Links Between Aspartame & Depression
Maintaining a healthy diet is linked to physical and mental
wellness. Individuals often consume "diet" products to lose weight or
because they think these products are healthier. However, many diet products
include an ingredient called aspartame. According to the National Institutes of
Health, not only can this ingredient be physically unhealthy, it has also been
linked to mental health issues such as depression.
Aspartame
Aspartame is a combination of two amino acids: henylalanine
and aspartic acid, according to MedlinePlus. Common aspartame products include
Equal, NutraSweet and diet sodas. Even though aspartame is a sugar substitute,
it is 220 times sweeter than real sugar, reports MedlinePlus.
Read more:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/282909-links-between-aspartame-depression/#ixzz1pVqWWPW7
Maintaining a healthy diet is linked to physical and mental
wellness. Individuals often consume "diet" products to lose weight or
because they think these products are healthier. However, many diet products
include an ingredient called aspartame. According to the National Institutes of
Health, not only can this ingredient be physically unhealthy, it has also been
linked to mental health issues such as depression.
.
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Several research studies have found a link between
depression and aspartame. According to a study published in August 1994 in the
"Biological Psychiatry," individuals with depression are more
vulnerable to the adverse effects of aspartame. These effects include fatigue,
nausea, headaches, poor memory and insomnia. This particular study was actually
stopped before completion because of the severity of reactions that the
participants experienced. This study recommended that individuals who have
existing depression should not consume aspartame. Additionally, another study
published in March 2007 in the "Townsend Letter for Doctors and
Patients" found that aspartame can lead to depression withdrawal symptoms,
which immediately decreased when resuming aspartame. He also found that
subjects become addicted to aspartame, experiencing intense cravings when not
consuming it.
Aspartame and
Serotonin
Chemicals, or neurotransmitters, in the brain are key
factors in mental health diagnoses. When neurotransmitters are imbalanced or
lessened, mental health issues tend to result. Serotonin is an especially
important neurotransmitter linked to the diagnosis of depression. Since
neurotransmitters cannot be directly measured, researchers typically use the
brains of animals to learn more about them. A study published in August 1987 in
"Food and Chemical Toxicology" found that in rats, aspartame
decreases serotonin level. More studies on this are needed to further examine
this phenomenon.
Stevia And Truvia are better choices …they come
from plants.
Gastrointestinal
Effects
Aspartame can cause gastrointestinal side effects,
especially from diet soda, as it is absorbed and metabolized quicker. Common
gastrointestinal complaints include stomach upset, bloating, abdominal pain,
nausea and weight gain due to fluid accumulation. Although most people drink
diet soda to reduce their calorie consumption and lose weight, a few studies
have found that switching to diet soda causes gradual weight gain, according to
"Fluids and Electrolytes with Clinical Application." The weight gain
is not due to fat, but rather fluid accumulation around the lower abdomen
caused by the metabolites of aspartame.
May Contribute to
Diabetes
Many diet soda drinkers are diabetics who are trying to
avoid the negative effects of sugar, although aspartame may be more harmful.
According to research done by H.J. Roberts M.D., a diabetes specialist and
expert on artificial sweeteners, aspartame use can trigger clinical diabetes. In
a 2003 article published in "Nutrition Health Review," Dr. Roberts
explains that aspartame tricks the pancreas into secreting too much insulin,
which removes too much glucose from the blood, creating hypoglycemia and the
clinical symptoms of diabetes. Aspartame also overstimulates the pancreas,
causing inflammation and pain known as pancreatitis. Pancreatitis can further
disrupt the pancreatic Islet cells, which are responsible for producing and
releasing insulin.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/355002-side-effects-of-aspartame-in-diet-soda/#ixzz1pVrQAc1z
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