About Aspartame Side Effects

Contributor

By Jessica Pestka
eHow Contributing Writer

Article Rating:

(2 Ratings)

About Aspartame Side Effects

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener designed to add sweetness to foods without adding many calories. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as a food additive in 1981, aspartame is up to 200 times sweeter than table sugar. Aspartame has been marketed under a number of names including NutraSweet, Equal, Equal-measure and NatraTaste. Although approved as safe by the FDA, aspartame has been linked to both proven and unproven side effects.

About Aspartame Side Effects
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener designed to add sweetness to foods without adding many calories. Appr… More
How to Choose an Artificial Sweetener
If you want to enjoy the sweetness of your favorite sugary treat without the calories of sugar, you're in … More
How to Evaluate Aspartame Risks
Recent studies published by many health experts have emphasized the dangers of the artificial sweetener as… More
How to Avoid Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners are chemical compounds that, in some cases, can be dangerous. They can actually acc… More
How to Use Safe Sweeteners for Non-Toxic Living
Non-toxic living means making a commitment to use environmentally friendly products around the house, incl… More
Health Facts About Diet Drinks
Diet drinks create a lot of controversy due to their use of artificial sweeteners. Find out why diet drink… More
How to Treat Arthritis With Aspartame
Since its controversial first approval by the FDA in 1981, aspartame, a virtually calorie-free artificial … More
Is Splenda Safe During Pregnancy?
During pregnancy, many women find concern in most things revolving around their health and nutrition. And … More
How to Detox From Aspartame
Aspartame is a dangerous sugar substitute added to diet foods. Using it over time can cause side effects s… More

Studies

The majority of studies have concluded that aspartame produces minimal side effects when consumed in doses under the accepted daily intake (ADI), which is equal to about 19 cans of soda per day.

Effects

A few clinical studies have reported that some individuals experience headaches, dizziness, irritability or insomnia when consuming aspartame in amounts less than the ADI.

Warning

Aspartame cannot be consumed by individuals with a metabolic disease called phenylketonuria, as they are unable to metabolize aspartame.

Controversy

Despite hundreds of clinical studies demonstrating aspartame's safety and numerous reviews by multiple government regulatory agencies, side effects linked to aspartame continue to be reported to the FDA.

Considerations

Although moderate consumption of aspartame is considered safe, individuals with health concerns about aspartame may want to consider limiting their intake of the substance.