Artificial Sweeteners (cont.)
Saccharin: What is the negative side?
The safety concerns of consuming products with saccharin remain even with the
removal of the warning. According to a report written in 1997 written by the
Center for the Science in Public Interest (CSPI) in response to the National
Toxicology Program (NTP) removing saccharin from the list of potential
carcinogens: "It would be highly imprudent for the NTP to delist saccharin.
Doing so would give the public a false sense of security, remove any incentive
for further testing, and result in greater exposure to this probable carcinogen
in tens of millions of people, including children (indeed, fetuses). If
saccharin is even a weak carcinogen, this unnecessary additive would pose an
intolerable risk to the public. Thus, we urge the NTP on the basis of currently
available data to conclude that saccharin is "reasonably anticipated to be a
human carcinogen," because there is "sufficient" evidence of carcinogenicity in
animals (multiple sites in rats and mice) and "limited" or "sufficient" evidence
of carcinogenicity in humans (bladder cancer) and not to delist saccharin, at
least until a great deal of further research is conducted."
Another claim made against saccharin is the possibility of allergic
reactions. The reaction would be in response to it belonging to a class of
compounds known as sulfonamides which can cause allergic reactions in
individuals who cannot tolerate sulfa drugs. Reactions can include headaches,
breathing difficulties, skin eruptions, and diarrhea. It's also believed that
the saccharin found in some infant formulas and can cause irritability and
muscle dysfunction. For these reasons, many people still believe that the use of
saccharin should be limited in infants, children, and pregnant women. Without
research to support these claims, the FDA has not imposed any limitations.
Next: Aspartame: What is the positive side? »
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