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July 19, 1985, Vol 254, No. 3 >
ARTICLE | July 19, 1985

Aspartame: Title and subTitle BreakReview of Safety Issues FREE

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This report was submitted to the Council on Scientific Affairs as an informational report at the annual meeting, June 1985.

This report is not intended to be construed or to serve as a standard of medical care. Standards of medical care are determined on the basis of all of the facts and circumstances involved in an individual case and are subject to change as scientific knowledge and technology advance and patterns of practice evolve. This report reflects the views of scientific experts and reports in the scientific literature as of June 1985.

Reprint requests to Council on Scientific Affairs, Division of Drugs and Technology, American Medical Association, 535 N Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60610 (John C. Ballin, PhD).


JAMA. 1985;254(3):400-402. doi:10.1001/jama.1985.03360030090029
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References

This report examines the safety issues related to the nutritive sweetener aspartame, including possible toxic effects of aspartame's component amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylalanine, and its major decomposition products, methanol and diketopiperazine, and the potential synergistic effect of aspartame and dietary carbohydrate on brain neurochemicals. Available evidence suggests that consumption of aspartame by normal humans is safe and is not associated with serious adverse health effects. Individuals who need to control their phenylalanine intake should handle aspartame like any other source of phenylalanine.

(JAMA 1985;254:400-402)

REFERENCES

1 +
 The multiple sweetener concept , in Calorie Control Commentary . Atlanta, Calorie Control Council, 1983;.
2 +
 How sweet it is... aspartame . Nutr MD 1982;;8:4-5.
3 +
Horwitz DL, Bauer-Nehrling JK:  Can aspartame meet our expectations? J Am Diet Assoc 1983;;83:142-146.
4 +
 Food additives permitted in food for human consumption: Aspartame . Federal Register 1974;; 39( (July 26) ):27317-27320.
5 +
Decision of the Public Board of Inquiry , Dept of Health and Human Services docket 75F-0335. Rockville, Md, Food and Drug Administration, 1980;.
6 +
Aspartame:  Commissioner's final decision . Federal Register 1981;;46( (July 24) ):38283-38308.
7 +
 Food additives permitted for direct addition to food for human consumption: Aspartame . Federal Register 1983;;48( (July 8) ):31376-31382.
8 +
Koch R, Schaeffler G, Shaw KNF:  Results of loading doses of aspartame by two phenylketonuric (PKU) children compared with two normal children . J Toxicol Environ Health 1976;; 2:459-469.
9 +
Stegink LD, Filer LJ Jr, Baker GL, et al:  Effect of aspartame loading upon plasma and erythrocyte amino acid levels in phenylketonuric heterozygotes and normal adult subjects . J Nutr 1979;;109:708-717.
10 +
Stegink LD, Filer LJ Jr, Baker GL, et al:  Effect of an abuse dose of aspartame upon plasma and erythrocyte levels of amino acids in phenylketonuric heterozygotes and normal adults . J Nutr 1980;;110:2216-2224.
11 +
Stegink LD, Filer LJ Jr, Baker GL:  Plasma amino acid concentrations in normal adults fed meals with added monosodium L-glutamate and aspartame . J Nutr 1983;;113:1851-1860.
12 +
Filer LJ Jr, Baker GL, Stegink LD:  Effect of aspartame loading on plasma and erythrocyte free amino acid concentrations in one-year-old infants . J Nutr 1983;;113:1591-1599.
13 +
Stegink LD, Brummel MC, Filer LJ Jr, et al:  Blood methanol concentrations in one-year-old infants administered graded doses of aspartame . J Nutr 1983;;113:1600-1606.
14 +
Decision on Petition for Tolerance Regulation and Embargo in Arizona of Carbonated Beverages and Carbonated Beverage Syrup Bases Containing Aspartame . Phoenix, Arizona Dept of Health Services, (March 7) , 1984;.
15 +
 Food additives permitted for direct addition to food for human consumption: Aspartame . Federal Register 1984;;49( (Feb 22) ):6672-6682.
16 +
Stegink LD, Brummel MC, McMartin K, et al:  Blood methanol concentrations in normal adult subjects administered abuse doses of aspartame . J Toxicol Environ Health 1981;;7:281-290.
17 +
Wurtman RJ:  Neurochemical changes following high-dose aspartame with dietary carbohydrates . N Engl J Med 1983;;309:429-430.
18 +
Yokogoshi H, Roberts CH, Caballero B, et al:  Effects of aspartame and glucose administration on brain and plasma levels of large neutral amino acids and brain 5-hydroxyindoles . Am J Clin Nutr 1984;;40:1-7.
19 +
Fernstrom JD, Fernstrom MH, Gillis MA:  Acute effects of aspartame on large neutral amino acids and monoamines in rat brain . Life Sci 1983;;32:1651-1658.
20 +
Evaluation of Consumer Complaints Related to Aspartame Use . Atlanta, Center for Health Promotion and Education, (November) 1984;.

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Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature

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1 +
 The multiple sweetener concept , in Calorie Control Commentary . Atlanta, Calorie Control Council, 1983;.
2 +
 How sweet it is... aspartame . Nutr MD 1982;;8:4-5.
3 +
Horwitz DL, Bauer-Nehrling JK:  Can aspartame meet our expectations? J Am Diet Assoc 1983;;83:142-146.
4 +
 Food additives permitted in food for human consumption: Aspartame . Federal Register 1974;; 39( (July 26) ):27317-27320.
5 +
Decision of the Public Board of Inquiry , Dept of Health and Human Services docket 75F-0335. Rockville, Md, Food and Drug Administration, 1980;.
6 +
Aspartame:  Commissioner's final decision . Federal Register 1981;;46( (July 24) ):38283-38308.
7 +
 Food additives permitted for direct addition to food for human consumption: Aspartame . Federal Register 1983;;48( (July 8) ):31376-31382.
8 +
Koch R, Schaeffler G, Shaw KNF:  Results of loading doses of aspartame by two phenylketonuric (PKU) children compared with two normal children . J Toxicol Environ Health 1976;; 2:459-469.
9 +
Stegink LD, Filer LJ Jr, Baker GL, et al:  Effect of aspartame loading upon plasma and erythrocyte amino acid levels in phenylketonuric heterozygotes and normal adult subjects . J Nutr 1979;;109:708-717.
10 +
Stegink LD, Filer LJ Jr, Baker GL, et al:  Effect of an abuse dose of aspartame upon plasma and erythrocyte levels of amino acids in phenylketonuric heterozygotes and normal adults . J Nutr 1980;;110:2216-2224.
11 +
Stegink LD, Filer LJ Jr, Baker GL:  Plasma amino acid concentrations in normal adults fed meals with added monosodium L-glutamate and aspartame . J Nutr 1983;;113:1851-1860.
12 +
Filer LJ Jr, Baker GL, Stegink LD:  Effect of aspartame loading on plasma and erythrocyte free amino acid concentrations in one-year-old infants . J Nutr 1983;;113:1591-1599.
13 +
Stegink LD, Brummel MC, Filer LJ Jr, et al:  Blood methanol concentrations in one-year-old infants administered graded doses of aspartame . J Nutr 1983;;113:1600-1606.
14 +
Decision on Petition for Tolerance Regulation and Embargo in Arizona of Carbonated Beverages and Carbonated Beverage Syrup Bases Containing Aspartame . Phoenix, Arizona Dept of Health Services, (March 7) , 1984;.
15 +
 Food additives permitted for direct addition to food for human consumption: Aspartame . Federal Register 1984;;49( (Feb 22) ):6672-6682.
16 +
Stegink LD, Brummel MC, McMartin K, et al:  Blood methanol concentrations in normal adult subjects administered abuse doses of aspartame . J Toxicol Environ Health 1981;;7:281-290.
17 +
Wurtman RJ:  Neurochemical changes following high-dose aspartame with dietary carbohydrates . N Engl J Med 1983;;309:429-430.
18 +
Yokogoshi H, Roberts CH, Caballero B, et al:  Effects of aspartame and glucose administration on brain and plasma levels of large neutral amino acids and brain 5-hydroxyindoles . Am J Clin Nutr 1984;;40:1-7.
19 +
Fernstrom JD, Fernstrom MH, Gillis MA:  Acute effects of aspartame on large neutral amino acids and monoamines in rat brain . Life Sci 1983;;32:1651-1658.
20 +
Evaluation of Consumer Complaints Related to Aspartame Use . Atlanta, Center for Health Promotion and Education, (November) 1984;.

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