There is a group of people who cannot safely consume aspartame. These are the sufferers of the inherited disease phenylketonuria (PKU), who are unable to metabolise the amino acid phenylalanine effectively, leading to the accumulation of potentially harmful levels. PKU is a serious, metabolic disorder, affecting 1 in 10,000 individuals and if untreated, it can cause serious brain damage.
Sufferers are normally diagnosed shortly after birth by a routine blood test and need to follow a very strict diet in order to limit their intake of phenylalanine, which is a normal constituent of proteins in food. Since aspartame is also a source of phenylalanine, all food products containing aspartame are clearly labelled to indicate the presence of phenylalanine so that those people who suffer from PKU can avoid consuming these products. This labelling is a legal requirement.
Because high levels of phenylalanine can harm an unborn baby, women who have PKU and are actively planning a family follow a pre-conception phenylalanine-controlled diet. In the UK, all newborn babies have been screened for PKU since 1969. It is highly improbable that anyone born before 1969 would have PKU and been unaware of their condition, especially if there is no family history of PKU. However, women who are actively planning a family who have concerns about PKU should contact their doctor.
The above was taken from - Food Standards Agency website - http://www.food.gov.uk/safereating/additivesbranch/55174
Further reading on aspartame from Mercola.Com
http://aspartame.mercola.com/?e_cid=20110826_DNL_HTL_aspartame
http://aspartame.mercola.com/?e_cid=20110826_DNL_HTL_aspartame
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