The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the soft drink sweetener aspartame as possibly carcinogenic to humans but says its consumption within the recommended daily limit is safe for people.
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The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a WHO agency, identified a possible link between aspartame and a type of liver cancer called hepatocellular carcinoma. The conclusion was reached after reviewing three large human studies conducted in the U.S. and Europe that examined artificially sweetened beverages.
Dr. Mary Schubauer-Berigan, a senior IARC official, said the classification of aspartame as a possible carcinogen is based on limited evidence and that more research is needed. The official called on "the research community to try to clarify and better understand the carcinogenic hazard that may or may not be posed by aspartame consumption."
Aspartame is a chemical sweetener most commonly found in diet soft drinks such as Diet Coke, Pepsi Zero Sugar, and others, as well as in chewing gum, candy, low-calorie yogurts, and breakfast cereals as a sugar substitute.
Despite these findings, the WHO maintains its current daily intake guidelines, recommending that people consume less than 40 mg of aspartame per kilogram of body weight per day.
A 70-kg adult would need to drink between nine and 14 cans a day to exceed this limit, as a can of diet soda typically contains between 200 mg and 300 mg of aspartame. In the case of a child weighing about 20 kilos, the maximum recommended intake would be 800 milligrams, or two to three cans.
According to Dr. Francesco Branca, director of WHO's Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, "Evaluations of aspartame have indicated that, while safety is not a major concern at doses commonly used, potential effects have been described that need to be investigated through more and better studies."
The director recalled that WHO has recently clarified that no artificial sweetener contributes to weight loss, as is the general idea, so consumers should reflect on why they use aspartame.