Abstract
Aspartame a methyl ester L-aspartylphenylalanine, is a widely used sweetener. The intake of aspartame was studied in 51 adults 23 of whom were carriers for phenylketonuria (PKU). The study was divided into a loading test followed by chronic intake for a period of 12 weeks. Two doses of aspartame were used in the loading test 50mg/kg and 100mg/kg. Blood levels of phe were measured hourly and the aromatic acid metabolites of phe and phenylethylamine (PEA) were estimated in the urine. During the chronic intake blood phe and urine metabolites were determined every two weeks. The levels of blood phe rose from 5-10 fold in the carriers for PKU on 100mg/kg load as opposed to 2.5 to 6 fold in the normal controls. On 50mg/kg the carriers response was increased from 2 to 7 times the normal levels and from 2 to 3.5 in the control group (P<.02). During the chronic intake 19 carriers had blood phe ranges of 0.84 to 18.8mg/dl; five of these individuals had levels above 10mg/dl. Among the controls(16) the range of blood phe was 0.8 to 11.1mg/dl. The aromatic acid metabolites 3 and 4 OH phenylacetate and 4 OH phenyllactate were increased more than 10 fold in the carrier group, and were less elevated in the controls but still significantly higher than baseline levels. The urinary levels of PEA were increased in both groups ranging from 5-40 times the normal levels. These data are of concern since blood phe levels are much higher than anticipated from previous published reports.
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Matalon, R., Michals, K., Sullivan, D. et al. ASPARTAME INTAKE AND ITS EFFECT ON PHENYLALANINE (PHE) AND PHE METABOLITES. Pediatr Res 21 (Suppl 4), 344 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-01064
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-01064