(Cupventi.com) – A study conducted by the Florida State University (FSU) College of Medicine has linked aspartame, a non-sugar, low-calorie sweetener found in many sugar-free or “diet” products, to potential issues with memory and learning.
The study focused on male mice and revealed that even when consumed at levels deemed safe by the FDA, offspring of the mice demonstrated deficits in spatial learning and memory.
The research spanned 16 weeks and involved three groups of mice.
One group consumed 15% of the FDA’s recommended daily intake of aspartame (equivalent to four 8-oz. sodas), a second group consumed 7% of the recommended intake (two 8-oz. sodas daily), and a third control group consumed only water.
The mice were subjected to maze tests at four-week intervals, and those that consumed only water performed significantly better in finding the “safe” box to escape the maze compared to the aspartame-consuming mice, though the latter groups eventually completed the task, albeit taking much longer and sometimes requiring extra assistance.
Pradeep Bhide, a co-author of the study, highlighted that the effects were observed only in the immediate offspring of the mice that consumed aspartame, suggesting a generational impact due to epigenetic changes in sperm.
Bhide urged the FDA to adopt a more comprehensive, multi-generational perspective on the effects of aspartame based on these findings.
While the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” it has not addressed its potential cognitive effects.
Dr. Kelly Johnson-Arbor, a medical toxicology physician, expressed concerns about the study’s implications, suggesting that low-level consumption of aspartame might contribute to memory and learning problems that could be passed down through generations.
However, she emphasized the need for further studies to firmly establish the link between aspartame and brain damage.
A notable limitation of the FSU research is that it was conducted solely on mice, and caution was advised in extrapolating the results to the human brain. Johnson-Arbor recommended that individuals concerned about the potential health risks associated with artificial sweeteners should consider limiting their daily intake until more research clarifies these risks.
In response to the study, the Calorie Control Council defended aspartame, stating that the study’s findings should not be generalized to humans, and emphasized the safety of aspartame consumption based on existing evidence and assessments by global health organizations.
The council encouraged consumers to continue using aspartame for calorie reduction, asserting its safety for consumption.