User talk:Richard T Murray/Aspartame

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As a resource for whatever group takes on articles on aspartame (methanol, formaldehyde, and formic acid are its inevitable products in human tissues), I supply the most recent post of over 1650 on the archive of aspartameNM@yahoogroups.com :

Rich Murray 505-819-7388 rmforall@gmail.com

Victoria Inness-Brown, 3 books and 5-part video on 2.5 year study on many large tumors in 60 rats fed NutraSweet (aspartame, dextrose, maltodextrine): Joseph Mercola: Rich Murray 2011.06.23 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2011_06_01_archive.htm Thursday, June 23, 2011 [ at end of each long page, click on Older Posts ] http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1627 [ you may have to Copy and Paste URLs into your browser ]

Amid health fears, Diet Coke sweetener [aspartame] in safety spotlight, Sean Poulter, UK Daily Mail 2011.05.27, 141 comments: Rich Murray 2011.05.30 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.htm Monday, May 30, 2011 [ at end of each long page, click on Older Posts ] http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1625 [ you may have to Copy and Paste URLs into your browser ]

aspartame, acesulfame K, saccharin, fructose each "caused accelerated senescence in human dermal fibroblasts" (re metabolic syndrome and diabetes), Kyung-Hyun Cho et al, Yeungnam University, Korea, Mol Cells. 2011 Apr 21: Rich Murray 2011.05.21 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.htm Saturday, May 21, 2011 [ at end of each long page, click on Older Posts ] http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1624 [ you may have to Copy and Paste URLs into your browser ]

aspartame doubts aired by EU MPs Corinne Lepage and Antonyia Parvanova -- EFSA National Experts agreed that "there should be more clarity about the metabolism of aspartame": Rich Murray 2011.04.24 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2011_04_01_archive.htm Sunday, April 24, 2011 [ at end of each long page, click on Older Posts ] http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1621 [ you may have to Copy and Paste URLs into your browser ]

aspartame water in rats for 6 months causes liver harm, RH Nair et al, Mahatma Gandhi U, Food Chem Toxicol 2011.03.02: Rich Murray 2011.03.12 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2011_03_01_archive.htm Saturday, March 12, 2011 [ at end of each long page, click on Older Posts ] http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1620 [ you may have to Copy and Paste URLs into your browser ]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21376768

Food Chem Toxicol. 2011 Mar 2. [Epub ahead of print] Effect of long term intake of aspartame on antioxidant defense status in liver. Abhilash M, Paul MV, Varghese MV, Nair RH. School of Biosciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India, 686560. harikumarannair@hotmail.com, harinair@fastmail.fm,

careful expert lifetime study on mice shows liver and lung cancers from aspartame, M Soffritti et al, Ramazzini Institute, Italy, checked by US National Toxicology Program experts, confirms many previous studies from 2001 on: Rich Murray 2011.02.27 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2011_02_01_archive.htm Sunday, February 27, 2011 [ at end of each long page, click on Older Posts ] http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1619 [ you may have to Copy and Paste URLs into your browser ]

re GC Ebers study, females harmed more by body making methanol into formaldehyde in brain via ADH enzyme: 589 references, WC Monte, retired Prof. Nutrition: Rich Murray 2011.01.08 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2011_01_01_archive.htm Saturday, January 8, 2011 [ at end of each long page, click on Older Posts ] http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1614 [ you may have to Copy and Paste URLs into your browser ]

Woodrow C Monte, PhD, Emiritus Prof. Nutrition gives many PDFs of reseach -- methanol (11% of aspartame) puts formaldehyde into brain and body -- multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's, cancers, birth defects, headaches: Rich Murray 2010.05.13 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2010_05_01_archive.htm Thursday, May 13, 2010 [ at end of each long page, click on Older Posts ] http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1601 [ you may have to Copy and Paste URLs into your browser ]

[ Other formaldehyde sources include alcohol drinks and tobacco and wood smoke, while adequate folic acid levels protect most people. ]

http://whilesciencesleeps.com/about

http://while-science-sleeps.com/references/pdf/586 [ summary, not peer reviewed ] Monte WC. Methanol: A chemical Trojan horse as the root of the inscrutable U. Medical Hypotheses 2010;74(3):493-6 DOI 2010.10.16

aspartame abstinance cures fibromyalgia chronic pain in 2 French adults: R Ciappuccini et al, Clin Exp Rheumatol 2010 Nov: Rich Murray 2010.02.19 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2011_02_01_archive.htm Saturday, February 19, 2011 [ at end of each long page, click on Older Posts ] http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1617 [ you may have to Copy and Paste URLs into your browser ]

formaldehyde from 0.2 mg daily methanol from aspartame in Singulair (montelukast) chewable asthma medicine causes severe allergic dermatitis in boy, SE Jacob et al, Pediatric Dermatology 2009 Nov: Rich Murray 2010.09.27 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.htm Monday, September 27, 2010 [ at end of each long page, click on Older Posts ] http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1613 [you may have to Copy and Paste URLs into your browser]

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http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1525-1470.2008.00855.x/abstract

Pediatr Dermatol. 2009 Nov-Dec;26(6):739-43. Systematized contact dermatitis and montelukast in an atopic boy. Castanedo-Tardan MP, González ME, Connelly EA, Giordano K, Jacob SE. Mari Paz Castanedo-Tardan Mercedes E. González Elizabeth A. Connelly Kelly Giordano Sharon E. Jacob University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, Miami, Florida, USA. Article first published online: 2 APR 2009 DOI: 10.1111/j.1525-1470.2008.00855.x © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Abstract

Upon ingestion, the artificial sweetener, aspartame is metabolized to formaldehyde in the body and has been reportedly associated with systemic contact dermatitis in patients exquisitely sensitive to formaldehyde. We present a case of a 9-year-old Caucasian boy with a history of mild atopic dermatitis that experienced severe systematized dermatitis after being started on montelukast chewable tablets containing aspartame. Patch testing revealed multiple chemical sensitivities which included a positive reaction to formaldehyde. Notably, resolution of his systemic dermatitis only occurred with discontinuation of the montelukast chewables. PMID: 20199453

We present a case of a 9-year-old Caucasian boy with a history of mild atopic dermatitis (stable on topical ta-crolimus ointment 0.03%), mild intermittent asthma and known food and environmental allergies diagnosed by prick testing (egg, soy, and peanut) at 3 years of age, and wheat ...

Montelukast Chewable Tablets Pronunciation: mon-te-LOO-kast Generic Name: Montelukast Brand Name: Singulair

http://www.rxlist.com/singulair-drug.htm 13 pages

Copyright 1996-2009 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 7.03. Revision date: 06/25/2009.

Phenylketonuria

Phenylketonuric patients should be informed that the 4-mg and 5-mg chewable tablets contain phenylalanine (a component of aspartame), 0.674 and 0.842 mg per 4-mg and 5-mg chewable tablet, respectively.

[ Since phenylalanine is 50% by weight of aspartame, the dose of aspartame is 1.348 mg and 1.684 mg, releasing the very small dose of methanol, 11 %, of 0.148 mg and 0.185 mg, of which about 30% remains in the body as cumulative durable toxic reaction products, concentrated where the tissues have high levels of the ADH enzyme, such as brain, retina, skin, liver, kidney, GI tract, and muscle -- the ADH enzyme turns methanol into formaldehyde, part of which becomes another toxin, formic acid. ] A 12-oz can of diet drink has 200 mg aspartame, releasing 22 mg methanol into the body, resulting in about 7 mg retained toxic products of formadehyde and formic acid in concentrated locations. ]

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Hypersensitivity to any component of this product.

Who should not take SINGULAIR?

Do not take SINGULAIR if you are allergic to any of its ingredients.

PRECAUTIONS

Use of this medication is not recommended in children less than 15 years old.

PATIENT INFORMATION What is Singulair?

What is the dose of SINGULAIR?

The dose of SINGULAIR prescribed for your or your child's condition is based on age:

2 to 5 years: one 4-mg chewable tablet 6 to 14 years: one 5-mg chewable tablet.

The mean systemic exposure of the 4-mg chewable tablet in pediatric patients 2 to 5 years of age and the 5-mg chewable tablets in pediatric patients 6 to 14 years of age is similar to the mean systemic exposure of the 10-mg film-coated tablet in adults.

The 5-mg chewable tablet should be used in pediatric patients 6 to 14 years of age and the 4-mg chewable tablet should be used in pediatric patients 2 to 5 years of age.

Montelukast sodium, the active ingredient in SINGULAIR, is a selective and orally active leukotriene receptor antagonist that inhibits the cysteinyl leukotriene CysLT1 receptor.

Each 4-mg and 5-mg chewable SINGULAIR tablet contains 4.2 and 5.2 mg montelukast sodium, respectively, which are equivalent to 4 and 5 mg of montelukast, respectively.

Both chewable tablets contain the following inactive ingredients: mannitol, microcrystalline cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, red ferric oxide, croscarmellose sodium, cherry flavor, aspartame, and magnesium stearate.

Asthma SINGULAIR is indicated for the prophylaxis and chronic treatment of asthma in adults and pediatric patients 12 months of age and older.

Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction SINGULAIR is indicated for prevention of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) in patients 15 years of age and older.

Allergic Rhinitis SINGULAIR is indicated for the relief of symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis in patients 2 years of age and older and perennial allergic rhinitis in patients 6 months of age and older.

four Murray AspartameNM reviews in SE Jacob & SA Stechschulte debate with EG Abegaz & RG Bursey of Ajinomoto re migraines from formaldehyde from aspartame, Dermatitis 2009 May: TE Hugli -- folic acid with V-C protects: Rich Murray 2009.08.12 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2009_08_01_archive.htm Wednesday, August 12, 2009 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1582 [ extracts ]

Formaldehyde, aspartame, migraines: a possible connection. Abegaz EG, Bursey RG. Dermatitis. 2009 May-Jun;20(3):176-7; author reply 177-9. No abstract available. PMID: 19470307

Eyassu G. Abegaz * Robert G. Bursey Ajinomoto Corporate Services LLC, Scientific & Regulatory Affairs, 1120 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite 1010, Washington, DC 20036

• Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 202 457 0284;

fax: +1 202 457 0107. abegazee@ajiusa.com (E.G. Abegaz), burseyb@ajiusa.com (R.G. Bursey)

"For example, fruit juices, coffee, and alcoholic beverages produce significantly greater quantities of formaldehyde than aspartame-containing products. [6]"

"[6] Magnuson BA, Burdock GA, Doull J, et al. Aspartame: a safety evaluation based on current use levels, regulations, and toxicological and epidemiological studies. Crit Rev Toxicol 2007;37:629-727"

[ two detailed critiques of industry affiliations and biased science in 99 page review with 415 references by BA Magnuson, GA Burdock and 8 more, Critical Reviews in Toxicology, 2007 Sept.: Mark D Gold 13 page: also Rich Murray 2007.09.15: 2008.03.24 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_03_01_archive.htm Monday, March 24, 2008 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1531

"Nearly every section of the Magnuson (2007) review has research that is misrepresented and/or crucial pieces of information are left out.

In addition to the misrepresentation of the research, readers (including medical professionals) are often not told that this review was funded by the aspartame manufacturer, Ajinomoto, and the reviewers had enormous conflicts of interest." ]

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/579335

Dermatitis. 2008; 19(3): E10-E11. © 2008 American Contact Dermatitis Society Formaldehyde, Aspartame, and Migraines: A Possible Connection Sharon E. Jacob; Sarah Stechschulte Published: 09/17/2008 [ Extract ]

Abstract

Aspartame is a widely used artificial sweetener that has been linked to pediatric and adolescent migraines. Upon ingestion, aspartame is broken, converted, and oxidized into formaldehyde in various tissues. We present the first case series of aspartame-associated migraines related to clinically relevant positive reactions to formaldehyde on patch testing.

Case Series

Six patients (ages 16 to 75 years) were referred for evaluation of recalcitrant dermatitis. By history, five of the patients were noted to have developed migraines following aspartame consumption; the sixth reported dermatitis flares associated with diet cola consumption of >2 liters/day.

All six patients had current environmental exposures to formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing preservatives in their personal hygiene products and/or regular consumption of "sugar-free food" artificially sweetened with aspartame.

Based on their histories and clinical presentations, these patients were patch-tested with the North American Contact Dermatitis Group 65-allergen Standard Screening Series and selected chemicals from the University of Miami vehicle, fragrance, bakery, and textile trays.

All six patients had positive reactions to formaldehyde, and four had additional positive reactions to formaldehyde-releasing preservatives (FRPs). Expert counseling on allergen avoidance (including avoidance of formaldehyde, FRPs, and aspartame) and alternative product recommendations were provided to the patients.

At their follow-up appointments (between 8 and 12 weeks), all the patients showed clearance of their dermatitis. Four patients (two inadvertently) resumed their consumption of aspartame and subsequently returned for an additional follow-up visit. Three of the first five patients had recurrences of both their migraines and their dermatitis; the sixth patient (who had no migraines) had a positive rechallenge dermatitis. These four patients were again counseled on avoidance regimen.

formaldehyde, aspartame, and migraines, the first case series, Sharon E Jacob-Soo, Sarah A Stechschulte, UCSD, Dermatitis 2008 May: Rich Murray 2008.07.18 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_07_01_archive.htm Friday, July 18, 2008 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1553

http://www.skinandaging.com/article/5158 Skin & Aging Journal Skin & Aging - ISSN: 1096-0120 - Volume 13 - Issue 12_2005 - December 2005 - Pages: 22 - 27

Allergen Focus: Focus on T.R.U.E. Test Allergens #21, 13 and 18: Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde-Releasing Preservatives -- By Sharon E. Jacob, M.D., Tace Steele, B.A., [now MD] and Georgette Rodriguez, M.D., M.P.H.

formaldehyde from many sources, including aspartame, is major cause of Allergic Contact Dermatitis, SE Jacob, T Steele, G Rodriguez, Skin and Aging 2005 Dec.: Murray 2008.03.27 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_03_01_archive.htm Thursday, March 27, 2008 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1533

http://www.safecosmetics.org/downloads/Formaldehyde-allergic-reactions_SJacob_PediatricAnnalsJan07.pdf

www.pediatricannalsonline.com/showPdf.asp?rID=21306

Avoiding formaldehyde allergic reactions in children Pediatric Annals. 2007 Jan.; 36(1): 55-6. PMID: 17269284 Sharon E. Jacob, MD, Director, Contact Dermatitis Clinic, Dept. of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, U. of Miami, 1295 NW 14th St., Miami, FL 33125

"For example, diet soda and yogurt containing aspartame (Nutrasweet), release formaldehyde in their natural biological degradation.

One of aspartame's metabolites, aspartic acid methyl ester, is converted to methanol in the body, which is oxidized to formaldehyde in all organs, including the liver and eyes. 22

Patients with a contact dermatitis to formaldehyde have been seen to improve once aspartame is avoided. 22

Notably, the case that Hill and Belsito reported had a 6-month history of eyelid dermatitis that subsided after 1 week of avoiding diet soda. 22"

Avoiding formaldehyde allergic reactions in children, aspartame, vitamins, shampoo, conditioners, hair gel, baby wipes, Sharon E Jacob, MD, Tace Steele, U. Miami, Pediatric Annals 2007 Jan.: eyelid contact dermatitis, AM Hill, DV Belsito, 2003 Nov.: Murray 2008.03.27 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_03_01_archive.htm Thursday, March 27, 2008 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1532

www.eczemacenter.org/eczema_center/meetfacultystaff.htm

Sharon E. Jacob, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine (Dermatology) University of California, San Diego 200 W. Arbor Drive

1. 8420, San Diego, CA 92103-8420

Tel: 858-552-8585 ×3504 Fax: 305-675-8317 sjacob@contactderm.net; Sarah A. Stechschulte, BA sstechschulte@gmail.com

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/846 aspartame in Merck Maxalt-MLT worsens migraine, AstraZeneca Zomig, Eli Lilly Zyprexa, J&J Merck Pepcid AC (Famotidine 10mg) Chewable Tab, Pfizer Cool Mint Listerine Pocketpaks: Murray 2002.07.16

Migraine MLT-Down: an unusual presentation of migraine in patients with aspartame-triggered headaches. Newman LC, Lipton RB Headache 2001 Oct; 41(9): 899-901. [ Merck 10-mg Maxalt-MLT, for migraine, has 3.75 mg aspartame, while 12 oz diet soda has 200 mg. ] Headache Institute, St. Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY Department of Neurology newmanache@aol.com Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY Innovative Medical Research RLipton@aecom.yu.edu

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/855 Blumenthall & Vance: aspartame chewing gum headaches Nov 1997: Murray 2002.07.28

Harvey J. Blumenthal, MD, Dwight A Vance, RPh Chewing Gum Headaches. Headache 1997 Nov; 37(10): 665-6. Department of Neurology, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, Tulsa, USA. neurotulsa@aol.com Aspartame, a popular dietetic sweetener, may provoke headache in some susceptible individuals. Herein, we describe three cases of young women with migraine who reported their headaches could be provoked by chewing gum sweetened with aspartame. [ 6-8 mg aspartame per stick chewing gum ]

methanol (11% of aspartame), made by body into formaldehyde in many vulnerable tissues, causes modern diseases of civilization, summary of a century of research, Woodrow C Monte PhD, Medical Hypotheses journal: Rich Murray 2009.11.15 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2009_11_01_archive.htm Sunday, November 15, 2009 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1589

Woodrow C Monte, PhD, Emiritus Prof. Nutrition gives many PDFs of reseach -- methanol (11% of aspartame) puts formaldehyde into brain and body -- multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's, cancers, birth defects, headaches: Rich Murray 2010.05.13 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2010_05_01_archive.htm Thursday, May 13, 2010 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1601

[ Other formaldehyde sources include alcohol drinks and tobacco and wood smoke, while adequate folic acid levels protect most people, but not for brain and retina harm.

See also:

sweeteners (aspartame), methanol (becomes formaldehyde), and premature babies in Denmark, TI Halldorsson et al 2010.06.30 AmJClinNutr: Erik Millstone: Betty Martini: Rich Murray 2010.07.08 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2010_07_01_archive.htm Thursday, July 8, 2010 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1609 ]

http://whilesciencesleeps.com/references

589 references -- click on each title for free pdf of abstracts or full texts of most of the reports.

Article 2 http://www.thetruthaboutstuff.com/review2.html

Selection from Article 2, Fitness Life, December 2007.

Here is his very practical advice for diet:

http://whilesciencesleeps.com/montediet

Methanol: Where Is It Found? How Can It Be Avoided?

AVOID the following, ranked in order of greatest danger:

1. Cigarettes. 2. Diet foods and drinks with aspartame. 3. Fruit and vegetable products and their juices in bottles, cans, or pouches. 4. Jellies, jams, and marmalades not made fresh and kept refrigerated. 5. Black currant and tomato juice products, fresh or processed. 6. Tomato sauces, unless first simmered at least 3 hours with an open lid. 7. Smoked food of any kind, particularly fish and meat. 8. Sugar-free chewing gum. 9. Slivovitz: You can consume one alcoholic drink a day on this diet -- no more! [ no fruit brandies ] 10. Overly ripe or near rotting fruits or vegetables.

_______________________________________________

Rich Murray, MA Boston University Graduate School 1967 psychology, BS MIT 1964, history and physics, Room For All 256-A Donax Avenue, Imperial Beach, CA 91932-1918 rmforall@gmail.com 505-819-7388 rich.murray11 Skype audio, video

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/AstroDeep/messages

http://RMForAll.blogspot.com new primary archive

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/messages group with 118 members, 1,650 posts in a public archive

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartame/messages group with 1215 members, 24,105 posts in a public archive

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rmforall/messages

participant, Santa Fe Complex www.sfcomplex.org

_______________________________________________

Again, I wish to offer an list of links with explanatory titles, about significant recent events in the fast moving arena of aspartame (methanol, formaldehyde, formic acid) toxicity research, as of 2009.05.25:

aspartame, caffeine, MSG, alcohol may cause migraine headaches, C Sun-Edelstein, A Mauskop, The New York Headache Center, Clin J Pain 2009 June: Rich Murray 2009.05.25 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2009_05_01_archive.htm Monday, May 25, 2009 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/

re huge reduction in preterm births: folic acid prevents harm from formaldehyde and formic acid made by body from methanol in alcohol drinks and aspartame, BM Kapur, DC Lehotay, PL Carlen at U. Toronto, Alc Clin Exp Res 2007 Dec: Rich Murray 2009.05.12 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2009_05_01_archive.htm Tuesday, May 12, 2009 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1572

formaldehyde, aspartame, and migraines, the first case series, Sharon E Jacob-Soo, Sarah A Stechschulte, UCSD, Dermatitis 2008 May: Rich Murray 2008.07.18 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_07_01_archive.htm Friday, July 18, 2008 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1553

Dermatitis. 2008 May-Jun; 19(3): E10-1. Formaldehyde, aspartame, and migraines: a possible connection. Jacob SE, Stechschulte S. Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.

Aspartame is a widely used artificial sweetener that has been linked to pediatric and adolescent migraines.

Upon ingestion, aspartame is broken, converted, and oxidized into formaldehyde in various tissues.

We present the first case series of aspartame-associated migraines related to clinically relevant positive reactions to formaldehyde on patch testing. PMID: 18627677

formaldehyde from many sources, including aspartame, is major cause of Allergic Contact Dermatitis, SE Jacob, T Steele, G Rodriguez, Skin and Aging 2005 Dec.: Murray 2008.03.27 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_03_01_archive.htm Thursday, March 27, 2008 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1533

"For example, diet soda and yogurt containing aspartame (Nutrasweet), release formaldehyde in their natural biological degradation.

One of aspartame's metabolites, aspartic acid methyl ester, is converted to methanol in the body, which is oxidized to formaldehyde in all organs, including the liver and eyes. 22

Patients with a contact dermatitis to formaldehyde have been seen to improve once aspartame is avoided. 22

Notably, the case that Hill and Belsito reported had a 6-month history of eyelid dermatitis that subsided after 1 week of avoiding diet soda. 22"

Avoiding formaldehyde allergic reactions in children, aspartame, vitamins, shampoo, conditioners, hair gel, baby wipes, Sharon E Jacob, MD, Tace Steele, U. Miami, Pediatric Annals 2007 Jan.: eyelid contact dermatitis, AM Hill, DV Belsito, 2003 Nov.: Murray 2008.03.27 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_03_01_archive.htm Thursday, March 27, 2008 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1532

Sharon E. Jacob, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine (Dermatology) University of California, San Diego 200 W. Arbor Drive #8420, San Diego, CA 92103-8420 Tel: 858-552-8585 ×3504 Fax: 305-675-8317

opportunities re BA Magnuson, GA Burdock et al., Aspartame Safety Evaluation 2007 Sept., Critical Reviews in Toxicology: Rich Murray 2008.07.11 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_07_01_archive.htm Friday, July 11, 2008 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1550

low doses aspartame, acesulfame-K, saccharin in mice induce DNA damage in bone marrow -- "a potential health risk", S Ghoshal et al, U. Kentucky, Lexington, Drug Chem Toxicol 2008: Rich Murray 2008.10.15 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_10_01_archive.htm Wednesday, October 15, 2008 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1566

Drug Chem Toxicol. 2008; 31(4): 447-57. Genotoxicity testing of low-calorie sweeteners: aspartame, acesulfame-K, and saccharin. Bandyopadhyay A, Ghoshal S, Mukherjee A. Centre of Advanced Study, Cell and Chromosome Research, Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India.

unexamined cofactors re folic acid antagonist research include methanol (quickly turns into formaldehyde and then formic acid in humans) from tobacco and wood smoke, alcohol beverages, aspartame, demethylation of caffeine: Rich Murray 2008.12.01 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_12_01_archive.htm Monday, December 1, 2008 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1569

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/343/22/1608 abstract http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/343/22/1608 free full text The New England Journal of Medicine Volume 343: 1608-1614 November 30, 2000 Number 22

Folic Acid Antagonists during Pregnancy and the Risk of Birth Defects Sonia Hernández-Díaz, M.D., Dr.P.H., Martha M. Werler, Sc.D., Alexander M. Walker, M.D., Dr.P.H., and Allen A. Mitchell, M.D.

ABSTRACT

Background Multivitamin supplementation in pregnant women may reduce the risks of cardiovascular defects, oral clefts, and urinary tract defects in their infants. We evaluated whether the folic acid component of multivitamins is responsible for the reduction in risk by examining the associations between maternal use of folic acid antagonists and these congenital malformations.

Methods We assessed exposure to folic acid antagonists that act as dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors and to certain antiepileptic drugs in 3870 infants with cardiovascular defects, 1962 infants with oral clefts, and 1100 infants with urinary tract defects and also in 8387 control infants with malformations the risk of which is not reduced after vitamin supplementation. Mothers were interviewed within six months after delivery about their medication use during pregnancy.

Results The relative risks of cardiovascular defects and oral clefts in infants whose mothers were exposed to dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors during the second or third month after the last menstrual period, as compared with infants whose mothers had no such exposure, were 3.4 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.8 to 6.4) and 2.6 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.1 to 6.1), respectively. The relative risks of cardiovascular defects, oral clefts, and urinary tract defects after maternal exposure to antiepileptic drugs were 2.2 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.4 to 3.5), 2.5 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.5 to 4.2), and 2.5 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.2 to 5.0), respectively. Use of multivitamin supplements containing folic acid diminished the adverse effects of dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors, but not that of antiepileptic drugs.

Conclusions Folic acid antagonists, which include such common drugs as trimethoprim, triamterene, carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, and primidone, may increase the risk not only of neural-tube defects, but also of cardiovascular defects, oral clefts, and urinary tract defects. The folic acid component of multivitamins may reduce the risks of these defects.

Source Information From the Slone Epidemiology Unit, Boston University School of Public Health, Brookline, Mass. (S.H.-D., M.M.W., A.A.M.); and the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston (S.H.-D., A.M.W.).

Address reprint requests to Dr. Hernández-Díaz at the Slone Epidemiology Unit, Boston University School of Public Health, 1371 Beacon St., Brookline, MA 02446.

detailed critiques of JE Garst folic acid proposals by experts HJ Roberts and M Alemany: Murray 2008.03.20 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.htm Thursday, March 20, 2008 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1530

RE: 5 mg folic acid helps methanol to not form toxic formaldehyde and formic acid -- no effect re formaldehyde from methanol in human breast and arterial epithelial tissue: Garth: Monte 2008.03.19 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.htm Wednesday, March 19, 2008 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1529

Re: 5 mg folic acid helps methanol to not form toxic formaldehyde and formic acid, but most research has neglected folic acid deficiency re cancer, birth defects, and neurotoxicity -- flaws in many studies on aspartame -- breakthrough insights by John E Garst, PhD toxicologist: Murray 2008.03.19 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.htm Wednesday, March 19, 2008 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1528 Richard T Murray 05:33, 26 May 2009 (UTC)

Herein, I wish to offer an list of links with explanatory titles, about significant recent events in the fast moving arena of aspartame (methanol, formaldehyde, formic acid) toxicity research, as of 2008.02.24:

methanol impurity in alcohol drinks [ and aspartame ] is turned into neurotoxic formic acid, prevented by folic acid, re Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, BM Kapur, DC Lehotay, PL Carlen at U. Toronto, Alc Clin Exp Res 2007 Dec. plain text: detailed biochemistry, CL Nie et al. 2007.07.18: Murray 2008.02.24 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.htm Sunday, February 24, 2008 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1524

Note: many recent aspartame bans.....

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1426 ASDA (unit of Wal-Mart Stores WMT.N) and Marks & Spencer will join Tesco and also Sainsbury to ban and limit aspartame, MSG, artificial flavors dyes preservatives additives, trans fats, salt "nasties" to protect kids from ADHD: leading UK media: Murray 2007.05.15

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNMmessage/1451 Artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose) and coloring agents will be banned from use in newly-born and baby foods, the European Parliament decided: Latvia ban in schools 2006: Murray 2007.07.12

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1341 Connecticut bans artificial sweeteners in schools, Nancy Barnes, New Milford Times: Murray 2006.05.25

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1369 Bristol, Connecticut, schools join state program to limit artificial sweeteners, sugar, fats for 8800 students, Johnny J Burnham, The Bristol Press: Murray 2006.09.22

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1513 metabolic syndrome is tied to diet soda, PL Lutsey, LM Steffen, J Stevens, Circulation 2008.01.22: role of formaldehyde and formic acid from methanol in wines, liquors, or aspartame?: Murray 2008.02.21

"But the one-third who ate the most fried food increased their risk by 25 percent, compared with the one-third who ate the least, and surprisingly, the risk of developing metabolic syndrome was 34 percent higher among those who drank one can of diet soda a day compared with those who drank none.

"This is interesting," said Lyn M. Steffen, an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Minnesota and a co-author of the paper, which was posted online in the journal Circulation on Jan. 22. "Why is it happening? Is it some kind of chemical in the diet soda, or something about the behavior of diet soda drinkers?""

"The diet soda association was not hypothesized and deserves further study."

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1143 methanol (formaldehyde, formic acid) disposition: Bouchard M et al, full plain text, 2001: substantial sources are degradation of fruit pectins, liquors, aspartame, smoke: Murray 2005.04.02

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1511 vinyl acetate, ethyl alcohol, or aspartame in womb increases later cancers in adults with lifetime exposure in many studies, M Soffritti et al, Ramazzini Foundation, Basic Clin. Pharm. Toxicol. 2008 Feb.: Rich Murray 2008.02.07

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1016 President Bush & formaldehyde (aspartame) toxicity: Ramazzini Foundation carcinogenicity results Dec 2002: Soffritti: Murray 2003.08.03 rmforall

p. 88 "The sweetening agent aspartame hydrolyzes in the gastrointestinal tract to become free methyl alcohol, which is metabolized in the liver to formaldehyde, formic acid, and CO2. (11)" Medinsky MA & Dorman DC. 1994; Assessing risks of low-level methanol exposure. CIIT Act. 14: 1-7.

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1453 Souring on fake sugar (aspartame), Jennifer Couzin, Science 2007.07.06: 4 page letter to FDA from 12 eminent USA toxicologists re two Ramazzini Foundation cancer studies 2007.06.25: Murray 2007.07.18

30 female pet store rats drinking lifelong 13.5 mg aspartame, 1/3 packet of Equal, had 33% with obvious tumors -- also bulging, sick, and missing eyes, paralysis, obesity, skin sores -- agrees with Ramazzini Foundation results, Victoria Inness-Brown: Murray 2008.02.15 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.htm Friday, February 15, 2008 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1521

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1490 details on 6 epidemiological studies since 2004 on diet soda (mainly aspartame) correlations, as well as 14 other mainstream studies on aspartame toxicity since summer 2005: Murray 2007.11.27

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1340 aspartame groups and books: updated research review of 2004.07.16: Murray 2006.05.11

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1469 highly toxic formaldehyde, the cause of alcohol hangovers, is made by the body from 100 mg doses of methanol from dark wines and liquors, dimethyl dicarbonate, and aspartame: Murray 2007.08.31

old tiger roars -- Woodrow C Monte, PhD -- aspartame causes many breast cancers, as ADH enzyme in breasts makes methanol from diet soda into carcinogenic formaldehyde -- same in dark wines and liquors, Fitness Life 2008 Jan.: Murray 2008.02.11 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.htm Monday, February 11, 2008 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1517

"Alcohol dehydrogenase ADH is required for the conversion of methanol to formaldehyde (112).

ADH is not a common enzyme in the human body -- not many cells in the human body contain this enzyme.

The human breast is one of the few organs in the body with a high concentration of ADH (190b), and it is found there exclusively in the mammary epithelial cells, the very cells known to transform into adenocarcinoma (190c) (breast cancer).

The most recent breast cancer scientific literature implicates ADH as perhaps having a pivotal role in the formation of breast cancer, indicating a greater incidence of the disease in those with higher levels of ADH activity in their breasts (190a)."

role of formaldehyde, made by body from methanol from foods and aspartame, in steep increases in fetal alcohol syndrome, autism, multiple sclerosis, lupus, teen suicide, breast cancer, Nutrition Prof. Woodrow C. Monte, retired, Arizona State U., two reviews, 190 references supplied, Fitness Life, New Zealand 2007 Nov, Dec: Murray 2007.12.26 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2007_12_01_archive.htm Wednesday, December 26 2007 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1498

bias, omissions, incuriosity = opportunity, aspartame safety evaluation, Magnuson BA, Burdock GA, Williams GM, 7 more, 2007 Sept, Ajinomoto funded 98 pages html [ $ 32 pdf ]: Murray 2007.09.15 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.htm Saturday, September 15, 2007

MSG and Aspartame -- A Personal Story, TV health reporter Dick Allgire (vegetarian) healed of migraines and panic attacks: Murray 2008.02.12 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.htm Tuesday, February 12, 2008 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1520

"Of course, everyone chooses, as a natural priority, to enjoy peace, joy, and love by helping to find, quickly share, and positively act upon evidence about healthy and safe food, drink, and environment."

Rich Murray, MA Room For All rmforall@comcast.net 505-501-2298 1943 Otowi Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505

http://RMForAll.blogspot.com new primary archive

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/messages group with 120 members, 1,650 posts in a public archive

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartame/messages group with 1,077 members, 22,286 posts in public archive ____________________________________________________

--[User: Richard T Murray 10:46 pm 24 February 2008 (MST)

I apologize for any copyright violations, and for being unable to edit down the huge volume of information I posted. I simply am not very fast or skilled at learning how to edit in CZ.

I am grateful that the article has received some competent attention, and has been stripped down to a proper bare beginning.

The amount of methanol from 6 cans of diet soda, about 2 L, is about the same as from 1 L of red wine, about one part in 10,000, 100 mg/kg, and it is the efficient, swift, natural conversion of this methanol into formaldehyde, and thence into formic acid, that many experts consider to be the major cause of the painful symptoms of alcohol "next morning" hangover in many people. There is enormous individual variation in susceptibility. High levels of the ordinary vitamin folic acid serve to expedite the elimination of formaldehyde, while aspirin and other pain medications block the folic acid. It is safe to say that the chronic toxicity of low level exposure to methanol is a topic that is of great concern and very limited scientific and medical understanding.

role of formaldehyde, made by body from methanol from foods and aspartame, in steep increases in fetal alcohol syndrome, autism, multiple sclerosis, lupus, teen suicide, breast cancer, Nutrition Prof. Woodrow C. Monte, retired, Arizona State U., two reviews, 190 references supplied, Fitness Life, New Zealand 2007 Nov, Dec: Murray 2007.12.26 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2007_12_01_archive.htm Wednesday, December 26 2007 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1498

folic acid prevents neurotoxicity from formic acid, made by body from methanol impurity in alcohol drinks [ also 11 % of aspartame ], BM Kapur, PL Carlen, DC Lehotay, AC Vandenbroucke, Y Adamchik, U. of Toronto, 2007 Dec., Alcoholism Cl. Exp. Res.: Murray 2007.11.27 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2007_11_01_archive.htm Wednesday, November 27, 2007 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1495

--[User: Richard T Murray 11:02 pm 4 January 2008 (MST)

move to draft space

I think this entire article should be moved to a draft space; it's extremely ill-formatted and after reading over the content it looks like it needs heavy revisioning. --Robert W King 19:21, 20 December 2007 (CST)

I concur. This article has far too much about methanol, including quite a bit which might be copyright violation, and almost nothing about aspartame itself. Anything I find that's actually a copyright violaiton I'll remove and note. Anthony Argyriou 23:41, 20 December 2007 (CST)

I've removed a significant amount from this article - all of it pretty clearly in violation of copyright, except the extract from the Wikipedia "methanol" article, which would belong in our methanol article, not our aspartame article. What's left is not necessarily in the clear regarding copyright, it's just that I'm too lazy to piece it all together.

I think that the entire methanol section should be removed, as it places so much weight on that aspect of aspartame, which even if a valid concern, that the article cannot be called "neutral". Anthony Argyriou 00:03, 21 December 2007 (CST)

I am going to copy the entire articlespace to /Draft; it really needs a lot of work and I don't think it should exist as a part of our main articlespace until it is cleaned up to meet our bare minimum standards. --Robert W King 10:16, 21 December 2007 (CST)

The {{subpages}} template is designed to be used within article clusters and their related pages.
It will not function on User talk pages.

new book, concise opus "While Science Sleeps" life saving facts re aspartame (methanol, formaldehyde) -- 740 full text references free online, Woodrow "Woody" C. Monte, retired Prof. of Nutrition, Arizona State University: Rich Murray 2011.12.31 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2011/12/new-book-concise-opus-while-science.html http://health.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1630

http://www.amazon.com/While-Science-Sleeps-Woodrow-Monte/dp/1452893675/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1325344126&sr=8-2

about 240 pages text, with 740 full text references free online, $ 37.98 paperback -- see:

www.WhileScienceSleeps.com

http://www.amazon.com/review/RNGG3O7U33VCV

Customer Review

life saving facts -- the life work of an earnest, careful, caring, bold expert, December 30, 2011

By Mr. Richard T. Murray "rmforall"

This review is from: While Science Sleeps (Paperback)

This work is the culmination of a professional lifetime dedicated to elucidating the key biochemical details of methanol (formaldehyde) toxicity, starting with a comprehensive warning review in 1984, with 62 references, by the earnest, careful, bold Woodrow "Woody" C. Monte, retired Prof. of Nutrition, Arizona State University.

He has been sharing his research with me since 1999, including parts of this masterpiece, as it evolved during the last three years.

Aspartame is indeed 11% methanol (wood alcohol), which the human body quickly turns into formaldehyde via the ADH enzyme, concentrated in many tissues: liver, kidney, brain, retina, skin, muscle, lung, prostate, breast, womb, fetus -- forming cumulative micro lesions, binding to and disabling DNA, RNA, and proteins, and so causing a wide variety of symptoms.

Other methanol (formaldehyde) sources include wood and tobacco smoke, dark wines and liquors, fruits and vegetables heated in sealed metal and glass containers, and aspartame, as well as a variety of products ranging from medicines to new carpet, drapes, and furniture to mobile homes.

People vary enormously in individual vulnerability.

Google "While Science Sleeps" to reach his website, where you can download for free his 1984 and 2010 reviews, and the final chapter 12 re birth defects and autism type diseases.

1. Monte WC. Aspartame; Methanol and the Public Health. Journal of Applied Nutrition 1984;36(1):42-58. 16 pages

586. Monte W. Methanol: A chemical Trojan horse as the root of the inscrutable U. Med Hypotheses 2010;74(3):493-6. 4 pages.

Download free Chapter 12 of the book "While Science Sleeps", re methanol, formaldehyde, birth defects, autism type diseases, with 100 mainstream full text research paper references -- 25 pages.

Then, search Google for other research and news:

Amid health fears, Diet Coke sweetener [aspartame] in safety spotlight, Sean Poulter, UK Daily Mail 2011.05.27, 141 comments: Rich Murray 2011.05.30

Pass the good words, friends !

whilesciencesleeps.com/references/pdf/586.pdf

http://www.whilesciencesleeps.com/While%20Science%20Sleeps%20-%20Chapter%2012%20(ref).pdf

Download free Chapter 12 of the book "While Science Sleeps", re methanol, formaldehyde, birth defects, autism type diseases, with 100 mainstream full text research paper references.

Amid health fears, Diet Coke sweetener [aspartame] in safety spotlight, Sean Poulter, UK Daily Mail 2011.05.27, 141 comments: Rich Murray 2011.05.30 http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2011/05/amid-health-fears-diet-coke-sweetener.html http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1625

aspartame water in rats for 6 months causes liver harm, RH Nair et al, Mahatma Gandhi U, Food Chem Toxicol 2011.03.02: Rich Murray 2011.03.12 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1620

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21376768

Food Chem Toxicol. 2011 Mar 2. [Epub ahead of print] Effect of long term intake of aspartame on antioxidant defense status in liver. Abhilash M, Paul MV, Varghese MV, Nair RH. School of Biosciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India, 686560. harikumarannair@hotmail.com, harinair@fastmail.fm,

careful expert lifetime study on mice shows liver and lung cancers from aspartame, M Soffritti et al, Ramazzini Institute, Italy, checked by US National Toxicology Program experts, confirms many previous studies from 2001 on: Rich Murray 2011.02.27 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1619

re GC Ebers study, females harmed more by body making methanol into formaldehyde in brain via ADH enzyme: 589 references, WC Monte, retired Prof. Nutrition: Rich Murray 2011.01.08 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1614

aspartame abstinance cures fibromyalgia chronic pain in 2 French adults: R Ciappuccini et al, Clin Exp Rheumatol 2010 Nov: Rich Murray 2010.02.19 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1617

formaldehyde from 0.2 mg daily methanol from aspartame in Singulair (montelukast) chewable asthma medicine causes severe allergic dermatitis in boy, SE Jacob et al, Pediatric Dermatology 2009 Nov: Rich Murray 2010.09.27 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1613

Rich Murray, MA Boston University Graduate School 1967 psychology, BS MIT 1964, history and physics, 254-A Donax Avenue, Imperial Beach, CA 91932 rmforall@gmail.com

                                            505-819-7388      

Skype audio, video rich.murray11

http://RMForAll.blogspot.com new primary archive

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/messages group with 120 members, 1,630 posts in a public archive

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartame/messages group with 1235 members, 24,401 posts in a public archive

Richard T Murray 07:30, 3 January 2012 (UTC)

older talk

initiating aspartame article on Citizendium democratic professional world encyclopedia -- opportunities for all citizens and groups: Murray 2007.11.20 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1492

Herein I give an introduction, as the initiator of this article. I, Rich Murray, have for nine years as a volunteer public service, evolved a public archive of 1,492 posts, including this one, of long, detailed, fair, civil, hyperlinked review articles of mostly mainstream science and news on this and related citizen safety issues, for a rather silent group of 112 members. I also publish every post in aspartame@yahoogroups.com, http://RMForAll.blogspot.com and many groups on UseNet, such as sci.med.nutrition , bionet.neuroscience , and rarely, bionet.toxicology . Google Groups searches today puts 4 of my aspartame posts in the top 10 of 2,230 listings.

Aspartame since 1971 has 879 items in PubMed, including 20 studies since summer 2005 that present specific troublesome findings about aspartame safety, many dealing with highly technical biochemical issues, many by new teams. Only a few of these have been discussed on the Net or in any public media.

There has since 1971 been almost no collaboration between the hugely successful aspartame industry and its agents with any critics about safety issues. I myself, always giving full contact information on every post, have experienced only being ignored or dismissed, often with rude ad hominem rebuffs, with no to and fro professional discussion based on common purpose, reason, and evidence. Other information activists have helped and encouraged me since January, 1999, but none have collaborated with me in any creative, ongoing projects. They are similarly ignored, isolated, marginalized, or discredited by adroit public relations campaigns, including the prestigious, highly professional Ramazzini Foundation and its great leader, Morando Soffritti.

As a mature medical layman without relevant education, credentials, or experience, I have always carefully earned credibility by limiting myself to simple assessments of easily comprehensible research, citing in detail abstracts from PubMed, as well as the increasing percentage of online free full texts, and driving 60 miles from Santa Fe to Albuquerque to get other texts at no cost via the UNM Health Sciences Library, while focusing on the especially simple, obvious, and transparent issues of conversion of methanol into formaldehyde and formic acid in humans.

Since joining Citizendium 2006-03-27, I have noted every post by Larry Sanger, and was especially stirred by his "A New Politics of Information", a proclamation of existence of a new world democratic entity with professional standards for that greatest of human pleasures, competent mutual service.

Accordingly I have initiated my full participation in this evolutionary revolution by starting this aspartame article. I welcome all collaborators and all points of view in this great endeavor. We must succeed, for our success establishes a precedent and paradigm for world citizen service to establish reason and evidence based consensus on the wonderful opportunities offered by the accelerating panoply of interlinked global problems on all levels.

We, human citizens of Earth, rule. We, citizen souls in this evolving world appearance, serve.

Now, it is crucial to suggest certain opportunities here for the aspartame industry and its agents. The century-long tobacco debacle, still an ongoing tsunami of needless human misery and crippling social costs, is gradually being addressed effectively on a global scale. Rapidly rising standards of safety, benefit, integrity, and competent service are essential for personal happiness and success, as well as benign social life and corporate survival in our single human world.

The Net is an uncontrollable information environment, the very epitome of democracy. Free, reliable, democratically evolved information and consensus, based on passion to competently serve, to constructively reason, and to share evidence, among volunteer communities with high professional standards, are the ever-growing treasure of our race, and absolutely essential for not only the rudiments of sustainable survival, but of ever generous glory.

It is impossible for any corporate entity to ignore this surging tide of opportunity, or to limit or manipulate it for narrow ends by ignoble means.

The only realistic strategy is to join our mutual gold rush, quickly, actively, constructively, creatively, fully.

Citizendium needs you, and we all need Citizendium.

Citizendium needs feet on the ground, and funds in the coffers.

With regard to aspartame, there are multiple opportunities, including accepting stevia quickly as a global solution, and using its profits to help citizen clients who have incurred costs from any unsafe features of aspartame. Firms that actively explore the safety issues, for instance, by participating fully in this article, will more quickly come to a realistic perception of any genuine problems, and be in position to cooperate with other players for mutually positive remedies. There is no need to continue to plunge pathetically over the cliff blindly and stubbornly like tobacco.

Any firm that shares in the development of affordable means of removing all methanol from alcohol beverages, the main cause of hangovers, will enjoy a huge market.

If "medicinal brandy" is a real phenomenon, ie, if formaldehyde at low levels is far more harmful to many bacteria, viruses, and fungi than to complex human cells, there are huge opportunities that so far have not been explored:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1052 DMDC: Dimethyl dicarbonate 200mg/L in drinks adds methanol 98 mg/L ( becomes formaldehyde in body ): EU Scientific Committee on Foods 2001.07.12: Murray 2004.01.22

http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/sc/scf/out96_en.pdf

12 July 2001 Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Food on the use of dimethyl dicarbonate (DMDC) in wines (opinion expressed on 11 July 2001)

"...DMDC was evaluated by the SCF in 1990 and considered acceptable for the cold sterilization of soft drinks and fruit juices at levels of addition up to 250 mg/L (1) ...DMDC decomposes primarily to CO2 and methanol ...

The use of 200 mg DMDC/L would add 98 mg/L of methanol to wine which already contains an average of about 140 mg/L from natural sources. A healthy person metabolises 1500 mg methanol/hr without any physiological problems and this should be compared to the amount of up to 240 mg/L methanol in wine, treated with DMDC up to 200 mg/L. Metabolism of the amounts of methanol resulting from consumption of wine containing such levels is therefore well within the capacity of the human body. Thus consumption of even large quantities of wine would not pose any hazards from methanol.

Conclusion The formation of methanol and other reaction products following the use of DMDC for the treatment of alcoholic beverages and wine is similar to that formed in non-alcoholic beverages. Therefore the previous opinion on the use of DMDC for non-alcoholic beverages (1) is equally applicable to wines treated with DMDC."

It is possible that the SCF made a mistake, unaware of or disregarding the report by Jones, AW 1987 on methanol as the major cause of hangovers from alcohol drinks. Note the strong hint that methanol or formaldehyde may be reasonably safe medicines or preventives for a variety of infections. Only open-minded, mutually respectful global cooperation can sustain the social environment that will efficiently explore many such opportunities. Epidemiological studies on aspartame should be watchful for unexpected positive correlations with health.

These major reviews cover major developments since 1998:

http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2007_11_01_archive.htm Wednesday, November 14, 2007 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1490 details on 6 epidemiological studies since 2004 on diet soda (mainly aspartame) correlations, as well as 14 other mainstream studies on aspartame toxicity since summer 2005: Murray 2007.11.20

http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.htm Saturday, September 15, 2007 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1472 bias, omissions, incuriosity = opportunity, aspartame safety evaluation, Magnuson BA, Burdock GA, Williams GM, 7 more, 2007 Sept, Ajinomoto funded 98 pages html [$ 32 781888262_content.pdf]: Murray 2007.09.15

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1340 aspartame groups and books: updated research review of 2004.07.16: Murray 2006.05.11

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1491 industry scientists praise aspartame safety and benefits in Paris on 2006.05.30, Herve Nordmann, Andrew G. Renwick, Carlo La Vecchia, Tommy Visscher, Jaap Seidell, France Bellisle, Adam Drewnowski, Margaret Ashwell, Anne de la Hunty, Sigrid A. Gibson, Alan R. Boobis: Murray 2007.11.18

In mutual service, Rich Murray

"Of course, everyone chooses, as a natural priority, to enjoy peace, joy, and love by helping to find, quickly share, and positively act upon evidence about healthy and safe food, drink, and environment."

Rich Murray, MA Room For All 254-A Donax Avenue, Imperial Beach, CA 91932-1918 505-819-7388 rmforall@gmail.com rich.murray11 Skype audio, video

http://RMForAll.blogspot.com new primary archive

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/messages group with 113 members, 1,650 posts in a public archive

Methanol section

I have great interest in seeing this article develop. I'll try to help as much as i can. A tiny suggestion : I suggest to move the methanol section upwards. More later! I'll try to add new sections. Perhaps it will be a little clumsy, but this is only a beginning! --Pierre-Alain Gouanvic 14:44, 5 December 2007 (CST)

I decided to move the methanol section where i think it's best in order to see the table of contents.

Note: the subsection on fetal alcohol syndrome should go under alcohol-abuse related disorders, but I didn't want to mess with the data. I hope it helps, Rich. --Pierre-Alain Gouanvic 14:57, 5 December 2007 (CST)

To produce references in proper format quickly

I suggest the following tool: Wikipedia template filling http://diberri.dyndns.org/wikipedia/templates/?ddb=&type=pmid&id=&add_ref_tag=1 --Pierre-Alain Gouanvic 15:10, 5 December 2007 (CST)

Removing copyrighted contents.

The removed content was copied from google groups which is not an open content source and so a copyright violation. In addition it contained personal details such as names, addresses and email addresses of the original authors. Derek Harkness 06:49, 10 August 2008 (CDT)

All of the 1,554 posts in the public archives of the yahoo group AspartameNM@yahoogroups.com are in the public domain. Probably most of them include copyrighted material from mainstream research literature and public media, including a variety of web sites. Most give contact information for all these sources. Almost all are also on public UseNet groups, and a few of my own blogs.

It seems that these posts are unsuitable as direct citations for Citizendium articles, as they violate CZ standards re copyright and disclosure of contact information.

I hope a qualified, independent, unbiased network evolves to create proper and thorough interlinked articles on aspartame, methanol, formaldehyde, formic acid, and folic acid, as well as the other major breakdown products of aspartame in humans.

I suggest my reviews are a vital resource for human benefit re this challenging task.

I do want my writing to be edited by others and redistributed at will.

-- Tuesday, August 12, 2008 Richard T Murray