FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is aspartame?

Aspartame is a low-calorie sweetener used in many foods we consume every day, including breakfast cereals, carbonated beverages, yogurt products, fruit spreads and candies. It is also widely used as a tabletop sweetener. Because aspartame is up to 200 times sweeter than sugar, it can reduce up to 99 percent of the calories in most products. Without this low-calorie sweetener, many of the reduced-calorie and light products that are in such great demand today would not be possible.

What are the benefits of using aspartame?

Today, more than 100 million people around the world enjoy aspartame-containing products. Calorie-conscious consumers like aspartame because it’s low in calories and tastes like sugar. Aspartame is 200 times sweeter than sugar and can reduce up to 99 percent of the calories in most products. It also intensifies and extends certain flavors, especially fruit flavor. As a sugar-substitute, aspartame helps diabetics improve their quality of life by enabling them to follow nutrition recommendations and choose from a much wider variety of good-tasting foods and beverages. Aspartame is also tooth-friendly. It does not promote tooth decay and is backed by the American Dental Association.

When was aspartame approved? How was it tested?

Prior to its approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1981, aspartame underwent one of the most rigorous testing programs and thorough regulatory reviews in food ingredient history. More than 100 scientific studies were conducted in animals and humans, including normal adults and children, lactating women and persons with diabetes, obesity and special genetic conditions. Today scientists continue to conduct new studies on this sweetener as they do many other ingredients used in the food supply. The FDA also monitors and evaluates all research on this and other food ingredients.

What is the acceptable daily intake of aspartame?

The acceptable daily intake (ADI) is established by the FDA and is the amount of a food additive we can consume daily for a lifetime without adverse effects. The ADI of aspartame is 50 mg/kg of body weight per day (22 cans of a diet soft drink for a 175 pound  man; 15 cans for a 120 pound woman). If you consume more than the ADI of aspartame once in a while, it won’t cause you any harm. In addition, studies on the long-term use of aspartame show it to be safe.

Is aspartame safe?

Regulators and scientists have tested aspartame for more than two decades, in more than 100 studies, with the same result: Aspartame is safe to use. In fact, the FDA Commissioner noted upon approval that "few compounds have withstood such detailed testing and repeated, close scrutiny, and the process through which aspartame has gone should provide the public with additional confidence of its safety." In addition to FDA approval, a number of health groups, including the American Medical Association, the American Diabetes Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition, support the use of aspartame.

What is methanol and is it a problem in consuming aspartame?

Methanol is a natural and harmless by-product of many foods we eat every day. The methanol produced by aspartame is identical to the methanol produced in much larger amounts from fruits, vegetables and their juices. In fact, a cup of tomato juice provides about six times more methanol than a cup of an aspartame-sweetened soft drink. The amount of methanol in the human diet is nowhere near the levels that cause toxicity. You would have to drink about 675 to 1,690 cans of diet soft drink at one sitting to reach the toxic level.

Can aspartame help people lose weight?

More than 144 million adult Americans use low-calorie sweeteners as part of a weight-control program. Low-calorie sweeteners enable consumers to lose and maintain weight, as well as reduce the risks associated with obesity. Why? Because the key to losing weight is to burn more calories than are consumed, either by increasing physical activity or consuming fewer calories. Low-calorie sweeteners, such as aspartame, offer a means to control calories. Researchers at Harvard Medical School concluded that aspartame "is a valuable adjunct to a comprehensive program of balanced diet, exercise and behavior modifications for losing weight."

Does aspartame cause allergic reactions?

For nearly every food there is someone who claims to "react" to it. Although a number of studies have been done, there is no scientifically demonstrated link between true allergies and aspartame. Even among those who believed they experienced allergic-type reactions to aspartame, researchers have not been able to duplicate adverse reactions in carefully controlled studies. In fact, one study of aspartame and allergic responses found that aspartame was no more likely than a placebo to cause adverse reactions.

Is there any relationship between aspartame and headaches?

Headaches are one of the most common ailments. And it’s no wonder when they can be caused by so many factors – from stress and sleep disturbances to physical illnesses. While many foods, including aspartame, are thought to trigger headaches, it still remains unproven. Scientific studies show that there is no relationship between aspartame and headaches.

Is there any relationship between aspartame and cancer or tumor formation?

The American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute and the FDA have looked into the relationship between aspartame and human brain tumors. They concluded that aspartame does not increase the incidence of brain tumors or cause cancer. In studies conducted on animals that were given huge amounts of aspartame (more than 1,000 cans of diet soft drink) for two years, no link was found between aspartame and tumor formation.

Is there a relationship between aspartame and neurological illnesses, such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease?

There is no relationship between aspartame and any neurological illness. Major health organizations support aspartame’s safety, including the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, the American Diabetes Association, the American Dietetic Association and the Council on Scientific Affairs of the American Medical Association. Some people assert that consuming a lot of aspartame will cause high levels of aspartic acid in your blood, circulate to the brain and kill nerve cells by over-stimulating them. Scientific research with aspartame shows this is not possible and that consuming even extraordinarily large amounts of aspartame over a long period of time does not result in high blood levels of aspartic acid. Therefore, aspartame consumption is not linked to an increased risk for neurological diseases or any other diseases.

Can pregnant women consume aspartame?

Aspartame is safe for pregnant women and their developing babies, according to the Council on Scientific Affairs of the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition and the American Dietetic Association. During pregnancy, good nutrition is especially important. While sufficient calories are important during pregnancy, these calories should come from foods that contribute to nutrient needs rather than foods low in nutrients. The variety of foods and beverages sweetened with aspartame can help satisfy a pregnant woman’s taste for "sweets" without the extra calories, leaving room for more nutritious foods. In addition, there is no need for pregnant women to be concerned about the components in aspartame. These components are also contained in many of the foods that are eaten daily by pregnant and breast-feeding women. In both cases, the body uses the components in the exact same way.

Can persons with diabetes consume aspartame?

Aspartame is safe for diabetics because it sweetens without the calories or rise in blood sugar levels. And because aspartame helps them choose from a much wider variety of foods and beverages, it can help diabetics follow nutrition recommendations. They are also able to improve their quality of life by enjoying good-tasting foods. In fact, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) considers aspartame an acceptable sugar substitute and a safe part of a diabetic meal plan. However, the ADA recommends that diabetics consult their physician concerning the use of low-calorie sweeteners in their daily meal plans.

Is aspartame safe for people with epilepsy?

Yes, aspartame is safe for people with epilepsy, according to the Epilepsy Foundation of America and the Epilepsy Institute. In addition, the FDA looked at 251 reports from people that believed their seizures were caused by aspartame, and found that there was no link between the seizures and aspartame. Scientific studies in animals and humans confirm these results—even when given doses much greater than those currently consumed by humans.

How does aspartame affect children’s behavior?

Aspartame is safe for children and teens when used in a well-balanced diet that includes a variety of foods, according to the FDA, the American Medical Association and the American Dietetic Association. It has no affect on children’s behavior, including children diagnosed as hyperactive or with attention deficit disorder. While infants and very young children digest aspartame the same as adults, children this age need lots of energy for proper growth and development and should not restrict calories. For this reason, aspartame is not intended for use by infants and very young children.

What is phenylketonuria and is aspartame safe for people with this condition?

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a rare inherited disease that prevents the amino acid phenylalanine from being properly metabolized. Because of this, phenylalanine can accumulate in the blood and brain fluid, and cause health problems, including mental retardation. In the United States, one in 15,000 babies is born with PKU. Because early detection and subsequent treatment of PKU can help children live normal lives, routine screening of newborns for PKU is required by law in the U.S. and many other countries. People with PKU are placed on a phenylalanine-restricted diet. Phenylalanine is found in many foods naturally and also a component of aspartame. It’s important that people with PKU carefully monitor their consumption of these foods.

Why do products which contain aspartame have the label 'Contains a source of phenylalanine' on the packaging?

This label is there to help people with the rare inherited genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU). People who suffer from PKU cannot metabolize phenylalanine from any source and need to follow a very strict diet. The disorder affects approximately 1 in 15,000 babies born in the US. All babies are screened shortly after birth for PKU.

Is aspartame suitable for people on low carbohydrate diets such as the Atkins Diet?

Aspartame is made from two amino acids, which are parts of protein. Aspartame provides the taste of sugar but very few calories.