Posted by AndrewB on May 4, 2000, at 2:22:09
In reply to Aspartame and Depression, posted by afatchic on May 3, 2000, at 16:02:13
Aspartame and depression. A connection, yes for some. Aspartame contains phenylalanine. Now I've taken phenylalanine supplements. Supposedly many people can experience mood improvement with phenylalanine but my reaction was quite the opposite. I became anxious and more depressed. Phenylalanine converts in the body into phenylethylamine (PEA), a relative of amphetamine. This chemical may cause 'highs' followed by crashes.
The real point though is whether your Diet Coke contains enough aspartame to cause this effect. I chew a lot of sugarless gum and I don't 'feel' the phenylalanine. If you really want to check this out, you could either cut out the Diet Coke for a week or try some phenylalanine as a supplement.
AndrewB
poster:AndrewB
thread:32074
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000429/msgs/32207.html