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Parkinson's Disease, Michael Fox, MS And The Aspartame Story From Betty Martini [log in to unmask], Mission Possible International Dear Oprah, Today, you interviewed Michael Fox, a former Diet Pepsi spokesman. Informants say he is addicted to it. Indeed, how could Michael Fox develop Parkinson's at the age of 30, an old man's disease? But aspartame (NutraSweet/Equal, etc.) can precipitate Parkinson's and as a neurotoxic drug even interacts with L-dopa. And then there was Millie and Morton Kondracke with Millie also developing Parkinson's at an age too young for the disease. In fact, it was mentioned that her child has a learning disorder and aspartame is a large trigger of ADD. Did she use it during pregnancy. A recent study in Norway has shown that aspartame destroys the brain, especially in the areas of learning. This certainly accounts for the global epidemic of Attention Deficit Disease. Denise developed Multiple Sclerosis at age 34, the last lady you interviewed yesterday. Below is a recent study of someone who was told she had MS but note the results when she abstained from aspartame. What is the common denominator in these folks, and three others who worked with Michael Fox and also developed Parkinson's Disease? You're looking for a neurotoxin/excitotoxin. An excitotoxin is a product that literally stimulates the neurons of the brain to death causing brain damage of varying degrees. It was the famed Dr. John Olney who founded the field of neuroscience called excitotoxicity. He did studies on aspartic acid, 40% of aspartame, and found it caused lesions in the brains of mice. It is an excitotoxin. Neurosurgeon Russell Blaylock, M.D., wrote the book on it, Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills. He discusses Parkinson's Disease at length. Dr. Blaylock gives several points on the disease. He says "Parkinson's Disease is a disorder whose cause appears from substantial evidence, to be related to excitotoxicity. These toxins destroy the cells in the brain central to this disease. Excitotoxins cause these brain cells to generate enormous amounts of free radicals. This is true of MSG and aspartic acid (aspartame).There is substantial circumstantial evidence that dietary excitotoxins, including aspartame, can aggravate these destructive changes in the Parkinson's brain. The additional toxins - DKP, aspartate, methanol, formaldehyde and formic acid - add to this injury. Recent evidence demonstrates that the aspartame product, formaldehyde - accumulates within cells and damages protein and DNA. " Aspartame is being used by 2/3rds of the population today and 40% of our children, and is a deadly neurotoxic drug. It interacts with just about every drug used to treat the symptoms and diseases it triggers. How could the FDA allow this? Here is information from former FDA Investigator, Arthur Evangelista on how the FDA is suppose to handle investigation of neurotoxins: Subject: FDA Toxicolgy Draft on Food Additives Toxicological Principles For Safety Assessment of Direct Food Additives and Color Additives Used in Foods Redbook II DRAFT 1993 U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition This document...is intended to provide guidance regarding criteria used for safety assessment of direct food additives and color additives used in food...... Chapter V: pg. 149 A. Introduction "The Agency (FDA) recognizes that information about metabolism and pharmacokinetics, neurotoxicity, and immunotoxicity are significant endpoints in assessing the safety of direct food additives and color additives used in food...." 1. Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics "FDA believes that data from studies on absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of chemicals can provide insight into mechanisms of toxicity and are essential in the design and evaluation of results from other toxicity studies. Such studies should be provided for all direct food additives and color additives used in foods that are assigned to Concern Levels II or III. Recommendation for obtaining data on the metabolism and pharmacokinetics of these substances are presented in this document. In general, the agency recommends that this information be obtained before subchronic and chronic toxicity tests are begun." C. Neurotoxicity Studies paragraph 3: "Until recently, neurotoxicity was equated with neuropathy involving frank neuropathological lesions or overt neurological dysfunctions, such as seizure, paralysis or tremor." Examples of chemically induced neuropathy in humans (for example, from exposure to lead, organic mercury, hexane, carbon disulfide, and tri-ortho-cresylphosphate) emphasize the need for assessing the neurotoxic potential of chemicals to which humans may be exposed. Although neuropathy is appropriately recognized as a manifestation of neurotoxicity, it is now clear that there are numerous other signs of nervous system toxicity. Motor incoordination, sensory deficits, learning and memory dysfunctions, changes in emotion and altered states of arousal are also recognized as indices of neurotoxicity. Continued reliance on neuropathy as the primary criterion of neurotoxicity is overly simplistic and may significantly underestimate the neurotoxic potential of a chemical in adult or developing organisms." paragraph 8: "Because of the impact that nervous system toxicity can have on human health, assessing the neurotoxic potential of a chemical proposed for use in food or color additive should be an essential element in that chemical's toxicological profile...." Commentary by Arthur Evangelista, Former FDA Investigator The written words of this text, serving as a guide to Food and Drug Regulatory Policies, is noble, and scientifically accurate...with one exception. The FDA has disregarded its own rulings, guidelines, and policies for protecting the public health, and has, instead, become partners with industry at such a level, which basically renders this well written draft, totally useless. Although, FDA is not alone in disregarding its policies in favor of politics and corporate influences, is has, nevertheless, created a corrupted system of public health regulations which has served to only exacerbate the complications of chemical additives in foods, and collaborate with industry for their profits and market gains. In fact, Aspartame (aka: Nutrasweet, Equal, Spoonful, Canderal, Benevia, et al) a neurotoxin by nature, is extremely damaging to the central nervous system, and subsequent neural-dependent systems like endocrine and liver functions. That the very fact aspartame is in our food supply, implies an un-regulatory agency which better serves the industry that it was supposed to be regulating. Anyone thinking about how the United States government, and political muscle has assisted firms, like G.D. Searle, Monsanto, and other agri-chemical companies nationally and internationally, has got to ask, Why ? Since when do government agencies actively support and promote private industry on such a high level ? The reason is due to the political nature of these businesses, and their very close association to government agencies and political bodies. In fact, many of these firms are run with former or active members of government, and vise-versa, when employees "leave" the firm, and join the regulatory or political agendas of our government, as federal workers. We have a cancer in our society, and this is the cause of the cancer...." the wolf is watching the sheep ". And, as in the function of FDA, this does not work; nor will it ever work. It is not only impractical, but ludicrous. Enforcement of industry, can not come from close association or within industry. It is not possible to objectively enforce regulations when collaboration exists between government agencies and corporations. It also does not help when corporations can infuse large amounts of PAC, soft-money contributions, and other types of graft or bribery for politicians, who in turn, affect the regulatory policies through actions in Congress. As a former FDA official, I have personally witnessed watering down of public-benefit policies, only to render them ineffective. I have witnessed reports being altered, statements changed, and lies told, regarding investigations and regulation applications. This is a corrupted system of public health, and the cancer is in the policy makers and influences of corporate money flowing to the White House. Arthur Evangelista [log in to unmask] April 4, 2002 "If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed." -- Thomas Jefferson Unfortunately, Oprah, those responsible to solve the problem ARE the problem! In a conversation with Dr. James Bowen after your show he said: "The aspartame molecule is a highly synergized combination of neurotoxins. The first of these is wood alcohol or methanol. For over a century this molecule, in and of itself, has been known to cause virtually all the degenerative changes from chronic alcoholism. In addition, any exposure to this, even in trace amounts is noted to result in dementia, insanity, blindness, retinal deterioration, degenerative disease of virtually every system of the body and various autoimmune disorders and is often fatal. Methanol is noted as the number one chemical that causes autoimmune disorders of the pancreas and myelin sheath. The FDA rules do not allow any methanol to be incorporated into foods. Moreover, any chemical containing any amount of methanol must have a poison label displayed prominently on it with a skull and crossbones prominently displayed and the words "warning poisonous, contains methanol, methyl alcohol, do not drink, get on skin or inhale vapors. Warning: Cannot be made non poisonous." The synergism between methanol and the other poisonous elements in NutraSweet end up producing an alcohol poisoning, about 20,000 times as potent as regular old sipping alcohol, ethanol. In the digestive tract aspartame is broken down into about ten other poisons, so normally would not be absorbed as the entire intact molecule from the digestive tract. Not everybody has efficient digestion and may get some directly from the digestive tract. Moreover, some forms its isomer diketopiperazine both in the can and in the digestive tract. This diketopiperazine form, which is the most toxic form of aspartame, is absorbed intact directly from the digestive tract. Also, in some amount, perhaps 1 milligram or so, aspartame is absorbed directly through the mouth while drinking a glass of pop. This is called buccal absorption. The poisonous potential of the aspartame molecule is so great, that even this small amount of aspartame is a significant poisoning. People who have been sensitized from aspartame poisoning will often react in a matter of a few seconds when they first start using some inadvertently. This demonstrates the potency of the very small amount absorbed buccally. The aspartic acid component of the molecule is a dicarboxylic amino acid excitotoxin. The phenylalanine isolate poisoning from the molecule renders 3 damages to the brain. One is the PKU effect, the second is malnutrition of the brain by virtue of competitive inhibition at the blood brain barrier and third, by direct amino acid dynamics at enzymes sites it biochemically suppresses the formation of serotonin and dopamine. The summation of these ill effects results in a lot of people who get MS and Parkinson Disease directly from aspartame exposure. It has been my personal experience that people afflicted with neurologic disorders such as MS, Parkinson's disease and Lou Gehrigs will markedly deteriorate if they start and use aspartame. Stopping it almost always results in improvement. However, because of aspartame induced chemical hypersensitivity disease they are likely to have flares in response to numerous other chemical exposures that would otherwise seem trivial. Please see articles on http://www.dorway.com I wrote on "sperm warfare" and "punditry and Palsies", and I do have one on chemical hypersensitivity. Many others get these diseases directly from the metabolic poisoning and the autoimmune damages inflicted by aspartame. The fact NutraSweet radically depresses dopamine levels and dopamine production in the brain means from that biochemical prospective alone that its use will nullify the action of anti-Parkinson medications. James Bowen, M.D. " Three congressional hearings and continued outcry and outrage from the public has done nothing to convince the FDA they must be concerned with safe food and drugs instead of loyalty to industry and its funds. Ed Horton of the Lancet said in an article in May that the FDA takes money from industry and endangers the lives of the public. So as would be expected with this neurotoxic drug in an estimated 9000 products and climbing, we are now faced with what may be one of the largest plagues in world history, already declared by H. J. Roberts, M.D. who in l984 was selected as the Best Doctor in the US. He has also provided a medical text for consumers and physicians titled Aspartame Disease: An Ignored Epidemic, http://www.aspartameispoison.com or http://www.sunsentpress.com or 1 800 814 - 9800. No one will be able to put this medical text down as you read about the FDA, legal, corporate and bureaucratic obstacles, confused health care professionals, flawed research, historical misgivings about aspartame, bureaucratic, political and corporate complexities and the real story of how Searle/Monsanto got away with mass poisoning consumers in at least 100 countries of the world. There are so many symptoms and diseases in this 1038 page book, 8 1/2 by 11, triggered by aspartame, that a review by the Journal of Neurosurgery said it was like reading the PDR of adverse reactions. Dr. Roberts goes in depth about aspartame and Parkinson's Disease. Under Pathophysiologic Considerations he says the "pacemaker" for essential tremor has been localized among serotonin-activated neurons in the inferior olivary nucleus (Longo l985). The bilaterally increased glucose metabolism therein, demonstrated by position-emission topographic (PET) studies in patients with essential tremor (Boecker l998) probably renders these areas more vulnerable to the metabolic effects of aspartame. " He says: "The alteration of serotonin and dopamine concentrations in the brain by phenylalanine and aspartame are reviewed in Chapter XXIII but the following observations are germane: * The enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase converts phenylalanine to tyrosine. Tyrosine is first transformed into dihydroxyphenylalanine (levodopa), and then to dopamine. * The two dopamine receptor subtypes (D1 and D2) exert synergistic effects on the firing rates of basal ganglia neurons (Walter l987). * The importance of dopaminergic pathways in severe tremor is further suggested by the effectiveness of levodopa in treating both parkinsonism and "restless legs" (von Scheele l986). * There is a reduction of brain dopamine in the presence of high concentrations of phenylalanine (Congressional Record-Senate l985b, p. S 10846). * Chronic exposure to excess phenylalanine and aspartic acid can decrease the levels of serotonin and other neurotransmitters within several regions of the brain. These changes, presumably compensatory adaptive mechanisms, may disturb important diurnal variations associated with feeding and the light/dark cycle. * An ad by G. D. Searle & Company in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Dec 16, l986) implied that excess activity of these excitatory amino acids could cause nerve cell destruction resembling the changes in degenerative disorders of the nervous system." Dr. Roberts also says in this medical text: "Additional information concerning the prevalence, clinical features and deranged neurochemistry of parkinsonism suggest other possible adverse effects by aspartame. They may involve presynaptic dopamine deficiency, and alteration of the fine balance between dopaminergic and cholinergic systems within the brain. (An overbalance by the cholinergic system exists in parkinsonism.) * The incidence of parkinsonism among younger persons has increased in recent years. * There is greater awareness that patients with Parkinson's disease and dementia may manifest some of the "specific" symptoms (such as aphasia and visuospacial disturbances) present in Alzheimer's disease (Chui l986, Roberts l995b). * Several authorities believe parkinsonism can be caused by environmental toxins that damage the substantia nigra, leading to "abiotrophy" (the premature and selective destruction) of functionally related neurons (Calne l986). As a case in point, this disorder has occurred in young drug users exposed to illicit neurotoxic drugs, especially l-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) and its metabolic product l-methyl-4-phenylpyridine (MPP). * A comparable interrelationship is the amyotropic lateral sclerosis-parkinsonism complex in Guam caused by ingesting one or several alanine-derived amino acids (Spencer l987). Such damage may remain "subclinical" for several years or decades." Dr. Roberts goes on to say that other biochemical observations are relevant. * Aspartame can interfere with dopamine release in the brain. (Chapter XXIII). * Whereas the intraperitoneal administration of phenylalanine to rats in doses from 200-500 mg/kg increases basal dopamine release, the administration of 100 mg/kg reduces dopamine release (During l987). * The methyl alcohol derived from aspartame (Chapter XXI) probably plays a role. McLean et al (l980) reported parkinsonism and other neurological abnormalities in two patients with methanol intoxication. Methyl alcohol appears to cause parkinsonism through postsynaptic dysfunction, perhaps by interfering with dopamine reuptake at nerve terminals. * Symmetrical necrosis and hemorrhage of the putamen have been found in a number of patients with methanol intoxication. " And so, Oprah, the experts have spoken. I believe if you would check with the other two victims you had on your show as well as the three other victims of Parkinson's Disease who once were on a show with Michael Fox, you might just find they are all aspartame users. I believe this to be the common denominator. I give you the challenge to find out. Well call it Oprah's Epidemiological Study! You will find my original press release on Michael Fox on http://www.dorway.com and I discussed the issue on probably 70 international radio programs. There was great response from people wanting to help Michael Fox, and most doctors who called suggested the use of glyconutrients. I would be surprised if some pharmaceutical company made a magic pill as a cure, especially with this neurotoxin still on the market and even being hidden in such things as artificial and natural flavors. So many would like to help Michael Fox as well as the millions of other suffers of neurodegenerative diseases, that could be triggered by this deadly neurotoxin. And we are now taking case histories for class action starting with brain tumors, seizures, eye deterioration and blindness triggered by aspartame. An investigation could be the beginning of help for millions. And remember, Oprah they are now trying to get approved these model emergency bills where they can mandate vaccines, and aspartame as a chemical hypersensitization agent interacts with these as well, and can cause an even greater explosion of neurodegenerative diseases. And remember vaccines can trigger autism and aspartame triggers autism. We must protect our children. Rayilyn Brown Director AZNPF Arizona Chapter National Parkinson Foundation [log in to unmask] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn