Aspartame Artificial sweetener

 Aspartame is the methyl-ester of the aspartate-phenylalanine dipeptide. 

Over time, it has become a very popular artificial sweetener.

 However, since its approval by the main food safety agencies, several concerns have been raised related to neuropsychiatric effects and neurotoxicity due to its ability to activate glutamate receptors, as well as carcinogenic risks due to the increased production of reactive oxygen species.

 Within this review, we critically evaluate reports concerning the safety of aspartame. Some studies evidenced subtle mood and behavioral changes upon daily high-dose intake below the admitted limit.

 Epidemiology studies also evidenced

 associations between daily aspartame intake and a higher predisposition for malignant diseases, like non-Hodgkin lymphomas and multiple myelomas, particularly in males

But an association by chance still could not be excluded. While the debate over the carcinogenic risk of aspartame is ongoing, it is clear that its use may pose some dangers in peculiar cases

, such as patients with seizures or other neurological diseases;

 It should be totally forbidden for patients

 with phenylketonuria, 

and reduced doses or complete avoidance 

are advisable during pregnancy

. It would be also highly desirable for every product

 containing aspartame

 to clearly indicate on the label the

 exact amount of the substance and some risk warning.

Introduction 

Due to decreased sugar production throughout the two world wars as well as an increased prevalence of nutrition disorders,

 particularly diabetes mellitus, in post-war industrialized societies, artificial sweeteners, also known as non-nutritive sweeteners, gained popularity [1]

. Some non-nutritive, low-calorie sweeteners provide a similar taste while bringing 200–300 times fewer calories than sugar [2]. 

Saccharin, discovered and used since 1879, was widely regarded at the time as a sugar substitute.

 James Schlatter, while doing biochemical synthesis experiments with Robert Mazur

, accidentally discovered aspartame in 1965,

 and his employer G.D. Searle immediately started testing the substance in the hope of producing and

 commercializing it on a wide scale [3,4]

 (Figure 1). Aspartame is the methyl ester of the dipeptide formed by L-aspartic acid and L-phenylalanine [5]. 

It has been found to be 188 times sweeter than sugar while having the same calorie contents per weight unit [6].

Ref Nutrients. 2023 Aug 18;15(16):3627. doi: 10.3390/nu15163627

Aspartame Safety as a Food Sweetener and Related Health Hazards

Shurooq Asaad Abdulameer Shaher 1,2, Dan Florin Mihailescu 1, Bogdan Amuzescu 1,*

Editor: Philip J Atherton