http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1086
Michelle De Paola crippled by formaldehyde in NYU Dental Center lab, UCATS
local union, NYSUT state union, New York Teacher [methanol from aspartame is
also a source]: Murray 2004.05.31 rmforall

[ Overview by Rich Murray:
New York University is far from being the only organization that fails to
protect its staff and the public from obvious, blatant toxic exposures.

The 11% methanol component of aspartame is readily released into the GI
tract ( unlike the similarly large amounts of methanol locked up in complex
molecules in many fruits and vegetables ), and soon largely converted into
formaldehyde and then formic acid, both serious cumulative toxins for all
cell types.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1018
aspartame toxicity coverup increases danger of corporate meltdown:
Michael C. Carakostas of Coca-Cola: Murray 2003.08.11 rmforall
http://www.isrtp.org/new_members/members1.htm
The International Society of Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology
Carakostas, Michael C., DVM, PhD Director/Scientific & Regulatory
Affairs The Coca-Cola Company PO Drawer 1734 Atlanta, GA 30301
T. 404/676-4234 F. 404/676-7166 E-mail: mcarakostas@...
http://www2.coca-cola.com/ourcompany/columns_aspartame.html [photo]
Aspartame: The world agrees it's safe By Michael Carakostas, DVM, PhD
Director, Scientific and Regulatory Affairs, Coca-Cola

It is commendable that Carakostas mentions the core problem, albeit
disparagingly, and overlaid with multiple untruths: "During digestion,
aspartame yields a very small amount of methanol-- as do many other food
substances. The body converts this methanol to formaldehyde, which is
instantly converted to formate. Formate is quickly eliminated as carbon
dioxide and water."

Carakostas deceptively make claims, unsupported by research, that the amount
of methanol from aspartame is "very small", that many foods release as much,
and that little of the inevitable formaldehyde or formic acid toxic products
accumulate in body tissues. This executive, with a PhD in veterinary
science, is deceiving people about very serious multiple toxicities.

Thus, there is evidence here cited from 1973 to 2004 that research and
reviews by immense vested interests about aspartame must be scrutinized with
the greatest skepticism. The greatest Internet myth about aspartame is
this: "Aspartame is the most thoroughly tested food additive in
story." ]

Editor, New York Teacher, 800 Troy-Schenectady Road, Latham, New York,
12110-2455 .
Fax: (518) 213-6415.
E-mail: nyteach@... .
Please include your name and address.

http://www.nysut.org/newyorkteacher/2003-2004/040602safety.html

NYU union presses laboratory safety probe as worker's health problems
intensify
Union meetings, newsletter focus on safety info

June 2, 2004

UCATS officers meet with lab technicians and graduate students in March to
discuss concerns with lab safety at NYU. [ photo ]

When the academic year drew to a close at New York University , the staff
union redoubled pressure to improve laboratory safety as a probe continued
into one worker's exposure to formaldehyde.

Michelle De Paola, who worked in the NYU dental lab, says her health has
only worsened since New York Teacher first reported her story in March.
"There are medical personnel who believe my body is in a traumatic state and
has responded in the breakdown of my system," said De Paola, 27. Besides her
worsening asthma, she has been diagnosed with Type II diabetes, hypertension
and two non-specific growths on her thyroid. "I now take around 10 pills and
check my blood sugar daily, have 10 appointments weekly and sonograms every
six months.

"I still have to sleep sitting up and am unable to do much of anything that
requires physical exertion," she said.

The union says she was permanently disabled from lab overexposure. She
resigned her NYU position so she could concentrate full-time on regaining
her health.

Earlier this spring her local - the Union of Clerical, Administrative and
Technical Staff at NYU - published a newsletter and held meetings on safety
concerns while awaiting results of an Occupational Safety and Health
Administration investigation at the NYU Dental Center lab.

The union charges the university committed more than a dozen safety
violations at the "seasonal lab" where De Paola, who prepared cadavers for
dissection, breathed in formaldehyde fumes at seven times the rate
considered safe. The NYU lab occupies rented space in the basement of a
Hunter College dormitory.

"The university talks about how this was a temporary lab," said Stephen
Rechner, president of the 1,700-member union. "Unfortu-nately, what happened
to Michelle isn't temporary. In fact, this is a worst-case scenario all
workers need to know because it illustrates how quickly you can become
permanently disabled at work."

New York State United Teachers supported its local with expert help in
filing complaints with OSHA and the federal Environ-mental Protection
Agency. The statewide union also alerted other unions whose members work in
the building to the safety concerns.

Family helps
"My family is supporting me financially on the aspect of my medical
insurance and care," De Paola said. When she first fell ill, she didn't
realize the extent to which she would become disabled and that she would not
be able to find work. "Being dependent on other people for everything
bothers me terribly," she said, although the knowledge she's not alone also
helps to sustain her. Besides her family, she has the union. "I appreciate
everyone's well wishes and concern," she said of NYSUT and UCATS.

Raise awareness
Workers need more information on lab safety, said Ellen Steinberg, a member
of the Professional Staff Congress, which represents faculty and staff at
the City University of New York. Steinberg, who said she developed
chemically related asthma several years ago, works in the same building
where De Paola was employed.

Steinberg recalls the formaldehyde fumes being so strong in December that
she had difficulty breathing, even though she worked several floors above.
"I remember the fumes seemed to permeate the hallway and I had to take my
albuterol medication," said Steinberg, a lab tech for 33 years.

"The real issue here is that these seasonal or temporary laboratories, and
even classroom labs, are not designed correctly with adequate amounts of
fresh air being circulated in," said Steinberg. "Walk into any classroom lab
and there's never enough fume hoods, and air is just being recirculated."
'Could have been me'

This is not the first time lab safety has been an issue at NYU.
Susan Price works at the Morse Academic Plan science labs, where workers
brought safety violations to the union. She said NYU converted what used to
be a registrar's office into lab space in the 1990s without providing
adequate chemical spill kits and eye-wash stations. With help from NYSUT,
the union demanded a walk-through by a New York Committee for Occupational
Safety and Health representative. Only after the unions proved that the
workers had legal rights to test the labs did NYU permit it. Among other
violations, NYCOSH found air ventilation far below standards.

"What struck me was the difference in approach," Price said. "NYU initially
refused us the right to test the air, ventilation and other equipment in the
lab, while the union's first concern was to find out what staff, students
and faculty were breathing in."

Price has joined the union in its fight to test dental lab work sites. "What
happened to Michelle could have happened to any of us," she said.

That's what keeps UCATS working, notes Greg Succop, a union staffer. "Our
initial discussions to find out about lab conditions revealed that
procedures and standards are really different from one part of the campus to
the other," Succop said. "We're advocating for one high standard that should
apply to all workers."
- Betsy Sandberg

NYSUT.org. Copyright New York State United Teachers. 800 Troy-Schenectady
Road, Latham, New York, 12110-2455. 518.213.6000. http://www.nysut.org .
New York State United Teachers is a federation of more than 900 local
unions representing nearly 500,000 people who work in, or are retired from,
New York's schools, colleges, and healthcare facilities. The NYSUT
membership includes classroom teachers, college and university faculty and
professional staff, school bus drivers, custodians, secretaries, cafeteria
workers, teacher assistants and aides, nurses, psychologists and healthcare
technicians.
http://www.nysut.org/nysut/offices.html 16 regional offices, >300 full-time
staff
CONTACT: NYSUT Media Relations and Communications. (518) 213-6000, Ext.
6313. E-Mail: mediarel@...

http://www.nysut.org/healthandsafety/2004winter_nl.html
Health and Safety Resource Center
http://www.nysut.org/healthandsafety/index.html archive of articles

http://www.nycosh.org/about.html#anchor206596 nycosh@...
NYCOSH, the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health, is a
non-profit coalition of 200 local unions and more than 400 individual
workers, physicians, lawyers and other health and safety activists - all
dedicated to the right of every worker to a safe and healthful job. Part of
a nation-wide network of 25 union-based safety and health organizations,
NYCOSH fights job hazards where the fight is needed most: on the shop floor.

http://www.aft3882.org/whoweare.shtml
UCATS Local 3882, NYSUT, AFT, AFL-CIO, representing 1800 clerical and
technical workers at New York University.
148 West 4th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, N.Y. 10012
Phone: (646) 602-1485 Fax: 646-602-1503 Email: ucats@...

You may have noticed the initials after our name, Local 3882. We are members
of the New York State United Teachers representing 480,000 people who work
in New York's schools, colleges, and healthcare facilities. NYSUT is a
federation of more than 900 local unions, each representing its own members.
We are also a member of the American Federation of Teachers, representing
AFT 1.2 million members across the country as well as a member of the
AFL-CIO, representing 14 million members across the country. Being part of a
larger labor movement gives us a louder voice in organizing.
What do we stand for?
UCATS Local 3882 has a long history of fighting for worker's rights. These
rights include the right to a safe, respectful, non-discriminatory
workplace, the right to a fair and equitable wage, the right to health care
and job security, and the right to fair representation and due process.
UCATS Local 3882 is self-governing. Our officers and stewards are all
volunteers and are elected by members and serve on the Executive Council,
which is the decision making body of the local. Our union is truly made by
and for its members so that we may truly reflect our aspiration for our
families and communities.
UCATS Local 3882 is committed to all workers who fight for a voice in the
work place and reach out to other unions and groups that fight for justice,
peace, and equality.
UCATS Local 3882 believes in the value of each individual to better
themselves and their world through collective action.

http://www.psc-cuny.org/
Professional Staff Congress
25 West 43rd Street, Fifth Floor, New York, NY 10036
Telephone: 212-354-1252 FAX: 212 302-7815

PSC Office (General): office@...
Communications and Public Relations: communications@...
If you have a suggestion or question for the PSC leadership, email us at:
ccage@...
College Lab Technicians: Ms. Ellen Steinberg (212) 481-5056

http://www.uupinfo.org/ feedback@...
P.O. Box 15143, Albany, NY, Zip: 12212-5143
Telephone 800-342-4206 or 518-640-6600
Fax 866-812-9446 or 518-640-6698
Street Address 800 Troy-Schenectady Road, Latham, NY 12110
United University Professions is the union representing nearly 28,000
academic and professional faculty on 29 state-operated State University of
New York campuses, plus Central Administration, Empire State College, and
the New York State Theatre Institute. The women and men who make up UUP
educate the next generation of workers and leaders. They also engage in
groundbreaking research and provide invaluable service to their communities.

http://www.nyu.edu/search.nyu
New York University
Division: David B. Kriser Dental Center
Department: Administrative Office
Carnegie, 433 First Ave, 103
NYU Mail Code: 9432 Tel: (212) 998-9812 Fax: (212) 995-4240

Environmental Services
New York University
Division: VP for Administration Louis A. Ortiz lou.ortiz@...
Department: Environmental Services
14 Waverly Pl, 2 Fl
New York, New York (US) 10003
NYU Mail Code: 0518 Tel: (212) 998-1450 Fax: (212) 995-4932
****************************************************************************

http://www.nysut.org/newyorkteacher/2003-2004/040324safety.html

HOME | New York Teacher | Contact

Anatomy of a nightmare
A shocking chemical overexposure in a university lab

March 24, 2004
See also :
What other NYSUT members say about formaldehyde
Lab safety checklist
NYSUT Health and Safety Resources

When Michelle De Paola, 27, was hired to work at New York University's
College of Dentistry Anatomy Lab two years ago, it fit perfectly into her
career plan.

The job as a "diener," a lab technician who prepares cadavers for
dissection, was building her resume toward becoming a funeral home director.

But when De Paola was unknowingly overexposed to formaldehyde in the NYU lab
located below a student dorm, it shattered not only her career, but also her
health.

Now De Paola's union is charging NYU with more than a dozen safety
violations - most shockingly, that the administration failed to respond to
De Paola's ominous physical symptoms and left her marooned for days in the
lab where the overexposure occurred.

"This is the absolute worst nightmare," De Paola told New York Teacher from
her home in Brooklyn, "except I woke up and I'm living it."

The woman described by colleagues as "vibrant" now gets winded when she
walks. She must sleep sitting up because the weight of her chest on her
damaged lungs is too much to bear.

Her doctors say her respiratory system is permanently disabled. Since
formaldehyde is a carcinogen, she has a greater chance of developing certain
types of cancers.

While she grieves for her health, her career is also gone. Although she was
close to getting her funeral director's license, "now I can't even go to
work in an office of a funeral home," De Paola said. The risk of further
exposure to formaldehyde is too great for her now-compromised health system.

Warning signs
Although she didn't know it at the time, when De Paola was at work in the
NYU lab on Dec. 18, 2003, she breathed in formaldehyde fumes at seven times
the rate considered safe. Incredibly, union leaders say, after NYU found out
about the potential for overexposure, it took no steps to investigate and
correct the problem and kept her working in the lab, continually exposed to
formaldehyde.

"This is yet another instance where management is clearly more interested in
covering up their violations than in the health and safety of students,
staff and faculty," said Local 3882 President Stephen Rechner. "We are
making sure this will not be covered up."

That vow by De Paola's local union - the 1,700-member Union of Clerical,
Administrative and Technical Staff at NYU - is shared by its statewide
affiliate, New York State United Teachers.
NYSUT is supporting Local 3882 with expert help in pressing a complaint to
OSHA and the Environmental Protection Agency "to ensure that what happened
to Michelle will not happen to any other staff or students," said NYSUT
President Tom Hobart.

Michelle De Paola, second from right, meets with her union's executive board
on the problems with lab safety. [ photo ]

In a letter to Local 3882, NYU Director of Environmental Services Louis
Ortiz maintained that the university "acted and continues to act responsibly
to protect the safety and health of its employees."
NYU spokesman John Beckman, in an interview with New York Teacher,
acknowledged that a worker was exposed to seven times the permissible limit
of formaldehyde, and said: "Obviously we're concerned about what happened.
However, the university has had in place for many years a monitoring program
so that we know our employees are safe. Our past readings for this facility
have been far below normal, so we had no reason to suspect there would be a
problem."

NYSUT health and safety specialist Wendy Hord countered that "virtually
everything that OSHA requires the employer to do in a lab, the university
failed to do."

OSHA stands for the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration,
which regulates safety procedures for workers. Among other things, OSHA
requires employers to monitor formaldehyde exposure. In De Paola's case, she
wore a dosimeter - a passive monitoring device that contained a removable
cartridge registering formaldehyde exposure. NYU was supposed to collect the
cartridge, analyze the results, and take a series of actions as needed to
safeguard employees at risk.

Michelle De Paola had a dosimeter on in December when a shipment of cadavers
arrived from Albany Medical College in upstate New York.

The nightmare begins
In a brightly lit basement of a Hunter College dormitory, NYU rents lab
space from mid-December into March for the storage, dissection and disposal
of cadavers used for instruction at NYU's dental college. De Paola was the
sole lab technician at the seasonal lab, although many others - faculty,
students, and funeral home workers - came and went in the lab.

Lab operations changed significantly in the 2003-2004 session. Thirty-two
cadavers were ordered and received, double the usual number within the same
physical space. "After suggestions by faculty to 'enhance the dissection
experience,' two cadavers were placed on each table, instead of one as was
previously done," De Paola said.

Noted NYSUT's Hord: "Since university management knew they had doubled the
potential exposure in a contained space, the university should have expected
there would be a problem in the first place."
And although De Paola would not be notified of this until late January, the
upstate medical college supplying the cadavers had subcontracted the
embalming out to a mortuary school which had used a formaldehyde
concentration at least double the strength used in the past. (One source
told New York Teacher that the formaldehyde may have been four times more
concentrated than the usual solution.)
The added load, union officials charged, exacerbated existing safety
problems in the lab.

Slippery floor
What sent De Paola to her union initially was a seemingly routine safety
concern when she cut her arm with a Stryker autopsy saw on Jan. 12. She had
lost her footing on the lab floor that was slippery from cadaver fluids.

Local 3882 shop steward Michele Cox, an administrative aide at the dental
college in lower Manhattan, said De Paola had "already made an injury
report, and just wanted to check with me from the union standpoint. I
pointed out all the things she should document."

Cox was not surprised at De Paola's calmness in reporting the accident - she
knew De Paola for her taking-care-of-business work ethic and demeanor. "More
than half the time, you tell people to document something, and nothing ever
comes of it," Cox recalled. That wasn't to be the case this time.
When De Paola mentioned she was losing her sense of taste and smell, and
maybe she was coming down with the flu, Cox was concerned. But at that
point, neither Cox nor De Paola had any idea that De Paola's symptoms were
related to safety breaches at the lab.

Then on Jan. 16, De Paola received a seemingly routine e-mail suggesting she
call the NYU Department of Environmental Services on Jan. 20. The department
was alerting her to a high reading for formaldehyde exposure on the date of
Dec. 18 based on the monitoring dosimeter that De Paola wore. She was
informed a month after the fact that she had been overexposed to
formaldehyde at a rate of 5.06 parts per million - seven times the allowable
limit.

NYU spokesman Beckman said, "The university notified the employee the day we
were notified," adding that for much of the time between Dec. 18 and Jan.
16, NYU was closed for the semester break.

During that time, however, De Paola continued to be exposed. "I was working"
during the month that elapsed between exposure and notification, De Paola
said, adding that she was in the lab on Dec. 22, 23, 31 and was back to
full-time Jan. 5.

Losing a sense of smell
Shocked and worried about the potential dangers, De Paola immediately
contacted her union. Local 3882 turned for help to NYSUT and the state
Committee for Occupational Safety and Health.

What emerged in the union's subsequent investigation was a list of at least
15 safety violations of OSHA standards "that suggested NYU showed shocking
disregard for employee safety," said NYSUT First Vice President Antonia
Cortese.

On Jan. 16, De Paola told NYU specialists that she was experiencing symptoms
that could indicate formaldehyde overexposure: loss of taste and smell,
headache, stomach ache, rash, and sinus and respiratory symptoms. Again on
Jan. 18 she raised concerns about her symptoms to environmental specialists
and administrators: "Although I informed my employer that I was experiencing
signs and symptoms ... associated with formaldehyde exposure, no additional
monitoring was conducted," De Paola said. "I continued to perform my usual
tasks in the lab on Jan. 19, 20, 21, 26 and 27 without being monitored."

"NYU provided no medical evaluation as required by OSHA," Hord said. "Most
outrageously, when an employee reports significant irritation of the eyes,
the kind of symptoms that would raise red flags, OSHA requires medical
evaluation with possible removal. Without the proper respirator, it's
unbelievable that NYU let her continue to work."

On the union's advice, De Paola sought medical evaluation at the
Occupational Health Clinic at Mt. Sinai, a legislatively created network of
clinics under the auspices of the state Department of Health. Doctors told
her: "You can't go back to work in the lab."

The union prevailed on NYU to remove De Paola until a medical evaluation was
completed, both requirements of OSHA standards.

The union's subsequent investigation documented safety problems at the NYU
lab that include:
There were no change rooms, eye washes or quick drench showers, as required.

NYU gave De Paola only a disposable paper-type dust mask, instead of a
respirator that would protect her adequately from formaldehyde fumes.

NYU failed to provide required chemically protective clothing. Said De
Paola: "I must wear my personal clothing into the lab, only partially
covered by a cloth lab coat, disposable latex gloves and a plasticized apron
over the lab coat. I have no alternative but to wear my potentially
contaminated personal clothing home."

NYU failed to provide legally required training on formaldehyde procedures.

Lab floors are constantly wet and slippery from preservatives and other
cadaver fluids.

"There are no special provisions for disposal of cadaver-related waste," the
union complaint says. "No sealed containers or warning labels are provided.
Body bags and body wraps are disposed of as regular trash. Body liquids and
embalming fluid are disposed down the drain into the sewer system."

Broad-based concerns
The union's concerns extended beyond De Paola's case, as others may have had
high exposures as well. NYSUT shared its concerns with the local
representing graduate students, who are not monitored for exposure; and with
DC-37, whose members include custodians and maintenance people who clean the
floors.

NYSUT also alerted its affiliate at the City University of New York, the
Professional Staff Congress, out of concern that the ventilation system may
not be separate from other parts of the building, where PSC members work at
Hunter College.

"And the safety of the students who come and go in that building is
critically important," said NYSUT's Cortese, who promised that NYSUT will
continue to press for a full accounting on ventilation and other concerns.

Union at work
De Paola is deeply grateful for union support as she awaits the results of
the OSHA investigation.
"I knew my union was there for me, but I never knew the strength I would get
from it," De Paola said, noting Cox and union staffers Trudy Rudnick and
Greg Succop helped her throughout the process.

"What is most impressive is that Michelle worked with us to make sure other
workers don't have to go through what she did," said Rudnick, noting that De
Paola is involved in mobilizing other lab workers around health and safety
issues on campus.

Local 3882 has a long history of advocating for the health and safety of
workers. One contract provision, which Rechner said the university violated
in this instance, requires NYU to provide the union results of tests
measuring levels "of potentially harmful substances" within 24 hours.

Besides the OSHA complaint, the union has filed an Environmental Protection
Agency complaint and, at the urging of NYSUT's health and safety specialist,
is investigating conditions at all NYU labs.

The EPA complaint was generated after the union learned that "fluids from
cadavers, which are hazardous substances, were routinely mopped up and
poured down the same sink where students and lab techs washed their hands,"
Succop said.

The union also found out NYU and the EPA were negotiating an agreement that
would allow the university to self-monitor and disclose its own
environmental and health problems in exchange for the EPA waiving any
penalties. This is not an uncommon arrangement between EPA and universities.
"We found out about it on Feb. 11, the day before they were signing the
deal," said Rechner, president of the 1,700-member local. "We made as many
signs as we could" and picketed.

The informational picketing did not stop the deal, which has only
strengthened the union's resolve, Rechner said. "This event makes clear that
NYU is not committed to the environment nor the health and safety of workers
and cannot be depended upon to objectively evaluate conditions of their
facilities," he said.

Cortese said all workers need to take heed of this story. "The labor
movement learned its most tragic lesson - in what is now NYU's Brown
Building - with the March 25, 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist fire, which killed
146 young girls and women," she said. "That lesson is: Never assume that
your employer has your best interest, or your safety, in mind."

What next?
As New York Teacher went to press, Local 3882 was focusing on safety in all
labs while awaiting the results of the OSHA investigation.

Although De Paola has resigned her NYU position, she continues working with
the union as she contemplates an uncertain professional future with
compromised health. "The funeral service/medical field is what I've wanted
since my junior year in high school. This is a highly specialized field and
it's all I knew," De Paola said in mid-March.

In the meantime, one change has already taken place. On the door of the
anatomy lab, a sign recently appeared. It says: "BIOHAZARD. Universal
precautions must be observed."

Ironically, what should have been posted, according to the OSHA standard,
were the words: DANGER: Formaldehyde irritant and potential cancer hazard.
Authorized personnel only.
- Betsy Sandberg

What other NYSUT members say about formaldehyde

"Formaldehyde is more common than people think," said Dan Jaeger, technical
director of the anatomical gift program at SUNY's Upstate Medical Center in
Syracuse. "It's in nail polish and plywood, but there it's in such minute
amounts it's not going to hurt you."

Jaeger, who is also a funeral director, has worked around formaldehyde for
years and says it's not to be trifled with. Jaeger is a member of United
University Professions, the union representing academic and professional
faculty at the State University of New York campuses. "Those of us who work
with it must be more cautious. It is a carcinogen and you don't want to be
breathing it in," he said.

Ellen McTigue, an oncology nurse who runs a cervical cancer prevention
clinic at SUNY's Brooklyn Health Science Center, said formaldehyde "is
commonly used in a lot of phases of health care. Nurses are exposed in the
collection of specimens. Anyone who transports the specimens to the labs is
exposed" as are the lab workers.

McTigue has potential exposure every time she takes a specimen for a biopsy.
"My exposure is brief and sporadic. But even then, I still take care to
minimize my contact and make sure my room is well-ventilated," said McTigue,
membership chair for the Brooklyn UUP chapter.

Those who have worked with formaldehyde for years recall a time when the
dangers of exposure were not recognized. "When I took my gross anatomy lab
course in 1977, we didn't even wear gloves," said Michael Lyon, an associate
professor of otolaryngology at UMC Syracuse.

Lab safety checklist
The first safety question for anyone who works or teaches in a lab could be:
"Does my employer have a chemical hygiene plan as required by OSHA?" That
written program establishes procedures, equipment, personal protective
devices and work practices capable of protecting employees from health
hazards associated with chemicals in the workplace. The goal is to keep
employee exposures below permissible exposure limits.

Below is a checklist developed by union safety and health committees.
Are employees trained yearly in the proper handling of chemical substances,
recognition of potential hazards and appropriate emergency action
principles?

Are periodic workplace safety inspections performed to identify and correct
unsafe conditions and work practices?

Are potentially hazardous operations confined to specific locations and only
accessible to properly trained or authorized staff?

Are labels on chemical containers legible and firmly secured?

Are containers for substances such as corrosive liquids, poisons, flammable
or oxidizing substances labeled; is the degree of hazard identified and
communicated to staff?

Are employees aware of and trained in safe procedures for handling chemical
spills?

Are the locations of spill containment materials known by employees?

Are lab hoods regularly checked (at least once a year) for ventilation? Are
the results recorded and retained for at least five years?

Are appropriate respirators available and in good working condition in case
of emergency?

Is the general work area neat, clean, and in good condition?

If not part of the research or specific experiments, is food stored and
consumed away from work areas?

Are material safety data sheets available and easily accessible to employees
for all chemical substances used within the lab?

Are labels on chemical containers legible and firmly secured?

Is there a specific storage area, or a specifically designated cabinet, for
particularly volatile or hazardous materials?

Are employees trained to be aware of potential hazards associated with
incompatible chemicals?

Are gas cylinders capped and stored away from heat sources, elevators,
stairways and walkways?

Are electrical cords or equipment protected from exposure to chemicals or
excessive temperatures?

Have employees been trained and do they use the proper personal protective
equipment in association with the task being performed (such as wearing hair
coverings when working with combustibles or toxics)?

Are employees trained in emergency response principles?

Are first aid and spill containment supplies available in sufficient
quantities and replenished regularly?
Worried? Check with your local president if you have concerns about lab
safety.Dangers of exposure
How dangerous is formaldehyde?

A colorless liquid or gas with a distinctive odor, formaldehyde is regulated
by the federal government because of its danger to humans. The permissible
exposure limit is 0.75 parts per million parts of air over eight hours,
according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. That's
comparable to one ping-pong ball in a million, says Wendy Hord, health and
safety specialist for New York State United Teachers. A reading of 0.50
requires an employer to take action to reduce employee exposure. Even at
levels lower than 0.75, the chemical can irritate the eyes, nose and throat,
and can cause wheezing and coughing.

Michelle De Paola's monitoring badge revealed she was exposed to 5.06 parts
per million over eight hours on Dec. 18, 2003, seven times the allowable
limit.

Daily long-term exposure can cause asthma or lead to nasal, lung, pharynx
and sinus cancers.

A key ingredient in embalming fluid, formaldehyde is also used in making
plywood, particle board, coatings for paper and textiles, molded plastics,
sound insulation, adhesives and in clothing.

Lab safety checklist

The first safety question for anyone who works or teaches in a lab could be:
"Does my employer have a chemical hygiene plan as required by OSHA?" That
written program establishes procedures, equipment, personal protective
devices and work practices capable of protecting employees from health
hazards associated with chemicals in the workplace. The goal is to keep
employee exposures below permissible exposure limits.

Below is a checklist developed by union safety and health committees.

Are employees trained yearly in the proper handling of chemical substances,
recognition of potential hazards and appropriate emergency action
principles?

Are periodic workplace safety inspections performed to identify and correct
unsafe conditions and work practices?

Are potentially hazardous operations confined to specific locations and only
accessible to properly trained or authorized staff?

Are labels on chemical containers legible and firmly secured?

Are containers for substances such as corrosive liquids, poisons, flammable
or oxidizing substances labeled; is the degree of hazard identified and
communicated to staff?

Are employees aware of and trained in safe procedures for handling chemical
spills?

Are the locations of spill containment materials known by employees?

Are lab hoods regularly checked (at least once a year) for ventilation? Are
the results recorded and retained for at least five years?

Are appropriate respirators available and in good working condition in case
of emergency?

Is the general work area neat, clean, and in good condition?

If not part of the research or specific experiments, is food stored and
consumed away from work areas?

Are material safety data sheets available and easily accessible to employees
for all chemical substances used within the lab?

Are labels on chemical containers legible and firmly secured?

Is there a specific storage area, or a specifically designated cabinet, for
particularly volatile or hazardous materials?

Are employees trained to be aware of potential hazards associated with
incompatible chemicals?

Are gas cylinders capped and stored away from heat sources, elevators,
stairways and walkways?

Are electrical cords or equipment protected from exposure to chemicals or
excessive temperatures?

Have employees been trained and do they use the proper personal protective
equipment in association with the task being performed (such as wearing hair
coverings when working with combustibles or toxics)?

Are employees trained in emergency response principles?

Are first aid and spill containment supplies available in sufficient
quantities and replenished regularly?
Worried? Check with your local president if you have concerns about lab
safety.

NYSUT.org. Copyright New York State United Teachers. 800 Troy-Schenectady
Road, Latham, New York, 12110-2455. 518.213.6000. http://www.nysut.org.
****************************************************************************


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1071
research on aspartame (methanol, formaldehyde, formic acid) toxicity:
Murray 2004.05.31 rmforall

Rich Murray, MA Room For All rmforall@...
1943 Otowi Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505 USA 505-501-2298

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/927
Donald Rumsfeld, 1977 head of Searle Corp., got aspartame FDA approval:
Turner: Murray 2002.12.23 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1039
three-page review: aspartame (methanol, formaldehyde) toxicity:
Murray 2003.11.22 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1026
brief aspartame review: formaldehyde toxicity: Murray 2003.09.11 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1025
aspartame & formaldehyde toxicity: Murray 2003.09.09 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1067
eyelid contact dermatitis by formaldehyde from aspartame, AM Hill & DV
Belsito, Nov 2003: Murray 2004.03.30 rmforall [ 150 KB ]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/messages
119 members, 1086 posts in a public searchable archive

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartame/messages
808 members, 16,930 posts in a public, searchable archive

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1070
critique of aspartame review, French Food Safety Agency AFSSA 2002.05.07
aspartamgb.pdf (18 pages, in English), Martin Hirsch:
Murray 2004.04.13

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/957
safety of aspartame Part 1/2 12.4.2: EC HCPD-G SCF:
Murray 2003.01.12 rmforall EU Scientific Committee on Food, a whitewash

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1045
http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/scf2002-response.htm
Mark Gold exhaustively critiques European Commission Scientific
Committee on Food re aspartame ( 2002.12.04 ): 59 pages, 230 references

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/989 On 2003.04.10
the European Union Parliament voted 440 to 20 to approve sucralose,
limit cyclamates & reevaluate aspartame & stevia: Murray 2003.04.12 rmforall
There is an astonishing amount of positive research about stevia, banned in
the EU, and not allowed to be claimed as a sweetener in the USA:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1084
26 stevia safety abstracts since 1993: aspartame vs stevia debate on
alt.support.diabetes, George Schmidt, OD: Murray 2004.05.17

http://www.eatright.org/Nutritive(1).pdf
J Am Diet Assoc. 2004 Feb; 104(2): 255-75.
Position of the American Dietetic Association: use of nutritive and
nonnutritive sweeteners. American Dietetic Association.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1068
critique of aspartame review by American Dietetic Association Feb 2004,
Valerie B. Duffy & Madeleine J. Sigman-Grant: Murray 2004.05.14 rmforall

It is certain that high levels of aspartame use, above 2 liters daily for
months and years, must lead to chronic formaldehyde-formic acid toxicity.

Fully 11% of aspartame is methanol-- 1,120 mg aspartame in 2 L diet soda,
almost six 12-oz cans, gives 123 mg methanol (wood alcohol).
The methanol is immediately released into the body after drinking--
unlike the large levels of methanol locked up in complex molecules inside
many fruits and vegetables.
Within hours, the liver turns much of the methanol into formaldehyde, and
then much of that into formic acid, both of which in time are partially
eliminated as carbon dioxide and water.

However, about 30% of the methanol remains in the body as cumulative
durable toxic metabolites of formaldehyde and formic acid-- 37 mg daily,
a gram every month, accumulating in and affecting every tissue.

If only 10% of the methanol is retained daily as formaldehyde, that would
give 12 mg daily formaldehyde accumulation-- about 60 times more than the
0.2 mg from 10% retention of the 2 mg EPA daily limit for formaldehyde in
drinking water.

Bear in mind that the EPA limit for formaldehyde in drinking water is
1 ppm, or 2 mg daily for a typical daily consumption of 2 L of water.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/835
ATSDR: EPA limit 1 ppm formaldehyde in drinking water July 1999:
Murray 2002.05.30 rmforall

This long-term low-level chronic toxic exposure leads to typical patterns of
increasingly severe complex symptoms, starting with headache, fatigue, joint
pain, irritability, memory loss, rashes, and leading to vision and eye
problems, and even seizures. In many cases there is addiction. Probably
there are immune system disorders, with a hypersensitivity to these toxins
and other chemicals.

J. Nutrition 1973 Oct; 103(10): 1454-1459.
Metabolism of aspartame in monkeys.
Oppermann JA, Muldoon E, Ranney RE.
Dept. of Biochemistry, Searle Laboratories,
Division of G.D. Searle and Co. Box 5110, Chicago, IL 60680
They found that about 70% of the radioactive methanol in aspartame put into
the stomachs of 3 to 7 kg monkeys was eliminated within 8 hours, with little
additional elimination, as carbon dioxide in exhaled air and as water in
the urine.
They did not mention that this meant that about 30% of the methanol must
transform into formaldehyde and then into formic acid, both of which must
remain as toxic products in all parts of the body.
They did not report any studies on the distribution of radioactivity in body
tissues, except that blood plasma proteins after 4 days held 4% of the
initial methanol.
This study did not monitor long-term use of aspartame.

The low oral dose of aspartame and for methanol was 0.068 mmol/kg, about 1
part per million [ppm] of the acute toxicity level of 2,000 mg/kg, 67,000
mmol/kg, used by McMartin (1979).
Two L daily use of diet soda provides 123 mg methanol, 2 mg/kg for a 60 kg
person, a dose of 67 mmole/kg, a thousand times more than the dose in this
study.
By eight hours excretion of the dose in air and urine had leveled off at
67.1 +-2.1% as CO2 in the exhaled air and 1.57+-0.32% in the urine, so 68.7
% was excreted, and 31.3% was retained.
This data is the average of 4 monkeys.
"...the 14C in the feces was negligible."

"That fraction not so excreted (about 31%) was converted to body
constituents through the one-carbon metabolic pool."
"All radioactivity measurements were counted to +-1% accuracy..."
This indicates that the results could not be claimed to have a precision of
a tenth of a percent. OK, so this is a nit-pick-- but I believe espousing
spurious accuracy is a sign of scientific insecurity.

The abstract ends, "It was concluded that aspartame was digested to its
three constituents that were then absorbed as natural constituents of the
diet."
Thus, the concept is very subtly insinuated that methanol, as a
constituent of aspartame, is absorbed as a natural constituent of the diet.
"Dietary methanol is derived in large part from fresh fruits and
vegetables."
This is a serious error, since the large amounts of methanol in fresh fruits
and vegetables are not readily released by human digestion. (W. C. Monte,
1984)
Nowhere in this report are mentioned the dread words, "formaldehyde" and
"formic acid".

Of course, methanol and formaldehyde toxicity studies are highly relevant to
the issue of aspartame toxicity. [ Aspartame has to be turned into its
toxic products, formaldehyde and formic acid, in the body, before it is
toxic, so some pro-aspartame reseach studies test aspartame outside the
body, and then proclaim that they have proved that it is not toxic. ]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/915
formaldehyde toxicity: Thrasher & Kilburn: Shaham: EPA: Gold:
Wilson: CIIN: Murray 2002.12.12 rmforall

Thrasher (2001): "The major difference is that the Japanese demonstrated
the incorporation of FA and its metabolites into the placenta and fetus.
The quantity of radioactivity remaining in maternal and fetal tissues
at 48 hours was 26.9% of the administered dose." [ Ref. 14-16 ]

Arch Environ Health 2001 Jul-Aug; 56(4): 300-11.
Embryo toxicity and teratogenicity of formaldehyde. [100 references]
Thrasher JD, Kilburn KH. toxicology@...
Sam-1 Trust, Alto, New Mexico, USA.
http://www.drthrasher.org/formaldehyde_embryo_toxicity.html full text

http://www.drthrasher.org/formaldehyde_1990.html full text Jack Dwayne
Thrasher, Alan Broughton, Roberta Madison. Immune activation and
autoantibodies in humans with long-term inhalation exposure to formaldehyde.
Archives of Environmental Health. 1990; 45: 217-223. "Immune activation,
autoantibodies, and anti-HCHO-HSA antibodies are associated with long-term
formaldehyde inhalation." PMID: 2400243

Confirming evidence and a general theory are given by Pall (2002):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/909
testable theory of MCS type diseases, vicious cycle of nitric oxide &
peroxynitrite: MSG: formaldehyde-methanol-aspartame:
Martin L. Pall: Murray: 2002.12.09 rmforall

Environ Health Perspect. 2003 Sep; 111(12): 1461-4.
Elevated nitric oxide/peroxynitrite theory of multiple chemical sensitivity:
central role of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in the sensitivity mechanism.
Pall ML.
School of Molecular Biosciences, 301 Abelson Hall, Washington State
University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA. martin_pall@...

The elevated nitric oxide/peroxynitrite and the neural sensitization
theories of multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) are extended here to propose
a central mechanism for the exquisite sensitivity to organic solvents
apparently induced by previous chemical exposure in MCS.
This mechanism is centered on the activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)
receptors by organic solvents producing elevated nitric oxide and
peroxynitrite, leading in turn to increased stimulating of and
hypersensitivity of NMDA receptors.
In this way, organic solvent exposure may produce progressive sensitivity to
organic solvents.
Pesticides such as organophosphates and carbamates may act via muscarinic
stimulation to produce a similar biochemical and sensitivity response.

Accessory mechanisms of sensitivity may involve both increased blood-brain
barrier permeability, induced by peroxynitrite, and cytochrome P450
inhibition by nitric oxide.
The NMDA hyperactivity/hypersensitivity and excessive nitric
oxide/peroxynitrite view of MCS provides answers to many of the most
puzzling aspects of MCS while building on previous studies and views of this
condition. PMID: 12948884

Prof. Pall describes processes by which an initial trigger exposure, such as
carbon monoxide or formaldehyde, can generate hypersensitivity to many
substances. He himself had recovered from a sudden, debilitating attack of
multiple chemical sensitity in June/July 1997.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1055
hormesis: possible benefits of low-level aspartame (methanol, formaldehyde)
use: Calabrese: Soffritti: Murray 2004.03.11 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1056
disorders of NMDA glutamate receptors in brain range from high activity
(MCS, CF, PTSD, FM, from carbon monoxide or formaldehyde (methanol,
aspartame)-- Pall)
to low activity (schizophrenia-- Coyle, Goff, Javitts):
Murray 2004.03.13 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/946
Functional Therapeutics in Neurodegenerative Disease Part 1/2:
Perlmutter 1999.07.15: Murray 2003.01.10 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/97
Lancet website aspartame letter 1999.07.29:
Excitotoxins 1999 Part 1/3 Blaylock: Murray 2000.01.14 rmforall
The Medical Sentinel Journal 1999 Fall; (95 references)
http://www.dorway.com/blayenn.html

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1034
Brain cell damage from amino acid isolates (aspartame releases
phenylalanine, aspartate, methanol [formaldehyde, formic acid] Bowen &
Evangelista May 6 2002: Murray 2003.11.10 rmforall

http://www.aspartame.ca/Brain%20Cell%20Damage.pdf
Brain cell damage from amino acid isolates 5.6.2 41 references
detailed 22 page review by James D. Bowen, MD and Arthur M. Evangelista,
former FDA Investigator orwilly@...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/628
Professional House Doctors: Singer: EPA: CPSC:
formaldehyde toxicity: Murray 2001.06.10 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1047
Avoiding Hangover Hell 2003.12.31 Mark Sherman, AP writer:
Robert Swift, MD [ formaldehyde from methanol in aspartame ]:
Murray 2004.01.16 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1048
hangovers from formaldehyde from methanol (aspartame?):
Schwarcz: Linsley: Murray 2004.01.18

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1052
DMDC: Dimethyl dicarbonate 200mg/L in drinks adds methanol 98 mg/L
( becomes formaldehyde in body ): EU Scientific Committee on Foods
2001.07.12: Murray 2004.01.22 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/782
RTM: Smith, Terpening, Schmidt, Gums:
full text: aspartame, MSG, fibromyalgia 2002.01.17 rmforall
Jerry D Smith, Chris M Terpening, Siegfried OF Schmidt, and John G Gums
Relief of Fibromyalgia Symptoms Following
Discontinuation of Dietary Excitotoxins.
The Annals of Pharmacotherapy 2001; 35(6): 702-706.
Malcolm Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Gainesville, FL, USA.
BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia is a common rheumatologic disorder that is
often difficult to treat effectively.
CASE SUMMARY: Four patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome
for two to 17 years are described.
All had undergone multiple treatment
modalities with limited success. All had complete, or nearly complete,
resolution of their symptoms within months after eliminating monosodium
glutamate (MSG) or MSG plus aspartame from their diet.
All patients were women with multiple comorbidities
prior to elimination of MSG.
All have had recurrence of symptoms whenever MSG is ingested.

Siegfried O. Schmidt, MD Asst. Clinical Prof. siggy@...
Community Health and Family Medicine, U. Florida, Gainesville, FL
Shands Hospital West Oak Clinic Gainesville, FL 32608-3629
352-376-5071

Debbie J. Hypes painfreeliving@... 304-872-4141 (Case # 1 of 4)
P.O Box 25 Lookout, WV 25868-0025 She has about 1,000 on her local
mailing list, and has been a volunteer activist since 1997. Her guide
first came out in 1997: http://www.Pain-Free-Living.net
"The Food Plan: How To Do It" $ 5 by mail, free by email.
Her sister Darlene, now 47, cured her own severe fibromyalgia in 1995
by using an elimination diet, and then Debbie also cured herself by
1997. Their doctor, Siegfried Schmidt, paying attention, tried it on
two more patients, who got well, and are his third and fourth cases.

http://www.perque.org/Fibromyalgia.pdf
A Novel Treatment for Fibromyalgia Imrpoves Clinical Outcomes in a
Community-Based Study.
Patricia A. Deuster, Russell M. Jaffe. RJaffe@...
Journal of Musculoskeletal Pain. 1998; Vol. 6(2): 133-149.

http://www.perque.com/ info@... 800-525-7372

Using blood tests, the researchers ran a panel of 350 antigens including
environmental chemicals, food additives and preservatives, crustaceans,
diary products, fish, fruits, grains, meats, mollusks, and oils.

Normal, healthy people react to only two or less of this panel. The greatest
offenders were:

MSG 42.5 % (17 out of 40 patients)
Candida albicans 37.5
Caffeine 37
Chocolate/cocoa 37
Food colorings 37
Cola beverages 37
Cow Dairy Products 25
Sulfite/metabisulfite 22.5
Xylene 22.5
Yogurt 22.5
Aspartame 20
BHA 20
Cadmium 20
Lead 20
Tylenol 20
Yeast 20
Sodium benzoate 20
Orange 20

C. Trocho (1998):
"In all, the rats retained, 6 hours after administration, about 5% of the
label, half of it in the liver."

They used a very low level of aspartame ingestion, 10 mg/kg, for rats, which
have a much greater tolerance for aspartame than humans.
So, the corresponding level for humans would be about 1 or 2 mg/kg.
Many headache studies in humans used doses of about 30 mg/kg daily.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/925
aspartame puts formaldehyde adducts into tissues, Part 1/2
full text, Trocho & Alemany 1998.06.26: Murray 2002.12.22 rmforall

http://ww.presidiotex.com/barcelona/index.html full text
Formaldehyde derived from dietary aspartame binds to tissue components in
vivo.
Life Sci June 26 1998; 63(5): 337-49.
Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular,
Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.
http://www.bq.ub.es/cindex.html Línies de Recerca: Toxicitat de
l'aspartame http://www.bq.ub.es/grupno/grup-no.html
Sra. Carme Trocho, Sra. Rosario Pardo, Dra. Immaculada Rafecas,
Sr. Jordi Virgili, Dr. Xavier Remesar, Dr. Jose Antonio
Fernandez-Lopez, Dr. Mariā Alemany [male]
Fac. Biologia Tel.: (93)4021521, FAX: (93)4021559
Sra. Carme Trocho "Trok-ho" Fac. Biologia Tel.: (93)4021544,
FAX: (93)4021559
alemany@... bioq@... josefer@...
rafecas@... remesar@...

Abstract:
Adult male rats were given an oral dose of 10 mg/kg aspartame,
14C-labeled in the methanol carbon.
At timed intervals of up to 6 hours, the radioactivity in plasma and several
organs was investigated.
Most of the radioactivity found (>98% in plasma, >75% in liver) was bound to
protein.
Label present in liver, plasma and kidney was in the range of 1-2% of total
radioactivity administered per g or mL, changing little with time.
Other organs (brown and white adipose tissues, muscle, brain, cornea and
retina) contained levels of label in the range of 1/12th to 1/10th of that
of liver.
In all, the rats retained, 6 hours after administration, about 5% of the
label, half of it in the liver.

The specific radioactivity of tissue protein, RNA and DNA was quite uniform.
The protein label was concentrated in amino acids, different from
methionine, and largely coincident with the result of protein exposure to
labeled formaldehyde.
DNA radioactivity was essentially in a single different adduct base,
different from the normal bases present in DNA.
The nature of the tissue label accumulated was, thus, a direct consequence
of formaldehyde binding to tissue structures.

The administration of labeled aspartame to a group of cirrhotic rats
resulted in comparable label retention by tissue components, which suggests
that liver function (or its defect) has little effect on formaldehyde
formation from aspartame and binding to biological components.

The chronic treatment of a series of rats with 200 mg/kg of non-labeled
aspartame during 10 days results in the accumulation of even more label when
given the radioactive bolus, suggesting that the amount of formaldehyde
adducts coming from aspartame in tissue proteins and nucleic acids may be
cumulative.

It is concluded that aspartame consumption may constitute a hazard because
of its contribution to the formation of formaldehyde adducts. PMID: 9714421

[ Extracts ]
"The high label presence in plasma and liver is in agreement with the
carriage of the label from the intestine to the liver via the portal vein.
The high label levels in kidney and, to a minor extent, in brown adipose
tissue and brain are probably a consequence of their high blood flows (45).
Even in white adipose tissue, the levels of radioactivity found 6 hours
after oral administration were 1/25th those of liver.
Cornea and retina, both tissues known to metabolize actively methanol
(21,28) showed low levels of retained label.
In any case, the binding of methanol-derived carbon to tissue proteins was
widespread, affecting all systems, fully reaching even sensitive targets
such as the brain and retina....

The amount of label recovered in tissue components was quite high in all the
groups, but especially in the NA rats.
In them, the liver alone retained, for a long time, more than 2 % of the
methanol carbon given in a single oral dose of aspartame, and the rest of
the body stored an additional 2 % or more.
These are indeed extremely high levels for adducts of formaldehyde, a
substance responsible of chronic deleterious effects (33), that has also
been considered carcinogenic (34,47).
The repeated occurrence of claims that aspartame produces headache and other
neurological and psychological secondary effects-- more often than not
challenged by careful analysis-- (5, 9, 10, 15, 48) may eventually find at
least a partial explanation in the permanence of the formaldehyde label,
since formaldehyde intoxication can induce similar effects (49).

The cumulative effects derived from the incorporation of label in the
chronic administration model suggests that regular intake of aspartame may
result in the progressive accumulation of formaldehyde adducts.
It may be further speculated that the formation of adducts can help to
explain the chronic effects aspartame consumption may induce on sensitive
tissues such as brain (6, 9, 19, 50).
In any case, the possible negative effects that the accumulation of
formaldehyde adducts can induce is, obviously, long-term.
The alteration of protein integrity and function may needs some time to
induce substantial effects.
The damage to nucleic acids, mainly to DNA, may eventually induce cell death
and/or mutations.
The results presented suggest that the conversion of aspartame methanol into
formaldehyde adducts in significant amounts in vivo should to be taken into
account because of the widespread utilization of this sweetener.
Further epidemiological and long-term studies are needed to determine the
extent of the hazard that aspartame consumption poses for humans."

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/864
Butchko, Tephly, McMartin: Alemany: aspartame formaldehyde
adducts in rats: Murray 2002.09.08 rmforall
Prof. Alemany vigorously affirms the validity of the Trocho study
against criticism:
Butchko, HH et al [24 authors], Aspartame: review of safety.
Regul. Toxicol. Pharmacol. 2002 April 1; 35 (2 Pt 2): S1-93, review
available for $35, [an industry paid organ]. Butchko:
"When all the research on aspartame, including evaluations in both the
premarketing and postmarketing periods, is examined as a whole, it is
clear that aspartame is safe, and there are no unresolved questions
regarding its safety under conditions of intended use."
[ They repeatedly pass on the ageless industry deceit that the methanol
in fruits and vegetables is as as biochemically available as that in
aspartame-- see the 1984 rebuttal by W.C. Monte. ]
In the same report, Schiffman concludes on page S49, not citing any
research after 1997, "Thus, the weight of the scientific evidence
indicates that aspartame does not cause headache."
Dr. Susan S. Schiffman, Dept. of Psychiatry, Duke University
sss@... 919-684-3303, 660-5657

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/911
RTP ties to industry criticized by CSPI: Murray: 2002.12.09 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/846
aspartame in Merck Maxalt-MLT worsens migraine,
AstraZeneca Zomig, Eli Lilly Zyprexa,
J&J Merck Pepcid AC (Famotidine 10mg) Chewable Tab,
Pfizer Cool Mint Listerine Pocketpaks: Murray 2002.07.16 rmforall

Migraine MLT-Down: an unusual presentation of migraine
in patients with aspartame-triggered headaches.
Newman LC, Lipton RB Headache 2001 Oct; 41(9): 899-901.
[ Merck 10-mg Maxalt-MLT, for migraine, has 3.75 mg aspartame,
while 12 oz diet soda has 200 mg. ]
Headache Institute, St. Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY
Department of Neurology newmanache@...
Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
Innovative Medical Research RLipton@...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/855
Blumenthall & Vance: aspartame chewing gum headaches Nov 1997:
Murray 2002.07.28 rmforall

Harvey J. Blumenthal, MD, Dwight A Vance, RPh
Chewing Gum Headaches. Headache 1997 Nov-Dec; 37(10): 665-6.
Department of Neurology, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine,
Tulsa, USA. neurotulsa@...
Aspartame, a popular dietetic sweetener, may provoke headache in some
susceptible individuals. Herein, we describe three cases of young women
with migraine who reported their headaches could be provoked by chewing
gum sweetened with aspartame. [ 6-8 mg aspartame per stick chewing gum ]

Subject: Re: Murray: Butchko:

Tephly: critique of Trocho report Apr 2002 8.29.2
Date: Fri, 30 Aug 2002 09:49:56 +0200
From: Mariā Alemany <alemany@...>
To: "Rich Murray" <rmforall@...>
References: 1

Dear Rich,

Thank you for the opportunity to say something about the "paper" by Tephly
that followed our study on the incorporation of aspartame-derived methanol
label into DNA and protein of rats.
I don't know if responding to that publication is worth the effort.

Surprisingly, a serious journal, such as Life Sciences published a rebuttal
of our previous paper as a normal "research paper", but including no new
information neither experimental work.
This is only a sample of the "scientific" power of the advocates of
aspartame.

Anybody can extract conclusions from this anomaly, but it seems to me that
there was nothing new in that pamphlet that may add information to what we
already explained in our paper.
The responses to the questions raised by Tephly are already in our paper,
which means that either that it was not read or, worst, it was misread.

The presence of aspartame-derived label in DNA and protein adducts is
unquestionable and unquestioned, and agrees with previous studies.
Then, what importance has the mechanism of incorporation?
There were adducts, and they represent loss of function and mutation.
That was our thesis.

The reference to previous studies showing very low levels of formaldehyde in
blood do not refute our data.
First of all, measuring formaldehyde is tricky,
and in any case, the circulating levels would be below the current limit of
detection for most of the methods used.
That is the current explanation for the low levels of methanol in plasma
after aspartame loading: they are zero, using most of the methods available
for methanol, since the expected levels are currently below the limit of
detection...

In addition, it is not logical to expect to find measurable levels of
formaldehyde in a medium (blood) containing a huge amount of protein.
Formaldehyde reacts immediately with proteins because it is highly reactive:
that is the reason why we have found it in cell protein and DNA.
It is absurd to expect it to forfeit binding with cell proteins and go all
the way into the bloodstream!
Remember that formaldehyde is used to preserve corpses precisely because it
binds protein (including those of putrefactive bacteria) and prevents its
degradation.

The "alternative" point expressed by Tephly, suggesting that aspartame
methanol-label goes all the way into formic acid and the C1 pathway was
thoroughly refuted by us, using experimental data.
There was no labelled methionine nor thymine in protein and DNA respectively
in the rat protein we recovered from rats treated with aspartame.
This means--unequivocally-- that the label present in DNA and protein
adducts was NOT incorporated into amino acids or nucleic acid bases.

The only explanation for our data was that the label was in the form of
formaldehyde adducts.

If this explanation does not satisfy other scientists, they are free to
repeat the experiment and show where we went wrong, or to probe and prove
experimentally their hypotheses. Otherwise, our results stand unchecked
and, consequently, should be deemed true.

I hope that this information will help any attentive reader understand why
we have left for good this field of study.

Best regards.
------------------------------
Prof.Dr. Mariā Alemany
Grup de Recerca Nitrogen-Obesitat
Departament de Nutriciķ i Bromatologia
Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona
Av. Diagonal, 645; 08028 Barcelona Espanya/Espaņa/Spain
tel. +34 93 403 4606; fax: +34 93 403 7064; E-mail: alemany@...

Life Sci 1999; 65(13): PL157-60. [ letter, usually not peer reviewed ]
Comments on the purported generation of formaldehyde and adduct
formation from the sweetener aspartame.

Tephly TR Thomas R. Tephly 319-335-7979 thomas-tephly@...
ttephly@... Department of Pharmacology
The University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242, USA.

A recent paper by Trocho et al. (1) describes experiments meant to show that
formaldehyde adducts are formed when rats are administered the sweetener
aspartame.
These authors assume that the methanol carbon of aspartame generates
formaldehyde which then forms adducts with protein, DNA, and RNA.
Doses employed range widely.
In this letter, studies which have been published previously and which were
not cited by these authors are reviewed in order to put into perspective the
disposition of methanol and formaldehyde in monkeys and humans, species
relevant to the toxicity of methanol and its toxic metabolite, formic acid.
PMID: 10503962, UI: 99431287

[ A number of pro-aspartame studies by Tephly and associates, invariably
funded by the aspartame industry (Monsanto, NutraSweet) are criticized in
detail at:

http://www.HolisticMed.com/aspartame mgold@...
Aspartame Toxicity Information Center Mark D. Gold
12 East Side Drive #2-18 Concord, NH 03301 603-225-2100
http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/abuse/methanol.html
"Scientific Abuse in Aspartame Research"

Gold points out that industry methanol assays were too insensitive to
properly measure blood methanol levels. ]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1016
President Bush & formaldehyde (aspartame) toxicity: Ramazzini Foundation
carcinogenicity results Dec 2002: Soffritti: Murray 2003.08.03 rmforall

p. 88 "The sweetening agent aspartame hydrolyzes in the gastrointestinal
tract to become free methyl alcohol, which is metabolized in the liver
to formaldehyde, formic acid, and CO2. (11)"
Medinsky MA & Dorman DC. 1994; Assessing risks of low-level
methanol exposure. CIIT Act. 14: 1-7.

Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2002 Dec; 982: 87-105.
Results of long-term experimental studies on the carcinogenicity of
formaldehyde and acetaldehyde in rats.
Soffritti M, Belpoggi F, Lambertin L, Lauriola M, Padovani M, Maltoni C.
Cancer Research Center, European Ramazzini Foundation for Oncology and
Environmental Sciences, Bologna, Italy. crcfr@...

Formaldehyde was administered for 104 weeks in drinking water supplied
ad libitum at concentrations of 1500, 1000, 500, 100, 50, 10, or 0 mg/L
to groups of 50 male and 50 female Sprague-Dawley rats beginning at
seven weeks of age.
Control animals (100 males and 100 females) received tap water only.
Acetaldehyde was administered to 50 male and 50 female Sprague-Dawley
rats beginning at six weeks of age at concentrations of 2,500, 1,500,
500, 250, 50, or 0 mg/L.
Animals were kept under observation until spontaneous death.
Formaldehyde and acetaldehyde were found to produce an increase in total
malignant tumors in the treated groups and showed specific carcinogenic
effects on various organs and tissues. PMID: 12562630

Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2002 Dec; 982: 46-69.

Results of long-term experimental studies on the carcinogenicity of
methyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol in rats.
Soffritti M, Belpoggi F, Cevolani D, Guarino M, Padovani M, Maltoni C.
Cancer Research Center, European Ramazzini Foundation for Oncology and
Environmental Sciences, Bologna, Italy. crcfr@...

Methyl alcohol was administered in drinking water supplied ad libitum at
doses of 20,000, 5,000, 500, or 0 ppm to groups of male and female
Sprague-Dawley rats 8 weeks old at the start of the experiment.
Animals were kept under observation until spontaneous death.
Ethyl alcohol was administered by ingestion in drinking water at a
concentration of 10% or 0% supplied ad libitum to groups of male and
female Sprague-Dawley rats; breeders and offspring were included in the
experiment.
Treatment started at 39 weeks of age (breeders), 7 days before mating,
or from embryo life (offspring) and lasted until their spontaneous death.
Under tested experimental conditions, methyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol
were demonstrated to be carcinogenic for various organs and tissues.
They must also be considered multipotential carcinogenic agents.
In addition to causing other tumors, ethyl alcohol induced malignant
tumors of the oral cavity, tongue, and lips.
These sites have been shown to be target organs in man by epidemiologic
studies. Publication Types: Review Review, Tutorial PMID: 12562628

Surely the authors deliberately emphasized that aspartame is well-known
to be a source of formaldehyde, which is an extremely potent, cumulative
toxin, with complex, multiple effects on all tissues and organs.

This is even more significant, considering that they have already tested
aspartame, but not yet released the results:

p. 29-32 Table 1: The Ramazzinni Foundation Cancer Program
Project of [200] Long-Term Carcinogenicity Bioassays: Agents Studied

No. No. of Bioassays Species No. Route of Exposure
108. "Coca-Cola" 4 Rat 1,999 Ingestion, Transplantal Route

109. "Pepsi-Cola" 1 Rat 400 Ingestion
110. Sucrose 1 Rat 400 Ingestion
111. Caffeine 1 Rat 800 Ingestion
112. Aspartame 1 Rat 1,800 Ingestion

http://members.nyas.org/events/conference/conf_02_0429.html
Soffritti said that Coca-Cola showed no carcinogenicity.

It may be time to disclose these important aspartame results.

Finally, an intripid and much published team in Japan has found DNA damage
in 8 tissues from single non-lethal doses of aspartame (near-significant
high levels of DNA damage in 5 tissues) and many other additives in groups
of just 4 mice:

Mutat Res 2002 Aug 26; 519(1-2): 103-19
The comet assay with 8 mouse organs: results with 39 currently used food
additives.
Sasaki YF, Kawaguchi S, Kamaya A, Ohshita M, Kabasawa K, Iwama K,
Taniguchi K, Tsuda S.
Laboratory of Genotoxicity, Faculty of Chemical and Biological
Engineering, Hachinohe National College of Technology,
Tamonoki Uwanotai 16-1, Aomori 039-1192, Japan.
yfsasaki-c@... s.tsuda@...

We determined the genotoxicity of 39 chemicals currently in use as food
additives.
They fell into six categories-dyes, color fixatives and
preservatives, preservatives, antioxidants, fungicides, and sweeteners.

We tested groups of four male ddY mice once orally with each additive at
up to 0.5xLD(50) or the limit dose (2000 mg/kg) and performed the comet
assay on the glandular stomach, colon, liver, kidney, urinary bladder, lung,
brain, and bone marrow 3 and 24 h after treatment.

Of all the additives, dyes were the most genotoxic.
Amaranth, Allura Red, New Coccine, Tartrazine, Erythrosine, Phloxine, and
Rose Bengal induced dose-related DNA damage in the glandular stomach, colon,
and/or urinary bladder.
All seven dyes induced DNA damage in the gastrointestinal organs at a low
dose (10 or 100 mg/kg).

Among them, Amaranth, Allura Red, New Coccine, and Tartrazine induced
DNA damage in the colon at close to the acceptable daily intakes (ADIs).

Two antioxidants (butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated
hydroxytoluene (BHT)), three fungicides (biphenyl, sodium
o-phenylphenol, and thiabendazole), and four sweeteners (sodium
cyclamate, saccharin, sodium saccharin, and sucralose) also induced DNA
damage in gastrointestinal organs.

Based on these results, we believe that more extensive assessment of
food additives in current use is warranted. PMID: 12160896

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/934
24 recent formaldehyde toxicity [Comet assay] reports:
Murray 2002.12.31 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/935
Comet assay finds DNA damage from sucralose, cyclamate, saccharin in
mice: Sasaki YF & Tsuda S Aug 2002: Murray 2003.01.01 rmforall
[ Also borderline evidence, in this pilot study of 39 food additives,
using test groups of 4 mice, for DNA damage from for stomach, colon,
liver, bladder, and lung 3 hr after oral dose of 2000 mg/kg aspartame--
a very high dose. Methanol is the only component of aspartame that can lead
to DNA damage. ]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/961
genotoxins, Comet assay in mice: Ace-K, stevia fine; aspartame poor;
sucralose, cyclamate, saccharin bad: Y.F. Sasaki Aug 2002:
Murray 2003.01.27 rmforall [A detailed look at the data] ]

J Toxicol Sci. 2002 Dec; 27 Suppl 1: 1-8.
[Genotoxicity studies of stevia extract and steviol by the comet assay]
[Article in Japanese]
Sekihashi K, Saitoh H, Sasaki Y. yfsasaki-c@...
Safety Research Institute for Chemical Compounds Co., Ltd., 363-24 Shin-ei,
Kiyota-ku, Sapporo 004-0839, Japan.

The genotoxicity of steviol, a metabolite of stevia extract, was evaluated
for its genotoxic potential using the comet assay.
In an in vitro study, steviol at 62.5, 125, 250, and 500 micrograms/ml did
not damage the nuclear DNA of TK6 and WTK1 cells in the presence and absence
of S9 mix.
In vivo studies of steviol were conducted by two independent organizations.
Mice were sacrificed 3 and 24 hr after one oral administration of steviol at
250, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg.
DNA damage in multiple mouse organs was measured by the comet assay as
modified by us.
After oral treatment, stomach, colon, liver, kidney and testis DNA were not
damaged.
The in vivo genotoxicity of stevia extract was also evaluated for its
genotoxic potential using the comet assay.
Mice were sacrificed 3 and 24 hr after oral administration of stevia extract
at 250, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg.
Stomach, colon and liver DNA were not damaged.
As all studies showed negative responses, stevia extract and steviol are
concluded to not have DNA-damaging activity in cultured cells and mouse
organs. PMID: 12533916

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1018
aspartame toxicity coverup increases danger of corporate meltdown:
Michael C. Carakostas of Coca-Cola: Murray 2003.08.11 rmforall
http://www.isrtp.org/new_members/members1.htm
The International Society of Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology
Carakostas, Michael C., DVM, PhD Director/Scientific & Regulatory
Affairs The Coca-Cola Company PO Drawer 1734 Atlanta, GA 30301
T. 404/676-4234 F. 404/676-7166 E-mail: mcarakostas@...
http://www2.coca-cola.com/ourcompany/columns_aspartame.html [photo]
Aspartame: The world agrees it's safe By Michael Carakostas, DVM, PhD
Director, Scientific and Regulatory Affairs, Coca-Cola

It is commendable that Carakostas mentions the core problem, albeit
disparagingly, and overlaid with multiple untruths: "During digestion,
aspartame yields a very small amount of methanol-- as do many other food
substances. The body converts this methanol to formaldehyde, which is
instantly converted to formate. Formate is quickly eliminated as carbon
dioxide and water."

Carakostas deceptively make claims, unsupported by research, that the amount
of methanol from aspartame is "very small", that many foods release as much,
and that little of the inevitable formaldehyde or formic acid toxic products
accumulate in body tissues. This executive, with a PhD in veterinary
science, is deceiving people about very serious multiple toxicities.

Thus, there is evidence here cited from 1973 to 2004 that research and
reviews by immense vested interests about aspartame must be scrutinized with
the greatest skepticism. The greatest Internet myth about aspartame is
this: "Aspartame is the most thoroughly tested food additive in history."

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/857
www.dorway.com: original documents and long reviews of flaws in
aspartame toxicity research: Murray 2002.07.31 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/858
Samuels: Strong: Roberts: Gold: flaws in double-blind studies re
aspartame and MSG toxicity: Murray 2002.08.01 rmforall

"Survey of aspartame studies: correlation of outcome and funding
sources," 1998, unpublished: http://www.dorway.com/peerrev.html
Walton found 166 separate published studies in the peer reviewed
medical literature, which had relevance for questions of human safety.
The 74 studies funded by industry all (100%) attested to aspartame's
safety, whereas of the 92 non-industry funded studies, 84 (91%)
identified a problem. Six of the seven non-industry funded studies
that were favorable to aspartame safety were from the FDA, which
has a public record that shows a strong pro-industry bias.
Ralph G. Walton, MD, Prof. of Clinical Psychology, Northeastern Ohio
Universities, College of Medicine, Dept. of Psychiatry, Youngstown,
OH 44501, Chairman, The Center for Behavioral Medicine,
Northside Medical Center, 500 Gypsy Lane, P.O. Box 240 Youngstown,
OH 44501 330-740-3621 rwalton193@...
http://www.neoucom.edu/DEPTS/Psychiatry/walton.htm

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/622
Gold: Koehler: Walton: Van Den Eeden: Leon:
aspartame toxicity: Murray 2001.06.04 rmforall four double-blind studies

Headache 1988 Feb; 28(1): 10-4
The effect of aspartame on migraine headache.
Koehler SM, Glaros A PMID: 3277925, UI: 88138777
Shirley M. Koehler, PhD 904-858-7651 skoehler@...
http://www.med.umich.edu/abcn/alpha/alpha-K.html#Koehler
Alan Glaros glarosa@... 816-235-2074

They conducted a double-blind study of patients, ages 18-55, who had
a medical diagnosis of classical migraines (normally having 1-3
migraines in 4-weeks), who were not on medications (other than
analgesics), and who suspected that aspartame had a negative effect on
their migraine headaches. The subjects were given 1200 mg daily,
aspartame or placebo, for four weeks, about 17 mg/kg. The placebo
group had no increase in headaches. Approximately half of the subjects
(5 of 11) who took aspartame had a large, statistically significant
(p = 0.02), increase in migraine headache frequency, but not in
intensity or duration, compared to baseline or placebo. Only 11 of
25 subjects completed the program: 8 dropped out, 4 began new
medications, 2 had incomplete records. They were at home.
Since 1/3 of the subjects dropped out, they may have been choosing
to avoid headaches-- were they unpaid? To achieve statistical
signifance with only 11 subjects hints that the incidence rate from
aspartame is very high, about 1/2, for migraine cases who believe
that they are hurt by aspartame.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1077
eight depressed people react strongly to aspartame, Prof. Ralph G. Walton,
MD, 1993 double-blind study, full text: Murray 2004.04.26 rmforall

Walton, RG, "Adverse reactions to aspartame: double-blind challenge in
patients from a vulnerable population," 1993, with Robert Hudak and
Ruth J. Green-Waite, Biological Psychiatry, 34 (1), 13-17.
Ralph G. Walton, MD, Prof. of Clinical Psychology, Northeastern Ohio
Universities, College of Medicine, Dept. of Psychiatry, Youngstown,
OH 44501, Chairman, The Center for Behavioral Medicine,
Northside Medical Center, 500 Gypsy Lane, P.O. Box 240 Youngstown,
OH 44501 330-740-3621 rwalton193@...
http://www.neoucom.edu/DEPTS/Psychiatry/walton.htm

Eight depressed patients, ages 24-60, and five non-depressed controls,
ages 24-56, employed at the hospital, were given for 7 days either
aspartame or a placebo, and then after a 3 day break, given the
opposite. Each got 2100 mg aspartame daily, 30 mg/kg bodyweight,
equal to 10-12 cans of diet soda daily, about a gallon. Despite the
very small number of subjects, the results were dramatic and
statistically significant. The eight depressed patients reported with
aspartame, compared to placebo, much higher levels of nervousness,
trouble remembering, nausea, depression, temper, and malaise. (For each
symptom, p<0.01) The five normals did not report strong enough
differences between aspartame and placebo to be significant.
Initially, the study was to be on a group of 40, but was halted by the
Institutional Review Board because of severe reactions among 3 of the
depressed patients.

Again, statistical significance with only 8 depressed patients:
"In this study, patients most often began to report significant
symptoms after day 2 or 3." The incidence rate is very high,
indeed, about 1/3. The most common symptoms are entirely typical
of thousands of case histories.

Stephen K. Van Den Eeden, T.D. Koepsell, W.T. Longstreth, Jr,
G. van Belle, J.R. Daling, B. McKnight, "Aspartame ingestion and
headaches: a randomized crossover trial," 1994, Neurology, 44, 1787-93
Steven K. Van Den Eeden,PhD 550-450-2202 skv@...
Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program
3505 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94611-5714
http://www.dor.kaiser.org/dorhtml/investigators/Stephen_Van_Den_Eeden.html

In their introduction, they comment:

"In addition, the FDA had received over 5,000 complaints as of July,
1991 in a passive surveillance system to monitor adverse side effects.
(17) Neurologic problems constitute the primary complaints in these
and several other case series, with headaches accounting for
18 to 45 %,depending on the case series reported. (17-19)"

Subjects, ages 18-57, were recruited who believed they got headaches
from aspartame, but were otherwise mentally and physically healthy.
They were paid $ 15 total, and were at home. Of the 44 subjects, 32
contributed data to the 38-day trials: a week of inert placebo, a week
of either aspartame or placebo, followed by a week of the opposite, and
then this two-week cycle repeated. The daily dose was about 30 mg/kg.
"The proportion of days subjects reported having a headache was
higher during aspartame treatment compared with placebo treatment
(aspartame = 0.33, placebo = 0.24; p = 0.04) (table 5)".
Of the 12 subjects not included in the data, 7 reported adverse
symptoms before withdrawing.

Again, statistical significance with a moderate number of healthy
subjects, willing to be recruited by a newspaper ad, who believed
aspartame hurt them. The number of headaches for each subject
for each treatment week are given: it appears that 4 subjects
had the strongest increase in headaches from the run-in week
or placebo week to their first week on aspartame, jumping from 0 to 5,
1 to 6, 1 to 4, 0 to 5 headaches per week. So, about 4 of the 44
healthy people recruited for the study, who believed aspartame hurt
them, had a stong increase in headaches from the first week of daily
asparame exposure, while 7 reported adverse symptoms before leaving,
a total of 11 out of 44, an incidence ratio of 1/4.

This is sky high, if we consider that, if the incidence ratio for the
about two hundred million users in the USA is 1 of 100, that is 2
million cases. It is plausible that the incidence ratio lies between 1
and 10 out of 100 for continuous daily exposure. These three flames
should have set off alarm bells, with extensive follow-up studies and
much more careful study of thousands of case histories. But these
little flares were adroitly smothered by thick blankets of industry
funded fluff:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/623
Simmons: Gold: Schiffman: Spiers:
aspartame toxicity: Murray 2001.06.04 rmforall two double-blind studies

http://www.dorway.com/tldaddic.html 5-page review
Roberts HJ Aspartame (NutraSweet) addiction.
Townsend Letter 2000 Jan; HJRobertsMD@...
http://www.sunsentpress.com/ sunsentpress@...
Sunshine Sentinel Press P.O.Box 17799 West Palm Beach, FL 33416
800-814-9800 561-588-7628 561-547-8008 fax

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/669
1038-page medical text "Aspartame Disease: An Ignored Epidemic"
published May 30 2001 $ 60.00 postpaid data from 1200 cases
available at http://www.amazon.com
over 600 references from standard medical research

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/790
Moseley: review Roberts "Aspartame Disease: An Ignored Epidemic":
Murray 2002.02.07 rmforall

Roberts, Hyman J., 1924- ,
Useful insights for diagnosis, treatment and public heath: an updated
anthology of original research, 2002, 798 pages,
aspartame disease, pages 627-685, 778-780

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/859
Roberts: the life work of a brilliant clinician: aspartame toxicity:
Murray 2002.08.02 rmforall

http://www.dorway.com ( David O. Rietz, died 2003 )
over 12,000 print pages
Mission-Possible-USA Betty Martini 770-242-2599
Bettym19@... dorietz@...
http://www.dorway.com/asprlink.html many links
http://www.dorway.com/nslawsuit.txt Jeff Martin, Attorney
http://www.dorway.com/doctors.txt
What many informed doctors are saying/have said about aspartame

Aspartame Consumer Safety Network and Pilot Hotline
Mary Nash Stoddard P.O. Box 780634 Dallas, TX 75378
214-352-4268 marystod@ai(rmail.net
http://web2.airmail.net/marystod/index.html
http://web2.airmail.net/marystod/espanol.htm
Toxicology Sourcebook: "Deadly Deception: Story of Aspartame"

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/802
700.club.com: CBN:
Totheroh & Robertson: aspartame expose : Murray 2002.02.13 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/805
Ive: UK Daily Mirror Magazine: aspartame toxicity:
Murray 2002.02.18 rmforall

http://www.dorway.com/upipart1.txt
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/262
aspartame expose 96K Oct 1987 Part 1/3: Gregory Gordon, UPI reporter:
Murray 2000.07.10 rmforall

http://www.dorway.com/enclosur.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/53
aspartame history Part 1/4 1964-1976: Gold: Murray 1999.11.06 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/928
revolving door, Monsanto, FDA, EPA: NGIN: Murray 2002.12.23 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/841
RTM: Merisant Co., MSD Capital, Dell Computer Corp., NutraSweet Co.,
JW Childs Assc.: aspartame-neotame toxicity 2002.07.10 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/876
hyperthyroidism (Graves disease) in George and Barbara Bush, 1991--
aspartame toxicity? Roberts 1997: Murray 2002.10.09 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/874
re "dry drunk": Bisbort: danger to President Bush from aspartame
toxicity: Murray: 2002.02.24 2002.09.29 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1065
politicians and celebrities hooked on diet sodas (aspartame):
Murray 2004.03.24 rmforall

http://google.com gives 247,000 websites for "aspartame" , with the top
8 of 10 listings being anti-aspartame, while
http://groups.google.com finds on 700 MB of posts from 20 years of
Usenet groups, 92,300 posts, the top 10 being anti-aspartame.
http://news.google.com 33 recent aspartame items from 4500 sources.
http://www.AllTheWeb.com gives 43,913, the top 8 of 10 anti.
http://teoma.com/index.asp gives 78,200 websites, top 8 of 10 anti.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed lists 760 aspartame items.

Many scientific studies and case histories report: * headaches * many body
and joint pains (or burning, tingling, tremors, twitching, spasms, cramps,
stiffness, numbness, difficulty swallowing) * fever, fatigue, swollen
glands * "mind fog", "feel unreal", poor memory, confusion, anxiety,
irritability, depression, mania, insomnia, dizziness, slurred speech, sexual
problems, poor vision, hearing (deafness, tinnitus), or taste * red face,
itching, rashes, allergic dermatitis, hair loss, burning eyes or throat, dry
eyes or mouth, mouth sores, burning tongue * obesity, bloating, edema,
anorexia, poor appetite or excessive hunger or thirst * breathing
problems, shortness of breath * nausea, diarrhea or constipation * coldness
* sweating * racing heart, low or high blood pressure, erratic blood sugar
levels * hypothryroidism or hyperthyroidism * seizures * birth defects
* brain cancers * addiction * aggrivates diabetes, autism, allergies,
lupus, ADHD, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple chemical
sensitivity, multiple sclerosis, pseudotumor cerebri and interstitial
cystitis (bladder pain).
***********************************************************

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/870
Aspartame: Methanol and the Public Interest 1984: Monte:
Murray 2002.09.23 rmforall

Dr. Woodrow C. Monte Aspartame: methanol, and the public health.
Journal of Applied Nutrition 1984; 36 (1): 42-54.
(62 references) Professsor of Food Science [retired 1992]
Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287 woodymonte@...
The methanol from 2 L of diet soda, 5.6 12-oz cans, 20 mg/can, is
112 mg, 10% of the aspartame.
The EPA limit for water is 7.8 mg daily for methanol (wood alcohol), a
deadly cumulative poison.
Many users drink 1-2 L daily.
The reported symptoms are entirely consistent with chronic methanol
toxicity. (Fresh orange juice has 34 mg/L, but, like all juices, has 16
times more ethanol, which strongly protects against methanol.)

"Fruit and vegetables contain pectin with variable methyl ester content.
However, the human has no digestive enzymes for pectin (6, 25) particularly
the pectin esterase required for its hydrolysis to methanol (26).

Fermentation in the gut may cause disappearance of pectin (6) but the
production of free methanol is not guaranteed by fermentation (3).
In fact, bacteria in the colon probably reduce methanol directly to formic
acid or carbon dioxide (6) (aspartame is completely absorbed before
reaching the colon).
Heating of pectins has been shown to cause virtually no demethoxylation;
even temperatures of 120 deg C produced only traces of methanol (3).
Methanol evolved during cooking of high pectin foods (7) has been accounted
for in the volatile fraction during boiling and is quickly lost to the
atmosphere (49).
Entrapment of these volatiles probably accounts for the elevation in
methanol levels of certain fruits and vegetable products during canning (31,
33)."

Recent research [see links at end of post] supports his focus on the
methanol to formaldehyde toxic process:

"The United States Environmental Protection Agency in their Multimedia
Environmental Goals for Environmental Assessment recommends a minimum
acute toxicity concentration of methanol in drinking water at 3.9 parts
per million, with a recommended limit of consumption below 7.8 mg/day (8).
This report clearly indicates that methanol:

"...is considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion
once it is absorbed. In the body, methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde
and formic acid; both of these metabolites are toxic." (8)...

Recently the toxic role of formaldehyde (in methanol toxicity) has been
questioned (34).
No skeptic can overlook the fact that, metabolically, formaldehyde must be
formed as an intermediate to formic acid production (54).

Formaldehyde has a high reactivity which may be why it has not been found in
humans or other primates during methanol posisioning (59)....

If formaldehyde is produced from methanol and does have a reasonable half
life within certain cells in the poisoned organism the chronic toxicological
ramifications could be grave.

Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen (57) producing squanous-cell carcinomas
by inhalation exposure in experimental animals (22).
The available epidemiological studies do not provide adequate data for
assessing the carcinogenicity of formaldehyde in man (22, 24, 57).

However, reaction of formaldehyde with deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) has
resulted in irreversible denaturation that could interfere with DNA
replication and result in mutation (37)..."

http://www.dorway.com/barua.html
Dr. J. Barua (ophthalmic surgeon), Dr. Arun Bal (surgeon)
Emerging facts about aspartame.
Journal Of The Diabetic Association Of India 1995; 35 (4):
(79 references) barua@...
"...the total amount of methanol absorbed will be approximately 10% of
aspartame ingested. An EPA assessment of methanol states that methanol, 'is
considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion once it is
absorbed. The absorbed methanol is then slowly converted to
formaldehyde...'"
"Reaction of formaldehyde with DNA has been observed, by spectrophotometry
and electron microscopy, to result in irreversible denaturation."
"DKP [from aspartame] has been implicated in the occurence of brain
tumors."
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http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/939
aspartame (aspartic acid, phenylalanine) binding to DNA:
Karikas July 1998: Murray 2003.01.05 rmforall
Karikas GA, Schulpis KH, Reclos GJ, Kokotos G
Measurement of molecular interaction of aspartame and
its metabolites with DNA. Clin Biochem 1998 Jul; 31(5): 405-7.
Dept. of Chemistry, University of Athens, Greece
http://www.chem.uoa.gr gkokotos@...
"K.H. Schulpis" <inchildh@...> "G.J. Reclos" reklos@...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/960
aspartame & MSG: possible role in autoimmune hepatitis:
Prandota Jan 2003: Murray 2003.01.15 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/938
aspartame harms mice brain cells: Hetle & Eltervaag: 2001 thesis
abstract: Sonnewald 1995 study, full text: Murray 2003.01.05 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/346
WebMD: Barclay: Barth:
survey shows aspartame hurts memory in students 2000.11.09
http://www.psy.tcu.edu/psy/barth.htm
Timothy M. Barth Department of Psychology t.barth@...
Texas Christian University TCU Box 298920 Fort Worth, TX 76129
Chairman, Physiological Psychology 817-921-7410

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/760
Kovatsi L, Tsouggas M
The effect of oral aspartame administration on the
balance of magnesium in the rat.
Magnes Res 2001 Sep;14(3): 189-94.
Laboratory of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece kovatsi@...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/943
aspartame, cell phones, brain cancer July 1999 Hardell:
Murray 2003.01.09 rmforall
http://www.medscape.com/MedGenMed/braintumors
Lennart Hardell, M.D., PhD, in 1999 reported in Sweden that both
cell phone use and heavy aspartame use correlate with increased
brain cancers lennart.hardell@... +46 19 602 15 46

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/31
Wurtman: aspartame & seizures 1985.11.09: Murray 1999.10.30
Wurtman RJ Aspartame: possible effect on seizure susceptibility.
Lancet 1985 Nov 9; 2(8463): 1060.
Richard J. Wurtman, Ph.D. dick@... 617-253-3091
Professor of Neuroscience
Prof. of Health Sciences and Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technlogy Cambridge, Mass. 02139

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/32
Murray: Drake: aspartame & panic attacks 1986.09.13 1999.10.30 rmforall
Miles E. Drake, MD

Panic attacks and excessive aspartame ingestion.
Lancet 1986 Sep 13; 2(8507): 631.
Department of Neurology and Psychiatry,
Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA

http://www.truthinlabeling.org/ Truth in Labeling Campaign [MSG]
Adrienne Samuels, PhD The toxicity/safety of processed
free glutamic acid (MSG): a study in suppression of information.
Accountability in Research 1999; 6: 259-310. 52-page review
P.O. Box 2532 Darien, Illinois 60561
858-481-9333 adandjack@...

Russell L. Blaylock, MD 601-982-1175 Madison, Mississippi
"Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills", 1977, 298 p., 493 references.
"Health and Nutrition Secrets that can save your life", 2002, 459 p.,
558 + 30 references, $ 30 http://www.russellblaylockmd.com/

George R. Schwartz, MD "In Bad Taste: The MSG Syndrome", 1988
http://www.healthpress.com/ goodbooks@...
PO Box 37470 Albuquerque, NM 87176 505-888-1394
Kathleen Frazier, Publisher
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http://www.readthelabel.org.uk/ Additives Survivors' Network (UK)
Geoff Brewer <geoffbrewer@...>
http://www.chem.ox.ac.uk/mom/aspartame/aspartame.html
http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/webprojects2000/srogers/sarah.html
Sarah Rogers <sr8442@...>
http://www.react.ie/Health/Nutrition/Aspartame.htm Ireland
http://members.tripod.com/~mission_possible/scotland_branch.html
http://www.aspartame.ca/indexa.html John T. Linnell <admin@...>
http://www.cybernaute.com/earthconcert2000/AspartaMalcache.htm
http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/ Australia FAILSAFE diet
http://www.bradymax.com/nzaa/ New Zealand
http://www.reseauproteus.net/therapies/nutritio/aspartame.htm France
http://ww2.grn.es/avalls/aspa1.htm Spain
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Falls/8669/ Brazil
http://www.phd.com.br/aspartame.htm
http://hem.passagen.se/mission.possible.sweden/
http://home.online.no/~dusan/foods/aspartame.html Norway
http://www.ostara.org/aspartam/#menue Germany
http://www.aspartaam.nl/info/product.html Holland, in Dutch
http://www.laleva.org/ <archimede@...> Italy 9 languages
http://www.laleva.cc/alimenti/alimenti.html aspartame vs stevia 4.17.03
http://users.westnet.gr/~cgian/aspartame.htm Greece
http://www.cseindia.org/html/cola-indepth/index.htm India
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http://www.vegsource.com extensive vegan information

htttp://www.drmcdougall.com practical, delicious healthy diet guidance

http://www.vegsource.com/articles/kradjian_milk.htm
Robert Kradjian MD Discusses Milk

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/971
Joel Fuhrman critique of Atkins diet in "Eat To Live":
Murray 2003.03.01 rmforall

http://www.hyp.ac.uk/cash/index.htm
Consensus Action on Salt and Health

Substitute stevia (at health food stores).
Avoid all products with aspartame and MSG. Gradually reduce alcohol, sugar,
caffeine (coffee, cocoa, and teas), meat, fish, eggs, milk, butter, and
cheese,
food additives and colors, fluoride, city water, salt and sodium.
Enjoy organic rice, beans, nuts, almond butter, vegetables, fruits, with
modest use of soy products and sprouted grain breads, flax seed and olive
oils,
vitamins and minerals, 4-8 1,000 mg fish oil capsules, and fill your jugs
with deionized
water.
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