Dangers By Aspartame

Do you know that aspartame, a food sweetener, is actually a silent killer? Read on to know the various dangers and side effects of aspartame.
Aspartame, a kind of food sweeteners, is used as a sugar substitute in a number of foods and beverages which we consume everyday, such as instant breakfasts, sugar-free chewing gums, laxatives, soft drinks, yogurt, wine coolers, frozen desserts and many more. Aspartame is believed to be two hundred times more sweet than sugar. Aspartame started being used as an ingredient in foods and beverages as early as 1981. However, since then it has been mired in controversies due to its various side effects and dangers.
Aspartame Side Effects
One of the dangers of aspartame is that it can produce symptoms such as shortness of breath, high blood pressure and even tachycardia in a person. There have been instances where people have contracted respiratory diseases such as asthma due to the consumption of food products containing aspartame.
Another danger is that it leads to gastrointestinal problems, which produce symptoms such as pain in the stomach, difficulty swallowing, nausea and diarrhea.
The side effects of aspartame are not limited to the physical body. It can have an impact on the psychological health of a person as well. Stress, anxiety, depression, irritability, aggression and certain personality disorders can be experienced by people due to its excess consumption.
If aspartame poisoning occurs in a person, it can lead to mental retardation, aggression in behavior, hyperactivity in children, depression, birth defects, peptic ulcers and even death in some severe cases.
Certain neurological problems such as epileptic seizures, memory loss, slurred speech and dizziness may be experienced due to aspartame too.
Aspartame is detrimental to the health of the eyes and ears as well. It can cause blurred vision, pain in the eyes and even blindness in some cases. Eye problems such as bright flashes, lessened night vision, etc can be experienced too. Ear problems such as tinnitus or hearing impairment are caused by excess aspartame consumption.
In women, the dangers of aspartame can range from changes in the menstrual cycle, severe pre-menstrual syndrome symptoms, weight gain or weight loss.
Itching on the skin areas, especially around the mouth, are pretty common side effects too.
In pregnant women, consumption of aspartame exposes the fetus to certain toxins and also leads to accumulation of glutamate in the body, both of which can be highly damaging for the brain of the baby.
Besides the side effects mentioned above, excess of food additives aspartame in one’s diet, is also believed to cause or trigger some fatal health conditions and illnesses, such as hypothyroidism, Alzheimer’s disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, Lyme disease and attention deficit disorder.
Although the side effects of aspartame have been well-known for a number of years now, no steps have been taken to take the products containing aspartame off the shelves, mainly due to the amount of money that the food industry makes because of it. On top of that, aspartame effects on the body cannot be easily detected during medical examinations and the only way to find whether a person has aspartame poisoning is by looking at the side effects it produces in a person. Thus, to keep one’s health intact, refraining from consuming products that contain aspartame or limiting their intake to a minimum, is the best option.