Is Aspartame Bad For You? What You Need to Know – Including Side Effects and Alternatives – Forbes Health

Neither the American Cancer Society nor the National Cancer Institute have taken a firm stance on the use of aspartame, but the WHO’s current classification of aspartame as a possible carcinogen suggests that artificial sweeteners are routinely used. It might make people question how safe it is to take in.

Due to limited research on aspartame consumption in humans, reported risks are usually derived from animal studies, some of which have found associations between aspartame consumption and cancer. .

While the conclusions of many of these animal studies may seem alarming, institutions such as the American Cancer Society caution against assuming that results in rodents can be extrapolated to those in humans. are doing.

But experts say the WHO’s new classification should be watched, even though large-scale human studies are still underway.

“We need to change the culture of food consumption” Dr. Adrian Eudimis a California-based physician specializing in medical weight loss and clinical nutrition and a member of the Forbes Health Advisory Board. “We used to think of aspartame (and other sugar substitutes) not just as a sugar substitute, but as a zero-calorie, high-dose option. [the WHO’s new classification] It tells us that everything comes at a price. ”

In terms of real health costs, one of the only large-scale studies to observe human aspartame consumption was published in 2022, following 102,865 French adults for about seven years. Those who participated in the study kept a 24-hour food log. When the researchers analyzed self-reported data, they found that artificial sweeteners were associated with increased cancer risk, and aspartame in particular was associated with increased risk of breast cancer and obesity-related cancers.

Why did the WHO declare aspartame a possible carcinogen and what does that mean?

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer research arm of the WHO, recently identified aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”. But what does this label mean to the average consumer?

IARC classifies compounds into four groups: carcinogenic to humans, probable carcinogenic to humans, probable carcinogenic to humans, and carcinogenic in humans. cannot be classified with respect to Aspartame labeled as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” points out that evidence of carcinogenicity is associated but not conclusive Toby Amidollregistered dietitian, nutrition expert, author More Vegetables: Flexitarian Recipes for the Whole Family Member of the Forbes Health Advisory Board. “This group also includes aloe vera leaf and digoxin, a heart drug commonly prescribed to treat atrial fibrillation,” she added.

“So what does this mean for the average consumer? Not really much,” says Amidor.

“WHO has specific criteria for classifying substances into different categories, such as ‘potential carcinogen’, based on risk assessment,” Dr. Kiriazis clarifies. “In many cases, decisions are based on the available literature and no specific attempt is made to consider the findings, contextualize the findings, or consider possible limitations. “

Dr. Kiriaziz illustrates this with the following example. “For example, let’s say he takes substance X 1,000 times the recommended level. [amount] It can cause some mice to develop a kind of cancer,” he says. While these findings can be potentially important and should not be taken lightly, typical consumers typically consume much lower amounts of substances than those used in research, so they should not be taken lightly. is likely to be safe, and “in medicine, dose matters,” continues Dr. Kyriasis. ”

Given the research on aspartame and the WHO’s recent classification, “reasonable consumption” of artificial sweeteners is most likely the best course of action, says Dr.

The FDA has set the allowable daily allowance for aspartame at 50 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, or “75 packets of aspartame per day (or equivalent),” says Dr. Kyriasis. And while it’s too much to exceed or meet this daily intake, it’s probably safe for the average consumer to consume a few servings of aspartame sweetener and one serving of diet soda or flavored yogurt a day. he points out.

“If you want to enjoy diet soda as part of an overall healthy diet, consume it in moderation like anything else,” agrees Amidor.

Interestingly, even with this new announcement, the WHO has not changed the acceptable daily intake of aspartame, which is slightly lower than the FDA’s approximately 40 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day, 1 That’s about the equivalent of 12 cans of diet soda per person. A person weighing 130 pounds.