E-Mail About Dangers of Aspartame Is a Hoax

Question: Is aspartame dangerous? I received eight copies of an e-mail message about its hazards. There were scary warnings about methanol and formaldehyde formation. The message suggested that multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus are caused by drinking diet sodas.

I drink fruit juice and soda containing NutraSweet to keep my weight under control. Am I endangering my health?

Answer: The Internet provides an amazing resource for disseminating valuable information, but it also allows unsubstantiated rumors to circulate like wildfire. We too received dozens of e-mail messages containing a claim that aspartame was linked to MS, lupus, tinnitus, fibromyalgia, memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease, joint pain, blindness, seizures and coma. It contained just enough scientific information in the first paragraph to make it sound almost credible.

There is no solid scientific evidence to suggest that any of these conditions are caused by aspartame. According to Dr. David Squillacote, senior medical advisor for the MS Foundation, the claims “are rabidly inaccurate and scandalously misinformative.”

Q. How do you feel about self-tanning lotions and their safety? I am curious as to how they work.

A. Sunless tanning lotions are safer than prolonged sun exposure. A tan results from ultraviolet damage to the skin, which produces melanin as a protective response.

Chemical tanning products contain dihydroxyacetone, which attaches itself to an amino acid in skin and darkens the color. The resulting “tan” won’t protect skin from sunburn, so use sunscreen.

Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist. Teresa Graedon holds a doctorate in medical anthropology and is a nutrition expert. Send questions to them at People’s Pharmacy, care of King Features Syndicate, 235 E. 45th St., New York, NY 10017, or e-mail them via their Web site: https://www.peoplespharmacy.com.