A to Z of MS Aspartame

Aspartame (NutraSweet or E951) is an artificial sweetener used in many diet soft drinks and other foods. Stories have been circulating for a number of years that suggest that this product is unsafe and might cause a range of health problems including multiple sclerosis.

The theoretical concern is that as the body breaks down aspartame it is converted to methanol and then to formic acid, which can be toxic. However, research has shown that even eating or drinking large quantities of foods that contain aspartame causes little change in the levels of methanol or formic acid in the blood.

The Food Standards Agency in the UK, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the USA and the European Commission's Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) have all reviewed the evidence and concluded that aspartame is safe to use at normal levels of consumption. There has been no published, peer-reviewed research that supports the link between aspartame and MS.

References

Food Standards Agency.
Aspartame.
[updated 17 June 2008; cited 09 June 2011].
Available from: http://www.food.gov.uk/safereating/chemsafe/additivesbranch/sweeteners/55174

Magnuson BA, et al.
Aspartame: a safety evaluation based on current use levels, regulations, and toxicological and epidemiological studies.
Critical Reviews in Toxicology 2007;37(8):629-727.
abstract

Whitehouse CR, et al.
The potential toxicity of artificial sweeteners.
AAOHN J. 2008 Jun;56(6):251-9.
abstract

Emery D.
Aspartame warning.
Urban Legends website [updated 20 February 2009; cited 09 June 2011].
Available from: http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/blasp.htm

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