Date sent:              Sun, 2 Sep 2001 20:29:30 -0400
Send reply to:          Parkinson's Information Exchange Network <[log in to unmask]>
From:                   ervinmccarthy <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:                Fw: Aspartame Anyone?
To:                     [log in to unmask]

> This was forwarded to me by a patient who is very rapidly becoming
> well versed in nutrition:
>
> Diet Drink Anyone?
> Article written by Nancy Markle
> I have spent several days lecturing at the
> World Environmental Equal and Spoonful.
>
> In the keynote address by the EPA, they announced that there was an
> epidemic of multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus, and they did not
> understand what toxin was causing this to be rampant across the United
> States. I explained that I was there to lecture on exactly that
> subject. When the temperature of Aspartame exceeds 86 degrees F, the
> wood Alcohol in Aspartame converts to formaldehyde and then to formic
> acid, which in turn causes metabolic cidosis. (Formic acid is the
> poison found in the sting of fire ants) The methanol toxicity mimics
> multiple sclerosis thus peoples were being diagnosed with having
> multiple sclerosis in error. The multiple sclerosis is not a death
> sentence, where methanol toxicity is. In the case of systemic lupus,
> we are finding it has become almost as rampant as multiple sclerosis,
> especially with diet Coke and diet Pepsi drinkers. Also, with methanol
> toxicity, the victims usually drink three to four 12 oz. cans of them
> per day, some even more. In the cases of systemic lupus, which is
> triggered by Aspartame, the victim usually does not know that the
> aspartame is the culprit. The victim continues its use irritating the
> lupus to such a degree, that sometimes it becomes life threatening.
> When we get people off the aspartame, those with systemic lupus
> usually become symptomatic.

<snipped>

This scam is so old that it has long whiskers.  The person getting
"well versed in nutrition" should consider going to a different source
of information.  "Nancy Markle" is Betty Martini, a person who has
conducted (with a few associates) an irrational campaign against
Aspartame, based on half-truths and nonscientific myths.  According
to Martini, Aspartame causes everything from multiple sclerosis to
Parkinson's to brain tumors.

The EPA meeting that she talks about was where she, alone,
"heckled" the participants and was eventually removed.  What she
has insisted happened at that convention (years ago!) never did
occur; as documented by someone who *was* there.  I have posted
about this before, but here it is again:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

  World Environmental Conference and the Multiple Sclerosis
Foundation
>  Issuing for Collusion with Monsanto Article written by Nancy
Markle I
>  have spent several days lecturing at the WORLD
ENVIRONMENTAL CONFERENCE
>  on"ASPARTAME marketed as NutraSweet, Equal, and Spoonful"
In the
>  keynoteaddress by the EPA, they announced that there was an
epidemic
>  ofmultiplesclerosis and systemic lupus, and they did not understand
>  what toxin was causing this to be rampant across the United States,
I
>  explained that I was there to lecture on exactly that subject. When
the
>  temperature of Aspartame exceeds 86 degrees F, the wood alcohol
>  inASPARTAME coverts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid,
which in
>  turn causes metabolic acidosis. (Formic acid is the poison found in
the
>  sting of fire ants)

<much snipped>

The above message is a gigantic hoax which has been perpetuated by
*one person* (one Betty Martini) over many years.  The subject of
Aspartame toxicity has been brought up in many Lists and several of
us have researched the literature extensively and have found nothing.

There are a few individuals (very rare) who are "missing" an enzyme in
their body and who cannot break down phenylalanine, a naturally-
occurring
amino acid.  Aspartame, when it is broken down by the body, creates
phenylalanine.  People who lack this enzyme (often of Mediterranean
ancestry) are born with the deficit and can develop a condition called
phenylketonuria ("PKU") which causes severe mental retardation in
infancy.
 It is the law in the USA (and probably elsewhere also) that all
newborns
be tested for PKU.

Below is pasted the "last word" on the Aspartame hoax:

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Betty Martini's anti-aspartame posts have been around the 'Net for
some time.  She has reported on a "conference" where alleged
scientists reported terrible things from the stuff.  It is all false, and
was generated by Ms. Martini and Ms. Martini alone.

Below is a comprehensive report on this scam:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------


>Dear Readers,
>
>Over the last four years, the email message(attachment (B)below) has
been
>widely circulated in spam proportions over the internet, by mail, fax
and
>hard copies. It was originally composed by Betty
>Martini([log in to unmask]) of Mission Possible
International, 5950-H
>State Bridge Rd, Suite 215, Duluth, GA 30097 USA.
>
>The message as it was originally written appears at:
>http://www.dorway.com/wec-ms95.html
>Although the original message was composed by Martini in 1995, the
latest
>version circulated via email was titled as "Article written by Nancy
>Markle (1120197)" an individual or alias who has so far remained
>unidentified.
>
>Betty Martini identified the "World Environmental Conference" as
being
>held at Elizabeth City State University, a branch of the University of
>North Carolina system, a fact which has been confirmed. Betty
Martini
>claims in the spammed email that the EPA representative, whom she
later
>identified as Dr. Jessica Gaylord, stated:
>
> "I have spent several days lecturing at the WORLD
ENVIRONMENTAL
> CONFERENCE on "ASPARTAME marketed as 'NutraSweet', 'Equal',
and
> 'Spoonful"'. In the keynote address by the EPA, they announced that
> there was an epidemic of multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus, and
they
> did not understand what toxin was causing this to be rampant
across the
> United States. I explained that I was there to lecture on exactly that
> subject."
>
>I contacted Dr. Clarice Gaylord of the EPA and received the following:
>=====================================================
==========
>Attachment A [begin message] From: Clarice Gaylord
>      US Environmental Protection Agency
>      District 9
>      Solid Waste Program,
>      Climate Change, Pay As You
>      Throw & Investment Forum
>      415-744-2122
>      [log in to unmask]
>
>To:   Jay Reynolds
>      [log in to unmask]
>
>Received 1/29/99
>
>Mr. Reynolds,
>
>I did give a keynote address at a World Environmental Conference
>in 1994 but I did not make the quote you referenced.  I know nothing
>about aspartame -- that comment was made by a woman in the
audience
>during the Q & A session and her name was Betty Martini.  The
comment I
>made in my remarks was that many minority communities in
environmental
>justice situations complained that the incidence of lupus appeared to
be
>high in their communities.  I suggested that the scientific community
>needed to look into a possible association.  I never used the word
>"epidemic" because as a former NIH science administrator, I know
better.
>After that meeting I talked to several medical organizations (e.g. the
>Public Health Service, the AMA) to see if I could stimulate interest in
>someone conducting the necessary epidemiological studies and as
far as I
>know -- the studies have not been done.  By the way, I am no longer
the
>Director of the Office of Environmental Justice. [end message]
>=====================================================
=======
>
>The above message from Clarice Gaylord of the EPA positively
refutes the
>claim of Betty Martini that the EPA believes there is "an epidemic of
>multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus" and firmly establishes the fact
>that Betty Martini is an unreliable source of information.
>
>Though the email spammed by Betty Martini contains many more
distortions,
>inaccuracies, logical fallacies, and outright fabrications too numerous
>to mention, the above example of Martini's fabrication which she
devised
>as the premise of her argument firmly establishes her as an outright
>lier.
>
>This example should serve as a cautionary message to anyone who
would
>take anything Betty Martini says or writes seriously, and serves as a
>reminder that only those willing to use due diligence to confirm
>information received will reach the truth.
>
>Jay Reynolds
>[log in to unmask]

==========================================

PLEASE, people, check your sources before you post stuff like the
Aspartame hoax on a serious List.


Best,

Bob


**********************************************
Robert A. Fink, M. D., F.A.C.S., P. C.
2500 Milvia Street  Suite 222
Berkeley, California  94704-2636
Telephone:  510-849-2555   FAX:  510-849-2557
WWW:  http://www.rafink.com/

mailto:[log in to unmask]

"Ex Tristitia Virtus"

*********************************************

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