Aspartame’s Neurological Side Effects Include Blurred Vision, Headaches, Seizures And More

March 16, 2012

Natural News

By Aurora Geib

“If you are still drinking Diet Coke – stop!”  –KTRN

Aspartame, an artificial sweetener commercially known as Nutrasweet, Spoonful and Equal, has infiltrated the world market and has become almost as ubiquitous as the sugar it seeks to replace. From soda drinks to chewing gum, it offers a low-fat, low-calorie and no-sugar option enticing to diabetics and people who are trying to lose weight.

Strangely, diet products containing aspartame has been shown to actually cause weight gain, and the components that make up aspartame have also been found to be toxic in themselves. Why then, despite the numerous studies conducted on this substance finding it to have potentially harmful effects, is it still considered safe for human consumption?

Interview with Russell Blaylock
In an interview conducted by Betty Martini and Jon Baum over Personal Achievement Radio, Dr. Russell Blaylock, a respected neurosurgeon and author of the book “Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills,” speaks about excitotoxins and shares his thoughts on why he believes aspartame is dangerous.

According to Dr. Blaylock, excitotoxins are substances that excite brain cells or neurons to the point of exhaustion and death. Normally, these substances act as transmitters, a substance allowing brain cells to relate with one another. However, these compounds are so harmful that the body keeps them in low concentrations. Anything that alters or increases these substances can cause neurodegeneration, degeneration of the spinal cord and the brain. Excitotoxins are normally found in plant substances, and, where most people are concerned, in food additives.

One of the components of NutraSweet or aspartame is aspartic acid, a powerful excitotoxin similar to glutamate. Moreover, phenylalanine, one of its components, an amino acid and a neurotoxin at high levels in the rain, has been known to cause seizures.

Dr. Blaylock goes on to add that what makes aspartame so dangerous is that it contains three neurotoxins: methanol, phenylalanine and aspartic acid. Methanol is a powerful neurotoxin whose exposure is carefully allowed by the EPA in minute levels in food and environmental exposure. Nutrasweet, however, provides levels that are seven times the amount the EPA will allow anyone to use. It’s been known to produce blindness and cellular destruction in the brain and spinal cord, particularly the optic nerves.

Aspartic acid, on the other hand, produces cellular excitation. It
is an excitotoxin that causes cell death in the brain and significantly affects neural developments in
infants, resulting in behavioral changes and even hyperactivity in children. Phenylalanine, like aspartic acid, can also alter brain development during fetal formation and create a lowering of the seizure threshold.

Phenylalanine and aspartic acid are both well-recognized neurotoxins and according to Dr. Blaylock, three neurotoxins in one mix are just unbelievable.

Click here for the full report.

Aspartame Danger – Urgent Warning About Tumors And Seizures

March 9, 2012

Natural News

By Aurora Geib

“We don’t want to sound like jerks, but if you are still drinking diet soda, you are an ignoramus. Stop it already.” –KTRN

The laws governing the sale of drugs and food additives require substances be safe for human consumption. The artificial sweetener aspartame primarily consumed in beverages and as a popular sugar substitute has consistently been found to cause tumors and brain seizures in animal subjects. In 2005, a European Cancer Research Center, the Ramazzini Foundation, called for an urgent re-examination of aspartame in food and beverages to protect children. This call is made in the face of the US FDA stand that aspartame is safe for human consumption on the ground that “aspartame as a carcinogen is not supported by data.”

Aspartame: A brief history
As early as 1960 aspartame was determined to be a dangerous chemical and the emerging research years later only served to affirm the true nature of this artificial sweetener. Over the years, aspartame has been found to create holes in brain tissue, adversely affect the brain and nerve development in the fetus, cause cancer, migraines, headaches, seizures, convulsions and even retinal damage. With this amount of negative findings, aspartame should have been removed from the market years ago!

Ironically, aspartame was indeed removed from the market after it was already approved for limited use based on tests selected by Searle, the company who originally produced the artificial sweetener. This was after Dr. John Olney, a research psychiatrist from Washington School of Medicine, revealed that consumption of aspartic acid, a major ingredient in aspartame, produced holes in the brains of animal subjects.

After two task forces that found questionable laboratory practices as well as findings, the FDA ordered a grand jury investigation of aspartame studies, but lawyers for the government failed to initiate a legal action against Searle. Time ran out, and the grand jury investigation had to be terminated. Of interest to note was that one of the lawyers for the government, U.S. attorney William Conlon, later joined the law firm representing Searle.

Unfazed by this setback, the FDA this time recommended a Public Board Inquiry which recommended that aspartame be kept off the market until further tests could prove that it did not cause tumors. This led to a formation of another team of experts brought together to look into the Public Board of Inquiry’s conclusions. This team found itself in a deadlock over aspartame approval, causing the FDA Commissioner not to approve aspartame this time.

In April 1981, Dr. Arthur Hayes was appointed the new Commissioner for the FDA and he later approved aspartame for use in dry goods. In 1983, he also approved aspartame for use in diet drinks, conveniently leaving months later to work for Searle’s advertising agency.

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Hey Rick Santorum, What’s The 4th Amendment?

February 23, 2012

We Are Change

After reminding Rick Santorum that he said he doesn’t agree that the Patriot Act violates the 4th Amendment, Luke Rudkowski of We Are Change asks Rick Santorum to tell us what exactly the 4th Amendment is.

The Fourth Amendment (Amendment IV) to the United States Constitution:
——————————————————————————–­——————–
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Police Need Warrant For GPS Tracking: Court

January 30, 2012

Yahoo News

By James Vicini

“Here is some good news – finally.  It seems the supreme court also thinks it’s ridiculous that the police want to track people with GPS units without them even knowing about it.  Thanks, freedom.”  –KTRN

The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that police cannot put a GPS device on a suspect’s car to track his movements without a warrant, a test case that upholds basic privacy rights in the face of new surveillance technology.

The high court ruling was a defeat for the Obama administration, which had argued that a warrant was not required to use global positioning system devices to monitor a vehicle on public streets.

The justices unanimously upheld a precedent-setting ruling by a U.S. appeals court that the police must first obtain a warrant to use a GPS device for an extended period of time to covertly follow a suspect.

The high court ruled that placement of a device on a vehicle and using it to monitor the vehicle’s movements was covered by U.S. constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures of evidence.

There are no precise statistics on how often police in the United States use GPS tracking in criminal investigations. But the Obama administration told the court last year it was used sparingly by federal law enforcement officials.

The American Civil Liberties Union rights group hailed the ruling as an important victory for privacy. “While this case turned on the fact that the government physically placed a GPS device on the defendant’s car, the implications are much broader,” Steven Shapiro of the ACLU said.

“A majority of the court acknowledged that advancing technology, like cell phone tracking, gives the government unprecedented ability to collect, store, and analyze an enormous amount of information about our private lives,” he said.

SUSPECTED DRUG TRAFFICKER

The case began in 2005 when police officers went to a public parking lot in Maryland and secretly installed a GPS device on a Jeep Grand Cherokee used by a Washington, D.C. nightclub owner, Antoine Jones.

Jones was suspected of drug trafficking and the police tracked his movements for a month. The resulting evidence played a key role in his conviction for conspiring to distribute cocaine.

The appeals court had thrown out Jones’s conviction and his

life-in-prison sentence, and ruled prolonged electronic monitoring of the vehicle amounted to a search.

All nine justices agreed in upholding the appeals court decision, but at least four justices would have gone even further in finding fault not only with the attachment of the device, but also with the lengthy monitoring.

Click here for the full report.

Uncovered FDA Documents Reveal 26 More Gardasil Deaths

January 6, 2012

Natural Society

By Anthony Gucciardi

“More news of the good deeps that pharmaceutical companies do everyday.”  –KTRN

Judicial Watch, a public-interest group that has leaked countless government reports, has recently uncovered FDA documents that reveal an additional 26 deaths associated with Merck’s HPV vaccine Gardasil. In addition to the 26 deaths occurring between Sept. 1, 2010, and Sept. 15, 2011, the adverse-reaction reports also detail a number of severe side effects including seizures, paralysis, blindness, pancreatitis, speech problems, short-term memory loss and Guillain-Barré Syndrome.

According to both the documents and the Judicial Watch, side effects associated with Gardasil include:

The information was received from the patient’s mother … concerning her healthy 14-year-old daughter who in August 2007, January 2008, and June 2008, was vaccinated with a first, second and third dose of Gardasil … It was reported that the patient experienced several symptoms including numbness and tingling in her fingers and toes, fatigue, a really hard time falling asleep, urinary tract infections, ovarian cyst, moody, trouble getting out of bed and seizures. The patient had had upwards of 150 seizures following her third shot in June 2008. During her seizures she stopped breathing for periods of 30 to 40 seconds. The patient was diagnosed with Neurocardiogenic syndrome and seizures. It was reported that the patient died due to ovarian cyst. The reporter felt that the patient’s symptoms were related to vaccination with Gardasil.

Additional information was received from a newspaper article concerning a 18-year-old female …who on 10-MAY-2007 was vaccinated with Gardasil … in the right arm … The patient who was a college freshman traveled on 05-OCT-2007 to visit her family for the weekend. The patient reportedly felt “slightly ill” upon her arrival and subsequently took an aspirin and went to bed awakening at 1:30 PM the following afternoon “appearing refreshed.” The patient became feverish again that night and woke at 1:00 a.m. the morning of 07-OCT-2007 with chills and a severe headache complaining that “my headache is about to explode.” The patient was taken to a local hospital, where a brain computed axial tomography (CAT) scan was performed and the brain revealed meningococcal disease in her brain and brain stem. The patient was immediately transferred to another hospital and died the evening of 07-OCT-2007 due to complications of meningitis.

Information has been received from a physician regarding a 15-year-old female who on 26-SEP-2007 was vaccinated with her second dose of Gardasil for prevention of HPV … Thirty minutes after the vaccination, the patient experienced a headache and that night went home and slept until the next morning. The patient woke up the next day and went to school. The school nurse called the patient’s mother and informed her that the patient felt tingling in both hands. Later that day, the patient was again sent to the nurse’s office due to a shaking sensation all over. Later that evening, things became worse and the patient started crying from the pain and burning in her back. The patient was taken to the emergency room by her parents. In the emergency room, the patient collapsed and was not able to walk; she was paralyzed from the waist down. It was reported that the patient was hospitalized for two months.

Click here for the full report.

Melbourne Woman, Crippled By Gardasil, Leads Class Action Against Merck

November 22, 2011

Natural News

By Joanne Waldron

“Another example of the evil drug companies not caring that their products cause so much illness. Gardasil is a joke.  How can something that produces seizures, paralysis, and blindness be called safe and effective?” –KTRN

One more woman wishes she could be “one less” person to have received the Merck Gardasil vaccine. In an article in The Herald Sun, Brigid O’Connell reports that a 28-year-old Melbourne woman experienced an auto-immune and neurological attack after receiving a Gardasil jab in July of 2008. A group of seven other women, one who suffered a miscarriage purportedly due to the Gardasil injection, are contemplating joining the court case.

According to O’Connell, the woman’s doctors originally diagnosed her with multiple sclerosis and later recanted this diagnosis and declared that it was a neurological reaction to the Gardasil vaccine. After receiving the injection, she was afflicted with convulsions. Racked by excruciating neck and back pain, she also became unable to walk. Due to the disruption of her life which lasted over two years, the young woman is hoping to be compensated for her medical expenses and lost income.

Body Count Escalating

Meanwhile, in the U.S., the Gardasil body count continues to climb. Barbara Hollingsworth reports in The Washington Examiner that between Sept. 1, 2010 and Sept. 15, 2011, 26 new deaths and many more severe adverse reactions were reported in patients receiving Gardasil injections. The adverse reactions included seizures, paralysis, and blindness.

Doctors Silenced

Doctors who dare to speak out about Gardasil are being silenced. According to an article by Norma Erickson, Dr. Sin Hang Lee was aware of some studies that had been submitted to the FDA before any HPV vaccines were approved. These studies demonstrated that there was a substantial increase in pre-cancerous lesions for those who had been exposed to vaccine-relevant genotypes of HPV before receiving Gardasil or Cervarix injections. In order to try to protect those people who were thinking about getting an HPV vaccination, Dr. Lee offered his HPV genotyping test to U.S. medical consumers so they might avoid that potential risk. Dr. Lee’s admirable actions were rewarded by him losing his medical staff privileges at Milford Hospital.

Sex Fears Used To Peddle Vaccines

Dr. Diane Harper, who was instrumental in developing the HPV vaccine, says that unrealistic promises are being made about the jab. According to The Kansas City Star, Harper states that “fear is what sells.” Dr. Douglass quips in The Douglass Report, “When it comes to risk, however, the sky’s the limit: HPV shots have been linked to thousands of horrific problems, including a debilitating nerve disorder and dozens of deaths — and the feds were caught red-handed last year trying to cover them up.”

Click here for the full report.

Uncovered FDA Documents Reveal 26 More Gardasil Deaths

October 24, 2011

Activist Post

By Anthony Gucciardi

Judicial Watch, a public-interest group that has leaked countless government reports, has recently uncovered FDA documents that reveal an additional 26 deaths associated with Merck’s HPV vaccine Gardasil.

In addition to the 26 deaths occurring between Sept. 1, 2010, and Sept. 15, 2011, the adverse-reaction reports also detail a number of severe side effects including seizures, paralysis, blindness, pancreatitis, speech problems, short-term memory loss and Guillain-Barré Syndrome.

The information was received from the patient’s mother … concerning her healthy 14-year-old daughter who in August 2007, January 2008, and June 2008, was vaccinated with a first, second and third dose of Gardasil … It was reported that the patient experienced several symptoms including numbness and tingling in her fingers and toes, fatigue, a really hard time falling asleep, urinary tract infections, ovarian cyst, moody, trouble getting out of bed and seizures. The patient had had upwards of 150 seizures following her third shot in June 2008. During her seizures she stopped breathing for periods of 30 to 40 seconds. The patient was diagnosed with Neurocardiogenic syndrome and seizures. It was reported that the patient died due to ovarian cyst. The reporter felt that the patient’s symptoms were related to vaccination with Gardasil.

Additional information was received from a newspaper article concerning a 18-year-old female …who on 10-MAY-2007 was vaccinated with Gardasil … in the right arm … The patient who was a college freshman traveled on 05-OCT-2007 to visit her family for the weekend. The patient reportedly felt “slightly ill” upon her arrival and subsequently took an aspirin and went to bed awakening at 1:30 PM the following afternoon “appearing refreshed.” The patient became feverish again that night and woke at 1:00 a.m. the morning of 07-OCT-2007 with chills and a severe headache complaining that “my headache is about to explode.” The patient was taken to a local hospital, where a brain computed axial tomography (CAT) scan was performed and the brain revealed meningococcal disease in her brain and brain stem. The patient was immediately transferred to another hospital and died the evening of 07-OCT-2007 due to complications of meningitis.
Information has been received from a physician regarding a 15-year-old female who on 26-SEP-2007 was vaccinated with her second dose of Gardasil for prevention of HPV … Thirty minutes after the vaccination, the patient experienced a headache and that night went home and slept until the next morning. The patient woke up the next day and went to school. The school nurse called the patient’s mother and informed her that the patient felt tingling in both hands. Later that day, the patient was again sent to the nurse’s office due to a shaking sensation all over. Later that evening, things became worse and the patient started crying from the pain and burning in her back. The patient was taken to the emergency room by her parents. In the emergency room, the patient collapsed and was not able to walk; she was paralyzed from the waist down. It was reported that the patient was hospitalized for two months.

The documents add to the mountain of evidence that Gardasil is one of the most deadly vaccinations ever pushed on young children. Gardasil has already been linked to more than 49 deaths and thousands of negative reactions. These FDA documents simply add more reason to discontinue the Gardasil vaccine, however even in the face of compelling evidence it is actually being more widely distributed than ever. This is due to the corrupt nature of Gardasil manufacturer Merck, who utilized financial incentives to help pass a popular California law that allows children as young as 12 to receive the Gardasil shot without parental consent.

The deceptive history of Merck’s Gardasil HPV vaccine

Even beyond the large-scale political deception, Merck is actively deceiving consumers as well. By omitting the death link and serious side effects from their Gardasil advertisements, Merck is tricking consumers into thinking that the popular HPV shot is virtually harmless.

In fact, on the official Merck website there is no mention of death, seizures, or even Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Instead, Merck lists the most common symptoms as the only symptoms outside of allergic reaction. According to Merck, these symptoms include:

pain, swelling, itching, bruising, and redness at the injection site

headache

fever

nausea

dizziness

vomiting

fainting

Of course this is absolutely false, and more severe symptoms were identified long before these recently uncovered FDA documents. Between May 2009 and September 2010 alone, Gardasil was linked to 3,589 harmful reactions and 16 deaths. Of the 3,589 adverse reactions, many were debilitating. Permanent disability was the result of 213 cases; 25 resulted in the diagnosis of Guillain-Barre Syndrome; and there were 789 other “serious” reports according to FDA documents. None of these are discussed on Merck’s website, or even in their widely-distributed print ads.

It seems that Merck is deceiving consumers into thinking Gardasil is safe through the intentional omission of vital facts. These leaked FDA documents reveal even more deaths caused by Gardasil, yet medical professionals still recommend the shot to their patients. Even more unbelievable is the fact that HPV is only responsible for 1% of cancer deaths, while 70% of all HPV infections resolve themselves within a year. That number increases to 90% after two years.

The Gardasil shot is simply not worth the risk of paralysis, death, or countless other side effects.

Click Here For The Full Report From The Activist Post

Foods, Cosmetics And Vaccines All Widely Formulated With Toxic Smoothing Agents

October 21, 2011

Natural News

By S. D. Wells

The greedy corporate strategy of cutting corners to expand profits now means “injecting” toxic smoothing agents into everything from eye drops and yogurt to cosmetics and flu shots. And nothing is being done by the FDA or the CDC to stop it. Thanks to emulsifiers like sorbitol, soy lecithin, sodium caseinate, polysorbate 80, poloxamer 407, and thimerosal, the list of smoothing agents is growing every day, and they are appearing in more than just “small amounts.”

If you think the gurus on Wall Street are smooth criminals “getting away with murder,” the latest toxic-laden preservatives are moving in undetected, compromising consumers state of health in the short term and the long term, including immediate heart problems and central nervous system disorders. Some of these “repeat offenders” include detergents and aluminum that are injected directly into your veins in flu shots, leading to seizures, autism, miscarriages, and even Alzheimer’s disease.

These “efficient delivery devices” are often ignored by the general public because many consumers just follow along with the masses, believing that the FDA and the United States Government would never allow poisons in foods, cosmetics and vaccinations. Immediate gratification has many consumers preoccupied with the conveniences of an over-stimulated society, and up to 23 of the 25 average products that aren’t strictly organic are toxic.

If you think you’re being careful by requesting additive free vaccines and flu shots, you’ve only scraped off the tip of a dangerous iceberg. Even if there is no polysorbate 80 or aluminum in an injection, vaccines are capable of inducing prolonged activation of the brain’s microglia immune cells. This prolonged activation is associated with diseases like multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and vaccine-related encephalitis.

Here are the most frequently used chemical emulsifiers
Are you ready to check the labels and ingredients on everything in your pantry, refrigerator, bathroom cabinet, and in those flu shots yet? Which flu shots are the most dangerous, and are there any safe ones at all? Fluvirin and Flushield contain chick embryonic fluid and synthetic emulsifiers. Polysorbate 80 is associated with allergic reactions like difficulty breathing, tightness in the chest, sudden loss of balance, and coughing up blood.

Many vaccines and flu shots contain aluminum, which serves as a delivery vehicle, for helping certain components stay soluble. Do some research on aluminum hydroxide, aluminum phosphate and potassium aluminum sulfate, and you may never get another flu shot in your life.

Sorbitol is in almost every diet food, diet drink, gum, breath mint, eye drop and contact lens solution. Fooling the body because it tastes sweet, this softening agent fuels the development of colon cancer because the body cannot process and excrete it properly. Sorbitol is a known carcinogen that maintains the softness for food and gives eye care products that slippery feel.

Poloxamer 407, the key ingredient in most mouthwashes, is a detergent. It causes bladder cancer in animals. Long term use of mouthwashes is associated with an increased risk of mouth and throat cancers. Listerine contains Poloxamer 407.

Soy lecithin increases risks of breast cancer. Soy lecithin is produced as a result of the sludge that is left over after crude soy oil goes through a “degumming” process. It is a waste product that contains solvents and pesticides.

Sodium caseinate is a fancy name for casein, a known carcinogen. Manufacturers add hydrochloric acid to this processed milk protein in order to reach desired pH levels. Look for casein in paint, glue, cheese, most soy and whey protein shake mixes, and in those popular protein bars. Casein can act as a histamine releaser, aggravating autism and promoting cancerous cell growth.

The label “natural skin care” doesn’t mean a whole lot these days either. Kiss My Face is a brand known to call everything natural, while still containing toxins like sorbitan oleate and other dangerous emulsifiers.

Watch out for phenoxyethanol, a popular antibacterial and preservative chemical often referred to as natural by organic skin care brands. Phenoxyethanol can act as an endocrine disruptor, causing damage to the bladder, brain, and nervous system in animals. Try not to forget that humans are also animals.

Click Here For The Full Report From Natural News

Study: Unvaccinated Children Far Less Prone To Allergies And Disease Than Vaccinated Children

October 13, 2011

Natural News

By: Ethan A. Huff

It is commonly assumed that vaccinations are responsible for bringing about substantial improvements in public health, and that humans were much more prone to developing serious disease prior to their advent. But a new survey released by VaccineInjury.info debunks this myth by showing that unvaccinated children are far less prone to developing allergies, autoimmune disorders, neurological problems, endocrine diseases, and other illnesses compared to their vaccinated counterparts.

German homeopathic practitioner Andreas Bachmair compiled health data on more than 8,000 unvaccinated children from at least 15 different countries, and compared it to health data compiled on more than 17,400 vaccinated children involved in a German study known as KiGGS – The German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents.

The children involved in both studies ranged in age from 0 – 17, but most of the children involved in the unvaccinated study were eight years of age or younger. Both studies, however, used the same criteria for collecting data on children’s health, and both are considered to have arrived at valid results.

In every single health category evaluated as part of both studies, the overall health of unvaccinated children was leaps and bounds ahead of the vaccinated children. The allergy rate among vaccinated children, for instance, was more than double the allergy rate among unvaccinated children. And worse, vaccinated children were found to be nearly eight times more prone to developing asthma or chronic Bronchitis than were unvaccinated children.

Another significant difference between the two groups was observed in the category of autoimmune disorders. While less than half of one percent of unvaccinated children were found to have developed an autoimmune disease, roughly seven percent of vaccinated children developed one — and according to the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), nearly 25 percent of Americans today suffer from at least one autoimmune disorder.

The other health categories where unvaccinated children fared better than vaccinated children included neurodermatitis, herpes, otitis media, hay fever, hyperactivity, scoliosis, epilepsy and seizures, migraine headaches, and thyroid disease. The only category where disease rates were roughly equal between the two groups was in the category of diabetes mellitus, a disease which affects only about 0.2% of children under 20 anyway.

Click here for the full report from Natural News

The Dark Side Of Energy Drinks

October 7th, 2011

Natural News

By: Tony Isaacs

Energy drinks have become a modern day phenomenon, with tens of millions now being consumed daily. What’s not to like about having more energy and alertness, particularly if it comes from beverages which often tout herbal and other “natural” ingredients? As it turns out, there is a very great deal not to like – including unhealthy ingredients and potentially dangerous health consequences.

Some of the more common unwelcome side effects of energy drinks include elevated heart rates, hypertension, anxiety, headaches and interrupted sleep patterns. Earlier this year, a report in the medical journal Pediatrics warned against energy drinks and cited potential harms including heart palpitations, seizures, strokes and even sudden death.

Late last year, poison control centers started tracking energy drink overdoses and side effects nationwide. 677 cases occurred from October through December. The chart’s list of reported energy drink-related symptoms included seizures, hallucinations, rapid heart rate, chest pain, high blood pressure and irritability.

The two most common ingredients found in energy drinks are sugar and caffeine; both of which provide temporary stimulation but can result in actual long term energy loss due to stressing the adrenal glands and causing adrenal fatigue.

Just one of a huge number of health risks caused by processed sugar is the risk of diabetes, a disease which has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. Very large amounts of sugar can ultimately overwhelm the pancreas, the organ which generates insulin to offset sugar intake. If the pancreas becomes “worn out” by being overworked from too much sugar, diabetes can begin.

Some energy drinks contain up to 7 times as much caffeine as a cup of coffee. While small amounts of caffeine are not generally considered dangerous, too much can over stimulate the central nervous system and can dangerously elevate blood pressure and heart rate. Caffeine is also addictive and withdrawal symptoms include headaches and irritability. Caffeine also causes a loss in valuable B vitamins which are needed for “normal” energy creation.

When sugar is not used, dangerous artificial sweeteners are employed. Perhaps the most dangerous is aspartame; though increasingly, the sugar substitute of choice has become sucralose. Sucralose is a chlorinated organic compound, a chemical group which includes several compounds known to be harmful to animals and plants and which has been linked to birth defects and other prenatal conditions. The body does not recognize artificial sweeteners like sucralose as food, but instead essentially processes them as toxins.

Other potentially dangerous ingredients commonly found in energy drinks include:

*Sodium benzoate. Last year a study conducted by an expert in molecular biology and biotechnology linked the common energy drink preservative sodium benzoate to cell damage and an increase in the production of free radicals. Even more concerning, sodium benzoate in combination with vitamin C causes the potent carcinogen benzene.

*Phenylalanine. Though an essential amino acid, phenylalanine is also a neurotoxin and is one of the three main ingredients which make up aspartame. Too much can excite the neurons in the brain to the point of cellular death.

*Guarana. Guarana (or guaranine) comes from the seeds of the guarana plant, which contain up to 3 to 4 times the caffeine as coffee beans.

*Ephedra. Ephedra has been described as a drug that increases heart rate and blood pressure at low doses and causes strokes, seizures, and possibly even death at high doses.

There are far safer options for achieving greater energy than energy drinks, such as super foods powders for example. The very best long term option is an active lifestyle combined with adequate sleep, avoidance of energy robbing toxins and stress and a healthy nutrient-dense diet.

Click here for the full report from Natural News

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