Controversy about the use of the artificial sweetener aspartame, also known as NutraSweet and Equal, has existed for decades. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration renounced claims of aspartame toxicity in 1981, officially approving it for use in food products. In fact, the FDA's recommended acceptable limit for daily intake is a whopping 21 cans of diet soda for a 165 lb. adult, a considerable amount that most adults aren't likely to reach. Nonetheless, claims that aspartame intake results in illness and disease still exist.
Neurological and Behavioral Damage
In the 1980s, controversy about the FDA's approval of aspartame use was high. In 1984, the Centers for Disease Control evaluated consumer complaints about aspartame use. The majority of complaints at the time were from adults complaining of neurological and behavioral changes. Symptoms reported include seizures, confusion, slurred speech, numbness and tremors. The CDC found an abnormally high number of women complainants in its review.
Gastrointestinal Symptoms
Benefits of aspartame and other artificial sweeteners include weight loss, a sugar alternative for diabetics and prevention of tooth decay, MayoClinic.com reports. However, strong believers of the poisoning effects of aspartame question whether weight loss from a no-calorie sweetener is worth the health risks. The CDC's review of complainants of aspartame found gastrointestinal symptoms to be the second most common. Overall, the CDC found all symptom complaints of aspartame poisoning to be mild. Sufferers, however, insist that nausea, diarrhea, stomach pains and pains with swallowing are real.
Skin Allergies
The claims of health risks due to aspartame consumption are wide-ranging in severity, ranging from minor itchiness to cancer formation. Skin allergies, such as hives, lip and mouth reactions and itchiness are some complaints associated with aspartame intake. The 1984 CDC evaluation of aspartame-poisoning symptoms found that skin and dermatological issues made up 15 percent of total complaints. The National Cancer Institute notes that there is no evident link between cancer and aspartame use and that there is no evidence of a link between aspartame and adverse health problems.
