Date: Fri, 8 Dec 1995 16:42:27 -0500 From: Betty Martini Newsgroups: sci.med Subject: Re: panic attacks Dear Ivan: Recently I received the records of Aspartame Victims And Their Friends from the widow of Joyce Wilson who lost her life to NutraSweet. In the records was an article titled: PANIC ATTACKS AND EXCESSIVE ASPARTAME INGESTION. It is from Miles E. Drake, Department of Neurology, Ohio State University, College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio. It was in the Lancet, September 13, 1986. Remember that in l986 aspartame was in only a few hundred products, but today its in 5000 and climbing and the patent has expired. Panic attacks are epidemic because of this poison. Here is the article. "The artificial sweetener aspartame has been alleged to cause seizures and neuropsychiatric symptoms in large does. I have observed the precipitation by aspartame abuse of panic attacks in a previously symptomless patient with mitral valve prolapse, the association of which with anxiety disorder and panic attacks is controversial. The effects of aspartame on brain amines support the role of catecholamines in panic attacks and suggest that persons with mitral valve prolapse may have an exaggerated sensitivity to aspartame excess. A 33 year old cook had been found incidentally to have a mid-systolic click and murmur. She had smoked two packs of cigarettes per day for several years, and daily consumed one or two cups of coffee and six to twelve cans of diet cola sweetened with aspartame. When she was transferred to a different and very hot kitchen her consumption of diet cola went up to about twenty cans per day. Within a week she began to feel persistently "shaky" at home and at work, and then had paroxysms of dizziness, diaphoresis, chest tightness, dyspnoea, claustophobia, and the intense feeling that "something was about to happen" to her or that she "would die any minute". Physical examination was normal except for click and murmur, and neurological examination was intact. Laboratory studies, including thyroid function tests, electrocardiogram and electroencephalogram, were normal. A two-dimensional echocardiogram confirmed mitral valve prolapse. She decreased her smoking by half and stopped drink coffee, but the attacks continued daily until she reduced her intake of diet cola to two or three cans per day, at which time they subsided. She could not maintain this moderate consumption, however, and after one week rapidly returned to her former level of intake, whereupon the daily attacks returned. She changed to several brands of diet soft drink which contained no caffeine but the symptoms persisted. With the aid of a behavior modification programme she was able to reduce her daily consumption of such beverages to two or three cans, and has subsequently had relief from her symptoms. This patient had asymptomatic mitral valve prolapse but experienced typical panic attacks when consuming excessive amounts of aspartame sweetened soft drinks, the attacks subsiding when she reduced her aspartame consumption. She also smoked and drank coffee, so nicotine and caffeine may have played a part, but moderation of these was not effective while attacks subsided with reduction of cola intake. Her panic attacks may well have been predisposed by mitral valve prolapse and precipitated by aspartame excess, which suggests that people with mitral valve prolapse may have an exaggerated susceptibiity to aspartame and possibly to other stimulants as well. Wurtman reported three patients, consuming more than a gallon of aspartame sweetened tea daily, who experienced generalised seizures, although at least one patient was significantly hyponatraemic and may have had seizures on that basis. A seizure followed by mania was described in a patient with bipolar affective disorder who consumed a gallon of aspartame sweetened tea per week, the role of the patient's underlying affective disorder, as well as psychotropic medications, is not clear. Administration of aspartame and carbohydrate increases brain tyramine content and suppresses the postprandial increase of tryptophan, this might have a catecholamine- augmenting and stimulant effect, as could the large increase in phenylalanine shown in rat brain after as aspartame load. It is unclear how this might cause seizures, but the precipitation of cardiovascular and psychological features of anxiety is consistent with evidence that catecholamines play a part in pathogenesis of panic attacks and that adrenergic blockade is useful in their treatment. Mitral valve prolapse and panic symptoms are both common and may overlap, but patients with mitral valve prolapse may be predisposed to panic symptoms under the influence of stimulants and adrenergic agonists and so may be usually susceptible to the effects of excessive aspartame. There is no evidence that aspartame is harmful in usual amounts, but perhaps patients with mitral valve prolapse should be cautioned against immoderate use. Simultaneous consumption of large amounts of carbohydrates and aspartame, a common practice in snack eating today, should also be avoided. Miles Drake" References: 1. Wurtman, R.J. Aspartame : possible effect on seizure susceptibility Lancet l985 2. Walton, R. G. Seizure and mania after high intake of aspartame. Psychosomanics l986: 27:218-20. 3. Boudoulas H. King BD, Wooley CF MVP: a marker for anxiety or overlapping phenomenon? Psychopathology 1984 17:suppl l: 98-106 4. Stegink LD, Filer LJ, Baker GL, Effect of aspartame loading upon plasma and erythrocyte amino acid levels in PKU heterozygoes and normal adult subjects. J Nutr l979 109:708-17 5. Wurtman RJ Neurochemical changes following high-dose aspartame with dietary carbohydrates N Eng Journal of Medicine 309:429-30 Today we know a lot more about aspartame - that it is a deadly, deadly poison - in any amount. The U.S. Air Force Journal FLYING SAFETY, May 1992 says: "In pregnancy the effects of aspartame can be passed directly on to the fetus, even in very small doses. Some people have suffered aspartame related disorders with doses as small as that carried in a single stick of chewing gum. This could mean a pilot who drinks diet sodas is more susceptible to flicker vertigo or to flicker induced epileptic activity. It also means that all pilots are potential victims of sudden memory loss, dizziness during instrument flight and gradual loss of vision." I've met people who had panic attacks using 3 Diet Cokes a day - in fact the owner of a magazine here in Atlanta. Phenylalanine in aspartame lowers the seizure threshold in the brain and blocks serotonin production. Researchers attribute low serotonin levels inducing depression, rage and paranoia. Today we're swamped with calls of seizures, panic attacks, depression, memory loss, headaches, blindness and methanol toxicity which mimics MS. I just returned from lecturing at the World Environmental Conference. The keynote speaker from the EPA wanted to know what toxin was causing the epidemic of multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus across the nation. I explained that I was there to lecture on methanol toxicity mimicking MS and rampant systemic lupus caused by aspartame. Because it has wood alcohol in it (methanol), a severe metabolic poison, it converts to formaldehyde and then formic acid causing metabolic acidosis. Aspartame destroys the nervous system. In the case of Joyce Wilson she was misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis, and she went blind - the methanol also converts to formaldehyde in the retina of the eye. It ravaged every organ and in the end she was a vegetable with no memory like an Alzheimer victim. Dr. H. J. Roberts, the world expert on NutraSweet and author of publications and books on the subject just wrote: DEFENSE AGAINST ALZHEIMERS DISEASE. In this he explains how aspartame is escalating Alzheimers in his opinion. The phenylalanine and aspartic acid are neurotoxic without the other amino acids in protein and go past the blood brain barrier and deteriorate the neurons of the brain. The book has already been nominated for a Pulitzer and you can get it by calling 1 800 -814-9800. Also, at this time you can get Dr. Roberts new tapes ASPARTAME; IS IT SAFE? We are talking about a plague of massive proportions throughout the world and the U.S. Norway just faxed a note asking for an antidote. One man was having 6 seizures a day and was resigned to die. We told him it was NutraSweet and 24 hours later they stopped and have never returned, so did his MS symptoms. He was a diabetic and using aspartame quite frequently. Of all people, aspartame would be very deadly to diabetics particularly because of the wood alcohol. Most patients who are diabetics say their doctor doesn't understand why they can't keep their blood sugar under control, and this is why. Monsanto funds the American Diabetic Assn., and they endorse it with full knowledge that its deadly for diabetics. We've exposed them many times. Dr. Roberts is a diabetic specialist and has been a member of the ADA for almost 40 years. He gave them an abstract of diabetic reactions on aspartame but they refused to publish it, and it was published in Clinical Research. When you think of aspartame think of poisons like cyanide and arsenic. This is a deadly drug and not a food additive. And its not a diet product either - it makes you crave carbohydrates and get fat according to Dr. Wurtman whose affidavit is recorded in the Congressional Record of l985. In fact, in an article by Alex Constantine called NutraPoison it says the U.S. Pentagon once listed aspartame in an inventory of prospective biochemical warfare weapons submitted to Congress. Instead of poisoning enemy populations, though the formula is currently marketed as a sweetening agent! He has 98 references in his article and I'll have to check that out. I will tell you 6000 perished from Persian Gulf Syndrome and it is implicated. I will send you that report as well as the report of the World Environmental Conference. Also, I received some secret trade information and Searle knew before they marketed it that phenylalanine would break down to DKP, a brain tumor agent. Richard, the widow of Joyce, wanted to market NutraSweet as a fire ant poison because it killed them so quickly. Actually, it would make a great rat killer. Rats developed brain tumors, but they excised the brain tumors and put them back in the study. In the Bressler study the rats died but Searle resurrected them back on paper. The monkeys either died or had grand mal seizures. Monsanto bought Searle in l985 to get the NutraSweet account. This patient cited in this Lancet article probably had heart problems from the aspartame. It is causing tachycardia and heart problems. Please warn all people off NutraSweet (aspartame), Equal, Spoonful, etc. The patent has expired and its in 5000 products and climbing. I will send you a copy of the bill Senator Metzenbaum tried to get passed that would have warned the world, and kept pregnant women and children away from it. He knew what problems were being caused in the public back in l985 and the bill would have required independent testing regarding seizures, behavioral and neurological problems, etc. Senator Orrin Hatch made sure it would be killed. No telling how many babies have died from this poison. Hope this helps. Regards Betty - Operation Mission Possible What the public can do: 1. Distribute our flyer and information to warn others. 2. Take the "no aspartame test" and send us their case history. 3. Take it back to the store. If its open they can't sell it. 4. Call and write everyone who can help and complain to the FDA for approving a poison. Dr. ARthur Hull Hayes over-ruled the Board of Inquiry that said not to approve it. P.S. Dr. Roberts peer reviewed report on brain tumors will be emailed to you privately. Betty Martini Mission Possible International 9270 State Bridge Road Suite 215 Duluth, Georgia 30097 Email: bettym19@mindspring.com On Sat, 22 Jul 1995, Ivan Goldberg wrote: > In article you wrote: > : The most common cause of panic attacks is NutraSweet which is a neurotoxin. > : Take the "no aspartame" test and usually within three or four weeks you > : no longer have panic attacks, usually before. Then we would like to have > : your case history. We are MISSION POSSIBLE, P. O. BOX 28098, Atlanta, > : Georgia 30358. If you want instructions for the auto-responder that will > : give you information please email me so I can forward them. > > Betty . . . > > I find the hypothesis that there is an association between > NeutraSweet and panic attacks a most interesting one. Do > you have any statistics on what percentage of people with > panic attacks who give up NeutraSweet, end up panic-free? > > Is there any support for your hypothesis in the scientific > literature? > > Best regards . . . > > -- Ivan -- > -- \\\\ > (@ @) > ||-----------------------------------------------------ooOo-( )-oOoo----|| > || Ivan Goldberg, MD ~ || > || ikg1@columbia.edu psydoc@netcom.com || > || V: 212 876 7800 / 1346 Lexington Ave NYC 10128 / F: 212 737 0473 || > || http://avocado.pc.helsinki.fi/~janne/ikg/ || > ||----------------------------------------------------------------------|| > >