Increasing brain tumor rates: is there a link to aspartame?
Olney JW1, Farber NB, Spitznagel E, Robins LN.
Author information Abstract
In the past two decades brain tumor rates have risen in several industrialized countries, including the
During this time, brain tumor data have been gathered by the National Cancer Institute from catchment areas representing 10% of the
In the present study, we analyzed these data from 1975 to 1992 and found that the brain tumor increases in the United States occurred in two distinct phases, an early modest increase that may primarily reflect improved diagnostic technology, and a more recent sustained increase in the incidence and shift toward greater malignancy that must be explained by some other factor(s).
Compared to other environmental factors putatively linked to brain tumors, the artificial sweetener aspartame is a promising candidate to explain the recent increase in incidence and degree of malignancy of brain tumors.
Evidence potentially implicating aspartame includes an early animal study revealing an exceedingly high incidence of brain tumors in aspartame-fed rats compared to no brain tumors in concurrent controls, the recent finding that the aspartame molecule has mutagenic potential, and the close temporal association (aspartame was introduced into US food and beverage markets several years prior to the sharp increase in brain tumor incidence and malignancy).
We conclude that there is need for reassessing the carcinogenic potential of aspartame.
Statistics continue to climb while the FDA refuses to do anything about it even though aspartame approval violated the law.
On August 1, 1985, FDA toxicologist, Dr. Adrian Gross, told Congress that at least one of Searle's studies "has established beyond any reasonable doubt that aspartame is capable of inducing brain tumors in experimental animals and that this predisposition of it is of extremely high significance."
In view of these indications that the cancer causing potential of aspartame is a matter that had been established way beyond any reasonable doubt, one can ask: What is the reason for the apparent refusal by the FDA to invoke for this food additive the so-called Delaney Amendment to the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act?"
The Delaney Amendment makes it illegal to allow any residue of cancer-causing chemicals in foods. Dr Gross concluded by asking, "Given the cancer-causing potential of aspartame, how would the FDA justify its position that it views a certain amount of aspartame as constituting an allowable daily intake or 'safe' level of it? Is that position in effect not equivalent to setting a 'tolerance' for this food additive and thus a violation of that law? And if the FDA itself elects to violate the law, who is left to protect the health of the public?" Congressional Record SID835:131 (8/1/85)
Dr. Betty Martini. D.Hum, Founder
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