PHENYLALANINE....?a source found in many soft drinks!?

Question

I would like to know from some one who has maybe done a study on Phenylalanine and its effects on hyperactivity in children.ie can drinking soft drinks like lemonade with a source of Phenylalanine listed in the ingredients cause hyperactivity in children......from a conscerned Parent.

Answer 1

I'm not sure what you're getting at. First of all, why would lemonade have phenylalanine added to it? Generally it's found in diet colas.

Phenylalanine is an amino acid that is needed for normal growth and development and the PKU test is given at birth to all babies in order to find babies who are unable to metabolize phenylalanine because they need a special diet.

Actually the phenylalanine produced by consuming aspertame (Nutra-Sweet which is in diet sodas) is a very small amounts. Much larger amounts are consumed if you eat any complete animal protein such as meat. Therefore, eating meat gives you way more phenylalanine than diet soda and in either case, phenylalanine is indeed harmless to anyone who is not afflicted with phenylketonuria (PKU). In fact, phenylalanine is contained in most protein rich foods, but especially good sources are dairy products, avocados, pulses and legumes, nuts, seeds, leafy vegetables, whole grains, poultry, fish and other seafoods.

However, I agree that soft drinks are not good for kids but it's not the phenylalanine that it causing the problem, it's more likely to be the sugar, artificial sweeteners, dyes and artificial colors/flavors.

Answer 2

Phenylalanine: It's found in Aspartame. Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that was accidentally discovered by a filthy scientist that licked his fingers when he was doing research on medication for galbladder conditions. It was found to be 800 times more sweet than sugar and does not have the calories of sugar. They tested it on pigs or rabbits, can't remember for sure and they didn't fare well. Most of them had grand mal epiliptic fits.
They have to mention Phenylalanine is present in aspartame because there is a condition where people can't deal with it and it can cause serious life-threatening symptoms.
Aspartame itself is very controversial.
"Following initial safety testing, there was debate as to whether these tests had indicated that aspartame may cause cancer in rats; as a result, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not approve its use as a food additive in the United States for many years. In 1980, the FDA convened a Public Board of Inquiry (PBOI) consisting of independent advisors charged with examining the purported relationship between aspartame and brain cancer. The PBOI concluded that aspartame does not cause brain damage, but it recommended against approving aspartame at that time, citing unanswered questions about cancer in laboratory rats. In 1981, U.S. President Ronald Reagan appointed as FDA commissioner Arthur Hull Hayes. Citing data from a single Japanese study that had not been available to the members of the PBOI, Hayes approved aspartame for use in dry goods.[1] In 1983 FDA further approved aspartame for use in carbonated beverages, and for use in other beverages, baked goods, and confections in 1993.In 1996, the FDA removed all restrictions from aspartame allowing it to be used in all foods.
In 1985, G.D. Searle was purchased by Monsanto. In this acquisition, Searle’s aspartame business became a separate Monsanto subsidiary, the NutraSweet Company. Monsanto subsequently sold the Nutrasweet company to J.W. Childs Equity Partners II L.P. on May 25, 2000.[2] The U.S. patent on aspartame expired in 1992, and the aspartame market is now hotly contested between the NutraSweet Company and other manufacturers such as Ajinomoto, Merisant and the Holland Sweetener Company — the latter of which is exiting the business in the fourth quarter of 2006 due to a "persistently unprofitable business position" because "global aspartame markets are facing structural oversupply, which has caused worldwide strong price erosion over the last 5 years."[3]".

They can say what they want. My child is not getting it. And hyperactivity don't even come into it.

Answer 3

phenylalanine is an essential amino acid which must be provided by the diet. if excess is found in the blood it is called hyperphenylalaninaemia, which can cause phenylketonuria

Answer 4

1

Answer 5

if they are given things with any additives. yes. and depends on the child. i have 4, they all react to different ones. try each additive.make a chart to record behavure. that way you ll know what not to let your child have.

Answer 6

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenylalanine :-) :-)