No Reason to Fear Aspartame, New Report Says

Will the artificial sweetener aspartame--used in both NutraSweet and Equal Original--adversely affect your health? Unless you're an adult drinking at least 16 cans of aspartame-sweetened soda every day or using about 90 tabletop aspartame packets daily, there's no good evidence that this sugar substitute will harm you in any way. This is the position taken by the FDA and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).  The EFSA's recent risk assessment report has made aspartame a major news topic recently. 

What is aspartame?

Aspartame is a food additive, a low-calorie very intense artificial sweetener.  Cancer.org (an American Cancer Society website) says, "Aspartame is composed mainly of 2 amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and are found naturally in many foods."

This white odorless powder is about 200 times sweeter than sugar, so, says Cancer.org, "much less of it can be used to give the same level of sweetness. This, in turn, lowers the calories in the food or beverage."   

Aspartame came on the market in 1981 has been widely used since the 1980s.

What edible products is aspartame used in?

The EFSA's website says that, in Europe, aspartame is used in "drinks, desserts, sweets, dairy, chewing gums, energy-reducing and weight-control products and as a table-top sweetener."  It is widely used in low-calorie soda such as Diet Coke and Coke Zero.

How do government agencies determine how much of a product is safe to consume?

They use the concept of an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI), which is defined on the NutraSweet website as "a very conservative estimate of the amount of a product that can be safely consumed on a daily basis over a person's lifetime." The ADI is set at about 100 times less than the smallest amount that might cause health concerns, based upon studies conducted on lab animals.

The ADI for an individual is determined by weight. The FDA considers the ADI of aspartame for a 50-lb. child to be the equivalent of 7 cans of beverage or 32 packets of tabletop sweetener.  According to NutraSweet.com, American adults who consume high levels of aspartame still consume only about 6% of the ADI, while young children (ages 2-5) will consume about 10%.  It seems that all users of this product are a long way from what might be the upper limit of safety.

What is the EFSA?

The EFSA is an independent European agency funded by the European Union (EU).  Its role is to determine risk assessment related to food and feed safety.  It "provides independent scientific advice and communication on existing and emerging risks," according to the EFSA website. Its goal is to improve food safety, protect consumers, and maintain public confidence in the EU food supply.

What was the EFSA's conclusion about aspartame?

The EFSA has been regularly reviewing the safety of aspartame since 2002.  In December 2013, it published its first full risk assessment on this product.  Here was its conclusion: aspartame and its breakdown products pose no health risks at the currently approved consumption levels. It is safe to consume even for infants and pregnant women. Consumer exposure to aspartame is much below the ADI of 40 milligrams per 1 kilogram of body weight. The EFSA sees no reason for the EU to raise the ADI level for aspartame.

Note: The FDA has set its ADI for aspartame a little higher (more leniently) than the EU. In the U.S., it's 50 mg./1 kg.

The EFSA points out that aspartame (and its breakdown products) have been investigated extensively for more than 30 years "including experimental animal studies, clinical research, epidemiological studies, and post-marketing surveillance.   It has been found safe and authorised for human consumption for many years and in many countries following thorough safety assessments."

Reuter's.com quotes chairwoman Alicja Mortensen of EFSA's Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources Added to Foods, who said of the report, "This opinion represents one of the most comprehensive risk assessments of aspartame ever undertaken."

Who should avoid using aspartame?

For people who have the rare genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU), the ADIs given above are not applicable.   Those having this condition must adhere to a strict diet that is low in protein. 

How much aspartame is generally in a can of diet soda?

In general, a can of diet soda contains about 180 milligrams of aspartame. An adult weighing 75 kilograms (165 lbs.) would have to drink more than16 cans per day to exceed the ADI level set by the European Union.  The U.S. upper limit is a bit more generous, but both are far beyond what anyone is likely to consume. 

What diseases has aspartame been suspected of causing?

Various studies have linked aspartame to many diseases and conditions including premature birth and various types of cancer.  But scientists in the U.S. and Europe have found flaws in and questioned the reliability of studies that have claimed a link between aspartame and disease.  For a good analysis of flawed aspartame studies, go to the Cancer.org page on aspartame.

According to FamilyDoctor.org, "Studies have concluded that it [aspartame] specifically does not cause headaches, seizures, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, lupus, or multiple sclerosis.  In fact, no unsafe health consequences of aspartame have been identified."

Despite claims to the contrary still floating on the Internet, Cancer.org concludes, "No health problems have clearly been linked to aspartame use."

Yes, there are many other artificial sweeteners you can try, but, if you like the taste of those with aspartame, there seems to be no medical reason to switch.

Source(s):

cancer.org "Aspartame"

http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/athome/aspartame

efsa.europa.eu "Aspartame"

http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/aspartame.htm

efsa.euroopa.eu "About EFSA"
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/aboutefsa.htm

nutrasweet.com "How much aspartame do people actually consume?"

http://www.nutrasweet.com/articles/article.asp?Id=46

familydoctor.org "Sugar Substitutes"

http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/prevention-wellness/food-nutrition/sugar-and-substitutes/sugar-substitutes-what-you-need-to-know/aspartame-what-you-need-to-know.html

reuters.com "EU food safety body sees no new health risk from aspartame"

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/10/holdeu-sweetener-idUSL6N0JO2VP20131210