Other Research...

*This is late because i was sick and unaware that a blog was due

First, i looked at Abry's blog. It was about allergies, and the reaction they have with the body. I was really glad he told me about the word "allergy" and its greek roots. Now, if i have a random contest with someone, i will be able to tell them exactly where the word allergy comes from. Unfortunately, I suffer from some sort of allergic reaction in the fall and the spring, although i am not actually allergic. But now i know that the body thinks these harmless things are actually harmful. And that is the reason for sneezing, watery eyes, swelling, etc. Luckily, Immunoglobin E releases some antibodies that can attack it. I enjoyed reading this blog, but i am looking forward to hopefully understanding why i get the same reactions as people that are allergic, but i am not actually allergic to anything.

Next, i looked at Hunter's blog. He is talking about tryptophan and its positive and negative effects on the body. Although i heard it was a myth, tryptophan contributes to the sleepiness we feel after big meals such as Thanksgiving where we eat turkey in particular. However, it is used to many people's advantage as it is an antidepressant. It also helps with insomnia, which is obvious because it puts people to sleep as well. I personally liked that it could relieve headaches, because i suffer from almost daily headaches. Tryptophan is also classified as an amino acid, and you said take it with a carbohydrate such as fruit juice to satisfy the body's needs. Make sure not to take too much of this chemical because it is toxic in high doses. It also should never be taken on an empty stomach.

Then, i looked at Laura's blog. She is looking at the effect of colleges on chemical imbalances. Once i realized that it does not happen to everyone, i was able to read the passage without being completely scared. I was scared because she mentioned that college students suffer from depression, schizophrenia, and eating disorders more than almost anyone else. This is due to chemical imbalances caused by the stress of a new environment...and everything else that college offers. I am curious to read on anything else she discovers, as this topic seems very new to society and the news.

Are artificial sweeteners a better substitute for sugar?

Although there is so much information on this topic, this is what strikes me the most - sugar is not good for anyone regardless of whether it is real or artificial. It contributes to tooth decay, obesity, diabetes, hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, heart disease, arteriosclerosis, mental illness, depression, chronic fatigue, PMS symptoms, hyperactivity, anxiety, irritability, and many more. (just because you eat sugar does not imply that you will get every single one of these side effects). But is it really possible to avoid sugar completely in our diets? Of course not! Sugar is in almost every single thing that we eat. Therefore, i decided to research on whether or not artificial sweeteners are a good substitute for sugar (since we need sugar in our diet).

Currently, artificial sweeteners are attracting people mainly because of the words "low-fat" and "low-calorie". It seems to be the perfect sugar substitute as it is as sweet as sugar, but has no calories, no surge in insulin, or any side effects. Well, that's what we think at least...

In my research, it seems that aspartame is the worst chemical/artificial sweetener. It was actually discovered as an ulcer drug, not a sweetener. Therefore, it has very harmful and toxic side effects. Think about drinking a diet coke, that actually consists of a chemical that was once a drug. It also has been linked to neuropsychiatric disorders (panic attacks), mood changes, visual hallucinations, seizures, manic episodes, dizziness, and headaches. There are many other types of sweeteners as well. Acesulfame K was regulated as safe by the FDA. However, it "stimulates insulin secretion in a dose dependent fashion thereby possibly aggravating reactive hypoglycemia" ("low blood sugar attacks"). It also created tumors in many studies done with rats. Saccarin is another artificial sweetener. Ingestion of saccharin-adulterated milk by infants is connected with irritability, hypertonia, insomnia, and many others. It is not good for children, or women who are pregnant. Sucralose is yet another artificial sweetener. There have been studies about its potential toxic effects, its impact on migraines, its impact on the thymus, and many others. Although there are many artificial sweeteners, these are the most prevalent in our diets. After reading this paragraph, i hope you can understand the potential harmful effects of these sweeteners. If you are not convinced that these chemicals are bad for your body, take a minute and check out this list...

Adverse reactions and side effects of aspartame include:

Eye
blindness in one or both eyes
decreased vision and/or other eye problems such as: blurring, bright flashes, squiggly lines, tunnel vision, decreased night vision
pain in one or both eyes
decreased tears
trouble with contact lenses
bulging eyes

Ear
tinnitus - ringing or buzzing sound
severe intolerance of noise
marked hearing impairment

Neurologic
epileptic seizures
headaches, migraines and (some severe)
dizziness, unsteadiness, both
confusion, memory loss, both
severe drowsiness and sleepiness
paresthesia or numbness of the limbs
severe slurring of speech
severe hyperactivity and restless legs
atypical facial pain
severe tremors

Psychological/Psychiatric
severe depression
irritability
aggression
anxiety
personality changes
insomnia
phobias

Chest
palpitations, tachycardia
shortness of breath
recent high blood pressure

Gastrointestinal
nausea
diarrhea, sometimes with blood in stools
abdominal pain
pain when swallowing

Skin and Allergies
itching without a rash
lip and mouth reactions
hives
aggravated respiratory allergies such as asthma

Endocrine and Metabolic
loss of control of diabetes
menstrual changes
marked thinning or loss of hair
marked weight loss
gradual weight gain
aggravated low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
severe PMS

Other
frequency of voiding and burning during urination
excessive thirst, fluid retention, leg swelling, and bloating
increased susceptibility to infection

Additional Symptoms of Aspartame Toxicity include the most critical symptoms of all
death
irreversible brain damage
birth defects, including mental retardation
peptic ulcers
aspartame addiction and increased craving for sweets
hyperactivity in children
severe depression
aggressive behavior
suicidal tendencies

Aspartame may trigger, mimic, or cause the following illnesses:
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Epstein-Barr
Post-Polio Syndrome
Lyme Disease
Grave’s Disease
Meniere’s Disease
Alzheimer’s Disease
ALS
Epilepsy
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
EMS
Hypothyroidism
Mercury sensitivity from Amalgam fillings
Fibromyalgia
Lupus
non-Hodgkins
Lymphoma
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)


Now are you convinced? Artificial sweeteners are not a good substitute for sugar if they are taken in large quantities. In my opinion, a small amount of these sweeteners or a small amount of sugar every couple days is a good amount. We cannot completely avoid sugar, but it is very easy to limit our intake.

A knowledge of chemistry is important here because these artificial sweeteners are essentially chemicals. They are formulated by taking certain chemicals and working in the lab. Without knowing a little about chemistry, it would be hard to understand where these sweeteners are coming from.


Aspartame Dangers Revealed! 2002. Sweet Poison. January 28, 2008.

Artificial Sweeteners. 2008. American Heart Association. January 28, 2008.

Artificial Sweeteners: No calories…Sweet! 2008. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. January 28, 2008.

Narrowing Down

In my last post, i discussed some basic background information on artificial sweeteners. Now, i will narrow my topic down and discuss what i plan on researching.....

I just read an article from MSNBC about a study that was done recently (as of last year). It says that people who drink lots of diet soda (which we all know contains those artificial sweeteners) do not face a higher risk in life than those of us who do not. This basically contradicts everything i planned on studying. Awesome! It says that there is no increased risk for cancer with people that drink even several diet drinks a day. However, the Center for Science in the Public Interest still warns the general public about potential hazards of artificial sweetener use, that do not involve cancer. As a result of this article, the research i will be doing will be based on these potential hazards, discluding cancer.

I read something about some different effects of artificial sweeteners that i had not thought about. Artificial sweeteners have been linked to dementia, depression, migraines, birth defects, seizures, behavior changes, anemia, sexual disfunction, thyroid disfunction, and more. I am so interested in these things because it can really help improve everyone's health. I suffer from migraines quite often, and knowing that they may be caused by these artificial sweeteners is interesting. I personally do not take in a lot of these sweeteners, but sugar in general might also be a cause of my migraines.

So, when you walk past the "sugar free" desserts in the grocery store, REMEMBER that they still have some sort of sugar!! And that removing white sugar and replacing it with artificial sugar is hardly an improvement!

The Reliability of Websites

Teenagers often pick websites for research when they look "easy to read", and they tend to believe everything on the internet. However, this is a poor tactic to use. As teenagers, we should be aware of the reliability of websites. Sometimes these "easy to read" sites do not provide reliable information. It is important to understand the difference between reliable and unreliable sources.

When looking at a website, we should always check where the information is coming from. The first thing you should look at is the site name. If the website ends in ".gov" or ".edu", it is usually reliable. However, if the site name is really long, it is probobly unreliable. The next thing you should look at is the author or the source of the article. If the article seems to be written by a doctor, scientist, teacher, etc., it is probobly reliable. However, if the article is written by a teenager, or anyone that does not have the experience in that field, it is probobly not good information to use. After checking the credibility of the website, you should skim the information with the background information you already have. If it sounds familiar to you, or seems to match what several other sites are saying, it is good information. Maybe you can check the information with what an encyclopedia says. We all know that encyclopedias are always reliable. Lastly, it is important to check the date it was last revised. Sometimes, a website can be very old and contain information that is not updated. In this case, you could be getting information that is not current and it could be very unreliable.

The end.

My "Reflective" Paragraph

Most people like sugar and sweets, but many are not aware of their affects on our bodies. There are two types of sugars: nutritive and non-nutritive. The nutritive sweeteners provide energy and have calories. The non-nutritive sweeteners do not provide energy and do not have calories. I am focusing my research on the artificial sweeteners, or the non-nutritive sweeteners.

Artificial sweeteners are low-calorie substances that are used to replace sugars and other sweeteners. They come in many forms, such as saccharin, cyclamate, aspartame, alitame, neotame, and acesulfame-K. There is a lot of research today about how these artificial sweeteners can be beneficial or detrimental to our health. The artificial sweeteners are said to be helpful in controlling weight and insulin levels. However, there are cases in which these artificial substances may cause human cancers. Specifically, studies showed that cyclamate and saccharin caused bladder cancer in laboratory animals. Although this does not provide clear evidence for humans, it is necessary to be aware of the potentially harmful effects.

With this information, I will probably narrow my information down to just cancer and artificial sweeteners. Or, I might compare the harmful and beneficial effects of artificial sweeteners. I found a good amount of information on this topic.

My First Blog

Here are my ideas:

I plan on researching about artificial sweeteners and their affects on the body. I might also include the effects of "energy drinks" on the body.