The toxicity of monosodium glutamate, aspartate and other excitatory
amino acids towards neurons has been well demonstrated in a multitude of
species including mice, rats, guinea pigs, cats, dogs, chickens, non-
human primates and humans. Humans have the unenviable position of being
the most sensitive species to oral MSG, being 5X more sensitive than the
next most sensitive animal, the mouse, and 20X more sensitive than the
Rhesus monkey. This is primarily based on more rapid and complete
absorption in humans.

Aspartate, another acidic amino acid, is also considered an excitotoxin.
When ingested, aspartate is converted in the liver into glutamic acid,
the toxic component of monosodium glutamate. Aspartate makes up 40% of
the molecular structure of the aspartame molecule. When aspartame is
absorbed it is broken down into its component parts, phenylalanine (
50%), aspartate ( 40%) and methanol (10%). Phenylalanine, a natural
amino acid, in high doses, can produce neurotoxicity, especially in the
immature nervous system, as is seen with the developing baby and
newborns. Elevated phenylalanine levels have been associated with mental
retardation, seizures and toxic injury to selected neurons in the brain.
At least one study has shown that 14% of normal people and 35% of PKU
hereozygotes will develop blood levels considered unsafe for pregnant
women and their babies following ingestion of aspartame products in
doses considered not uncommon in the heavy user of diet drinks.

Methanol, also known as wood alcohol, is used to bind the phenylalanine
molecule to the aspartate molecule in aspartame. When freed of its
bonded state, methanol quickly circulates throughout the body,
accumulating especially in the liver and the nervous system. Recent
studies, utilizing radiolabeled aspartame, have demonstrated that its
methanol has an affinity for cellular DNA and that it tends to
accumulate with each dose. This means that each time you consume a diet
cola or aspartame sweetened foods, the methanol accumulates near the
DNA, resulting in damage to the DNA in the form of deletions and
breakage of genes.

The aspartame defenders have attempted to ally fears by consumers and
scientist alike by implying that fruits and some vegetables contain
methanol doses that are even higher than is found in aspartame. The
problem with this defense is that it is based on a deception that is
well known to those who utilize it. Methanol in plants is always
accompanied by ethanol, usually in much higher concentrations. The
alcohol ethanol ( grain alcohol), is used medically as a treatment of
wood alcohol ( methanol) poisoning. When you eat, say a peach, the
ethanol in the peach neutralizes the methanol very quickly, so no harm
is done. But,the methanol in aspartame is not accompanied by ethanol. It
is a pure toxin.

Within the body, methanol is broken down into formaldehyde and formic
acid. Formaldehyde was used in the past as an embalming fluid and
preservative for laboratory specimens. It is no longer used because it
has been shown to be a powerful carcinogen. It preserves tissues from
rotting by coagulating the protein of the specimen as well as the
protein of the decay -inducing organisms. Intracellularly, formaldehyde
also damages various cellular proteins, including enzymes, microtubules
and other functional proteins. It appears, that even in small
concentrations, it can weaken cells and impair DNA function, increasing
the likelihood of oncogene activation (carcinogenesis) and other
mutagenic effects. The aspartame molecule itself, when in the stomach,
has been shown to undergo nitrosation, which then creates a
significantly powerful mutagen. This has the potential of inducing
carcinoma within the bowel itself.

The excitotoxins are known to trigger the formation of enormous storms
of free radicals, leading to prolonged lipid peroxidation ( oxidation of
cell membranes and membranes within the cell.). A recent study found
that newborns exposed to MSG from day 1-10 still had a free radical
elevation of 56% eighty days later. Such chronic free radical generation
is known to produce secondary lipid peroxidation products such as 4-
hydroxynonenal. This toxic substance is found in increased
concentrations in Alzheimer's brains, ALS and Parkinson's disease
brains. This secondary toxin has been shown to inhibit the glutamate
transporter protein, resulting in chronic, high elevations of glutamate
in the brain, which is thought to result in widespread neuron
destruction and increased free radical generation.

Both of these effects, free radical generation and DNA damage, would
make the use of food excitotoxins and aspartame hazardous in diseases
associated with DNA injury and lipid peroxidation, which would include a
large number of diseases such as lupus, cancer, brain injury, strokes,
chronic hepatitis, mitochondrial disorders, nervous system infections,
neurodegenerative diseases ( Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and ALS),
rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma.

Studies by Stegink and co-workers have shown that when aspartame is
combined with MSG, blood glutamate levels are increased above that seen
with MSG alone. Now, in a normal situation, people frequently combine
these two neurotoxic substances. Flavor enhancing excitotoxins, such as
MSG, are ubiquitous in processed foods, appearing in many disguised
names, such as hydrolyzed vegetable protein, sodium or calcium
caseinate, autolyzed yeast, protein extract, textured protein, soy
protein extract, spices and natural flavoring. Often, these glutamate
excitotoxins are added to processed foods in combination. For example,
soups often contain three and even four of these excitotoxins. Diet
foods are especially likely to contain excitotoxins flavor enhancers.
The most dangerous are the liquid foods, since they are rapidly
absorbed, producing very high blood levels of glutamate and aspartate. A
newer addition to the family of excitotoxin food additives is L-
cysteine, which in the body is converted to the powerful excitotoxin
cysteine sulfinic acid. L-cysteine is being added to certain breads as a
dough conditioner.

But, the harm being done by the food industry doesn't stop there. In
some foods we find aluminum appearing as various organic salts. Recent
studies have conclusively shown that aluminum is a very toxic substance,
especially to neurons. It not only poisons several critical enzymes, but
it interacts with the tau protein impairing the formation of
neurotubules within brain cells. This appears to be a primary toxic
event in the Alzheimer brain. A recent study has shown that when
aluminum is combined with fluoride as a chemical complex, it is rapidly
absorbed, enters the brain and produces widespread brain cell injury and
destruction. What is so shocking about this report is that the
concentration of fluoride producing the brain damage was half that of
the fluoride added to most municipal water systems. That is, 0.5 ppm was
sufficient to produce this destruction when 1 to 2ppm of fluoride is
frequently added to water supplies. Canada recently lowered the amount
of fluoride added to its water supply, but US authorities have done
nothing. Not surprising.

To make matters worse, our children are encouraged to brush frequently
with fluoride toothpaste ( often containing as much as 1500ppm fluoride)
and dentist encourage mothers to have their children take fluoride
tablets or endure dangerous fluoride treatments.

But, there is more. In many suburban areas homeowners are fanatical
about having the perfect lawn. In this quest, they pay good money for
regular lawn treatments with herbicides and pesticides. Studies have
shown that such practices are associated with a doubling of cancer rates
of their pets and higher leukemia rates in children playing on these
lawns. Herbicides and pesticides often cause the generation of very high
levels of free radicals in cells, leading to cancer or DNA mutation.
Recent studies have shown that these chemicals induce cellular damage
well below that necessary to inhibit enzymes, the supposed mechanism of
action against bugs and fungi. A recent report appearing in the journal
Neurology, reported on five cases of acute Parkinson's disease following
exposure to household pesticides.

Now, if we put all of this together, aluminum, fluoride, food additive
excitotoxins, aspartame and pesticides,  we see that our cells,
especially brain cells are exposed to tremendous toxic insults every
day. While these represent the major toxins, there are hundreds, if not
thousands, of others. Most of the food additives have not been
adequately tested to see what effect they will have on the brain,
especially with long term exposures. After all, human exposures to these
chemicals last a lifetime, in many cases even before birth. Most safety
testing involves short term experimental studies.

I would urge all those truly interested in this most important topic to
consider these factors before reaching a conclusion concerning the
safety of these food products. The food industry and the FDA have a
vested interest in saying these products are safe.