407-5299(407)832-2408FAX (407)832-2400DIPLOMATE, AMERICAN BOARD OF INTERNAL MEDICINE (RECERTIFIED)STATEMENT OF H. J. ROBERTS, M.D., CONCERNING THE USE OF PRODUCTSCONTAINING ASPARTAME (NUTRASWEET) BY PERSONS WITH DIABETES ANDHYPOGLYCEMIA.I have treated many patients with diabetes mellitus and hypoglycemia(low blood sugar) in mycapacity as a Board-certified internist and an endocrinologistmember of the Endocrine Society). Since both groups shold abstainfrom sugar, I initially rejoiced that these persons had anacceptable and presumable safe sugar substitute in aspartame.Unfortunately, many patients in my practice, and others seen inconsultation, developed serious metabolic, neurologic and othercomplications that could be specifically attributed to usingaspartame products. This was evidenced by:*The loss of diabetic control, the intensification of hypoglycemia,the occurrence of presumed insulin reactions (including convulsions)that proved to be aspartame reactions, and the precipitation,aggravation or simulation of diabetic complications (especiallyimpaired vision and neuropathy) while using these products.*Dramatic improvement of such features after avoiding aspartame, ANDthe prompt predictable recurrent of these problems when the patientresumed aspartame products, knowlingly or inadvertently. I havecited many instances of severe complications in patients withdiabetes and hypoglycemia caused by the use of aspartame products inmy books and scientific articles. Here are few illustrations.A 21 year-old insulin-dependent teacher suffered more frequentinsulin reactions both at school and at home, while drinking manyaspartame colas daily. He reported: When we cut down on aspartame, Istopped having so many reactions. A diabetic man suffered severechanges in vision when he was drinking four liters of aspartame softdrinks daily. An opthalmologist assured him that there was nodetectable diabetic retinopathy. The patient then chanced to read anarticle about aspartame-related eye problems. He promptly improvedafter avoiding these beverages, an unlikely event if the problem wasprimarily a diabetic retinopathy.A 46 year-old man with insulin-dependent diabetes had been in goodcontrol for three decades until he began using several aspartamesodas and packets of tabletop sweetener daily. He summarized hisexperience in these terms: My diabetes went haywire, and I hadterrible insulin reactions. His diabetes was fully controlled withinone week after abstaining from aspartame products.A 12 year-old boy with known diabetes required multiplehospitalizations for diabetic coma while consuming considerableaspartame products. Physicians at a university hospital haddifficulty in stabilizing his insulin requirements while he usedthem.In the light of this experience, I now advise ALL my patients withdiabetes and hypoglycemia to avoid aspartame products. A number ofalternatives are available.I regret the failure of other physicians and the American DiabetesAssociation (ADA) to sound appropriate warnings to patients andconsumers based on these repeated fininds which have been describedin my corporate-neutral studies and publications. This is largelydue to these factors:1) It has been virtually impossible to get on the programs fornational meetings of diabetologists and other professional groups inorder to describe these observations. Indeed, the ADA (of which Ihave been a member for over three decades) even refused to print anabstract of adverse reactions I encountered in 58 diabetic patientsthat was submitted for its 1987 annual meeting.This abstract subsequently appeared in CLINICAL RESEARCH (Vol. 3:489A, 1988)...six years ago.2) Journals devoted to diabetes and internal medicine have refusedto publish my manuscripts on this subject due to negative commentsfrom peer review. The likelihood that some of these reviewer-authorities had self-serving interests in denying publication issuggested below.3) The AMA, the FDA, and the ADA dogmatically continue to expressthe unequivocal opinion that aspartame is completely safe fordiabetics - and nearly everyone else.4) Manufacturers and producers accomplished the marketing miracle ofthe 1980s through highly effective PR campaigns, the underwriting ofnumerous research projects (a number involving flawed protocols) byinvestigators they granted on contracted with, and enormousbiopolitical clout in order to protect their billion-dollar market.I detailed these matters in my two books on the subject: ASPARTAME(NUTRASWEET): IS IT SAFE? (Philadelphia, 1989, the Charles Press)and SWEETNER DEAREST: BITTERSWEET VIGNETTES ABOUT ASPARTAME(NUTRASWEET) (West Palm Beach, 1992, Sunshine Sentinel Press, PO Box8697, 1-800-814-9800). They are also summarized in my two-tapelecture, IS ASPARTAME (NUTRASWEET) SAFE? A MEDICAL, PUBLIC HEALTHAND LEGAL OVERVIEW (West Palm Beach, 1992, Sunshine Sentinel Press,PO Box 8697, 1-800-814-9800).I have discussed some of the reasons aspartame might aggravatediabetes and hypoglycemia in these books. The possible mechanismsinclude the following:* Marked changes in appetite and weight as reflected by paradoxicweight gain or severe loss of weight.* Excessive insulin secretion and depletion of the insulin reserve* Possible alteration of cellular receptor sites for insulin, withensuing insulin resistance* Neurotransmitter alterations within the brain and peripheralnerves* The toxicity of each of the three components of aspartame(phenylalanine; aspartic acid: the methylester, which promptlybecomes methyl alcohol or methanol), and their multiple breakdownproducts after exposure to heat or during prolonged storeageI have asserted in my publications, and in testimony both toCongress and FDA advisory group, that the current wholesaleingestion of aspartame products by over half the adult populationconstitutes an imminent public health hazard. Yet, this warningcontinues to be ignored by the medical profession and the FDA.Accordingly, informed and concerned consumers are justified incriticizing the industrial-medical complex that 1) refuses toacknowledge the problem of aspartame disease, and 2) fails to warnhigh-risk groups about the potential dangers. In addition topatients with diabetes and hypoglycemia, they include pregnantwomen, children, patients with epilepshy, liver, kidney disease andeating disorders, older persons with memory impairment, and therelatives of aspartame reactors, diabetics and patients withphenylketonuria.http://www.presidiotex.com/aspartame/Facts/Diabetes_and_Aspartame/diabetes_and_aspartame.html