Health For Today

Artificial Sugars and Memory
Research shows that aspartame, also known as NutraSweet, causes damage in the brain that affects memory. MSG and aspartate damage the glutatmate receptors in the hippocampus (Excitotoxins, the Taste that Kills, Russell Blaylock MD, 147).So what is the big deal about glutamate if these are glutamate receptor sites? All of these neurons are excitatory. That is, they excite the brain to activity rather than calm it down. Alzheimer’s patients had large number of glutamate-type neurons destroyed because of too much excitement. In Alzheimer’s patients, 40% to 60% of three kinds of glutamate receptor neurons are destroyed.

What is killing these neurons and what kinds of cells are being killed? The neurons that use glutamate and aspartate as neuro-transmitters are being killed by MSG and Aspartame (nutrasweet) because of getting too much stimulation.

Aspartame is, by far, the most dangerous substance on the market that is added to foods. Aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Many of these reactions are very serious, including seizures and death, as disclosed in a February 1994 Department of Health and Human Services report. A few of the 90 different documented symptoms listed in the FDA report which were caused by aspartame included: Headaches/migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and joint pain.
Aspartame users are more likely to report long-term memory lapses, like forgetting details of personal routines, or whether or not a task had been completed. (DANGEROUS DIET DRINKS. Psychology Today, Mar/Apr 2001, Vol. 34 Issue 2, p20, 2/5p) According to researchers and physicians studying the adverse effects of aspartame, the following chronic illnesses can be triggered or worsened by ingesting aspartame: brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, mental retardation, lymphoma, birth defects, fibromyalgia, and diabetes.
Aspartame is made up of three chemicals: Aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol. The book, Prescription for Nutritional Healing, by James and Phyllis Balch, lists aspartame under the category of "chemical poison." That is exactly what it is!
Summary Of How Aspartate (And Glutamate) Cause DamageAspartate and glutamate facilitate the transmission of neuro-transmitters from neuron to neuron. Too much aspartate or glutamate in the brain kills certain neurons by allowing the influx of too much calcium into the cells. This influx triggers excessive amounts of free radicals which kill the cells. The neural cell damage caused by excessive aspartate and glutamate is why they are referred to as "excitotoxins." They "excite" or stimulate the neural cells to death.
Aspartic acid is an amino acid. Taken in its free form (unbound to proteins) it significantly raises the blood plasma level of aspartate and glutamate. When there is excess aspartate and glutamate in the blood plasma shortly after ingesting aspartame or products with free glutamic acid (glutamate precursor), it leads to a high level of those neuro-transmitters in certain areas of the brain. Glutathione is extremely important as a protection from the increase in free radicals caused by aspartates and glutamates.
The blood brain barrier (BBB) which normally protects the brain from excess glutamate and aspartate, as well as toxins 1) is not fully developed during childhood, 2) does not fully protect all areas of the brain, 3) is damaged by numerous chronic and acute conditions, and 4) allows seepage of excess glutamate and aspartate into the brain even when intact.
The glutamate and aspartate from aspartame slowly destroy neurons. There can be a large majority, even as much as 75% of neural cells, in an area of the brain, killed before they may know that they have a clinical problem. Some brain diseases are known to result from long-term exposure to excitatory damage. Memory loss, along with Multiple sclerosis (MS), ALS, hormonal problems, hearing loss, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, hypoglycemia, AIDS, dementia, brain lesions, and neuro-endocrine disorders may result from aspartame. One common complaint of persons suffering from the effect of aspartame is memory loss. (http://www.curezone.com/foods/aspartame.asp)

Information came from Dr. Corinne Allen (brainadvance.org)