Migraines and Aspartame - Is there a link? - By: Joy Healey

The artificial sweetener Aspartame gained a foothold as a sugar replacement, with diabetics gaining a significant advantage. At the peak of its popularity, some 6,000 foods and drinks, even certain chewing gums and vitamin products, contained Aspartame

It is marketed under several different tradenames, including Nutrasweet, Canderel, Equal and Tropicana Slim. In the European Union its E-number (additive code) is E951.

The battle rages on as to whether the artificial sweetener aspartame actually causes migraine headaches. The manufacturers of NutraSweet strongly deny that there is a correlation, referring to research from Duke University which they say totally dismisses it as a possibility(1).

They usually neglect to mention that they funded the study, which consisted of a one day dosage of aspartame or placebo to migraine sufferers. On the basis that the findings showed no statistical difference between the two groups' incidence of headache that day, the aspartame backers claimed that the suggestion of aspartame causing headaches was unsubstantiated.

The FDA have taken the study as conclusive proof, stating subsequently that there is nothing to substantiate the theory that aspartame is harmful to humans.

The FDA first backed aspartame against critics in 1981 which is the year President Reagan first took office. Reagan had close ties with Searle drug company which manufactured the additive, and he fired the FDA commissioner who had been blocking the approval, then appointing Dr Arthur Hayes to the position.

A Board of Inquiry convened and recommended continuing to deny approval, citing the incidence of seizures and brain tumors in laboratory animals. Hayes approved the additive against the Board's recommendation, and subsequently left the FDA for a position with Searle's public relations firm.

Aspartame accounts for 75% of ALL complaints to the FDA for a food additive - with even MSG running a poor second. Some research has concluded that aspartame contains a carcinogen (substance that causes cancer) which is suspected by many scientists to be behind conditions ranging from brain tumors to epilepsy.

A thirteen-week, double-blind, randomized cross-over study was conducted in 1988 by S M Koehler and the results were staggering. Participants were given doses of aspartame or placebo, and the results from the test indicated that at least 50% of the subjects given aspartame had increasing frequency and duration of migraines, while those on placebo had decreased attacks(2).

Various other double blind studies have concluded that aspartame did indeed cause worsening of migraines, the exception being the study financed by NutraSweet. In all studies conducted on aspartame that were funded by NutraSweet, aspartame was found to be completely innocent of causing any adverse effects.

Other privately funded studies showed aspartame to be in fact responsible for headaches and other health problems in over 80% of tests, with the majority of the ones still showing inconclusive results being funded by the FDA, which has been accused of turning a blind eye to the dangers of aspartame since it was approved.

In a very interesting twist, two patients studied by Newman and Lipton experienced worsening of migraine upon administration of rezatriptan, a medication that normally gave them relief. On examination, the medication was actually of a new form in a dissolvable wafer rather than the normal capsule - and the wafer was sweetened with aspartame. Aspartame had been identified as a trigger by both subjects. They had no idea that the rezatriptan medication in the wafer form contained the sweetener, having just been given the samples for ease of dosing in case of migraine onset at work or school(3).

The multiple symptoms of aspartame sensitivity don't stop with migraines, though headaches are one of the top three complaints. Extreme tiredness, dizziness, fainting spells and seizures are often reported, in addition to depression which in some instances has reached suicidal proportions.

Critics of aspartame point to the research that found medical conditions associated with it and where the condition disappeared after patients avoided aspartame. Thousands more have spoken about worrying effects of aspartame on their health. On the other hand some well-respected scientists support the FDA view that aspartame is harmless.

The sweetener converts into several breakdown products including aspartic acid, phenylalanine, methanol, formaldehyde and formic acid(4). According to Wikipedia there is controversy surrounding the rate of breakdown into these various products and the effects that they have on those that consume aspartame-sweetened foods.

Even though phenylalanine is an essential amino acid and occurs naturally, it has an adverse effect on people born with phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare inherited condition which prevents correct metabolism of phenylalanine. Since individuals with PKU need to take account of aspartame as an additional source of phenylalanine, foods containing aspartame must carry warning labels. However, as this is a rare condition, and sufferers know they need to avoid the substance, that isn't the most worrying health concern.

The most suspect breakdown product in aspartame is methanol, which breaks down into formaldehyde, a highly toxic substance that the United States Environmental Protection Agency classified as a probable human carcinogen. Formaldehyde is used in embalming, glue, plywood, plastics, carpets and many other products. Because of toxicity concerns the EU has considered imposing a complete ban on its use even for embalming.

Defenders of aspartame point out that methanol is present in many natural foods at even higher levels than a diet soda, but fail to acknowledge that the naturally occurring methanol is ALWAYS accompanied by ethanol and pectin, natural antidotes to methanol poisoning which cancel out any ill effects. Aspartame does not supply ethanol, neither do products that contain the sweetener.

The controversy is far from over. The number of people who claim aspartame causes or exacerbates their migraines continues to grow, and many doctors now consider aspartame a known trigger. Other symptoms are reported in increasing numbers each year. However to date (2008), the FDA insists that aspartame is perfectly safe with no plans to ban its inclusion in food products.

Could it be that it has been added to so many weight-watchers' foods that the financial and commercial implications of withdrawing it would cost a fortune? Due to tumor concerns some manufacturers are slowly replacing it with sucralose, but as recipes will need reformulating and the products will need to be repackaged and quality controlled this will be a slow process.

In the mean-time consumers may wish to avoid aspartame-containing products to check if they experience improvement of any troublesome symptoms.

(1) Schiffman SS, Buckley CE III, Sampson JA, et al. Aspartame and susceptibility to headache. N Engl J Med. 1987; 317: 1181-1185.

(2) Koehler, SM, A. Glaros, 1988. "The Effect of Aspartame on Migraine Headache," Headache, Volume 28, page 10-14.

(3) Newman & Lipton: 3.75 mg aspartame in Merck Maxalt-MLT worsens migraine Oct 2001 7.28.2

(4) C. Trocho, R. Pardo, I. Rafecas, J. Virgili, X. Remesar, J. A. Fernandez-Lopez and M. Alemany (1998). "Formaldehyde derived from dietary aspartame binds to tissue components in vivo". Life Sciences, 63 (5): 337'349.

About the Author

Joy Healey qualified as a nutritionist in 2000, at the prestigious Institute for Optimum Nutrition in London. Her dissertation topic was migraine. For immediate delivery of an ebook full of further recommendations for natural, complementary approaches to treat and prevent migraine visit: http://www.natural-migraine-alternatives.com

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