Artificial sweetener aspartame, commonly found in diet beverages and many other consumables, has been deemed to “possibly” cause cancer by a branch of the World Health Organization (WHO). Before you panic, it is always important to read beyond the headline or a few key statements and do your research for full clarity. Here’s more information to help you make an informed decision for your health.
Aspartame’s history of cancer concerns
The branch of WHO that released the news is the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). That agency, based in France, periodically reviews agents to determine carcinogenicity to humans ranging from “not classifiable” to “possible” to “probable.” Medical professionals will nominate an agent for review.
“Since 1981, when the product got formal approvals, there has been ongoing controversy,” said Peter Lurie, president of the U.S.-based Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). “We have been pushing for an IARC review for many years now.” (How aspartame made the agenda of the WHO’s cancer research arm, Reuters, July 12, 2023.)
What is aspartame?
Aspartame is a non-nutritive sweetener first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1981. It is 200 times sweeter than sugar. Aspartame is the most widely used artificial sweetener and for decades, since its approval, there have been reports questioning its safety. In addition to the FDA approval, aspartame’s safety has been affirmed by the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) of the Codex Alimentarius (Food and Agriculture and World Health Organizations), the Scientific Committee for Food of the Commission of European Communities, and other regulatory agencies—when consumed within the “acceptable daily intake” of 40 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. The daily amount at which the sweetener would have to be consumed to increase health risk varies, depending on the source, from 32 to 36 cans of diet soda.
Non-sugar sweeteners and weight management
As a personal trainer and nutrition coach, I would caution those depending on diet beverages as a viable plan of action for weight management. A WHO guideline released in May advised against using non-sugar sweeteners (NSS) for weight control.
The guideline states that the WHO recommendation “is based on the findings of a systematic review of the available evidence which suggests that use of NSS does not confer any long-term benefit in reducing body fat in adults or children. Results of the review also suggest that there may be potential undesirable effects from long-term use of NSS, such as an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and mortality in adults.”
Francesco Branca, WHO Director for Nutrition and Food Safety, is quoted in the agency’s guideline: “Replacing free sugars with NSS does not help with weight control in the long term. People need to consider other ways to reduce free sugars intake, such as consuming food with naturally occurring sugars, like fruit, or unsweetened food and beverages. NSS are not essential dietary factors and have no nutritional value. People should reduce the sweetness of the diet altogether, starting early in life, to improve their health.”
So, do you, or don’t you?
From all the reports, it seems that more research is needed to come to a definitive conclusion, but the announcement by the WHO may have increased the incentive to do that research.
Don’t make uninformed decisions about your health. Seek out and discuss options with healthcare professionals. Plan with a healthy lifestyle in mind, rather than seeking out a quick fix that is not sustainable and will lead to frustration. If you don’t know where to start or you know that you need accountability, hire a personal trainer/nutrition coach.
If you find yourself concerned about aspartame, why not err on the side of caution? Doing so would do you no harm, and relieving yourself of the anxiety or concern will benefit your mental health as well.
May your life be naturally sweet!
Contributing writer Denise Lum is a Health and Fitness Coach raising her family in Alameda. Contact her via [email protected] or FitnessByDsign.com. Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Denise-Lum.
