posted September 19, 2009 08:49 AM         

"by David Gutierrez, staff writer

(NaturalNews) People who drink more than two quarts of cola per day may induce severe and possibly fatal potassium deficiency, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Ioannina, Greece, and published in the International Journal of Clinical Practice.

"We are consuming more soft drinks than ever before, and a number of health issues have already been identified including tooth problems, bone demineralization and the development of metabolic syndrome and diabetes," researcher Moses Elisaf said. "Evidence is increasing to suggest that excessive cola consumption can also lead to hypokalemia, in which the blood potassium levels fall, causing an adverse effect on vital muscle functions."

Researchers reviewed the cases of several patients who had consumed between two and 10 quarts of cola per day, including two pregnant women. One of these, a 21-year-old who drank as much as three quarts per day, was admitted to the hospital for persistent vomiting, fatigue and appetite loss. The other was admitted after drinking seven quarts per day for 10 months and suffering from progressive weakening of her muscles.

Both women recovered after they stopped drinking cola and were treated with intravenous or oral potassium.

Potassium plays a critical role in the functioning of the body's nerves, muscles and heart. Critical deficiency like that experienced by the patients in the University of Ioannina study can lead to cramping, paralysis, irregular heartbeat and even death. In one of the cases studied, a man suffered lung paralysis after drinking 10 quarts per day.

The researchers believe that both caffeine and sugar contributed to the observed potassium deficiency.

In an accompanying editorial, Clifford D. Packer at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center in Cleveland warned, "There is very little doubt that tens of millions of people in industrialized countries drink at least 2-3 [quarts] of cola per day. The soft drink industry needs to promote safe and moderate use of its products for all age groups, reduce serving sizes, and pay heed to the rising call for healthier drinks."

Sources for this story include: http://www.upi.com; http://www.reuters.com; http://www.newsinferno.com.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026892_cola_potassium_health.html

posted September 19, 2009 12:41 PM         

Aspartame
What You Don"t Know Can Hurt You

Natural Ingredients Imply "Not Harmful"

"The building blocks of protein" and "your body cannot distinguish between the amino acids in aspartame and milk" (Deskins G1) are common phrases used to describe the ingredients in aspartame. These analogies are used to convince the public that aspartame is as safe as milk, or other protein foods. According to Dr. H. J. Roberts, who was listed in "The Best Doctors in the U.S.," it is true that aspartame is composed of the same amino acids that can be found in protein foods. However, there are only two amino acids, phenylalanine and aspartic acid, that are in aspartame while protein foods contain many different amino acids. When aspartame is ingested, it floods the bloodstream with these two amino acids while protein foods, on the other hand, have other amino acids which "neutralize" and eliminate this sudden flooding (30). Like taking words out of context, taking amino acids out of their natural form might cause problems. A closer look at aspartame's ingredients and the adverse reactions reported by thousands of people reveal the dangers of this artificial sweetener.

Dr. Roberts states in his book, Aspartame Is it Safe?, that aspartame's three components are phenylalanine (50 percent), aspartic acid (40 percent), and methanol (10 percent). When aspartame is exposed to heat or prolonged storage, it breaks down into metabolites. One of these breakdown products is Diketopiperazine, a toxic metabolite that is not usually found in our diet. The effects of these different metabolites are unknown (27, 38-40).

According to an article in Consumer Reports, food and beverages containing phenylalanine, the major ingredient in aspartame, must be labeled due to the genetic disorder, phenylketonuria (PKU). The U.S. carries a warning on all aspartame products to alert people with PKU (58). People with this genetic disorder lack the enzyme needed to metabolize phenylalanine and therefore it "accumulates" in the body and can "cause severe mental retardation" (Roberts 33). According to Steven Farber, Ph.D. candidate in brain and cognitive sciences at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, there are an "estimated 10 million people who are carriers and may not know it." He states that these PKU carriers are also at risk because "they cannot degrade phenylalanine as effectively as normal individuals and may be sensitive to increased levels in their diets" (48).

Phenylketonurics and PKU carriers are not the only people that should avoid phenylalanine. Dr. Louis J. Elsas, II, Director of Medical Genetics at Emory University School of Medicine, "recommends that pregnant women avoid aspartame sweeteners" because it is unknown what quantity is considered safe (qtd. In Assc. Of Birth Defect Children 2). Dr. Roberts also suggests to avoid aspartame products during pregnancy due to increased levels of phenylalanine on the "fetal side of the placenta." Increases levels of phenylalanine may "interfere with the growth of the fetus brain" (181).

In an article published in the Association of Birth Defect Children, Karen Mills argues that aspartame may be responsible for her son's health problems. Unaware of the dangers of aspartame, she consumed four to six diet sodas a day and also took phenylalanine capsules to relieve fatigue during her pregnancy. She was in good health and did not smoke or drink during this time. Her pregnancy was considered normal and prenatal testing ruled out any genetic birth defects. Her delivery was also normal. When her son Brandon was born, he was severely retarded with serious neurological problems. All of his x-rays, genetic studies, and blood tests came back normal. Karen states, "I am suspicious that NutraSweet™ could be a contributing factor in Brandon's situation since there are no physical or genetic causes revealed for his neurological problems" (2).

Aspartic acid (aspartame) and glutamate (ingredient in monosodium glutamate) have been labeled as excitotoxins, which Dr. Russell Blaylock, author of Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills, defines as "a group of excitatory amino acids that can cause sensitive neurons to die" (226). An article in the Orlando Sentinel Tribune states, "according to Blaylock, a single meal may contain several of these additives . . . given a high enough dose can include brain lesions." Blaylock is concerned that "hundreds of millions of infants and young children are at great risk and their parents are not even aware of it" (qtd. In Bonvie and Bonvie G1).

The last component of aspartame is methanol, better known as wood alcohol, a "deadly poison," claims Dr. Roberts. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends less than eight milligrams per day of methanol. A typical liter of an aspartame diet soda contains approximately 55 milligrams. Complications of methanol poisoning include blindness, brain swelling, pancreatitis, numbness, shooting pains, cardiac changes, and death (28, 42-45). According to Aspartame Consumer Safety Network, when ingested, methanol breaks down into formaldehyde, "known to cause cancer, accumulating slowly without detection in the body" (The Deadly Deception 2).

Eric Soto was a victim of methanol poisoning. In 1989, when Eric was diagnosed with diabetes, he started consuming aspartame products to avoid sugar. Soon after, Eric complained of numbness in his fingers. After seeing a doctor for this problem, it was suggested that he have surgery to correct a wrist nerve. Before he went in for surgery, a black spot appeared over his left eye. After being examined by an opthamologist, Eric was admitted to the hospital for possible methanol poisoning. He decided to stop using aspartame products after hearing about the dangers from a friend. The damage to Eric's eyes was permanent, but the numbness in his fingers stopped even though doctors said it could only be corrected by surgery (The Deadly Deception B4).

Eric Soto is not the only person to suffer from aspartame related health problems. Mary Stoddard, president of Aspartame Consumer Safety Network, claims that nearly 10,000 complaints have been reported to this non-profit organization.

posted September 19, 2009 12:47 PM         

Dr Russell Blaylock has written extensively about the dangers of excitotoxins (see http://www.amazon.com/Excitotoxins-Taste-Russell-L-Blaylock/dp/0929173147 )

posted September 19, 2009 05:18 PM         

i totally agree about sodas, orbm, they are NOT GOOD for you. more because of the other ingredients than the soda, but even when i was a kid and there was no aspartame in them, i used to shake them up to get most of the bubbles out for some reason.

now if you have a very bad gut-ache, flat coke can be a lifesaver, but as a drink of choice any other time...yeuch! facts or no facts~~!!