Formaldehyde from NutraSweet
                 ----------------------------

This is a followup to the Methanol chapter in the draft scientific/
historic review of aspartame toxicity on this web page 
(http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/).  That 
chapter clearly shows the danger from the low doses of methanol from 
aspartame which converts to formladehyde in the body.

Recent research relating to formaldehyde exposue shows that regular 
exposure to exceptionally low levels of formaldehyde can cause 
damage.  For example, workers who were exposed to formaldehyde 
concentrations in the air between 1.46 and 3.1 parts per million 
(ppm) for half of the workday for an average of 13 years were shown 
to have a significant increase in DNA protein crosslinks (i.e., 
permanent genetic damage) (Shaham et al., 1996).

Children who were exposed to formaldehyde concentrations above 0.043 
parts per million (ppm) in the classroom during the schoolday for an 
extended period of time were shown to have greater fatigue, poor 
health, and headaches (Wantke et al., 1996).

These and other studies discussed in the draft review show that 
extended exposure to even very, very low levels of formaldehyde can 
be dangerous.  When one considers the formaldehyde from aspartame, 
one also has to consider increased toxicity from possible synergistic 
reactions such as formaldehyde + an excitotoxic amino acid (aspartic 
acid).

While the studies on formaldehyde exposure do not necessarily 
correlate *exactly* to aspartame ingestion, they provide growing 
evidence on top of the independent aspartame studies and the huge 
number of serious adverse reactions reported that aspartame use 
(especially long-term use) can be very dangerous.


Shaham, J., Y. Bomstein, A. Meltzer, Z. Kaufman, E. Palma, J. Ribak, 
1996. "DNA--protein Crosslinks, a Biomarker of Exposure to 
Formaldehyde--in vitro and in vivo Studies," Carcinogenesis, Volume 
17, No. 1, page 121-125.

Wantke, F., C.M. Demmer, P. Tappler, M. Gotz, R. Jarisch, 1996. 
"Exposure to Gaseous Formaldehyde Induces IgE-Mediated Sensitization 
To Formaldehyde in School-Children," Clinical and Experimental 
Allergy, Volume 26, pages 276-280.