coca cola zero

[Taylor]

i had a coke craving tonight, after not having any type of soda for two years i had one of those coke zero's today, with 0 calories

i was just wondering if this is something i can allow myself to drink regularly or is there some hidden unhealthy ingredient

[YellowJacket]

Its sweetened with Acesulfame potassium and aspartame, so I wouldnt make a habit of it.

[BBAddict]

Good question. YJ, what is your take on the artificial sweeteners--aspartame and splenda in particular? Do you have any references on the potential evils of each and which may be the lesser of the two evils? I'm drinking cold green tea with a bit of splenda as I type this.

[football89]

Apparently aspartame causes cancer, do a google search on it and u'll see.

[YellowJacket]

Good question. YJ, what is your take on the artificial sweeteners--aspartame and splenda in particular? Do you have any references on the potential evils of each and which may be the lesser of the two evils? I'm drinking cold green tea with a bit of splenda as I type this.

I have several peer review abstracts on the dangers of aspartame and while you can pass on the majority of them for various reasons (such as the sheer amount of soda consumed daily far surpasses anything the normal human would do in a given day, etc.)
In fact, I would venture to say aspartame is relatively safe and is discarded when it is probably unwarranted I have several abstracts which debunk the myth that aspartame causes cancer, tumors, etc. Heres a great example from MIT...

Even daily large doses of the high-intensity sweetener aspartame, also known as NutraSweet, had no adverse effect on study subjects' health and well-being, a visiting scientist at MIT reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition last week.

"We conclude that aspartame is safe for the general population," said Paul A. Spiers, visiting scientist in the Clinical Research Center (CRC).

One from the FDA:

Analysis of the National Cancer Institute's public data base on cancer incidence in the United States — the SEER Program — does not support an association between the use of aspartame and increased incidence of brain tumors.

Another influential abstract:

Aspartame: review of safety.

Butchko HH, Stargel WW, Comer CP, Mayhew DA, Benninger C, Blackburn GL, de Sonneville LM, Geha RS, Hertelendy Z, Koestner A, Leon AS, Liepa GU, McMartin KE, Mendenhall CL, Munro IC, Novotny EJ, Renwick AG, Schiffman SS, Schomer DL, Shaywitz BA, Spiers PA, Tephly TR, Thomas JA, Trefz FK.

Medical and Scientific Affairs, The NutraSweet Company, Mt Prospect, Illinois 60056, USA. [email protected]

Over 20 years have elapsed since aspartame was approved by regulatory agencies as a sweetener and flavor enhancer. The safety of aspartame and its metabolic constituents was established through extensive toxicology studies in laboratory animals, using much greater doses than people could possibly consume. Its safety was further confirmed through studies in several human subpopulations, including healthy infants, children, adolescents, and adults; obese individuals; diabetics; lactating women; and individuals heterozygous (PKUH) for the genetic disease phenylketonuria (PKU) who have a decreased ability to metabolize the essential amino acid, phenylalanine. Several scientific issues continued to be raised after approval, largely as a concern for theoretical toxicity from its metabolic components--the amino acids, aspartate and phenylalanine, and methanol--even though dietary exposure to these components is much greater than from aspartame. Nonetheless, additional research, including evaluations of possible associations between aspartame and headaches, seizures, behavior, cognition, and mood as well as allergic-type reactions and use by potentially sensitive subpopulations, has continued after approval. These findings are reviewed here. The safety testing of aspartame has gone well beyond that required to evaluate the safety of a food additive. When all the research on aspartame, including evaluations in both the premarketing and postmarketing periods, is examined as a whole, it is clear that aspartame is safe, and there are no unresolved questions regarding its safety under conditions of intended use.

Aspartame: scientific evaluation in the postmarketing period.

Butchko HH, Stargel WW.

Medical and Scientific Affairs, The NutraSweet Company, Mt. Prospect, IL 60056, USA.

Prior to marketing, the safety of the high-intensity sweetener aspartame for its intended uses as a sweetener and flavor enhancer was demonstrated by the results of over 100 scientific studies in animals and humans. In the postmarketing period, the safety of aspartame was further evaluated through extensive monitoring of intake, postmarketing surveillance of anecdotal reports of alleged health effects, and additional research to evaluate these anecdotal reports and other scientific issues. The results of the extensive intake evaluation in the United States, which was done over an 8-year period, and the results of studies done in other countries demonstrated intakes which were well below the acceptable daily intakes set by the FDA and regulatory bodies in other countries, as well as the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. Evaluation of the anecdotal reports of adverse health effects, the first such system for a food additive, revealed that the reported effects were generally mild and also common in the general population and that there was no consistent or unique pattern of symptoms that could be causally linked to consumption of aspartame. Finally, the results of the extensive scientific research done to evaluate these allegations did not show a causal relationship between aspartame and adverse effects. Thus, the weight of scientific evidence confirms that, even in amounts many times what people typically consume, aspartame is safe for its intended uses as a sweetener and flavor enhancer.

Aspartame: neuropsychologic and neurophysiologic evaluation of acute and chronic effects.

Spiers PA, Sabounjian L, Reiner A, Myers DK, Wurtman J, Schomer DL.

Clinical Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 02139, USA.

BACKGROUND: Neurobehavioral symptoms have been reported anecdotally with aspartame. OBJECTIVE: This study sought to determine whether aspartame can disrupt cognitive, neurophysiologic, or behavioral functioning in normal individuals. DESIGN: Forty-eight healthy volunteers completed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. The first month was aspartame free. Subjects then consumed sodas and capsules with placebo, aspartame, or sucrose for 20 d each. Order was randomized and subjects were assigned to either a high- (45 mg x kg body wt(-1) x d(-1)) or low- (15 mg x kg body wt(-1) x d(-1)) dose aspartame group. Neuropsychologic and laboratory testing was done on day 10 of each treatment period to determine possible acute effects and on day 20 for possible chronic effects. RESULTS: Plasma phenylalanine concentrations increased significantly during aspartame treatment. Neuropsychologic results; adverse experiences; amino acid, insulin, and glucose values; and electroencephalograms were compared by sex and by treatment. No significant differences were found for any dependent measure. CONCLUSION: Large daily doses of aspartame had no effect on neuropsychologic, neurophysiologic, or behavioral functioning in healthy young adults.

I dont want to ramble on, but I have a myriad of studies showing the efficacy of sucralose (Splenda) as an artificial sweetner is proven and safe. The reason I shy away from using and recommending aspartame is a personal reason and that is the fact aspartame gives me chronic headaches. I know many others who experience the same and while I can deal with a headache, it makes you wonder what systemic effect is causing the headache. Sucralose is much tastier and there are no prevalent adverse effects.

[YellowJacket]

Apparently aspartame causes cancer, do a google search on it and u'll see.

This is the problem with mainstream America. Things are said on television so it is used to be the gospel truth. In fact, searches can be done, albeit on the internet or a public university or library and search for yourself. Institutions such as MIT are beyond reputable, much more reputable than anything you will hear on TV.

[shortz]

This is the problem with mainstream America. Things are said on television so it is used to be the gospel truth.

I am dissapointed that this even needs to be said on a board such as this. We should have already learned this through all we discuss with steroids. :spank:

[Taylor]

I'm drinking cold green tea with a bit of splenda as I type this.

i'm usually drinking the same thing whenever i'm relaxing on my comp, cept i dont have a bit, i have a couple spoon fulls of splenda in my tea



as far as the headaches with the coke, I only had one 12oz can of coke, and it just made me burp.....if the headaches aren't determined from person to person then maybe it depends on how much of it you drink at a time

[sreisin547]

actually, from a study I am currently involved with, we've found that the body does not expell all of the aspertame you consume, and it (to make this overly simple) is able to attach itself to memory receptor sites in the brain, possibly creating an increased risk for conditions as dementia, senility or alzheimers.

[YellowJacket]

actually, from a study I am currently involved with, we've found that the body does not expell all of the aspertame you consume, and it (to make this overly simple) is able to attach itself to memory receptor sites in the brain, possibly creating an increased risk for conditions as dementia, senility or alzheimers.

What organization/university are you with? If you would like to keep this private, feel free to PM me...

[blm]

The reason I shy away from using and recommending aspartame is a personal reason and that is the fact aspartame gives me chronic headaches.

Aspartame gives me terrible headaches. I also feel really strange mentally when I drink anything w/it, it's hard to explain...alsmost a feeling of dissociation...