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http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1106
hangover research relevant to toxicity of 11% methanol in aspartame
(formaldehyde, formic acid): Calder I (full text): Jones AW: also some
methanol from fruit pectin in colon: Murray 2004.09.11 rmforall
[ NutraSweet, Equal, Canderel, Benevia, E951 ]
Since no adaquate data has ever been published on the exact disposition of
the toxic metabolites, formaldehyde and formic acid, in specific tissues in
humans of the readily released 11% methanol component of aspartame, the many
studies on morning-after hangover from the methanol impurity in alcohol
drinks are the main available resource to date.
Jones AW (1987) found next-morning hangover from red wine with
100 to 150 mg methanol
(9.5% w/v ethanol; 100 mg/l methanol = 0.01%, one part in ten thousand).
The expert review by Monte WC (1984) states: "An alcoholic consuming 1500
calories a day from alcoholic sources alone may consume between 0 and 600 mg
of methanol each day depending on his choice of beverages (Table 1)...."
Table 1 lists red wine as having 128 mg/l methanol, about one part in ten
thousand.
Fully 11% of aspartame is methanol -- 1,120 mg aspartame in 2 L diet soda,
almost six 12-oz cans, gives 123 mg methanol (wood alcohol) -- the same
amount that produces hangover from red wine.
Other strong formaldehyde sources are tobacco and wood smoke, and the
particleboard and new furniture, carpet, and drapes especially concentrated
in mobile homes.
Similar potent levels of methanol, and its inevitable products in the human
body, formaldehyde and formic acid, can also ensue from fermentation of
fruit pectins in the colon:
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1997 Aug; 21(5): 939-43.
Endogenous production of methanol after the consumption of fruit.
Lindinger W, Taucher J, Jordan A, Hansel A, Vogel W.
Institut fur Ionenphysik, Leopold Franzens Universitat Innsbruck, Austria.
After the consumption of fruit, the concentration of methanol in the human
body increases by as much as an order of magnitude.
This is due to the degradation of natural pectin (which is esterified with
methyl alcohol) in the human colon.
In vivo tests performed by means of proton-transfer-reaction mass
spectrometry show that consumed pectin in either a pure form (10 to 15 g)
or a natural form (in 1 kg of apples) induces a significant increase of
methanol in the breath (and by inference in the blood) of humans.
The amount generated from pectin (0.4 to 1.4 mg)
is approximately equivalent to the total daily endogenous production
(measured to be 0.3 to 0.6 mg/day)
or that obtained from 0.3 liters of 80-proof brandy
(calculated to be 0.5 mg).
[ typos corrected, g actually is mg for ethanol, methanol ]
This dietary pectin may contribute to the development
of nonalcoholic cirrhosis of the liver. PMID: 9267548
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1995 Oct; 19(5): 1147-50.
Methanol in human breath.
Taucher J, Lagg A, Hansel A, Vogel W, Lindinger W.
Institut fur Ionenphysik, Universitat Innsbruck, Austria.
Using proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry for trace gas analysis of
the human breath, the concentrations of methanol and ethanol have been
measured for various test persons consuming alcoholic beverages and various
amounts of fruits, respectively.
The methanol concentrations increased from a natural (physiological) level
of approximately 0.4 ppm up to approximately 2 ppm a few hours after eating
about 1/2 kg of fruits,
and about the same concentration was reached after drinking of 100 ml brandy
containing 24% volume of ethanol and 0.19% volume of methanol.
[ 24 ml = 64 mg ethanol and 0.19 ml = 0.33 mg methanol ] PMID: 8561283
These three potent dietary sources of methanol, formaldehyde, and formic
acid, which impact many people, and cause the same symptoms in vulnerable
and sensitized people, are ignored in the following prestigious, official
source:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1108
faults in 1999 July EPA 468-page formaldehyde profile:
Elzbieta Skrzydlewska PhD, Assc. Prof., Medical U. of Bialystok, Poland,
abstracts -- ethanol, methanol, formaldehyde, formic acid, acetaldehyde,
lipid peroxidation, green tea, aging, Lyme disease:
Murray 2004.08.08 rmforall
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1109
Toxicological Profile for Formaldehyde 1/4 plain text, start to 111 of 468
pages USA DHHS PHS ATSDR 1999 July: Murray 2004.08.30 rmforall
An editorial review by Ian Calder, F.R.C.A., "Hangovers: not the ethanol--
perhaps the methanol", British Medical Journal 1997 Jan 4; 314(7073): 2
[ Tel/Fax: 0171 720 9279 Consultant Anaesthetist at the National Hospital
for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London WCIN 3BG, UK ]
http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/search.dtl search to get free full text ] ,
states:
"In fact, ethanol itself may play only a minor part in producing the thirst,
headache, fatigue, nausea, sweating, tremor, remorse, and anxiety that
hangover sufferers report.... [ Also, dizziness is common. ]
"Between a quarter and a half of drinkers claim not to experience hangover
symptoms despite having been intoxicated. (three citations)"
The symptom list is similar to reports by aspartame reactors.
If only a fraction of aspartame users happen to be vulnerable to the
methanol, that would account well for the disbelief by those who are not
aspartame reactors, as well as the scientific difficulty in proving
aspartame toxicity in the general population.
Research can study whether the hangover prone are also vulnerable to
aspartame, methanol, formaldehyde, and formic acid, and determine the
specific biochemistry for different groups.
Hangover treatments may help aspartame reactors. For instance, adaquate
folic acid (folate) helps humans eliminate toxic products from methanol.
Reprod Toxicol. 1996 Nov-Dec; 10(6): 455-63.
Influence of dietary folic acid on the developmental toxicity of methanol
and the frequency of chromosomal breakage in the CD-1 mouse.
Fu SS, Sakanashi TM, Rogers JM, Hong KH, Keen CL.
Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis 95616, USA.
"These results show that marginal folate deficiency in pregnant dams
significantly increases the teratogenicity of MeOH." PMID: 8946559
There are no reports of hangover from heavy use of orange juice, 34 mg/l
methanol, since the methanol in many fruits and vegetables is locked up in
complex pectin molecules, not released by human digestion. (Monte WC 1984)
I've never found any reports by aspartame reactors, who are often sensitive
even to a single breath mint or stick of chewing gum
(0.4 to 0.8 mg methanol),
of having the same symptoms from fruits or vegetables.
Pharmacol Toxicol. 1987 Mar; 60(3): 217-20.
Elimination half-life of methanol during hangover.
Jones AW.
Department of Forensic Toxicology, University Hospital, SE-581 85 Linkoping,
Sweden. wayne.jones@RMV.se
This paper reports the elimination half-life of methanol in human
volunteers. Experiments were made during the morning after the subjects had
consumed 1000-1500 ml red wine (9.5% w/v ethanol, 100 mg/l methanol)
the previous evening. [ 100 to 150 mg methanol ]
The washout of methanol from the body coincided with the onset of hangover.
The concentrations of ethanol and methanol in blood were determined
indirectly by analysis of end-expired alveolar air.
In the morning when blood-ethanol dropped below the Km of liver alcohol
dehydrogenase (ADH) of about 100 mg/l (2.2 mM), the disappearance half-life
of ethanol was 21, 22, 18 and 15 min. in 4 test subjects respectively.
The corresponding elimination half-lives of methanol were 213, 110, 133 and
142 min. in these same individuals.
The experimental design outlined in this paper can be used to obtain useful
data on elimination kinetics of methanol in human volunteers without undue
ethical limitations.
Circumstantial evidence is presented to link methanol or its toxic metabolic
products, formaldehyde and formic acid, with the pathogenesis of hangover.
PMID: 3588516
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1047
Avoiding Hangover Hell 2003.12.31 Mark Sherman, AP writer:
Robert Swift, MD [ formaldehyde from methanol in aspartame ]:
Murray 2004.01.16 rmforall
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1048
hangovers from formaldehyde from methanol (aspartame?):
Schwarcz: Linsley: Murray 2004.01.18
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1099
Diagnose-Me.com: formaldehyde from 11 % methanol part of aspartame:
recent abstracts for methanol and hangovers: Murray 2004.07.10 rmforall
http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/search.dtl search to get free full text
British Medial Journal 1997 (4 January); 314(7073): 2.
Ian Calder, F.R.C.A. [ Tel/Fax: 0171 720 9279 Consultant Anaesthetist at
the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery,
London WCIN 3BG, UK ]
Editorials Hangovers: Not the ethanol - perhaps the methanol
"Wine is only sweet to happy men," wrote an unhappy John Keats to his
sweetheart.(1) His observation seems to have been vindicated.
Harburg et al found that psychosocial factors such as guilt about drinking,
a neurotic personality, becoming angry or depressed while drinking, and
having suffered "negative life events" in the past 12 months are better
predictors of symptoms of hangover than the amount of ethanol drunk.(2)
In fact, ethanol itself may play only a minor part in producing the thirst,
headache, fatigue, nausea, sweating, tremor, remorse, and anxiety that
hangover sufferers report.
Hangover symptoms are worst at a time when almost all ethanol and its
metabolite acetaldehyde have been cleared from the blood, and peak blood
ethanol or acetaldehyde levels are not related to the severity of
hangover.(3 )
Between a quarter and a half of drinkers claim not to experience hangover
symptoms despite having been intoxicated.(2, 3, 4)
Congeners - complex organic molecules such as polyphenols, higher alcohols
including methanol, and histamine, which occur in varying amounts in
ethanolic drinks - are probably more to blame than ethanol.
Chapman found that hangover symptoms were almost twice as common in
volunteers who drank 1.5 ml/kg [ body weight ] of bourbon whiskey - which
has methanol concentrations of 26 mg/l - as in those drinking the same dose
of vodka ( 3.9 mg of methanol per litre ). (5) [ For a 60 kg person, this
would be 90 mg bourbon, 0.09 l, giving 2.34 mg methanol, which led to twice
as many symptoms as the 0.35 mg methanol from vodka. The bourbon gave as
about as much methanol as an ounce of diet soda. ]
Pawan compared the hangover produced by different types of drink (but only
one brand of each) in his study of 20 volunteers. The severity of hangover
symptoms declined in the order of brandy, red wine, rum, whisky, white wine,
gin, vodka, and pure ethanol.(6) Vodka and pure ethanol caused only mild
headaches in two volunteers.
Jones has suggested that it is the metabolism of methanol to formaldehyde
and formic acid that causes symptoms of hangover, with quicker methanol
metabolisers suffering more.(7) The justification for this suggestion is
threefold:
the types of drink associated with more severe hangovers contain higher
levels of methanol;
the time course of methanol metabolism corresponds to the onset of symptoms;
and a small dose of ethanol, which blocks the formation of formaldehyde and
formic acid, provides an effective treatment for hangovers ("the hair of the
dog").
The economic and social consequences of hangovers are probably considerable
but difficult to quantify. Performance accuracy is impaired synergistically
by sleep deprivation and hangover.(8)
Drivers perform less well in simulators when tested the morning after
drinking ethanol.(9)
Making driving with a hangover a criminal offence might be logical, but is
probably impractical in the absence of a simple diagnostic test like breath
alcohol.
Many pathophysiological disturbances occur during hangover, including
dehydration; metabolic acidosis; hypoglycaemia; disturbed prostaglandin
synthesis; abnormal secretion of vasopressin, cortisol, aldosterone,
renin, and testosterone; increased cardiac output; tachycardia; and
vasodilatation.
Hypoglycaemia and acidosis can be treated with fructose or glucose,(9) and
the cardiovascular abnormalities with ß blockade,(10) but symptoms are not
alleviated.
However, rehydration and anti-inflammatory analgesics are helpful,
particularly if treatment is started before bedtime.(11)
A completely effective treatment is probably unattainable (since so many
factors - such as lack of sleep, active or passive smoking, dietary
indiscretions, unaccustomed physical activity, intermittent upper airway
obstruction, and emotional disturbances - must play a part) and is arguably
undesirable since the fear of hangover prompts most people to moderate their
ethanol intake.(4 )
Even moderate amounts of ethanol can be damaging,(12) so a penalty for
consumption is in our interests. Perhaps those who aspire to be one of Dr
Johnson's "heroes" by drinking brandy (13) are sensible as well as brave.
Ian Calder, Consultant anaesthetist, Department of Neuroanaesthesia,
National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery,
Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG UK
1. Keats J. Letter to Fanny Brawne. In: Tripp RT, ed. The international
thesaurus of quotations. England: Penguin, 1976: 266.
2. Harburg E, Gunn R, Gleiberman L, DiFranceisco W, Schork A.
Psychosocial factors, alcohol use and hangover signs among social drinkers:
a reappraisal.
J Clin Epidemiol 1993; 46: 413-22. [Medline]
3. Ylikahri RH, Huttunen M, Eriksson CJ, Nikkila EA.
Metabolic studies on the pathogenesis of hangover.
Eur J Clin Invest 1974; 4: 93-100.
4. Smith CM, Barnes GM.
Signs and symptoms of hangover; prevalence and relationship to alcohol use
in a generally adult population.
Drug Alcohol Depend 1983; 11: 249-69. [Medline]
5. Chapman LF.
Experimental induction of hangover.
Q J Stud Alcohol 1970; 5: 67-85. [Medline]
6. Pawan GLS.
Alcoholic drinks and hangover effects.
Proc Nutr Soc 1973; 32: 15A.
7. Jones AW.
Elimination half-life of methanol during hangover.
Pharmacol Toxicol 1987; 60; 217-20.
8. Peeke SC, Callaway E, Jones RT, Stone GC, Doyle J.
Combined effect of alcohol and sleep deprivation in normal young adults.
Psychopharmacol 1980; 67: 279-87. [Medline]
9. Seppala T, Leino T, Linnoila M, Huttunen MO, Ylikahri RH.
Effects of hangover on psychomotor skills related to driving: modification
by fructose and glucose.
Acta Pharmacol Toxicol 1976; 38: 209-18.
10. Bogin RM, Nostrant TT, Young MJ.
Propranolol for the treatment of the alcoholic hangover.
Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 1986; 12: 279-84.
11. Khan MA, Jensen K, Krogh HJ.
Alcohol induced hangover. A double blind comparison of pyritinol and placebo
in preventing hangover symptoms.
Q J Stud Alcohol 1973; 34: 1195-201. [Medline]
12. Karhunen PJ, Erkinjuntti T, Laippala P.
Moderate alcohol consumption and loss of cerebellar Purkinje cells.
BMJ 1994; 308: 1663-7.
13. Boswell J.
Life of Johnson. April 7th 1779. Oxford University Press: Oxford, 1970.
This article has been cited by other articles:
M. H. Pittler, A. R. White, C. Stevinson, and E. Ernst.
Effectiveness of artichoke extract in preventing alcohol-induced hangovers:
a randomized controlled trial
Can. Med. Assoc. J., December 9, 2003; 169(12): 1269 - 1273.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
W. T Thompson, M. E Cupples, C. H Sibbett, D. I Skan, and T. Bradley.
Challenge of culture, conscience, and contract to general practitioners'
care of their own health: qualitative study
BMJ, September 29, 2001; 323(7315): 728 - 731.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
© 2004 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
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