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Arnaud Cocaul (Medical nutritionist)
Aspartame is probably one of the best-known sweeteners, found in many drinks labeled “light”. It has just been classified as “probably carcinogenic to humans” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the IARC. The explanations of Dr Arnaud Cocaul, nutritionist.
It is now done. For the first time, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), attached to the World Health Organization, has just made its conclusions concerning aspartame. Following the evaluation of its toxicity, the IARC classifies it as a “possible carcinogen”. Indeed, according to the data analyzed by the 25 IARC experts, the absorption of aspartame could be associated with an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, with however a still fairly low level of evidence.
What is aspartame, this chemical sweetener?
Aspartame is a sweetener of chemical origin. It is 200 times sweeter than sugar, but without the calories. Aspartame is found on the ingredient list of many dietary or sugar-free foods, including drinks, chewing gum and some so-called light yoghurts. In total, this sweetener is found in about 6000 food products.
Aspartame classified as ‘probably carcinogenic to humans’
The IARC has therefore decided to look into aspartame, in order to determine the level of solidity of evidence from studies on its dangerousness. Since 1981, a daily intake of 40 milligrams of aspartame per kilogram of body weight per day has been considered safe.
This equates to between 12 and 36 cans of diet drinks (depending on the amount of aspartame in the drinks) per day for a 60 kg adult.
Two decisions expected soon
Alongside this IARC decision, JECFA, which is a Joint WHO and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Expert Committee on Food Additives, is also reviewing the use of aspartame this year. He is due to announce his findings the same day the IARC makes its decision public, July 14.
According to an IARC spokesman whose comments were reported by Reuters, “the conclusions of the IARC and JECFA committees were confidential until July, but added that they were ‘complementary’, with the IARC conclusion representing ‘the first fundamental step in understanding carcinogenicity’ aspartame. Indeed, JECFA, for its part, “performs a risk assessment, which determines the likelihood that a specific type of harm – cancer, for example – will occur under certain conditions and at certain levels of exposure”.
The point of view of Arnaud Cocaul, nutritionist
“This future classification of aspartame as a probable carcinogen is not a surprise. This is a product that has been questioned for a long time. Its metabolic fate in our organism is poorly known, in particular its degradation and its transformation at the level of the intestinal flora. Inserm suggested several years ago an increased association between the risk of cancer and the consumption of aspartame, which does not mean that there is a link between the two. However, the figure of 13% increase in cases of cancers of all types combined has nevertheless been put forward. But what must be understood is that this risk is “individual-dependent”. To take no risk, it is better to use sugar in moderation, or natural alternatives, such as honey or agave syrup.“.