Is Neotame a Neurotoxin Like Aspartame?
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Neotame has similar structure to aspartame -- except that, from it's structure, appears
to be even more toxic than aspartame.
This potential increase in toxicity will make up for the fact that less will be used in
diet drinks. Like aspartame, some of the concerns include gradual neurotoxic and immunotoxic
damage from the combination of the formaldehyde metabolite (which is toxic at extremely low
doses) and the excitotoxic amino acid. Given all of the suffering being caused by Monsanto's
aspartame, the prudent course would be to start out with the assumption that it
may cause toxic damage or cancer from long-term exposure and conduct many thorough,
long-term, and independent human studies to see the effects.
Even Monsanto's own pre-approval studies of neotame revealed adverse reactions. Unfortunately,
Monsanto only conducted a few one-day studies in humans rather than encouraging independent
researchers to obtain NIH funding to conduct long-term human studies on the effects of
neotame.
It is obvious to anyone who has thoroughly read the scientific literature on aspartame
that 1) nearly 100% of the independent studies found problems with aspartame (Monsanto's
studies never showed problems); and 2) that industry-funded studies bordered on
fraudulent research (and a Grand Jury was convened because the officials wanted to pursue
fraud charges). Much of industry-funded research related to other Monsanto products
such as rBGH and toxic carpeting is similarly deceptive and poorly designed. In
addition, a "research" organization led by one of Monsanto's close business parters
was caught hiding a reaction-causing substance in beverages given to control groups
in double-blind studies. (They did this for 13 years!)
Given all of the problems with aspartame industry research and scientific abuse, it
is clear that any neotame research that Monsanto, industry groups, or consultants
or research friends of Monsanto have any part of should be rejected until which
time more trustworthy, independent research can be conducted. Such experiments should
include independent animals studies and especially long-term (e.g., 4-5 years+) human
studies in various susceptible population groups.
What is likely to happen, however, is:
- Monsanto's subsidiary, the FDA, will accept Monsanto research as if it were
legitimate.
- Monsanto will given money to their research consultants at various institutions
(rather than NIH funding of truly independent researchers) to repeat poorly designed
tests and "confirm" neotame safety. This is what they did with aspartame so that
they could claim safety.
- The FDA and Monsanto will claim that "comprehensive" research [by Monsanto consultants]
at various institutions proves that neotame is safe. There will be alot of press
releases, PR statements from their friends in the research community, and from
organizations they fund (e.g., IFIC, ADA, etc.). This will be a time of a massive
PR blitz. Please see
"Toxic Sludge Is Good For You" for information on these techniques.
- The FDA will claim to track adverse reaction reports. But they made the same
claim when they told people that had received only 16 aspartame toxicity reaction
reports in 1996, but refused to tell people that they stopped taking such adverse
reaction reports in early 1996.
Fortunately, by the time neotame is approved, a very large percentage of the
population will have switched to
healthy sweeteners, gotten off unhealthy or toxic sodas and made a unwavering
decision not to become a guinea pig for another one of Monsanto's toxic
sweeteners no matter what organizations or trade groups Monsanto can pay $$$ to
get their approval. I sincerely hope you are amongst those who will move toward
health as opposed to chronic disease and misery.
Go to next question:
The Unofficial History of Neotame