Is aspartame killing us? What are the dangers? Is it really safe for consumer use? Can it physically harm us? Aspartame is an artificial sweetener used as a sugar substitute in some foods and beverages.

Aspartame (E951) was discovered in 1965 by James M. Schlatter. In 1980, the FDA cited that there were unanswered questions about cancer in laboratory rats. An independent board of doctors unanimously ruled that aspartame should not go on the market.

“In 1983, the FDA further approved aspartame for use in carbonated beverages, and for use in other beverages, baked goods, and confections in 1993. In 1996, the FDA removed all restrictions from aspartame, allowing it to be used in all foods.” The sweetener is now being used in 6,000 products around the world.

James M. Schlatter discovered the sweetener when working for G. D. Searle and Company, which was later bought out by Monsanto in 1985. In March 2000, Monsanto sold it to J.W. Childs Equity Partners II L.P. The subsidiary company is known as NutraSweet.

Aspartame has a competitor, known as Sucralose. NutraSweet has come up with another product, Neotame (E961), and it is between 7,000 and 13,000 times as sweet as table sugar.

There have been over 10,000 consumer complaints with products that include NutraSweet. Aspartame has caused brain tumors in laboratory mice. One gentleman from Louisiana, Ron Dodge, claims that aspartame is what killed his wife. He believes it came from the Diet Coke.

Activist Dr. Betty Martini acknowledges that numerous health risks come from aspartame: multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus, methanol toxicity, blindness, spasms, shooting pains, seizures, headaches, depression, anxiety, memory loss, birth defects and death.

A former pharmaceutical sales rep, Gwen Olsen, learned a great deal about aspartame when doing research for a book. She says that she is very surprised by the lack of public knowledge of the dangers of aspartame. Olsen mentions a gentleman by the name of Donald Rumsfeld.

From 1977 to 1985 Rumsfeld served as CEO, President, and then Chairman of G. D. Searle. In 1985, Searle was sold to Monsanto Company. Rumsfeld is believed to have earned around $12 million from this sale.

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