First Experimental Demonstration of the Multipotential Carcinogenic Effects of Aspartame Administered in the Feed to Sprague-Dawley Rats
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The Cesare Maltoni Cancer Research Center of the European Ramazzini Foundation conducted a comprehensive long-term study on aspartame (APM), a widely used artificial sweetener. In this experiment, Sprague-Dawley rats were fed different concentrations of APM in their diet from 8 weeks of age until natural death, and all animals underwent thorough necropsy and histopathologic evaluation of all organs and tissues.
The results demonstrated for the first time that APM can increase the incidence of multiple types of malignant tumors. Specifically, there was a significant rise in animals with malignant tumors in both males and females, with certain doses showing particularly strong effects in females. The study also found a dose-related increase in lymphomas and leukemias, transitional cell carcinomas of the kidney and ureter, and malignant schwannomas of peripheral nerves. Notably, these carcinogenic effects were observed even at daily doses as low as 20 mg/kg body weight, which is considerably below the current acceptable daily intake.
The research highlights the multipotential carcinogenic nature of aspartame and raises concerns about its long-term safety. Given the widespread use of artificial sweeteners in industrialized diets, the findings underscore the need for reevaluating current guidelines on APM consumption. The study is part of a broader project initiated in 1985 at the Ramazzini Foundation, designed to address gaps in experimental and epidemiological data on the potential carcinogenic risks of commonly used food additives.
Over the course of this project, more than 32 long-term bioassays involving over 25,000 rodents have been conducted, evaluating the carcinogenicity of various food additives and chemicals, with aspartame being one of the primary substances studied. The evidence from this mega-experiment suggests that the current safety limits for aspartame may not fully account for its potential to cause cancer, warranting further review and possible regulatory action.