A review of potential carcinogenic effects of aspartame

Abstract

Aspartame – a wildly popular, worldwide artificial sweetener that is 200 times sweeter than sugar without the associated calories or added sugar. It has caused a controversy of great importance due to certain findings connecting high aspartame intake with the appearance of malignant tumors. Relevant studies surfaced toward the start of the century classifying aspartame as a carcinogen, with a few additional prominent trials to support it in the last 20 years. These studies have been thoroughly debated by other strong control trials and reviews that poke many holes in defense of aspartame’s safety. These papers have been much more widely accepted due to their strength of design and evidence, but still leave much room for additional exploration on proper daily limits of aspartame and other potentially dangerous effects besides associations with tumors.