This should be big - and about time. Studies have known about this for 40 years, and it’s known in some circles that aspartame is quite bad for your health.

Wonder what coke - and many other companies that use it - are going to do.

  • ilex@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Does aspartame cause cancer?

    In general, the American Cancer Society does not determine if something causes cancer (that is, if it is a carcinogen), but we do look to other respected organizations for help with this. Based on current research, some of these organizations have made the following determinations:

    The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has concluded that “the use of aspartame as a general purpose sweetener… is safe.”

    The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has stated, “Studies do not suggest an increased risk associated with aspartame consumption for… leukaemia, brain tumours or a variety of cancers, including brain, lymphatic and haematopoietic (blood) cancers.”

    Though research into a possible link between aspartame and cancer continues, these agencies agree that studies done so far have not found such a link.

    • coz@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      There was a study that found that Aspartame increased cancer risk, which was used as the base for all the current claims. The study was found to be flawed and it has not been reproduced since then, but due to confirmation bias and the desire to manipulate others the idea keeps communicating. That’s one weakness of science, you can make up research and the average person will use it to confirm their biases, even if it’s one study versus a hundred

      That being said, there may be other risks with artificial sweeteners, I’m just talking about that specific study

      Science is complicated and most people don’t know how to apply it. For example, an university graduate does not know how to read published research and how to apply it to the real world, because beyond training that needs a lot of practice and feedback. People think that hearing the news or reading the paper will let them know the truth; it won’t because they haven’t developed the capacity to do so, yet they ask for a source they can’t really understand. That’s why you are supposed to go to a professional instead of doing what you think you should do on your own

      The only people I’ve found that are worth giving sources to are PhDs or experts in their fields. Everyone else just fucks up interpreting them

      • ilex@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Oh shit. I replied to the wrong comment. I only meant to post that other comment to yours. My b.