Not long after aspartame's discovery in 1965, reports of carcinogenic effects emerged. After years of exhaustive review of the safety concerns related to aspartame, or NutraSweet, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration declared it safe for use as a table sweetener in 1981. As of 1996, aspartame has been approved for use in all foods and drinks. Manufacturers use it today in yogurt, frozen desserts, chewing gum, soft drinks, and many other foods and beverages.
Function
Aspartame is 200 times sweeter than sugar, so even though it has roughly the same amount of calories as sugar -- 4 calories per gram -- food manufacturers can use much less to sweeten their products. Consequently, the artificial sweetener is considered a calorie-free food additive. The FDA recommends limiting your daily intake of aspartame to 22 milligrams a day per pound of body weight. This means a "150 lb. person could safely drink about seven-and-a-half cans of aspartame-sweetened soda per day," according to Tufts University.
Cancer Fears
In response to several studies that said aspartame has a long-term carcinogenic effect, the FDA reviewed the data. In 2007, the FDA reiterated its previous conclusion that "aspartame is safe as a general purpose sweetener in food." The European Food Safety Authority also reviewed the safety of aspartame and concluded in 2009 "that there is no indication of any genotoxic or carcinogenic potential of aspartame."
Warning
Aspartame can have negative effects on people with the rare genetic disorder phenylketonuria. Their bodies have trouble breaking down the amino acid phenylalanine, a component of aspartame. If people with this condition do not follow a phenylalanine-restricted diet, abnormal brain development can result because the phenylalanine prevents important chemicals from reaching the brain.
Considerations
Although the research into the safety of aspartame continues, no research supports a consistent link between any health problems and aspartame use, according to the American Cancer Society, or ACS. Some people have reported headaches, dizziness, digestive problems and mood changes. The sweetener also has been said to cause Alzheimer's disease, birth defects, diabetes, attention-deficit disorders, Gulf War syndrome and a number of other health problems. But according to ACS, no studies have found consistent evidence of aspartame causing any harm.
