DNA Special: Analysing link between aspartame in cold drinks and potential cancer risks, WHO warning sparks concern

Are you one of those ardent cold drink enthusiasts, indulging in multiple bottles a day without a second thought? Well, here's a word of caution that might shake you up – even cold drinks can now be linked to cancer. Surprisingly, this warning doesn't originate from just anyone; it comes straight from the authoritative World Health Organization (WHO) itself, backed by extensive research and analysis.

The culprit, they say, lies within aspartame – that artificial sweetener lurking in popular soft drinks like Coca-Cola and hiding in chewing gum. WHO has recently identified aspartame as a potential cancer risk, leaving many questioning the safety of their favorite beverages.

You might wonder, "What has changed suddenly?" The answer lies in the two types of soft drinks available – regular and diet (sugar-free). Regular cold drinks use sugar as their sweetening agent, while diet versions rely on artificial sweeteners like aspartame. It is these artificial sweeteners that have raised concerns, as they have the potential to be carcinogenic.

Taking  a look into the history of aspartame, we discover that it is an organic compound, scientifically known as a methyl ester, and it is synthesized in laboratories. Interestingly, it was chemist James M. Schlatter who stumbled upon this sweetener back in 1965, and it received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1981 for use in certain dried fruits. Subsequently, it made its way into beverages in 1983.

Fast forward to today and an astonishing 95% of aspartame is used in the sugar-free soft drink industry, making it a pervasive presence. Not only have that, but up to 97% of sugar-free tablets and powders in the market also contained this sweetener. Even the sugar-free chewing gum industry relies heavily on aspartame.

Now, some might still believe that consuming sugar-free or diet cold drinks is harmless. However, they are in for a rude awakening. While WHO had classified aspartame as a mere food additive earlier, concerns have been steadily mounting. Numerous international studies have unveiled a shocking 92 potential side effects associated with continuous consumption of this deceptive sweetener.

Let's take a moment to comprehend the magnitude of the issue. Research indicates that prolonged aspartame use can lead to alarming health problems, ranging from something as simple as blurred vision to severe consequences like blindness. It can also cause ringing in the ears and hoarseness, potentially leading to complete deafness. Even more worrisome is the link between chronic aspartame consumption and high blood pressure, breathing difficulties, migraines, memory impairment, epileptic seizures, depression, irritability, sleeplessness, and complications in controlling diabetes. On top of all this, it can contribute to hair loss and erratic weight fluctuations.

If that doesn't sound alarming enough, brace yourself for more harrowing revelations. The reputable New Harvard School of Public Health in England has revealed that drinks containing artificial sweeteners are directly responsible for nearly 200,000 deaths each year. Adding fuel to the fire, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is on the verge of classifying aspartame as a carcinogen, highlighting its potential to cause cancer in humans.

One might expect that with such grim findings, regulatory bodies would promptly mandate warning labels on products containing aspartame, including cold drinks. Surprisingly, this hasn't happened yet. Instead, the onus of consuming these cancer-causing cold drinks remains firmly on individuals, with no ban imposed on harmful substances like aspartame.

The most disconcerting aspect of this entire saga is that, despite the growing awareness of these detrimental effects, the cold drink industry continues to flourish. In India alone, the average consumption of cold drinks per person has skyrocketed from a mere 44 bottles annually in 2016 to a staggering 84 bottles in 2021. However, the most astonishing figures emerge from countries like the United States (with an alarming 1496 bottles per person), Mexico (1489 bottles), Germany (1221 bottles), and Brazil (537 bottles).

It is truly baffling how, despite being well-informed about the health risks associated with increased cold drink consumption, including the sale of diet and sugar-free options that are essentially poison-laced, the popularity of cold drinks shows no sign of waning.

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