Aspartame Could Possibly Cause Cancer in Humans, WHO Says

On Thursday, the World Health Organisation declared that an artificial sweetener, aspartame, used in no or low-sugar drinks and food is a possible cause of cancer in humans. 

What is the Complete News?

An assessment of a safe level of aspartame consumption held by the second WHO committee. Some calculations showed that a person weighing 150 pounds could avoid cancer risk but still drink a dozen diet sodas daily. 

The WHO Agency for cancer risk declared that aspartame has been a contentious ingredient for decades. According to the IARC, aka International Agency for Research on Cancer, from three observational studies, it has been concluded that aspartame was a possible carcinogen to humans. 

The agency said consuming artificially sweetened sodas increases the risk of liver cancer. The results could be seen in the people who drink higher amounts of diet beverages daily. 

Occasional Consumption of Aspartame does not Pose a Risk of Cancer

Director of the Nutrition and Food Safety WHO, Dr. Francesco Branca, said people consuming higher amounts of aspartame should start drinking water or other unsweetened drinks. 

He claimed that occasional consumption of aspartame poses no risk of cancer. However, the reason behind the explosion of these no or low-sugar drinks and food is the concern about increasing global rates of obesity and diabetes.

And aspartame is found in thousands of sugar-free products. This artificial sweetener is also used to sweeten various pharmaceutical products. 

What does the FDA have to Say?

(FDA) aka Food and Drug Administration made a statement that aspartame being labeled by the WHO as a carcinogen to humans doesn’t mean it is linked to cancer. However, they also declined to be present at the discussion regarding the agency’s specific concerns. 

But WHO and other authorities are still concerned about the potential cancer risks like glyphosate, which is dangerous to human health. 

The powerful beverage industries fought against any scientific claim that linked artificial sweeteners to cancer risk. Aspartame is their latest topic to push back against new studies or potential links to health problems.