Subscribe for free to Dr. Greger’s videos at:
http://bit.ly/nutritionfactsupdates
DESCRIPTION: The reason artificially sweetened beverages have been associated with depression may be because of psychological disturbances recently tied to aspartame (“Equal” or “NutraSweet”).
I’ve previously touched on artificial sweeteners before:
• Unsweetening the Diet (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/unsweetening-the-diet/)
• Neurobiology of Artificial Sweeteners (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/neurobiology-of-artificial-sweeteners/)
• How Diet Soda Can Make Us Gain Weight (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/how-diet-soda-could-make-us-gain-weight/)
• Diet Soda and Preterm Birth (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/diet-soda-and-preterm-birth/)
• Aspartame Induced Fibromyalgia (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/aspartame-induced-fibromyalgia/)
The healthiest caloric sweeteners are black strap molasses and date sugar (whole dried powdered dates). The healthiest low-calorie sweetener is probably erythritol (Erythritol May Be a Sweet Antioxidant http://nutritionfacts.org/video/erythritol-may-be-a-sweet-antioxidant/).
Coffee may decrease suicide and cancer risk (Preventing Liver Cancer with Coffee? http://nutritionfacts.org/video/preventing-liver-cancer-with-coffee/ and Coffee and Cancer http://nutritionfacts.org/video/coffee-and-cancer/) but may impair blood flow to the heart (Coffee and Artery Function http://nutritionfacts.org/video/coffee-and-artery-function).
Other ways to improve mood include:
• Improving Mood Through Diet (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/improving-mood-through-diet/)
• Fighting the Blues with Greens? (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/fighting-the-blues-with-greens-mao-inhibitors-in-plants/)
• Gut Feelings: Probiotics and Mental Health (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/gut-feelings-probiotics-and-mental-health/)
• Saffron vs. Prozac (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/saffron-vs-prozac/)
• A Better Way to Boost Serotonin (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/a-better-way-to-boost-serotonin/)
Have a question for Dr. Greger about this video? Leave it in the comment section at http://nutritionfacts.org/video/aspartame-and-the-brain/ and he’ll try to answer it!
http://www.NutritionFacts.org
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NutritionFacts.org
• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nutrition_facts
• Podcast: http://www.bit.ly/NFpodcast
• Subscribe: http://www.bit.ly/nutritionupdates
• Donate: http://www.NutritionFacts.org/donate
Did you hear how aspartame appears to cause psychological symptoms such as
irritability and depression?
Watch below or click the link to watch on NutritionFacts.org:
http://nutritionfacts.org/video/aspartame-and-the-brain
BOOM. Love this one! I tell all my family/friends/co-workers this stuff.
They see how good I look and I tell them how awesome I feel since eating
only organic vegan, but they will not change their diet. I believe
processed food is like a drug addiction or a smoking addiction and it takes
a lot of willpower to change, but it is so worth the effort.
I am so addicted to sugar :(
Federal approval of Searle’s aspartame occurred because Donald Rumsfeld was
Searle’s CEO. From Rense.com:
In 1985 Monsanto purchased G.D. Searle, the chemical company that held the
patent to aspartame, the active ingredient in NutraSweet. Monsanto was
apparently untroubled by aspartame’s clouded past, including a 1980 FDA
Board of Inquiry, comprised of three independent scientists, which
confirmed that it “might induce brain tumors.”
The FDA had actually banned aspartame based on this finding, only to have
Searle Chairman Donald Rumsfeld (currently the Secretary of Defense) vow to
“call in his markers,” to get it approved.
On January 21, 1981, the day after Ronald Reagan’s inauguration, Searle
re-applied to the FDA for approval to use aspartame in food sweetener, and
Reagan’s new FDA commissioner, Arthur Hayes Hull, Jr., appointed a 5-person
Scientific Commission to review the board of inquiry’s decision.
It soon became clear that the panel would uphold the ban by a 3-2 decision,
but Hull then installed a sixth member on the commission, and the vote
became deadlocked. He then personally broke the tie in aspartame’s favor.
Hull later left the FDA under allegations of impropriety, served briefly as
Provost at New York Medical College, and then took a position with
Burston-Marsteller, the chief public relations firm for both Monsanto and
GD Searle. Since that time he has never spoken publicly about aspartame.
Could you look into the study that found artificial sweeteners change the
gut bacteria in such a way that insulin resistance is increased, and people
have a greater craving for sucrose? Anecdotal, but when I stopped using
artificial sweeteners cold-turkey my cravings stopped too, almost
immediately.
Aspartame sometimes gave me headaches it seemed so I have stopped chewing
gum. I didn’t even take that much aspartame either.. just once in a while
I’d chew gum.
And they wonder why there are ‘conspiracy theories’. How about, they are a
bunch of lying bastards!
This makes me so angry. I have a very dear friend going through a very dark
time in her life. She is now heavily medicated to deal with her horrible
life event……… and she drinks 6 to 8 cups of coffee each with two
tablets of FAKE sugar….. every single day….
I had massive panic attacks and depression which benzos barely helped and
my doc considered starting antidepressants but I refused… got way
better(not gone though) once I got rid of aspartame and sucralose and no
longer take any meds!! And it was causing these brain zaps. I never
considered the link for years. But they are gone as well!! Some people dont
get reactions from it, but I did. But thanks Dr. Greger for all you do. I
have been plant based for 2 months now and down 30 lbs from 285 to 255, crp
back below one, cholesterol back to normal range. BP down as well. Still
got a ways to go, but feel a lot better!!
It gives me seizures. And Stevia does too. All zero calorie sweeteners
should be avoided.
This was great! The fact that the study was halted because exposure was
considered bad…. RED FLAG!
thanks for another great video, doc :-)
I noticed the same effect using a creatine supplement containing artificial
sweeteners (acesulfame-k and sucralose) my mood got significantly worse and
symptoms of depression were definitely perceptible. Even though the
supplement contained creatine I believe to have noticed a decrease in
mathematical skills (school math class).
I think aspartame is dangerously addictive. I used to drink upwards of a
six pack a day of diet coke and couldn’t stop drinking the stuff. It took
me three attempts to quit. With the first two attempts I went through
severe withdrawal, a screaming migraine headache for several hours, nausea
and vomiting. I tried weening myself off with coffee and that didn’t work
so, it just wasn’t the caffeine. It took five months after I quit to
finally stop craving the stuff.
It may be that other artificial sweeteners (besides aspartame) are harmful,
but one cannot make that conclusion based on your presentation. I would
appreciate more precision in your conclusions.
I love these videos; so Coffee may decrease the risk of cancer and suicide
rate, but may impair blood flow to the heart.
Decisions, decisions. How about you live life , enjoy everything in
moderation and know that the grim reaper is always around the corner
anyways. Shesh.
Dr Greger,have you ever done a video on the dangers of carrageenan? May I
suggest that? no one I talk to seems to know what it is, how prevalent it
is in store bought products, and how we are all being lied to about its
safety.
Whole foods, not frankenfoods!!! Here’s just another reason to avoid
processed foods.
Pronunciation of “aspartame” @ 1:24. I’ve never known how to pronounce it
correctly! :)
Love these vids
good lord, I’m glad I avoid artificial sweeteners! It’s easy to tell
they’re no good for you but it’s a little disturbing to know just how bad
they really are.
“They don’t even have ingredient list.” Fantastic.
Дори половината от позволената дневна доза на аспартам (Е951) само за 8 дни
води до увеличена раздразнителност, депресия и влошена пространствена
ориентация.
Oh I waited for this news.
Artificially sweetened beverages are associated with depression because of
psychological disturbances tied to aspartame (“Equal” or “NutraSweet”).
I would go fully organic and never buy processed foods again, BUT it is too
expensive.
Great presentation, Doc.
I’ve been saying for a long time that artificial sweeteners are bad news.