Methanol occurs in small amounts and does not exceed that formed during consumption of many foods including fresh fruits and vegetables. After aspartame was approved for use in carbonated beverages, the FDA received an increased number of reports concerning adverse reactions related to aspartame. Rebuttal by Dr. Roberts Follows. First there was a widely received blitz of e- mail, falsely blaming the sweetener for causing multiple sclerosis, Gulf War syndrome, and other ills. A news magazine called Diabetes Interview, popular among patients, added more heat to the debate in a recent article that looked at some provocative hypotheses linking aspartame to neurologic toxicity.
Diabetics commonly use sweeteners to keep their blood sugar in check.
The American Diabetes Association shot back with a letter that compared the magazine to holocaust deniers. The magazine's publisher, Scott King, suggests the association is tainted because it receives money from Monsanto, the maker of the Equal brand of aspartame. Here's the unsweetened truth. Since approving aspartame in 1981, the Food and Drug Administration has collected more than 7,000 consumer complaints about the product. The most common symptom reported is headache.