The New Mexican: Lawmakers missed chance to save us from health risk [aspartame,
methanol, formaldehyde], Commentary, Kenneth P. Stoller, M.D.: Murray 2007.02.24
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1409

www.freenewmexican.com/
http://enewmexican.com/

02/24/07 Pg A07 -- The New Mexican, Opinions:

COMMENTARY

Lawmakers missed chance to save us from health risk
By Kenneth Stoller, M.D.

Here is the truth about aspartame.

I am a pediatrician in practice for over two decades.
I served on the Environmental Hazards Committee of the American Board of
Pediatrics, and the Injury Prevention Committee as well.

I know the story of aspartame because I was a student of the infamous Food and
Drug Administration Commissioner Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr., who Donald Rumsfeld got
to approve aspartame.

In October 1980, the Public Board of Inquiry impaneled by the FDA to evaluate
aspartame safety found that the chemical caused an unacceptable level of brain
tumors in animal testing.
Based on this fact, the PBOI ruled that aspartame should not be added to the
food supply.
This ruling culminated 15 years of regulatory ineptitude, chicanery and
deception by the Searle drug company, aspartame ’s discoverer and manufacturer
(acquired by Monsanto in 1985), and then started the ball rolling on two and a
half additional decades of maneuvering, manipulating and dissembling by the FDA,
Searle and Monsanto.

In 1965, a Searle scientist licked some of a new ulcer drug from his fingers and
discovered the sweet taste of aspartame .
Searle’s early tests showed that aspartame produced microscopic holes and tumors
in the brains of experimental mice, epileptic seizures in monkeys, and was
converted into formaldehyde.

In spite of the information in its files, in 1974 the FDA approved aspartame as
a dry-foods additive.

The renowned brain researcher, John Olney from Washington University in St.
Louis, reviewed the available data and discovered two studies showing brain
tumors in rats and petitioned the FDA for a public hearing.
Dr. Olney had already shown that aspartic acid (part of the aspartame molecule)
caused holes in the brains of rats.

Aspartame also is one part phenylalanine, and one part methyl (or wood)
alcohol, and another part, aspartic acid.

The FDA prevailed on Searle to refrain from marketing aspartame until after
completion of the hearing.

In 1975, an FDA Special Commissioner’s Task Force reported serious problems with
Searle’s research that was conducted in a manner so flawed as to raise doubts
about aspartame safety and create the possibility of serious criminal intent.

The FDA asked the U.S. attorney for Chicago to seek a grand jury review of the
monkey seizure study, but he let the statute of limitations run out, then (along
with two aides) proceeded to join Searle’s law firm.

In October 1980, the PBOI blocked aspartame marketing until the tumor studies
could be explained, and unless the commissioner overruled the board, the matter
was closed.

In November 1980, Ronald Reagan was elected president and Donald Rumsfeld,
president of Searle, joined the Reagan White House.

Dr. Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr., a pharmacologist and Defense Department contract
researcher, became FDA commissioner and his first decision was to defy FDA
advisers and approve aspartame for dry foods.

His last decision, before leaving his post because of improprieties was to
approve aspartame for soft drinks in 1983.
He immediately became senior medical adviser to Searle’s public relations firm.

As soon as soft drinks with Nutrasweet began to be consumed, complaints began to
arrive at the FDA — dizziness, blurred vision, headaches and seizures.
The complaints were more serious than the FDA has ever received on any food
additive.

In 1985, the FDA asked the Centers of Disease Control to review the first 650
complaints (there are now tens of thousands). CDC found that the symptoms in
about 25 percent of cases stopped and then restarted with discontinuing the use
of aspartame and then restarting its use.

At the same time, human brain tumors rose 10 percent, and previously benign
tumors turned virulent.
An FDA’s deputy commissioner said the data posed no problem; he then became vice
president of clinical research for Searle.

Four hundred aspartame studies were done between 1985 and 1995.
All the studies Searle paid for found no problem, but 100 percent of the studies
paid for by non-industry sources raised questions.

Chemicals and compounds that affect physiological systems are classified as
drugs by the FDA and are subject to considerably more demanding regulatory
procedures than food constituents.

Moreover, because food additives must be shown to be physiologically inert in
order to win initial FDA approval, once they have obtained this approval they
are exempted from the requirement, imposed on all drugs, that their safety be
continuously monitored:
Companies that manufacture and use approved food additives are not obligated to
monitor adverse reactions associated with consumption of their product, nor to
submit to the FDA reports of such adverse reactions;
they also are not required to carry out further government-mandated research
programs to affirm their product’s safety.

Aspartame cannot be shown to be riskfree, and its regulatory classification
should be changed, for example, to that of a drug or best solution — banned
outright.

A number of corporate lobbyists spouting distortions and misrepresentations
during the recent Senate and House Committee hearings to consider banning
aspartame did both bills in.

What a loss for protecting health in New Mexico.

Dr. Stoller is president of the International Hyperbaric Medical Association and
medical director of the Hyperbaric Medical Center of New Mexico. He lives in
Santa Fe.

Powered by TECNAVIA
Copyright © 2007 Santa Fe New Mexican 02/24/2007

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1339
Obfuscation of the iatrogenic autism epidemic re mercury in kid vaccines,
Kenneth P. Stoller, Pediatrics 2006.05.06; aspartame toxicity
2005.11.10: Comet assay can test genotoxicity,
EFSA admits ignorance re methanol residues, Murray 2006.05.10

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1243
rationale to ban thimerosal (mercury) in vaccines and to ban aspartame
(methanol, formaldehyde), speech from Kenneth P Stoller, MD
to New Mexico Board of Pharmacy: Murray 2005.11.10

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/11/prweb308566.php


Connecticut bans artificial sweeteners in schools: short aspartame (methanol,
formaldehyde) toxicity research summary: Murray 2007.02.24
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1404

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1369
Bristol, Connecticut, schools join state program to limit
artificial sweeteners, sugar, fats for 8800 students,
Johnny J Burnham, The Bristol Press: Murray 2006.09.22

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1341
Connecticut bans artificial sweeteners in schools,
Nancy Barnes, New Milford Times: Murray 2006.05.25


One liter aspartame diet soda, about 3 12-oz cans,
gives 61.5 mg methanol,
so if 30% is turned into formaldehyde, the formaldehyde
dose of 18.5 mg is 37 times the recent EPA limit of
0.5 mg per liter daily drinking water for a 10-kg child:
www.epa.gov/teach/chem_summ/Formaldehyde_summary.pdf
2007.01.05 [ does not discuss formaldehyde from methanol
or aspartame ]
http://www.epa.gov/teach/teachsurvey.html comments
teach@...


"Of course, everyone chooses, as a natural priority,
to actively find, quickly share, and positively act upon
the facts about healthy and safe food, drink, and
environment."

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

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/messages
group with 78 members, 1,409 posts in a public,
searchable archive
http://RMForAll.blogspot.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1340
aspartame groups and books: updated research review of
2004.07.16: Murray 2006.05.11


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1395
Aspartame Controversy, in Wikipedia democratic
encyclopedia, 72 references (including AspartameNM # 864
and 1173 by Murray), brief fair summary of much more
research: Murray 2007.01.01


Dark wines and liquors, as well as aspartame, provide
similar levels of methanol, above 120 mg daily, for
long-term heavy users, 2 L daily, about 6 cans.

Within hours, methanol is inevitably largely turned into
formaldehyde, and thence largely into formic acid -- the
major causes of the dreaded symptoms of "next morning"
hangover.

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). If 30% of the methanol is turned
into formaldehyde, the amount of formaldehyde, 37 mg,
is 18.5 times the USA EPA limit for daily formaldehyde in
drinking water, 2.0 mg in 2 L average daily drinking water.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1286
methanol products (formaldehyde and formic acid) are main
cause of alcohol hangover symptoms [same as from similar
amounts of methanol, the 11% part of aspartame]:
YS Woo et al, 2005 Dec: Murray 2006.01.20


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1143
methanol (formaldehyde, formic acid) disposition:
Bouchard M et al, full plain text, 2001: substantial
sources are degradation of fruit pectins, liquors,
aspartame, smoke: Murray 2005.04.02

"According to model predictions, congruent with the data in the literature
[Dorman et al., 1994; Horton et al., 1992], a certain fraction of
formaldehyde is readily oxidized to formate, a major fraction of which
is rapidly converted to CO2 and exhaled, whereas a small fraction
is excreted as formic acid in urine.

However, fits to the available data in rats and monkeys of Horton et al.
[1992] and Dorman et al. [1994] show that, once formed, a substantial
fraction of formaldehyde is converted to unobserved forms.

This pathway contributes to a long-term unobserved compartment.

The latter, most plausibly, represents either the formaldehyde that
[directly or after oxidation to formate] binds to various endogenous
molecules [Heck et al., 1983; Røe, 1982]
or is incorporated in the tetrahydrofolic-acid-dependent one-carbon
pathway to become the building block of a number of synthetic
pathways [Røe, 1982; Tephly and McMartin, 1984].

That substantial amounts of methanol metabolites or by-products are
retained for a long time is verified by Horton et al. [1992] who estimated
that 18 h following an iv injection of 100 mg/kg of 14C-methanol
in male Fischer-344 rats,
only 57% of the dose was eliminated from the body.

From the data of Dorman et al. [1994] and Medinsky et al. [1997],
it can further be calculated that 48 h following the start
of a 2-h inhalation exposure to 900 ppm of 14C-methanol vapors
in female cynomolgus monkeys,
only 23% of the absorbed 14C-methanol was eliminated from the body.

These findings are corroborated by the data of Heck et al. [1983]
showing that 40% of a 14C-formaldehyde inhalation dose remained
in the body 70 h postexposure.

In the present study, the model proposed rests on acute exposure
data, where the time profiles of methanol and its metabolites were
determined only over short time periods
[a maximum of 6 h of exposure and a maximum of 48 h postexposure].

This does not allow observation of the slow release from the long-term
components.

It is to be noted that most of the published studies on the detailed
disposition kinetics of methanol regard controlled short-term
[iv injection or continuous inhalation exposure over a few hours]
methanol exposures in rats, primates, and humans
[Batterman et al., 1998; Damian and Raabe, 1996;
Dorman et al., 1994; Ferry et al., 1980; Fisher et al., 2000;
Franzblau et al., 1995; Horton et al., 1992; Jacobsen et al., 1988;
Osterloh et al., 1996; Pollack et al., 1993; Sedivec et al., 1981;
Ward et al., 1995; Ward and Pollack, 1996].

Experimental studies on the detailed time profiles following controlled
repeated exposures to methanol are lacking."


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1385
Coca-Cola carcinogenicity in rats, Ramazzini Foundation,
F Belpoggi, M Soffritti, Annals NY Academy Sciences
2006 Sept, parts of 17 pages: Murray 2006.12.02

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1382
Fiorella Belpoggi & Morando Soffritti of Ramazzini
Foundation prove lifetime carcinogenicity of Coca-Cola,
aspartame, and arsenic, Annals of the NY Academy of
Sciences: Murray 2006.11.28

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1383
aspartame

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1384
arsenic

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1406
brain cell tangles and neuron death similar to Alzheimers
via low dose formaldehyde from methanol,
Chunlai Nie, Rongqiao He et al, China, 2007.01.23 BMC
Neuroscience 28 pages, 63 references: Murray 2007.01.24


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1376
soft drinks and adolescent hyperactivity, mental distress,
conduct problems, Lars Lien, Nanna Lien, Sonja Heyerdahl,
Mayne Thoresen, Espen Bjertness 2006 Oct., A J Pub Health:
Murray 2006.10.21


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1375
healthy diet, vitamins, and fish oil help reduce
depression and violence, studies by Joseph Hibbeln,
Bernard Gesch, and Stephen Schoenthaler, articles by
Felicity Lawrence in UK Guardian Unlimited and Pat
Thomas in The Ecologist: Murray 2006.10.21


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1378
11 members of New Mexico legislature sign letter to ban
aspartame as a source of toxic methanol and formaldehyde,
Stephen Fox, NM Senator Gerald Ortiz y Pino:
Murray 2006.10.22

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1374
47 UK Members of Parliament now support aspartame ban
initiative of Roger Williams, MP: Murray 2006.10.16


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1366
toxicity in rat brains from aspartame, Vences-Mejia A,
Espinosa-Aguirre JJ et al 2006 Aug: Murray 2006.09.06

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1373
aspartame rat brain toxicity re cytochrome P450 enzymes,
especially CYP2E1, Vences-Mejia A, Espinosa-Aguirre JJ
et al, 2006 Aug, Hum Exp Toxicol: relevant abstracts re
formaldehyde from methanol in alcohol drinks:
Murray 2006.09.29


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1271
combining aspartame and quinoline yellow, or MSG and
brilliant blue, harms nerve cells, eminent C. Vyvyan
Howard et al, 2005 education.guardian.co.uk,
Felicity Lawrence: Murray 2005.12.21

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1277
50% UK baby food is now organic -- aspartame or MSG
with food dyes harm nerve cells, CV Howard 3 year study
funded by Lizzy Vann, CEO, Organix Brands,
Children's Food Advisory Service: Murray 2006.01.13

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1279
all three aspartame metabolites harm human erythrocyte
[red blood cell] membrane enzyme activity, KH Schulpis
et al, two studies in 2005, Athens, Greece, 2005.12.14:
2004 research review, RL Blaylock: Murray 2006.01.14

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1369
Bristol, Connecticut, schools join state program to limit
artificial sweeteners, sugar, fats for 8800 students,
Johnny J Burnham, The Bristol Press: Murray 2006.09.22

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1341
Connecticut bans artificial sweeteners in schools,
Nancy Barnes, New Milford Times: Murray 2006.05.25

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1353
carcinogenic effect of inhaled formaldehyde, Federal
Institute of Risk Assessment, Germany -- same safe level
as for Canada: Murray 2006.06.02

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1352
Home sickness -- indoor air often worse, as our homes
seal in pollutants [one is formaldehyde, also from the 11%
methanol part of aspartame],
Megan Gillis, WinnipegSun.com: Murray 2006.06.01


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1349
NIH NLM ToxNet HSDB Hazardous Substances Data Bank
inadequate re aspartame (methanol, formaldehyde,
formic acid): Murray 2006.08.19

http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/f?./temp/~HwoSfJ:1
HSDB Hazardous Substances Data Bank: Aspartame

ASPARTAME CASRN: 22839-47-0
METHANOL CASRN: 67-56-1
FORMALDEHYDE CASRN: 50-00-0
FORMIC ACID CASRN: 64-18-6


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


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"

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 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/1371
Russell L. Blaylock, MD discusses MSG, aspartame,
excitotoxins with Mike Adams: Murray 2006.09.27

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1372
Mike Adams interviews Randall Fitzgerald on
"The Hundred Year Lie:
How Food and Medicine are Destroying Your Health"
2006.06.21: Murray 2006.09.28
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http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/782
RTM: Smith, Terpening, Schmidt, Gums:
full text: aspartame, MSG, fibromyalgia 2002.01.17
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
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http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/915
formaldehyde toxicity: Thrasher & Kilburn: Shaham: EPA:
Gold: Wilson: CIIN: Murray 2002.12.12

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.
PMID: 2400243
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