Wellington, NZ lady, 25, free by 24 hours of severe muscle cramps (5 months)
after quitting 4-8 packs daily aspartame chewing gum (past few years): Murray
2007.06.20
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1442

[ 6-8 mg aspartame per stick chewing gum, so 8 packs, 5 sticks each, gives
240-320 mg, while a 12 oz can aspartame diet soda has 200 mg -- however,
aspartame from gum is absorbed directly into the mucosal membranes in the mouth,
close to the brain. ]


www.scoop.co.nz/stories/print.html?path=PA0706/S00418.htm

Scoop Independent News

www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0706/S00418.htm

Chewing gum case strengthens school diet drink ban
Thursday, 21 June 2007, 11:37 am
Press Release: Green Party

Chewing gum case strengthens call for school diet drink ban

The case of a Wellington woman who became seriously unwell after consuming
excessive amounts of the controversial additive aspartame in chewing gum
underlines the urgent need for consumer information and warnings about potential
side effects, Green Party MP Sue Kedgley says.

"This case also leads me to repeat the call for fizzy drinks containing
aspartame to be removed from schools," Ms Kedgley says.

Abigail McCormack began suffering
crippling muscle cramps and tingling in her hands and feet,
heart palpitations,
anxiety attacks,
depression
and skin rashes,
she thought she was dying after consuming excessive amounts of chewing gum
containing aspartame.

Ms McCormack is concerned that there were no warnings to alert her to the fact
that aspartame could cause harm.

These health problems stopped when Ms McCormack stopped chewing aspartame
sweetened gum.

"Like Ms McCormack, many consumers have no idea that aspartame is a
controversial additive, or that it has been linked to a significant number of
side-effects, especially if it is frequently consumed in large quantities.

Aspartame, once ingested, breaks down into aspartic acid, phenylalanine and
methanol, which in turn converts into formaldehyde which is a deadly
neurotoxin," Ms Kedgley says.

"Given the large number of products containing aspartame and the marketing focus
on diet foods and drinks containing the additive,
it is essential that consumers are alerted to any potential side effects.

"The Government has a responsibility to require that this information is
provided, through warning labels on products and public information campaigns.

"The problem is that products containing aspartame are being touted as a
healthier alternative and this means that many children are being exposed to
potentially large doses of this artificial sweetener."

While, it's important to reduce the sugar intake of children and adults, to
replace that sugar with a controversial additive is just not the answer.

"There are now credible international studies suggesting a link between
aspartame and cancer in animals. Such studies, along with the health
difficulties experienced by Ms McCormack, demand action by the Government."


www.newswire.co.nz/main/viewstory.aspx?storyid=378970&catid=30

Warning Over Artificial Sweeteners
1:15 pm, 21 Jun 2007

A Wellington GP says more research is needed into artificial sweeteners after a
patient became sick from too much sugar-free chewing gum.

Wellington woman Abigail McCormack went to her doctor suffering severe cramps
and other symptoms, but initial tests couldn't find the cause.

The woman's GP, Penny Rowley, says she then discovered Miss McCormack was eating
up to eight packs of a sugar-free chewing gum a day,
which contain the artificial sweetner aspartame.

Dr Rowley says more needs to be known about the impact of ingesting large
quantities of the sweetener.

However, the Food Safety Authority says aspartame has been through rigorous
testing and is safe.

© NewsRoom 2007


www.tv3.co.nz/News/Womanpoisonedby4packadaychewinggumhabit/tabid/209/articleID/2\
9322/Default.aspx

Woman poisoned by 4-pack-a-day chewing gum habit
Thu, Jun 2007 2:13p.m.
Abigail McCormack [ photo ]

Chewing gum has become more than just a dirty habit for one Wellington woman.

Abigail McCormack thought she was dying from a mystery illness when she began
suffering crippling muscle cramps and tingling in her limbs four months ago.

Those symptoms escalated to heart palpitations, skin rashes and difficulty
sleeping.

Then the 25-year-old realised it was the four packets of gum she was chewing
daily that was causing her problems.

Ms McCormack told 3 News giving up has been the same as kicking any habit.

Listen to Andre Patterson's full interview wtih Professor Carl Burgess on
RadioLIVE's World at Noon.


http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=274460

New questions over artificial sweetener
Thursday Jun 21 12:53 AEST

New questions have been raised about the potential effects of artificial
sweetener after a New Zealand woman fell ill, blaming her daily consumption of
four packs of sugar-free chewing gum.

Abigail Cormack, 25, of Wellington, went to her doctor complaining of crippling
muscle cramps, anxiety attacks, depression and skin rashes, and was forced to
take sick leave, the Dominion Post newspaper reported.

Cormack's doctor Penny Rowley told AAP it was a "strong possibility" her patient
had been made ill by the artificial sweetener aspartame, which is used in
NutraSweet and Equal, as well as thousands of other products.

Cormack's symptoms disappeared within 24 hours of her giving up the gum, which
she had been chewing for a few years.

"She stopped having the gum and things resolved, so it looks like there was a
cause and effect there," Rowley said.

Cormack admits her chewing gum consumption was "excessive", but says there were
no warnings it could do her harm.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) says aspartame is safe for human
consumption.

Pharmacologist Professor Carl Burgess, from the Wellington School of Medicine,
said most people were not affected, but some people did react to artificial
sweeteners.

"On a personal basis I have not seen it but it is certainly in the literature.
Some people do react to these substances, particularly with headache and feeling
tired, weary, that sort of stuff, and occasionally depression," he said.

"Anxiety and panic attacks are described with these sort of compounds," Burgess
said.

Last year an Italian team which conducted a controversial seven-year study into
the substance linked it to a range of cancers.

However the Italian team's findings were later disputed in a review by the
European Food Safety Authority, prompting FSANZ not to change the acceptable
daily intake of 40 mg/kg.

New Zealand's Green Party wants all fizzy drinks containing aspartame to be
removed from schools in light of the Wellington case.

"Many consumers have no idea that aspartame is a controversial additive, or that
it has been linked to a significant number of side-effects, especially if it is
frequently consumed in large quantities," said Green MP Sue Kedgley.

A public relations firm representing Wrigley, makers of Extra sugar-free gum,
which contains aspartame, could not immediately comment on the reports.

©AAP 2007


www.stuff.co.nz/print/4102292a6000.html

Thursday, 21 June 2007 12:53 AEST

Chewing gum habit `poison'

Abigail Cormack thought she was dying from a mystery illness. She never realised
her daily chewing gum habit was probably poisoning her.

The sugar-free gum contained aspartame, a food additive widely used in thousands
of products, including gum, diet soft-drinks and tea and coffee.

The additive is prompting debate in the international medical world about its
safety.

When Ms Cormack, 25, of Wellington, began suffering crippling muscle cramps and
tingling in her hands and feet about five months ago, she feared she was having
a heart attack.

She started suffering heart palpitations, anxiety attacks, depression and skin
rashes, was unable to sleep and had to take sick leave.

But, despite a battery of tests, doctors could not pinpoint the cause. "They
thought it might be a salt imbalance, maybe I was over-training at the gym.

"I was prescribed anti-inflammatories and Valium to help me sleep but it just
got worse and worse. I thought I was dying."

Finally, an Internet site alerted her to the possibility of aspartame poisoning.

Under the brand name NutraSweet, aspartame is used in more than 5000 foods and
beverages worldwide.

For the past few years, Ms Cormack has chewed through up to four packets of
chewing gum a day.

She did not suspect the seemingly innocuous habit could be slowly poisoning her.

Aspartame is digested into aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol, which
converts into formaldehyde -- a deadly neurotoxin used as embalming fluid.

The food industry says these are all "naturally occurring" substances in foods
and the amounts are too small to be harmful. No study has found a definitive
link between the compounds and serious effects in humans, but some research has
found higher incidences of chronic fatigue, migraines and other conditions.

Ms Cormack admits her chewing gum consumption was "excessive".

"But there were no warnings it could be doing me harm."

Her GP, Penny Rowley, was at the point of referring her to a neurologist when
she heard about the gum habit.

She confirmed aspartame poisoning as the likely culprit, and within 24 hours of
giving up gum, Ms Cormack's symptoms disappeared.

Dr Rowley said it was the first case she had seen. "I was certainly surprised
but it seems to have worked."

Clinical pharmacologist Professor Carl Burgess, from the Wellington School of
Medicine, said that though someone would have to take "megadoses" of aspartame
for it to be toxic, some people were more susceptible to allergic reactions.

The New Zealand Food Safety Authority says there is no scientific evidence of
any significant harm from a large daily intake of aspartame.

You may not copy, republish or distribute this page or the content from it
without having obtained written permission from the copyright owner. To enquire
about copyright clearances contact clearance@....


www.greens.org.nz/people/kedgley_s.asp Sue Kedgley, MP
Parliamentary Contacts
Phone: 04-470 6717 Fax: 04-472 7116
Email: sue.kedgley@...
Wellington Office
Phone: 04-381 4640 Fax: 04-381 2876
Email: greenmps.wellington@...

8 Dekka St is the site of the Khandallah Medical Centre. A suburban,
community-focused general practice with the four partners of Drs Anne Marie
Cullen, Sally Talbot, Alistair Young and Richard Hogg.
Dr Penny Rowley is the associate doctor. +64-4-479-7157

Prof. Carl Burgess: Head of Department: General Medicine & Clinical Pharmacology
carlb@...

Prof. Julian Crane: Clinical Epidemiology crane@...


http://ww2.abc13.com/Global/story.asp?S=6514064

Headache Prevention Diet June 20 2007
From iVillage.com

Headaches can be caused by many things, including illness, stress and lack of
sleep. They may also be triggered by several common foods, and simply changing
your diet could be the most effective treatment. Once you and your doctor have
ruled out other potentially more serious causes for your headaches, take a look
at what you eat every day and see if eliminating common trigger foods eliminates
your headaches.

Here's how the Headache Prevention Diet can help:

Dietary modifications that exclude common food triggers may help you pinpoint
just what is causing your headaches. Although the list of potential food
triggers is long, the most common are chocolate, red wine, caffeine, MSG,
Aspartame, cured meats, aged cheese, nuts, nitrate, sulfites, alcohol and ice
cream. This diet excludes all common headache triggers, yet is still
nutritionally balanced. Try following it for several weeks to see if it doesn't
help reduce the number and severity of your headaches.

Recent studies show that omega-three fatty acids, the kind found in fish oil,
may help prevent migraines. This diet includes plenty of fish options that may
reduce the frequency of your headaches.

# Caffeine, found in coffee, tea and colas, as well as more "hidden" sources
like chocolate and some medications including Anacin, Excedrin and Actifed, can
exacerbate headaches. This meal plan excludes foods that are high in caffeine
and suggests alternatives (like herb tea and juices).

Start eating the breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks that will help prevent
head pain!

BREAKFAST
Option one:
Non-citrus juice such as apple, pear or peach
Whole grain, calcium fortified cereal topped with skim milk or soy milk and
fresh berries
Herb tea

Option two:
Scrambled eggs (purchase those high in omega-three fatty acids) or add in some
fresh cooked salmon or canned salmon and fresh herbs such as basil or cilantro
Fresh Blueberry Muffin or toasted whole grain bread
Herb tea
Melon

Option three:
French toast recipe such as Seattle Apple French Toast (using skim milk)
100% juice
Herb tea

LUNCH
Option one:
Vegetable cottage cheese (low fat) in whole-wheat pita with lettuce or sprouts
Fresh fruit
Herb tea

Option two:
Homemade soup that doesn't contain prohibited foods, such as Asparagus and
Sesame Chicken Soup (substituting cider vinegar for the rice wine vinegar)
Crusty roll
Calcium fortified juice
Salad

Option three:
Tuna salad sandwich on whole grain bread with lettuce
Baby carrots
Strawberry Sports Shake
Oatmeal Cookies

DINNER
Option one:
Pasta stir-fry, such as Linguini Honey-Sauced Prawns
Steamed broccoli
Garlic bread sticks
Fresh fruit salad

Option two:
Broiled fish, such as salmon or tuna
Baked potatoes
Sauteed zucchini
Microwave Rhubarb Crisp

Option three:
Gingered Pork and Peaches (made without the lemon juice or peel)
Mashed potatoes
Mixed green salad
Cinnamon-Scented Raspberry Rice Pudding

SNACKS

1/2 cup cottage cheese topped with canned peaches and sprinkling of cinnamon

1/2 whole-wheat bagel with light cream cheese

Hard-boiled egg and whole-wheat crackers

Small bowl of high fiber cereal topped with skim milk or low-fat soy milk

Soft and Chewy Molasses Cookie

Healthy Dos and Don'ts

Do:
Take ginger at the first sign of a headache (1/3 teaspoon or 500 mg). According
to the National Headache Foundation, ginger has a small amount of antihistamine
and is an anti-inflammatory

Get plenty of sleep. Although the reasons are not well understood, studies show
that sleep deprivation can cause headaches

Take a multivitamin supplement that includes the B vitamins and antioxidants.
Deficiencies of these vitamins are a possible cause of migraines

Read all labels very carefully to avoid trigger foods

Avoid stress, which is considered a key headache trigger

Don't:

Go long periods without eating or forget to drink enough fluids. Low blood sugar
or dehydration may be other dietary causes of headaches

Consume artificial flavorings and preservatives, especially MSG, sulfites and
nitrites. Most wines, many dried fruits and preserved fruits contain sulfites.
Many canned foods contain the flavor enhancer MSG, particularly Chinese
foods.Don't eat processed foods, and focus only on all natural, fresh foods.
Also avoid cured meats including bacon, bologna, corned beef, ham, salami,
sausage, hot dogs and smoked fish due to the nitrate content

Eat foods containing artificial sweeteners, especially Aspartame, found in diet
beverages, candy or gum. Be skeptical of foods labeled "diet" or "light"

Eat legumes and broad beans, and pods of broad beans, including lima, navy,
pinto, garbanzo, pole, fava, string and navy beans, lentils, snow peas and pea
pods

Consume hot, fresh, yeast-containing breads, including coffee cakes or doughnuts
(okay if allowed to cool and okay toasted)

Eat certain dairy products, including ripened cheeses (e.g., cheddar, brie,
camembert, gruyere), whole milk, sour cream and yogurt

Eat nuts, including peanuts, and seeds such as pumpkin or sunflower

Eat fermented, pickled or marinated foods -- no pickles, olives, sauerkraut,
chili peppers, miso, tempeh or soy sauce

Eat particular fruits -- papayas, passion fruit, figs, dates, raisins, citrus
fruits. Limit bananas to one a day. Limit tomatoes to 1/2 cup per day

Use vinegars, except white and cider vinegar. Also avoid most mustard,
mayonnaises and ketchups

Eat food containing Brewer's yeast, large amounts of onion, chocolate and
alcohol or red wine
Content provided by All rights reserved.
All content © Copyright 2003 - 2007 WorldNow and KTRK. All Rights Reserved.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////


Lifetime exposure to low doses of aspartame beginning during prenatal
life increases cancer effects in rats, Morando Soffritti et al,
European Ramazzini Foundation, USA EPA Environmental Health
Perspectives 2007.06.13 free full text 24 pages: Murray 2007.06.16
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1441

www.ehponline.org/members/2007/10271/10271.pdf free full text 24
pages

" CONCLUSIONS

The results of our second long-term carcinogenicity bioassay on APM
not only confirm, but also reinforce our first experimental
demonstration of APM's multipotental carcinogenicity at a dose level
close to the human ADI.

Furthermore, the study demonstrates that when lifespan exposure to APM
begins during fetal life, its carcinogenic effects are increased.

On the basis of the present findings, we believe that a review of the
current regulations governing the use of aspartame cannot be delayed.

This review is particularly urgent with regard to aspartame-containing
beverages, heavily consumed by children. "

" APM is metabolized in the gastric tract of rodents, non-human
primates and humans to its three constituents: aspartic acid,
phenylalanine and methanol.

When absorbed, aspartic acid is transformed into alanine plus
oxaloacetate (Stegink 1984);
phenylalanine is transformed mainly into tyrosine and, to a lesser
extent, phenylethylamine and phenylpyruvate (Harper 1984);
and methanol is transformed into formaldehyde and then to formic acid
(Opperman 1984). "

www.ramazzini.it/fondazione/newsDetail.asp?id=17

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

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 newmana...@...
Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
Innovative Medical Research RLip...@...

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

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. neurotu...@...
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 ]


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNMmessage/1437
stevia to be approved and cyclamates limited by Food Standards
Australia New Zealand: JMC Geuns critiques of two recent stevia
studies by Nunes: Murray 2007.05.29

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1427
more from The Independent, UK, Martin Hickman, re ASDA
(unit of Wal-Mart Stores) and Marks & Spencer ban of aspartame,
MSG, artificial chemical additives and dyes to prevent ADHD in kids:
Murray 2007.05.16
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/article2548747.ece

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1426
ASDA (unit of Wal-Mart Stores WMT.N) and Marks & Spencer
will join Tesco and also Sainsbury to ban and limit aspartame,
MSG, artificial flavors dyes preservatives additives, trans fats,
salt "nasties" to protect kids from ADHD: leading UK media:
Murray 2007.05.15

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

formaldehyde as a potent unexamined cofactor in cancer research --
sources include methanol, dark wines and liquors, aspartame, wood and
tobacco smoke: IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks
to Humans implicate formaldehyde in #88 and alcohol drinks in #96:
some related abstracts: Murray 2007.05.15
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1417

aspartame (methanol, formaldehyde) toxicity research summary:
Rich Murray 2007.06.16
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1404

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 76 members, 1,442 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
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////