The World Health Organization (WHO) may soon declare artificial sweetener aspartame “possibly carcinogenic to humans”, an action which could have profound repercussions for food and beverage producers worldwide if implemented.
WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer is anticipated to make their determination about aspartame by July. In doing so, this may place it alongside red meat, diesel engine fuel, asbestos and tobacco; which have all been established causes of cancer. Furthermore, studies have implicated aspartame consumption with neurobehavioral changes and Alzheimer’s dementia dementia as well.
Research released by Florida State University researchers this month in Scientific Reports shows that mice exposed to aspartame developed anxiety and cognitive deficits similar to what would occur if people consumed two or more diet sodas daily, according to scientists. Furthermore, aspartame had heritable behavioral and cognitive impacts that passed along epigenetically from fathers through paternal lines – further supporting its harmful impact.
Aspartame is broken down in the body into phenylalanine, aspartic acid and methanol, all of which can interfere with transmission between brain cells. Furthermore, formaldehyde from formaldehyde conversion could contribute to memory loss and neurotoxicity; and research suggests aspartame disrupts gut microbiomes which play an essential role in mental wellbeing.
