Posted: 21 March 2004
From Dr. Betty Martini to Beverly Verga, a Consumer Services Representative of Slim-Fast, in response of a letter received by Dr. Martini. The Letter from Beverly Verga follows the letter from Dr. Martini.
Sent by Dr. Martini on 19 March 2004
Dear Beverly:
I do not appreciate receiving your propaganda which you know stumbles people into believing aspartame is safe in violation of Title 18, Section 1001 of the Criminal Code. You've been warned for years and had complaints for years. There is no excuse for you lying to the public. Everything is a matter of public record and shows Slimfast's info on aspartame is a lie. Lying to the public is a serious, serious matter.
First of all, aspartame is a molecule composed of three components and not two. Phenylalanine, aspartic acid and a methyl ester that is metabolized to FREE METHYL ALCOHOL. The methanol converts to formaldehyde and formic acid and causes metabolic acidosis.
Neurosurgeon Russell Blaylock, M.D., author of Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills about aspartame and MSG (http://www.russellblaylockmd.com) said: "Inside the gastrointestinal tract, especially in the stomach, it is broken down into its constituent components. In some instances the dipeptide is lysed within the cells of the gut. Within the tissues, substantial amounts of methanol's two metabolic breakdown products (formaldehyde and formic acid) have been shown to accumulate in many tissues."
Dr. Blaylock also said that formaldehyde and formic acid, have been shown in several important studies to be extremely toxic to tissues in very small amounts. In fact, even small doses of formaldehyde are considered to be carcinogenic. A recent study by Trocho, Pardo and co-workers have demonstrated that following aspartame ingestion, significant amounts of formaldehyde accumulate in the tissues. Formaldehyde is known to bind strongly to proteins and nucleic acids, forming adducts that are extremely difficult to eliminate through normal metabolic pathways."
"In this study, they demonstrated that labeled methanol (as formaldehyde) accumulates in high concentrations in the liver (50%) and in lower, but substantial, concentrations in the kidney, adipose tissue, brain and retina. Within the cell, they found large amounts located within the DNA. It was interesting to note that these doses were lower than those used in toxicity studies. Previous studies have shown that very high doses of aspartame may not cause acute symptomatology. This study indicates that the damage may necessitate longer periods of time to manifest itself; and that the eventual effects can be quite deleterious."
"The doses used were within those recommended by the FDA as ADI for humans. This is especially of concern in children who may consume doses of aspartame as high as 75 to 90 mg/kg. It is also important to note that in this study, the formaldehyde was accumulative as were its injury to cellular proteins and DNA. In the real life situation, humans are exposed to repeated doses of aspartame found in many foods, drinks medicines and chewing gum." (Trocho C, Pardo R., et al. Formaldehyde derived from dietary aspartame binds to tissue components in vivo. Life Sciences 63: 337-349, l998.
So this study shows the formaldehyde in aspartame embalms and damages DNA. When you damage DNA you're talking about survival of the human race.
About these so-called building blocks of life. You know good and well aspartate and phenylalanine are two amino acids that cannot be isolated. It was the famed neuroscientist Dr. John Olney, who did the studies on aspartic acid in l970 and found it caused lesions in the brains of mice. He founded the field of neuroscience called excitotoxicity. An excitotoxin is a product that literally stimulates the neurons of the brain to death causing brain damage. Dr. Blaylock wrote the book on it, and that is what aspartic acid is - an excitotoxin!
So what does this excitotoxic component, aspartic acid, do? It doesn't cross the blood brain barrier like a neurotoxin, but instead is secreted into the cerebral spinal fluid by the choroid plexus located in the ventricles of the brain. There, in the brain's lower area and upper terminus of the spinal cord is where Lou Gehrig's, Parkinson's Disease and Multiple Sclerosis damage is most prominent. These critical locations are bathed in the toxin as it removes from the blood. From the third to fourth ventricle there is a narrow canal called Sylvian Aqueduct which fills with this secretion and washes the roof of the hypothalamus.
Aspartame damages the hypothalamus and this small area of the brain is responsible for controlling some of the most vital neural systems in the body. As Dr. Blaylock says, "The wiring of the hypothalamus is some of the most complex in the nervous system, with connections not only to the pituitary, but also to the limbic system, (emotional control system) hippocampus, striatum and brain stem. Through these connections it regulates emotions, autonomic control (parasympathetic and sympathetic), hunger and satiety, immunity, memory input and anger control. Disruptions in this vital piece of brain can result in anything from minor behavioral problems or endocrine malfunctions to major disruptions in sexual functions, obesity, immune suppression and endocrine gland failure." And as to sexual functions, it makes you understand why Viagara is so advertised, because aspartame triggers male sexual dysfunction.
But while we're at it, let's go a step further and explain how aspartame destroys entire families. James Bowen, M.D., said: "At every point in the fertility process aspartame destroys, beginning with the gleam in Mom and Pop's eyes; it ruins female sexual response and induces male sexual dysfunction. Beyond this, aspartame disrupts fetal development by aborting it or inducing defects. And if a live child is born aspartame may have heinously damaged the DNA of the baby, cursing future generations."
The phenylalanine at 50% of the molecule is a neurotoxin and goes directly into the brain as Dr. Richard Wurtman told Congress in l985. He also said: "When you have aspartame, you are not obtaining any of the other amino acids.. which are present in all proteins (aspartame is not a protein) that block phenylalanine's ability to pass from the blood to the brain. So even a small increase in blood phenylalanine will cause a very large increase in brain phenylalanine. To my knowledge NO OTHER FOOD THAT MANKIND HAS EVER EATEN CAUSES THE CHANGES IN BRAIN CHEMISTRY THAT ARE PROVIDED BY ASPARTAME."
The chairman then said: "In view of the fact that phenylalanine occurs naturally in foods, does it follow, that you would recommend that these foods be labeled, also?"
Dr. Wurtman answered: "No, no. Because once again, the phenylalanine in foods has virtually no effect on brain phenylalanine levels because those foods also have the other amino acids that keep it from getting into the brain."
And the phenylalanine in aspartame lowers the seizure threshold of the brain and depletes serotonin. Lowered serotonin triggers manic depression, mood swings, panic attacks, insomnia, hallucinations, paranoia, etc.
Psychiatrist Dr. Ralph Walton said: "The neurochemical impact of aspartame on the brain is fairly complicated. Not only does it decrease the availability of the building block for serotonin (L-tryptophan), but one of the two amino acids that comprise aspartame, phenylalanine, is a precursor for another very important neurotransmitter, norepinephrine. Papers which I published in l986 and l993 discuss what I believe is the clinical impact (accentuating depressive illness) of altering the balance between these 2 neurotransmitters (norepinephrine and serotonin)."
"There is evidence that the therapeutic effect of antidepressants can be blocked by parachlorophenylalanine - a form of phenylalanine - one of the major constituents of aspartame. Administration of this substance has also been associated with aggression and bingeing."
H. J. Roberts, M.D., has declared Aspartame Disease to be a global plague and published a medical text Aspartame Disease: An Ignored Epidemic, http://www.sunsentpress.com or 1-800-827-7991. There is a chapter on drug interaction and aspartame interacts with all anti-depressants, cardiac medication, insulin, L-dopa, anti-seizure mediation and hormones, just for starters!
And as to this poppycock about aspartame not getting in the blood stream, Ajinomoto's own study shows that it does:
In "Aspartame, Physiology and Biochemistry", Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, L.D. Stegink and L. J. Filer, Jr. 1984 (pro-industry) is Ajinomoto's study.
Page 161: TISSUE DISTRIBUTION OF ORALLY ADMINISTERED ISOTOPICALLY LABELED ASPARTAME IN THE RAT Yoshimasa Matsuzawa and Yuichi O'Hara, Life Science Laboratory, Central Research Laboratories, Ajinomoto Company, Inc. Yokohama, Japan.
Page 162: RESULTS: Phenylalanine Moiety: "The pattern of distribution of (U-14CPhe) aspartame following its oral administration was very similar to that of (U-14C) phenylalanine after 0.5, 2.6 and 24 hr and 7 days. Thirty minutes after administration of these compounds, very high levels of radioactivity were observed in the lumen of the stomach and upper small bowel. Significant uptake of radioactivity was observed in the pancreas, gastrointestinal mucosa, hair follicles, salivary gland and liver. Radioactivity was observed in the kidney, adrenal gland, bone marrow, spleen and eye. Some radiolabel was localized to the BRAIN, SPINAL CORD, heart, thymus, lung and testes."
If that's not proof enough from an aspartame manufacturer, one of 15 pivotal studies submitted to the FDA for approval of aspartame was a "52 Week Oral Toxicity Infant Monkey Study (SC-18862). This study orally dosed aspartame to seven infant Rhesus monkeys in work conducted at the University of Wisconsin Medical Center at Madison reported in l972. The study reported "All animals in the medium and high dosage groups exhibited seizure activity. Seizures were observed for the first time following 218 days of treating, of the grand mal type. One monkey, m38 of the high dose group, died after 300 days of treatment. "The study correlates brain seizures with high amounts of phenylalanine ingested by the monkeys. " The data revealed by this "pivotal " study submitted to FDA renders false your assertion that aspartame does not enter the blood stream. Elevated levels of phenylalanine in the blood of monkeys fed medium and high levels of aspartame prove the compound is absorbed into the blood stream.
As to Phenylketonuria, yes there is a PKU warning because of the phenylalanine content and according to Dr. James Bowen aspartame can also cause phenylketonuria. The PKU warning is the only thing you have said correct.
But you continue with lies. No research has helped clear aspartame's health record. First of all, the FDA wanted the original manufacturer, Searle, indicted for fraud because of the studies. However, both U.S. Prosecutors, Sam Skinner and William Conlon hired on with the defense team and the statute of limitations expired. This was only the second time in history the FDA ever asked for a pharmaceutical company to be indicted. That's how bad the studies were. They were doing such things as excising the brain tumors from the rats and putting them back in the study, and when they died they resurrected them on paper. For 16 years the FDA would not allow aspartame on the market. So Don Rumsfeld, now Secretary of Defense, and who was CEO of Searle at the time said he would call in his markers and get it approved anyway. He had absolutely no concern that it was not safe and the FDA did not want it approved. He was on President Reagan's transition team and since no FDA Commissioner would approve it, Reagan appointed one who would, Dr. Arthur Hull Hayes.
The FDA set up a Board of Inquiry of the finest scientists they had. They said: "The Board has not been presented with proof of a reasonable certainty that aspartame is safe for use as a food additive under its intended conditions of use. ......Therefore, it is ordered that: (1) Approval of the food additive petition for aspartame (FAP 3A2885) be and it is hereby withdrawn. (2) The study of the effectiveness of the regulation for aspartame, 21CFR 172.804, is hereby vacated and the regulation revoked."
Do you know what revoked means? It means the FDA said not to approve it, that it wasn't safe. Furthermore, the report goes into the brain tumors aspartame triggered. Yes, you also left out the breakdown products like DKP, diketopiperazine, the brain tumor agent. However, aspartame also triggered mammary, uterine, ovarian, testicular, pancreatic and thyroid tumors, for starters. It's a Class A carcinogen. FDA toxicologist, Dr. Adrian Gross told congress that aspartame violated the Delaney Amendment because without a shadow of a doubt it can trigger brain tumors and brain cancer. The Delaney Amendment forbid putting anything in food you know will cause cancer. The other on site FDA toxicologist, Dr. Jacqueline Verrett said all studies were built on a foundation of sand and should be thrown out. That about says it all.
Dr. Arthur Hull Hayes was appointed as FDA Commissioner to approve aspartame since no FDA Commissioner in 16 years would allow it in the marketplace. And he over-ruled the Board of Inquiry and then went to work for the PR Agency of the manufacturer at $1000.00 a day and has refused to talk to the press ever since. Rumsfeld got millions. The consumer public got sickness, disability and death.
Dr. Ralph Walton was on 60 Minutes with Dr. John Olney when he made world news in l996 on the aspartame/brain tumor association. He showed research on scientific peer reviewed studies and funding. 92% of independent scientific peer reviewed studies showed problems with aspartame and if you eliminated one pro-industry summary and 6 studies the FDA was involved in since upon approval of aspartame they have become loyal to industry, 100% of independent scientific peer reviewed studies showed problems with aspartame. And the manufacturers know exactly how to fix the studies. Some of these "flaws" are discussed on http://www.dorway.com and http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame (Aspartame Toxicity Center).
And with all these lies, you have the audacity to refer consumers for questions to the Calorie Control Center knowing full well they are NutraSweet's front group. Shame on you! Do you not realize after 20 years on the market we know exactly the devastation aspartame causes and the front groups that the manufacturer uses? The Calorie Control Center is registered to the aspartame page!!
And on top of all the devastations aspartame addicts our children. Methanol is classified as a narcotic. The chronic methanol toxicity affects the dopamine system of the brain and causes the addiction. Dr. Roberts has a report on it on http://www.dorway.com and its discussed in the medical text. Aspartame triggers ADD, ADHD, autism and all sorts of birth defects. Our children are medicated instead of educated.
In the worst case scenario Charles Fleming died of aspartame after playing basketball. Aspartame triggers an irregular heart rhythm and interacts with all cardiac medication. It damages the cardiac conduction system and causes sudden death. Read about this on http://www.wnho.net, click on aspartame. In this case the police saw the methanol poisoning on autopsy and thought his wife poisoned him. She remains in a Troy, Virginia prison sentenced to 50 years because the manufacturer marketed a deadly chemical poison for human consumption. We constantly read in the news about athletes dropping dead, and this has to be one of the main reasons.
Slimfast has betrayed the trust of the people but putting out this propaganda for years even with victims constantly complaining. I've had enough of the Slimfast lies and am putting this all over the Internet so that people will be warned.
While aspartame detoxification centers are continually being set up to treat the victims we are facing what may be one of the largest plagues in world history. At Dr. Roberts first press conference he said if something wasn't done then we would have a global epidemic on our hands, as written in his first book on aspartame, Aspartame (NutraSweet) Is It Safe? The prophecy has now been fulfilled.
Here is the letter that Dr. Martini received from Beverly Verga on 18 March 2004:
Dear Dr Martini:
Thank you for your recent inquiry concerning Aspartame in Slim-Fast products.
Aspartame, a common tabletop sweetener, is made of a combination of two amino acids (building blocks of protein), aspartic acid and phenylalanine. When combined, these two amino acids create a taste that is 200 times sweeter than table sugar and has only 1/16 the calories. Because normal digestion plits aspartame into aspartic acid and phenylalanine, aspartame itself does not enter the blood stream and therefore could not directly affect other organs.
There is a rare genetic condition called phenylketonuria which is diagnosed in infancy. These individuals have problems when exposed to normal amounts of protein containing phenylalanine. Since they need to be aware of any foods containing phenylalanine, a warning is used to indicate it's presence in foods and drinks containing aspartame.
Regular Slim-Fast and Ultra Slim-Fast powder products contain 9-100 milligrams of aspartame per serving depending on the flavor, while a 12 ounce can of diet soda contains approximately 150 to 200 milligrams of aspartame.
Please be aware that the following Slim-Fast Foods do not contain aspartame: Slim-Fast Ready-to-Drink Cans, Breakfast & Lunch Bars, all Snack Bars, and the Meal Bars. There are no current plans to produce Slim-Fast products solely with Aspartame. We encourage you to continually check the ingredient labels on all products you purchase.
Aspartame was approved by the FDA in 1981 after over 100 scientific studies were conducted to determine its safety. The scientific data on the safety of aspartame has been reviewed by the FDA as well as other scientists. Over the past 15 years, research has helped clear aspartame's health record. In one study, healthy volunteers consumer 30 times more than the FDA limit everyday for six months, but no significant changes in brain chemistry or toxins. The overwhelming evidence is that aspartame is a safe for the vast majority of people. For further questions about aspartame you can contact the Calorie Control Center at (404) 252-3663.
We welcome this opportunity to be of service and thank you for your interest in Slim-Fast products.
Beverly
Consumer Services Representative
--- End of Letter from Beverly Verga ---
Dr. Betty Martini
Founder, Mission Possible International
9270 River Club Parkway
Duluth, Georgia 30097
770-242-2599
http://www.dorway.com
http://www.wnho.net