From: Mark Gold 
Subject: Re: Aspartame (Nutrasweet) Toxicity Information Center
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 1999 20:06:53 -0500 (EST)

>Date: Fri, 5 Feb 1999 19:32:46 -0500 (EST)
>From: 
>Subject: Re: Aspartame (Nutrasweet) Toxicity Information Center
>To: mgold@holisticmed.com
>Cc: 
>
>I have been recently informed of this Aspertame situation and am adding
>some pages to the following location on this problem.  ChannelU doesn't
>get a lot of hits but add one more link to your list of links :) 
>http://www.channelu.com/Articles

Hi Randy!

Thank you for the email and the link.  I will let others who have links
pages know about your articles so that can link to you.  Every little bit
helps people!

>I can't seem to find the one thing that might put a nail in the coffin
>of the Aspertame promoters. Take a can of Diet - Pepsi.  Take it to like
>100 - 110 degrees F.  Then analyze it for the Aspertame by products. 
>Methanol - this is well know to have toxicity effects - and IS poison. 
>Then look for the other probable poisons (free-from aspartic acid, and
>DKP). 

I have written some detailed pieces on methanol==>formaldehyde from
aspartame.  I suggest starting by printing out the following piece:

    http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/abuse/methanol.html

It answers all of the manufacturer's arguments -- at least the ones that
they have brought out so far. :-)  The heating of aspartame is only
relevant to the DKP formation.  Methanol is formed in the small intestine
after aspartame is ingested (whether it is heated or not). 

Two other pages for detailed scientific information include:

        http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/abuse/

        http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/aspfaq.html

I tried to provide clarifications to the "Nancy Markle" email at:

        http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/markle.html

About aspartame and MS.  I tried to clear up the fact that there is
clinical evidence that aspartame exacerbates MS in many cases and causes
symptoms which can mimmick MS.  But there has been no research to show
that it causes MS (although I would not be surprised if it was a risk
factor in some people).  The MS Foundation went right to Monsanto for
information about aspartame a few weeks ago.  Then a consultant
neuroscientist wrote a piece about aspartame after only reading article
summaries.  I tried to correspond with that neuroscientist, but to date,
he has ignored my requests for a reasoned discussion.  Oh well.
Fortunately, other patient groups have not give independent researcher the
"cold shoulder."  

>Please if you know of any simple chemical analysis of these drinks based
>on temperature/time by product conversion that gives ppm or percentages
>of methanol - I'd be very interested to know about them. 

Methanol is only formed at high temperatures (e.g., > 86 Celsius). But
again, since methanol is released in the small intestine anyway, the
heating issue is moot.  However, for more information about aspartame
breakdown, please see:

        http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/aspart.p4

>I'm still searching so maybe I'll find something quickly.  The literature
>search was a good first step.  Thank you very much.  Working on that
>above Aspertame page now which will have links to holisticmed.com.. 

I think you will enjoy reading and following up on some of the
above-referenced articles.  Thank you very much for the link.
I will check it out.  Take care!

Best Wishes,
                             - Mark
                      mgold@holisticmed.com

              Aspartame Toxicity Information Center
   (Monsanto, Benevia, NutraSweet, Equal, NatraTaste, Neotame)
             http://www.HolisticMed.com/aspartame/

                  http://www.HolisticMed.com/
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