http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/996
Aspartame-Induced Dyspnea and Pulmonary Hypertension, H.J. Roberts,
M.D., Townsend Letter for Doctors, Jan 2003: Murray 5.25.3 rmforall

Abstract
Unexplained shortness of breath represents an increasing clinical
challenge. The frequency and severity of dyspnea in patients with
reactions to widely-used aspartame products, coupled with a pertinent
fatal case of pulmonary hypertension, appear to provide new insights
concerning treatment and causation.

Data Base
Significant dyspnea was a primary complaint in 110 of 1200 persons (9
percent) with reactions to aspartame products; it could not be
attributed to known lung or heart disorders. The majority were
weight-conscious women in their 20s to 40s. Most experienced gratifying
improvement after avoiding aspartame. Another women who died at the age
of 27 with severe dyspnea and other features attributed to aspartame
disease was found to have primary pulmonary hypertension at autopsy.

Conclusions
A trial of abstinence from all aspartame products ought to be
recommended for patients with unexplained dyspnea, especially when
pulmonary hypertension exists - and prior to administering drugs aimed
at reducing pulmonary pressure.

Aspartame disease has emerged as a serious disorder since the approval
of aspartame as a sugar substitute two decades ago. This chemical is in
thousands of "diet" products currently being consumed by over 70% of the
population.

The frequency and severity of chest complaints in persons with this
disorder among a database of 1200 aspartame reactors have been
impressive. One hundred and ten individuals (9%) without known or
demonstrable pulmonary or cardiac disease complained of shortness of
breath. The FDA also received comparable volunteered complaints of
"difficulty breathing" by 112 consumers in its April 20, 1995 report.

The majority of individuals in the present series experienced marked
relief of both dyspnea and other aspartame-associated symptoms,
including unexplained chest pain, within several days or weeks after
avoiding these products.

The reason for such dyspnea remained an enigma until the author learned
that a young woman with apparent aspartame disease developed fatal
pulmonary hypertension without demonstrable cause, confirmed by
autopsy. Her detailed diary and observations by relatives provided
additional relevant information.

This experience offers constructive insights about similar problems now
challenging primary care and consulting physicians. It also provides an
important environmental (dietary) clue concerning the pathogenesis of
"primary" pulmonary hypertension that is consistent with the metabolism
of aspartame, especially its vasoactive breakdown products. To the best
of my knowledge, these observations have not been published previously.

Symptomatic Dyspnea: Representative Case Reports
The following case reports illustrate the clinical context in which
patients with aspartame disease suffered dyspnea and concomitant
complaints. Various correlates, including the female preponderance, are
later discussed.

Case 1: A 40 year old woman had suffered marked shortness of breath
that intensified during the night. Other complaints included blurred
vision, dizziness, headache, and fainting episodes with falling. She
saw many physicians who remained perplexed about the nature of her
problem despite numerous tests and one hospitalization on an intensive
care unit for suspected pulmonary embolism. This diagnosis could not be
confirmed. Her past medical history was not remarkable. She did not
use drugs or alcohol.

Shortly after her hospitalization the patient chanced to hear my
interview with a talk show host in Philadelphia. She had been consuming
six to eight glasses of diet cola daily for three years. There was
prompt and gratifying improvement after abstinence.

Case 2: A 35 year old woman developed persistent "shortness of breath"
for which she consulted many physicians. She would awaken during the
night "unable to breathe." Other problems included dizziness, fatigue,
irritability, hair loss, heavy menstrual bleeding, abdominal pain,
weight gain, and dryness of the skin.

The patient had been variously diagnosed as having atypical asthma, "a
swollen larynx," and "stress." She disagreed with the latter in view of
leading an exemplary personal and professional life. There was a
history of treated hypothyroidism. She chewed aspartame-containing gum
daily.

By a process of elimination, the patient made the diagnosis herself.
She stated, "I already had spent a small fortune on tests that included
asthma studies, upper/lower GIs, ultrasounds, X-rays, blood work,
cholesterol and heart, lung and gynecologic testing. I even considered
seeing a psychiatrist. I then stopped using this gum, and felt relief
almost immediately. I retested myself numerous times to see if I had
really found the answer. I am completely assured that the aspartame
causes all my problems. At one later time, I consumed a diet soda, not
knowing that they had switched from saccharin to aspartame. Within the
hour, I could not catch my breath."

Case 3: A female athlete became concerned about her weight. She had
run five to 13 miles daily for eight years without difficulty. After
beginning to consume diet sodas, she experienced dyspnea while on a
treadmill. The diagnosis of asthma was made. Chest films and other
studies failed to reveal any cause. Concomitant symptoms included
severe headache, impaired vision, confusion, rapid heart rate, numbness
and tingling of the limbs, and joint pains.

The diagnosis of aspartame disease was fortuitously made when she
happened to see an article about it. Reading the details, "I almost
began to cry." A gratifying remission occurred after stopping aspartame
products.

Documented Case of Fatal Pulmonary Hypertension
A 23 year old woman began consuming 2-3 cans of diet cola daily. She
felt poorly thereafter and recorded her symptoms in a dairy. Her chief
complaint: "I have difficulty breathing. I can't get enough air.
Chest pains are sometimes associated with this."

Other symptoms included dizziness, headache, facial pains, abdominal
pain, nausea, sore throat, intense exhaustion ("I get very tired and
have to take naps in the afternoon. My whole body feels like someone
sapped the strength out of me"), panic attacks, joint pains (especially
of the hands, wrists and knees), and episodic hypotension.

These complaints at first seemed to "run in cycles," on the basis of
which her physician felt it was a "classic seasonal allergy." Treatment
aimed at her presumed allergy, however, proved unsuccessful. She wrote,
"it still doesn't tell me what causes this in the first place. If I
knew that, I would avoid it at all costs!" Other therapeutic measures,
including thyroxine and Florinef, failed to provide relief. She also
was seen in consultation at a major medical center.

The patient developed impaired vision the last week of her life. When
coupled with intensification of the other symptoms, she sought
hospitalization.

A detailed autopsy was performed. The final pathologic diagnosis was
"pulmonary hypertension". It was based on "marked hypertrophy and
luminal narrowing of the pulmonary vasculature; plexiform lesions,
lungs; dilatation of the right atrium and ventricle." The pathologist
specifically searched for other known causes of pulmonary hypertension.
He also emphasized the absence of alcohol intake or drug abuse prior to
death.

Discussion: The spectrum of complaints experienced by patients in this
series and in the reported fatal case are consistent with aspartame
disease.(1-3) Several noteworthy aspects include the 3:1 female
preponderance, the usual occurrence of multiple symptoms in addition to
dyspnea, the oft-dramatic remissions following abstinence from aspartame
products, and prompt exacerbations after rechallenge - both on
self-challenge and from inadvertent exposure.

Aspartame consists of the amino acids phenylalanine (50%) and aspartic
acid (40%) and a methyl ester (10%) that promptly becomes free methanol
after entering the stomach. Each component contributes to its toxicity,
especially derangements in the nervous system, eyes, heart, lungs,
joints, endocrine glands and general metabolism. The occurrence of
sleep apnea in aspartame users1 may reflect neurotransmitter dysfunction
within the respiratory center. The breakdown of phenylalanine to highly
vasoactive substances - dopamine; norepinephrine; epinephrine - is
clearly relevant to pulmonary hypertension and cardiac arrhythmias.
Their arterial manifestations have been documented as hypertension (at
times suspected of being due to a pheochromocytoma), and the Raynaud
phenomenon. (1) Another pertinent clinical observation is the
hypertensive summation of phenylalanine and tyramine effects.

These observations warrant the rethinking of "primary" or "idiopathic"
pulmonary hypertension. In an earlier text, I elaborated on the need to
seek out the multiple possible causes of pulmonary hypertension before
applying the label "primary." The observation of the Raynaud phenomenon
in such patients suggested a concomitant vasospastic process affecting
the pulmonary arterioles.

The diagnosis of aspartame disease is important because avoidance of
aspartame and other substances that contain its components can be
therapeutic and potentially life-saving. It deserves special emphasis
in the case of weight-conscious young women with previously normal
pulmonary and cardiovascular systems for several reasons. First, this
group has been known to be at greater risk for pulmonary hypertension.
(5,6) Second, about 300 new cases of pulmonary hypertension are
diagnosed annually according to the National Institutes of Health.
Third multiple environmental causes may be operative as suggested in
l957 by Wade and Ball.(8) The occurrence of pulmonary hypertension in
Europe during the late l960s following the introduction of aminorex
fumarate, an amphetamine-like drug used to suppress appetite, is
germane.

Another factor underscores the importance of specifically seeking out
aspartame and other contributory factors: the introduction of potent
new drugs aimed at reducing pulmonary hypertension. (7) They ought not
be administered until the result of a trial of aspartame abstinence is
evaluated. This precaution may prevent sudden death caused by
aspartame-related cardiac arrhythmias.

Correspondence:
H. J. Roberts, M.D., FCCP, FACP
Director, Palm Beach Institute for Medical Research
P. O. Box 17799
West Palm Beach, Florida 17799 USA

References
1. Roberts HJ. Aspartame Disease: An Ignored Epidemic. West Palm
Beach. Sunshine Sentinel Press; 2001
2. Roberts HJ. Reactions attributed to aspartame containing products:
551 cases. J Appl Nutr 1988; 40: 85-94
3. Roberts HJ. Aspartame (NutraSweet) Is It Safe?
Philadelphia. The Charles Press; 1989
4. Roberts, HJ. Difficult Diagnosis: A Guide to the Interpretation of
Obscure Illness, Philadelphia. W. B. Saunders Company; 1958
5. Blount SG Jr. Primary pulmonary hypertension.
Mod Concepts Cardiovas Dis 1967; 36: 67-72
6. Yu PN. Primary pulmonary hypertension: Report of six cases and
review of literature. Ann Int Med 1958; 49: 1138-1161.
7. Middleton O. FDA panel backs Actelion drug to treat pulmonary
hypertension. Wall St J 2001 August 13: B-2
8. Wade G., Ball J. Unexplained pulmonary hypertension
Quart J Med 1957; 26: 83.
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Rich Murray, MA Room For All rmforall@...
1943 Otowi Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505 USA 505-986-9103

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 $ 85.00 postpaid data from 1200 cases
available at http://www.amazon.com
over 600 references from standard medical research

Roberts, Hyman J., 1924- ,
Useful insights for diagnosis, treatment and public heath: an updated
anthology of original research, 2002, 798 pages,
Palm Beach Institute for Medical Research, Inc.
P.O. Box 17799, West Palm Beach, FL 33416
fax 561-547-8008 dr.roberts@...
aspartame disease pages 627-685, 778-780

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/859
RTM: Roberts: the life work of a brilliant clinician:
aspartame toxicity 8.2.2 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/790
RTM: Moseley:
review Roberts "Aspartame Disease: An Ignored Epidemic" 2.7.2 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/984
aspartame review: methanol, formaldehyde, formic acid toxicity:
Murray 5.25.3 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/983
aspartame & formaldehyde toxicity: Murray 5.25.3 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/messages
for 996 posts in a public searchable archive

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartame/ 650 member group

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/989
EU votes 440 to 20 to approve sucralose, limit cyclamates & reevaluate
aspartame & stevia: Murray 4.12.3 rmforall

http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/scf2002-response.htm
Mark Gold exhaustively critiques European Commission Scientific
Committee on Food re aspartame (12.4.2): 59 pages, 230 references

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/910
formaldehyde & formic acid from methanol in aspartame:
Murray: 12.9.2 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, since 11% of aspartame (1,120 mg in 2L diet soda, 5.6 12-oz
cans) is 123 mg methanol (wood alcohol), immediately released into the
body after drinking (unlike the large levels of methanol locked up in
molecules inside many fruits), then quickly transformed into
formaldehyde, which in turn becomes formic acid, both of which in
time become 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.
If 10% of the methanol is retained 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
RTM: ATSDR: EPA limit 1 ppm formaldehyde in drinking water July 1999
5.30.2 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, 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.

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: 12.9.2 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/946
Functional Therapeutics in Neurodegenerative Disease Part 1/2:
Perlmutter 7.15.99: Murray 1.10.3 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/915
formaldehyde toxicity: Thrasher & Kilburn: Shaham: EPA: Gold: Murray:
Wilson: CIIN: 12.12.2 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/934
24 recent formaldehyde toxicity [Comet assay] reports:
Murray 12.31.2 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 1.1.3 rmforall
[Also borderline evidence, in this pilot study of 39 food additives,
using a test group 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.]

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 1.27.3 rmforall [A detailed look at the data]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/939
aspartame (aspartic acid, phenylalanine) binding to DNA:
Karikas July 1998: Murray 1.5.3 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@...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/782
RTM: Smith, Terpening, Schmidt, Gums:
full text: aspartame, MSG, fibromyalgia 1.17.2 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

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/925
aspartame puts formaldehyde adducts into tissues, Part 1/2
full text, Trocho & Alemany 6.26.98: Murray 12.22.2 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/926
aspartame puts formaldehyde adducts into tissues, Part 2/2
full text, Trocho & Alemany 6.26.98: Murray 12.22.2 rmforall

http://ww.presidiotex.com/barcelona/index.html
Trocho C, Pardo R, Rafecas I, Virgili J, Remesar X,
Fernandez-Lopez JA, Alemany M ["Trok-ho"]
Formaldehyde derived from dietary aspartame binds to tissue
components in vivo. Life Sci 1998 Jun 26; 63(5): 337-49.
Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Biologia,
Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.
http://www.presidiotex.com/barcelona/index.html
Maria Alemany, PhD (male) alemany@...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/864
Murray: Butchko, Tephly, McMartin: Alemany: aspartame formaldehyde
adducts in rats 9.8.2 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 Monte, below.]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/911
RTP ties to industry criticized by CSPI: Murray: 12.9.2 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/872
immune system reactions due to formaldehyde from the 11% methanol in
aspartame: Thrasher: Tephly: Monte: Murray 9.27.2 rmforall

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 a day 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, much 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.
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