Science v. Anecdotes (re: Aspartame)

Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
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This is in reponse to the following column:

Did Aspartame cause Gulf War Syndromw?

(The Classic column posted today).

I was going to come in here and blast Cecil for not checking all of the facts. I have a seizure disorder, and I specifically have been told not to use aspartame, lest it increase the likelihood of seizures or interfere with my medication.

Then I thought: “Hey, wait a minute. Cecil’s not stupis; he might even be smarter than my neurosurgeon.” Thankfully, I have free access to OVID searches, and I came up with the following references:

Rowan AJ et al. Aspartame and seizure susceptibility: results of a clinical study in reportedly sensitive individuals. Epilepsia. 36(3):270-5

Shaywitz BA et al. Aspartame has no effect on seizures or epileptiform discharges in epileptic children. Annals of Neurology. 35(1):98-103

I’ll admit I’m not going to check the entire reference on either one; it’s not that important. :slight_smile: I read the abstracts, though, and both papers came to the same conclusion: aspartame does not induce or increase the likelihood of seizures. All statements to the contrary are anecdotal reports, obviously not based on double-blind studies.

Interestingly, I couldn’t find the reference Cecil mentioned regarding depression and aspartame; nor can I find references to anecdotal reports that aspartame actually causes weight gain (the theory was that aspartame decreased total carbohydrate blood levels, causing one to feel hungrier, causing one to eat more, QED. I now have my own theory: drinking Diet Coke makes one think one is losing weight, thus stopping one from getting off one’s duff and doing some exercise.)

So, my conclusions from this little jaunt:

  1. My doctor’s a quack. Well, not entirely. Apparently many doctors hear this sort of anecdotal evidence, and must take it at face value because, let’s face it, they haven’t the time to read all of the medical literature. They might read JAMA and NEJM. Maybe. So:

1a. If your doctor says something weird, look it up for yourself.

  1. Next time I need medical advice, I’m coming to Unca Cece. No, really. I bet he has a practice in Chicago somewhere. “Unca Cece’s Practickal Remedies and Medicinals.”

  2. Unca Cece–can you provide references for your articles?? Pretty please? :slight_smile:

LL <–who just realized how long this is.

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I commend you for doing some research, but I wouldn’t be so quick to blithely dismiss your physician’s recommendation. How about the statement that aspartame interferes with your medication?

You might want to discuss your concern with your physician before you start gobbling down aspartame sandwiches with the aim of proving the medical establishment as being uninformed.

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:slight_smile:

Don’t worry, Arnold; the end of that post was intended to be at least a little bit tonngue-in-cheek. I don’t like the taste of aspartame, anyway :slight_smile:

But as I said, everyone ought to be checking for themselves. But my findings don’t mean my doctor’s necessarily wrong, no, and I won’t be eating NutraSweet anytime soon.

Besides, Sucralose tastes better and is non-harmful.

LL