I did an assignment about this;
Not surprisingly, aspartames manufacturers are keen to refer to the stack of evidence to say its safe. Less keen are they, however, for you to know about the pile of evidence and reports that says quite the opposite.


there is enormous disparity in the published results of industry funded and non-industry funded research: one on-line review reveals that while 100 per cent of industry funded studies proclaim aspartame to be benign, more than 90 per cent of independent studies and reports in the scientific literature say otherwise.

The battle rages on as to whether the artificial sweetener aspartame actually causes migraine headaches. The makers of NutraSweet staunchly deny any such correlation, pointing to a Duke University study they say completely discounts any such possibility. They usually neglect to mention that they funded the study, which consisted of a one day dosage of aspartame or placebo to migraine sufferers. The results showed no statistical difference between the two groups' incidence of headache that day, and the aspartame backers pronounced the idea of aspartame causing headaches to be thus disproved.

The FDA accepted the study as conclusive proof, and has since maintained that there is no evidence to support the theory that aspartame is in any way detrimental to humans. The tradition of the FDA backing aspartame against all opponents started in 1981 when President Reagan took office. Reagan had close ties with Searle drug company which manufactured the additive, and he fired the FDA commissioner who had been blocking the approval, then appointing Dr Arthur Hayes to the position.

A Board of Inquiry convened and recommended continuing to deny approval, citing the incidence of seizures and brain tumors in laboratory animals. Hayes approved the additive against the Board's recommendation, and subsequently left the FDA for a position with Searle's public relations firm.
Aspartame accounts for 75% of ALL complaints to the FDA for a food additive - with even MSG running a poor second. Aspartame has been reported in some studies to contain a carcinogen (cancer causing substance) and is suspected by many scientists of causing problems ranging from brain tumors to epilepsy.

A thirteen-week, double-blind, randomized cross-over study was conducted in 1988 by S M Koehler and the results were staggering. Participants were given doses of aspartame or placebo, and the results from the test indicated that at least 50% of the subjects given aspartame had increasing frequency and duration of migraines, while those on placebo had decreased attacks. Several other double blind studies were conducted, and with the exception of the one paid for by NutraSweet, they all indicated that aspartame did indeed cause worsening of migraines. In all studies conducted on aspartame that were funded by NutraSweet, aspartame was found to be completely innocent of causing any adverse effects. Other privately funded studies showed aspartame to be in fact responsible for headaches and other health problems in over 80% of tests, with the majority of the ones still showing inconclusive results being funded by the FDA, which has been accused of turning a blind eye to the dangers of aspartame since it was approved.

In a very interesting twist, two patients studied by Newman and Lipton experienced worsening of migraine upon administration of rezatriptan, a medication that normally gave them relief. On examination, the medication was actually of a new form in a dissolvable wafer rather than the normal capsule - and the wafer was sweetened with aspartame. Both patients had formerly identified aspartame as a migraine trigger. They had no idea that the rezatriptan medication in the wafer form contained the sweetener, having just been given the samples for ease of dosing in case of migraine onset at work or school. The multiple symptoms of aspartame sensitivity don't stop with migraines, though headaches are one of the top three complaints. Excessive fatigue, dizziness, fainting spells and seizures are common, as well as depression which can reach suicidal proportions.

Opponents of the food additive point to the many studies reporting health problems connected with aspartame, in which the problems disappeared after aspartame was removed from the patient's diet. Thousands more have testified to aspartame's negative influence on their health. On the other hand some well-respected scientists support the FDA view that aspartame is harmless. Aspartame breaks down into several breakdown products including aspartic acid, phenylalanine, methanol, formaldehyde and formic acid. According to Wikipedia there is controversy surrounding the rate of breakdown into these various products and the effects that they have on those that consume aspartame-sweetened foods. Although phenylalanine is an essential amino acid that occurs naturally, it is a health hazard to those born with phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare inherited disease that prevents phenylalanine from being properly metabolized. Since individuals with PKU need to take account of aspartame as an additional source of phenylalanine, foods containing aspartame must carry warning labels.

However, as this is a rare condition, and sufferers know they need to avoid the substance, that isn't the most worrying health concern. The main suspect breakdown product in aspartame is methanol, which breaks down into formaldehyde, highly toxic and classified as a probable human carcinogen by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Formaldehyde is used in embalming, glue, plywood, plastics, carpets and many other products. Because of toxicity concerns the EU has considered imposing a complete ban on its use even for embalming.
Amongst many other controversial claims and studies against sweeteners, more recent research suggests that they may cause weight gain!
Just googling artificial sweeteners on google scholar brings up a whole load of studies and articles by academics


Seriously, dude, separate your writing into paragraphs once in a while, and more people will read your post.