QUESTION: My four year old grandson is an insulin dependent diabetic.
In an effort to keep sugar consumption as low as possible, he is permitted to have desserts and drinks containing aspartame.
I have read that aspartame may interfere with chemical production and control by the brain.
What are the implications for a child already in danger of possible mental retardation as a result of the diabetes itself?
ANSWER: I read your concern and apprehension about the welfare of your grandchild with great sympathy, and will try to present as much information as possible to reduce your anxiety.
While it is true that young patients with insulin dependent diabetes face a lifetime of strict diet control and supervision of medications, and that many complications may lie on their path, the fear of mental retardation is not one of them.
I have tried to link your statement with a long list of possibilities that might occur from the disease, reactions to medications, or periods when control of blood sugar levels is lost, but there are no implications that exist that could be interpreted as producing mental retardation.
I can only interpret that fear as the result of some misunderstanding about the course of the disease.
As for the use of aspartame, the story there is a long one that began when it was first approved as a food additive by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July 1974. Five moths later, in view of questions concerning the possibility of cancer producing effects, approval was withdrawn.
Another long period of testing and questioning continued until 1981, when it was determined that those fears were unfounded, and aspartame was again recertified as a sweetener in certain foods.
It was approved for use in carbonated beverages in 1983.
The process by which the FDA approved aspartame for use was investigated by the United States General Accounting Office which issued a report in 1987.
That report concluded that the FDA followed proper procedures in establishing the safety of the chemical, and that adequate follow up studies were ongoing to monitor its effects.
In 1984 the Centers for Disease Control evaluated over 500 complaints about side effects from aspartame, but could find no specific group of symptoms that might be caused by the use of this sweetener.
I am sure there are many individuals who have had some undesirable results from the use of aspartame, but for the overwhelming majority, the current scientific evidence would indicate that it is safe for use, even for youngsters like your grandchild.
The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace the counsel and advice of your personal physician.
Promptly consulting your doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical problem.
