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From: connolly@steinmetz.UUCP (C. Ian Connolly)
Newsgroups: net.kids,net.med
Subject: Re: Re: The Perils of Nutrasweet
Message-ID: <182@steinmetz.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 19-Jul-85 13:50:49 EDT
Article-I.D.: steinmet.182
Posted: Fri Jul 19 13:50:49 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 25-Jul-85 08:14:06 EDT
References: <771@burl.UUCP> <394@petrus.UUCP>
Organization: GE CRD, Schenectady, NY
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Xref: watmath net.kids:1529 net.med:1778

When metabolized, Nutrasweet (aspartame) breaks down into (among other
things) phenylalanine, which is an amino acid (biochemists correct me
if I'm wrong).  Most people can deal with phenylalanine, but there is
a significant portion of the population (>10%?) which cannot.  These are
"phenylketonurics".  There's even a warning on most things which use
Nutrasweet which says:
	"Phenylketonurics: This product contains phenylalanine."
Now, to most people, a phenylketonuric might as well be some kind
of small amphibian.  In any case, for such folk, phenylalanine can accumulate
in the brain, leading to mood changes, lack of concentration, and even
mental retardation.  It has also been suspected of causing rashes, nausea,
and headaches.
	An example: my sister teaches emotionally disturbed children in
the Philadelphia area.  She described one boy who was, up to a certain
point, doing fine in school - he gradually lost his ability to concentrate
and became a "problem" child, at which point he was enrolled in the Easter
Seals program (where my sister works).  After talking to his mother, they
found out that she had recently started buying diet drinks.  They agreed
to take him off the diet drinks & see what happened.  Within a week, he had
improved tremendously.
	I shudder to think how popular this stuff is, and what it might be
doing to a significant portion of the population!
-- 
C. Ian Connolly, WA2IFI - USENET: ...edison!steinmetz!connolly
	   ,      ,	  ARPANET: connolly@ge-crd
An rud a bhionn, bionn.