Recent headlines read, “Michael J Fox will never find a cure.” The actor, long suffering from Parkinson’s disease, was a former advertiser and consumer of diet drinks since a young age, which contain the chemical sweetener aspartame. A seven year time lapse between his diagnosis and informing the media, left many people missing the link between his diet drink consumption and the disease.
The Elusive Cure
Although aspartame is a known trigger of Parkinson’s disease, the Michael J. Fox Foundation is still seeking the elusive cause and cure. Many people have sent legitimate research studies to the foundation pointing to aspartame as a trigger of Parkinson’s, but have been largely ignored. It’s easier, of course, to keep looking for a cause instead of blaming a billion dollar industry with so much profit at stake.
Aspartame Effects on the Brain: The Problem with Aspartame
What exactly is so wrong with aspartame? Studies have shown the sweetener directly affects our NMDA receptors, the glutamate-gated ion channels that control our synaptic plasticity and neuronal communication, thereby influencing our learning and memory. The receptors are involved in many neurological disorders, including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and epilepsy. Aspartame damages NMDA receptors by causing nerves to fire excessively. Basically, it stimulates the neural cells to death, and is the reason why aspartame is called an excitotoxin (others include flavor enhancers like MSG and artificial flavorings). Excitotoxins excite our taste buds, as the name suggests, making them very appealing for the food industry to use to enhance flavor. Aspartame is particularly harmful because high doses can cause severe damage to the nervous system and brain.
Therefore, aspartame begets excitotoxins, which creates a brain inflammation cycle that plays a critical role in the onset of Parkinson’s and other diseases of the brain. For further information on this topic, I highly recommend the work of brilliant biochemist Dr. Martin Pall (click here for his website).
Many of my clients suffering from neurological disorders and memory loss have a history of consuming diet products; the link between aspartame and neurologic dysfunction is undeniable to me, and I’m observing a growing number of these cases. Moreover, researchers utilize aspartame to produce cancer and tumors in lab rats and, ironically, it’s been shown to promote obesity. Sorry dieters, but your diet soda is not only causing brain dysfunction, it is making you gain weight. How much more evidence do we need to ban this poison?
Why is Aspartame Legal?
If the studies indicate that aspartame is a major public health concern, why does it remain on store shelves? One word: money. In 1980, when Donald Rumsfeld (former president of Searle, creator of aspartame) was hired to help transition President Regan into office, he made his old friend Dr. Arthur Hayes head of the FDA. Rumsfeld and Hayes had close links to the president of Pepsico, and Hayes soon approved aspartame for use in foods and sodas. To top it off, Rumsfeld got a $12 million dollar bonus for his role in the scheme. I like to believe that Rumsfeld didn’t realize the massively negative impact that aspartame would inflict on society, as most folks at the time believed it to be safe. But today we know that it is in no way safe, and is in fact driving neurodegenerative diseases.
The Link to Heavy Metals
In addition to aspartame, Parkinson’s disease is also linked with heavy metal exposure, a topic near to my heart as I battled for years with debilitating mercury toxicity caused by amalgam fillings (read my personal story here). When watching old Michael J. Fox films you can observe a mouthful of fillings when he laughs. The “perfect storm” of aspartame consumption and mercury fillings likely gave rise to his disease. Research has shown that abnormal or excessive exposure to heavy metals is associated with various neurologic and movement disorders, since the metals encourage free radical formation.
The Key to Restoring Brain Health
So what do we do? As I always say, an illness will never heal until the origin or source is removed. Once the offending source, or sources, of illness are eliminated, the body can begin to heal itself as God designed. Stop consuming aspartame immediately, and tell everyone you know and care about to do the same. Also, share this article and video with others who need to hear the truth. I hope and pray that Mr. Fox recognizes the reality of the true cause of his disease, and uses his fame to expose the truth of the deleterious effects of aspartame to the world.
Fight back: Brain-Changing Solutions
What else can you do to impact your brain health and safeguard your memory? I took part in developing these “brain-changer” products, which have made remarkable impacts on many of my clients suffering from neurological decline and disease:
EPIC: A powerful intra-cellular antioxidant which 1) helps to down-regulate the brain inflammation cycle, 2) enhances the cells ability to generate glutathione and Superoxide Dismutase in response to oxidative stress, 3) acts against superoxide and peroxynitrate (ONOO) free radicals.
VISTA 1 and 2: A distinctive two part system taken as capsules and liquid oil, composed of the correct ratio of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids to target and support regeneration of the cellular membrane, where all life begins. The formula contains cardiolipin, critical to the cell’s ability to produce energy, which supports body-wide cellular function.
In addition, consuming an un-processed, whole foods diet rich in good fats can make a massive impact on brain function. My favorite healthy fats include: coconut oil, MCT oil, raw olive oil, hemp oil, and eating high quality, grass-fed animal protein like beef, poultry, eggs, wild game, whey, and raw, cultured dairy products, all included on my Cellular Healing Diet.
Additional Resources:
- To read more about my 5R’s of True Cellular Healing, click here.
- For more information on how heavy metals negatively impact the body and how to properly remove them and detox, read my three part article series here: part 1, part 2, part 3.
- Click here to watch the video I shot with my son Simon on healthy cooking and the importance of removing toxins from your life.
- To get a copy of my brain-changing Cellular Healing Diet book, click here.
Jason
Dr. Dan,
Thanks so much for putting this information out there. We experienced severe dementia and brain damage with my wife’s mom back in 2005 when she came to live with us. She was non-verbal (speech centers destroyed as you very well know) and didn’t know who we were at 60 years old. Obviously, this had been going on for a long time but it put me on a path to find out why in the world this happened. One of the first books I read was “Excitotoxins: the Taste that Kills” by Russell Blaylock, MD. which explains much of this whole thing with MSG and artificial sweeteners.
Thanks again for being a warrior! Blessings to you and your family……Merry Christmas
Meredith Dykstra
Thanks for the support and encouragement, Dr. Jason, and for seeking the truth yourself! Blessing to you and yours as well 🙂
Marlirs
Wonderful article. I am sending it to my son. Aspartame is poison!!! For years I had periodic ocular headaches until I figured out I could not tolerate aspartame. It should not be in any food….it should be banned.
Meredith Dykstra
Thank you, and so glad you realized the root cause of your symptoms. Blessings to you!
Kelsee Blin @ What Is Silica
Dr., Thanks for the well written article, it was inspiring and powerful.
Meredith Dykstra
Thanks for your support, Kelsee!
Lora.meyer
My dad, a extremely intelligent man became a diabetic in his 50’s but loved sugar. So artificial sweeteners became his friend my dad is now 72 years old and in the last two years with noticed my dad slow down loss of balance voice impediment and his memory and bodily functions are not the same so we took him to a doctor after multiple opinions it was just he was getting old and was finally diagnosed with Parkinson’s I’ve always had a thought that his food in his diet and all these diet soda was the cause of it but I can never get him to realize it I’m glad to see that a doctor is taking the time to investigate this and put this information in life form for others to read I hope Michael j.fox and many others will realize that thank you again
Ashley Smith
Thanks for the nice message, Lora! Wishing your dad the best.
bill pearl
I quit a 2 year addiction to diet coke, I was consuming 1L to 1.25L a day. My brain felt like it was in a blender, I felt irritated, angry, bi-polar, unstable, everything would set me off, i was moody, depressed, and constantly felt like my brain was jammed up like being destroyed. I would have anxiety too.
I tried quitting then I found out I had withdawl with all the symtoms above but mutch worse….I had to switch to reguralr soda 2 cans a day its been 1 month 1 week and I feel great, I can’t belive I put that rat posion in my body
Ashley Smith
so happy that you’ve made that change!
Lilly Real
My mother is 79 years old and has Parkinson’s. She was addicted to Diet Coke for years and only liked the can (aluminum is also a possible trigger). It’s horrible. I drank regular soda as a child but I never really liked diet soda (it always tastes too sweet to me and the aftertaste was awful).