WHAT is ASPARTAME?

Aspartame, an artificial sweetener that has been frequently discussed recently, is commonly found in sugar-free beverages. There have been claims suggesting a potential link between aspartame and cancer, raising concerns about its safety. Let's take a closer look at this issue and examine the origins of these rumors and their accuracy.
Briefly summarizing sweeteners:
Artificial sweeteners, also known as sugar substitutes or non-nutritive sweeteners, are chemically synthesized substances used to sweeten food and beverages instead of sucrose (table sugar). These sweeteners are much sweeter than sugar, requiring significantly smaller amounts (200 to 20,000 times less) for the same level of sweetness. Due to their minimal calorie content in such small quantities, they are not considered nutritious.
According to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO), a committee of 25 international experts suggested that aspartame could "probably" cause cancer in humans, based on a review of "limited evidence." However, this classification did not change the recommended limit for daily intake of the artificial sweetener. The WHO Director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety stated in a press conference that the results did not indicate a significant risk for most consumers but might be a concern for those who consume high levels of diet soda or other products containing aspartame.
On the other hand, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not agree with this new classification, emphasizing the lack of safety evidence linking aspartame to cancer. The FDA official stated in a written statement that labeling aspartame as "probably carcinogenic" by the WHO did not imply a definite connection between aspartame and cancer.
Due to the inconclusive consensus on the long-term effectiveness of sweeteners for weight management, the WHO now recommends against the use of sugar-free sweeteners for controlling body weight.
While the WHO has maintained the acceptable daily intake (ADI) for aspartame at a maximum of 40 milligrams per kilogram of body weight for a long time, recent reevaluations did not alter this limit. However, they advise moderation, stating, "We recommend just being a little bit prudent."
Two separate committees within the World Health Organization reviewed the evidence on aspartame. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified aspartame as "probably carcinogenic" to humans, categorizing it as 2B, meaning "possibly carcinogenic." Another committee, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), found the evidence insufficient to support a convincing link between aspartame consumption and cancer in humans, recommending no change in acceptable daily intake levels.
What do leading experts and scientists say in this field?
The American Cancer Society argues that there is insufficient data and more research is needed.
Looking at the historical context, initial concerns about artificial sweeteners and cancer arose from studies linking a combination of cyclamate and saccharin to bladder cancer in laboratory animals, especially male rats. As a result, cyclamate was banned in the United States in 1969. Subsequent reviews and additional data evaluation led scientists to conclude that cyclamate did not cause cancer, although it was not reapproved in the United States (though approved in many other countries).
Laboratory studies also associated high doses of saccharin with bladder cancer in rats, leading to its listing as a presumed human carcinogen in the 1981 U.S. National Toxicology Program's Report on Carcinogens. However, mechanistic studies demonstrated that the pathways through which saccharin induced cancer in rats were not relevant to humans, and it was delisted in 2000.
Most studies on the five other approved artificial sweeteners did not find evidence of their causing cancer or other adverse health effects in laboratory animals. In 2019, a consultative group of 29 scientists from 18 countries prioritized the examination of aspartame by the International Agency for Research on Cancer program for the 2020-2024 period.
In conclusion, animal studies initially raised concerns about a potential link between artificial sweeteners and cancer, but subsequent research and reviews have largely dismissed these claims. The current scientific consensus, supported by major health organizations, is that there is insufficient evidence to conclude that aspartame or other approved artificial sweeteners cause cancer in humans. Ongoing research and monitoring are essential to ensure the safety of these substances.