Aspartame

1
Aspartame

• Neurotoxicology
• Corey Campbell

2
Introduction

• Aspartames history
• Discovered in 1965
• 3 components
• Very sweet

3

• Approval Timeline
• 1974
• Controversial lab practices
• 1977 approval taken away
• 1981 approval granted again

4
Where its found

• Soft Drinks
• Foods
• Medicines

5
Impacts

• Conflicting studies about the impact of aspartame
• Varying data from manufacturing companies and
  research teams
• Commercialization places a role in data
  presentation

6
General Health Effects

• AFDC receive information about adverse effects
  since 1988
• Symptoms range from headaches to numbness of
  limbs
• Inability to Metabolize aspartame for some people
  (Phenylketonurics)
• Correlations of aspartame and seizures

7
PKU and Aspartame

• Phenylketonurics is a metabolic disorder
• Autosomal recessive disease
• PKU sufferers can not metabolize Aspartame

8
Main Effects

• Testing on humans and rats discrepancies
• Plasma blood levels raised by aspartame
• Synthesis of neurotransmitter effects

9
Concerns

• Methanol is released from aspartame
• Methanol toxicity
• Food risks reactions with amino acids