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From: dyer@wivax.UUCP (Stephen Dyer)
Newsgroups: net.med
Subject: Re: NutraSweet and Neurotransmitters
Message-ID: <19755@wivax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 26-Jul-84 02:26:30 EDT
Article-I.D.: wivax.19755
Posted: Thu Jul 26 02:26:30 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 27-Jul-84 02:07:13 EDT
References: <228@siemens.UUCP>
Organization: Wang Institute, Tyngsboro, Ma.  01879
Lines: 31

Aspartame is a methylated di-peptide consisting of two amino acids,
aspartic acid and phenylalanine.  It is rapidly metabolized to these
constituents after it is ingested.

Wurtman at MIT is the fellow claiming that it isn't safe, though his
reasons have been disputed by both the FDA and Searle, the manufacturer
and patent holder.  Most scientists believe that the phenylalanine
intake of an average person's diet swamps any contribution that aspartame
makes.  There is some controversy about aspartame when administered
alone without other proteins (as is the case with most diet sodas
and other foods.)  Phenylalanine enters the brain more slowly when
ingested with other proteins due to competition for transport.
It may be that in diet sodas, when taken on an empty stomach,
the small amount of phenylalanine may indeed enter the brain more
rapidly, and hence exert some as-yet-unspecified pharmacological action.

You might try seeing if diet sodas have the same effect on your mood
when taken with food.

Phenylalanine is a (several generations removed) precursor of norepinephrine,
one of the main neurotransmitters.  It has no relationship to serotonin.
However, tryptophane, another amino acid, is a precursor of serotonin,
and has demonstrable sleep-inducing effects in man.  You can buy tryptophane
tablets in most health food stores-- one to four GRAMS (no misprint) makes
an effective, albeit expensive sleeping pill.  LSD has serotonin-inhibiting
effects, though it is not at all clear that its psychedelic effects are
due to this action.
-- 
/Steve Dyer
decvax!bbncca!sdyer
sdyer@bbncca.ARPA