Medical Side Effects of Aspartame

Aspartame is a chemical compound that sweetens food and drinks without adding many calories. Aspartame is much sweeter than table sugar, so less of it is needed to sweeten food and drink items. Aspartame was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1981 and has been deemed safe for humans. Aspartame is sold as NutraSweet and Equal.

Acceptable Daily Intake

• According to the Food and Drug Administration, individuals should not consume more than 50 mg per kg of their body weight. For example, a person weighing 150 pounds (68 kg) should not drink more than 18 to 19 diet colas per day.

Weight Gain

• According to a study conducted by Swithers and Davidson, aspartame can cause individuals to consume more food because their bodies are looking to fill the empty calories consumed. Also, the study found that aspartame may also cause a slowdown of metabolism; these two things together can result in weight gain.

Cancer

• The National Cancer Institute asserts that no scientific evidence exists that indicates that aspartame causes cancer.

Other Health Concerns

• While anedotal reports claim that aspartame does cause various medical problems, scientific research has not supported those claims. No scientific evidence has been recorded that shows that aspartame causes headaches, seizures, behavioral problems or allergies.

Warning for Individuals with PKU

• Individuals with phenylketonuria (PKU), which is a very rare disease, should not consume aspartame. Aspartame contains phenylalanine, which can not be processed by people with PKU.