- Dallas -- When stored or heated above
85 degrees F, as in desert heat, Aspartame in "diet drinks" breaks
down into neurotoxic substances: Methanol (wood alcohol), Formaldehyde
(embalming fluid), Formic Acid (ant sting venom) and DKP (brain tumor agent).
The major soft drink companies shipped free diet soft drinks (Businessweek,
Dec.'90) to our Desert Storm troops, where they broke down in storage into
highly toxic substances. The symptoms reported by many sufferers of "Gulf
War Syndrome" mimic the ones of those reporting problems associated
with Aspartame use here ... but, the military personnel symptoms are greater
because they were drinking/eating "expired" Diet Pepsi and then
some! Since Aspartame is capable of changing the DNA (in lab tests), birth
defects in offspring can be readily addressed. Family members are also
experiencing illness, possibly from their continued use of these products.
What is the real reason behind Gulf War Syndrome? Based on volumes of available
research, we believe it was what they were eating and drinking Aspartame
in extreme desert heat.
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- ACSN Founder, Mary Nash Stoddard (a veteran's
widow) is available to answer questions and support allegations regarding
this important issue and how it is adversely affecting 3 out of 5 who use
it. ACSN's special Pilot's Hotline has logged over 800 pilot-related calls.
Pilots are having grand mal seizures in the cockpits of commercial airline
flights, and others are crashing the flight simulator at training facilities
while in seizure. Dozens have lost their flying status because of Aspartame.
Seizures, loss of vision, vertigo, suicidal depressions, heart problems,
etc. are routinely reported to ACSN. Many consumers report bizarre psychological
symptoms as well. This happens when the Phenylalanine in Aspartame depletes
levels of the neurotransmitter, Serotonin, a brain chemical which regulates
aggressive behaviors and sleep patterns, among other things.
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- The U.S. Air Force has formally warned
all pilots to abstain from consuming Diet Drinks in their official Flying
Safety publication (May & August 1992.) Their Aspartame Alert article
was based on that of the U.S. Navy to pilots earlier in Navy Physiology.
78% of all consumer complaints to the FDA are about reactions to Aspartame
(NutraSweet, Equal, etc).
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- Recently, a letter was sent to COPA in
which a pilot expressed his concerns over questionable adverse effects
from consumption of diet drinks containing aspartame. By 1986, the FDA
and the Centre for Disease Control in the U.S. had evaluated 3,000 known
complaints. Fellow pilots who may have had similar side effects may be
interested in the information below:
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- The January, 1990, Plane and Pilot magazine
featured an article on drugs and alcohol vis-a-vis safe flying practices
that also talked about food additives. It explained that diet soft drinks
are sweetened artificially by Aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal), and that
Aspartame contains 10% methanol. That caught my attention! I know that
methanol (wood alcohol) is a poisonous substance, which on ingestion causes
blindness and death; two teaspoons full are considered lethal.
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- The article disclosed that methanol destroys
the brain, albeit a little at a time, and that effects are cumulative.
Depending on a person's physical state and tolerance level, immediate effects
can either be severe (resulting in epileptic seizures, including grand
mal, blindness, chest palpitations), or less noticeable (causing blurred
vision, bright flashes, tunnel vision, ringing or buzzing in ears, migraine
headaches, dizziness, loss of equilibrium, lip and mourth reactions); less
noticeable effects might be passed off as temporary or caused by something
else. But everyone is affected in one way or another, since methanol causes
toxic reactions, not just allergic ones in a few unfortunates.
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- Here are some direct excerpts from the
article: "An Air Force pilot traced the patterns of tremors and seizures
he suffered for two years directly to his patterns of NutraSweet consumption.
When he travelled to areas where diet sodas were not avialable, he was
free of the symptoms. But, when he resumed intake of the beverages, his
tremors resumed, grew more severe and culminated in a grand mal seizure
that ended his flying career. His medical problems ceased when he quit
ingesting NutraSweet, but it was too late to restore his flying status."
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- "Another pilot suffered similar
symptoms only when using Aspartame products. But FAA revoked his medical
certificate when it was informed of the symptoms. After only two cups of
artificially sweetened hot chocolate, a pilot experienced blurred vision
so severe he was unable, in flight, to read the instruments and very narrowly
avoided a tragic landing. Safely on the ground, he related his symptoms
to the secretaries in his office. Both of them told of experiencing similar
symptoms after ingesting Aspartame products."
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- I, too, had bad experiences with Aspartame.
It replaced saccharin about 10 years ago. As a marathon runner in his 30s,
I consumed litres of diet drinks daily at that time. When I first drank
pop with Aspartame, it had immediate and severe effects upon my consciousness
and vision. After a few scary incidents, pop consumption and problems seemed
related.
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- I described symptoms and circumstances
to my doctor. He ran tests, but never seriously listened to my concern
of relating pop with the effects. He was a reasonably competent G.P., but
not ready to distrust, let alone blame, an FDA approved sweetener. Eventually,
I quit ingesting Aspartame and have not had incidents since. Employed in
the professions and a post-graduate, I conduct research occasionally and
am aware of the difficulty of matching cause and effect (and the danger
of doing it improperly.) But, there is no doubt in my mind that "tests"
with my body proved that Aspartame is bad (at least for me.)
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- When I spoke about this to a non-flying,
weightlifting gym friend, he volunteered for a test. After drinking one
can of diet pop, his ears started ringing within minutes and he got a pulsating
sensation in his brain.
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- Apparently, the other main components
of Aspartame, Phenylalanine [50%], Aspartic Acid [40%], combined with the
Methanol [10%], create a witch's brew of 16 breakdown products after digestion
that cause illness. Animal tests revealed brain tumors, some cancerous;
holes in the brain, womb tumors, uterine tumors and reproductive dysfunctions.
Studies on humans indicated that pregnant women and young children run
especially high risks. There is evidence of birth defects in offsprings,
including severe retardation, genetic damage, especially in women who carry
the PKU (Phenylketonuria) gene, heart problems and emotional and psychiatric
disorders.
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- If pilots want more information, I encourage
them to call (or Email) the Aspartame Consumer Safety Network in Dallas,
Texas U.S.A. and talk to ACSN & Worldwide Pilot Hotline Founder, Mary
Nash Stoddard (214-352-4268 or Email: marystod@airmail.net) ACSN promises
confidentiality if asked, and will send an eye-opening information package.
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