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From: ron@brl-tgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie )
Newsgroups: net.kids,net.med
Subject: Re: expecting father & nutrasweet
Message-ID: <11518@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 11-Jul-85 18:18:45 EDT
Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.11518
Posted: Thu Jul 11 18:18:45 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 13-Jul-85 12:05:11 EDT
References: <771@burl.UUCP>
Organization: Ballistic Research Lab
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Xref: watmath net.kids:1453 net.med:1697


> My concerns stem from the fact that my wife drank quite a few
> softdrinks containing nutrasweet unknowing of any problems. I am
> a little perturbed about this but also my concerns may be unfounded.

The major problem about NutraSweet that I'm aware of (and it is marked
on the can) is that it contains Phenylalanine.  There is a hereditary
disease called Phenylketonuria (PKU) which involves the inability to
metabolize these anines.  The disease is called such because
Phenylketones show up in the urine.  Left untreated it can cause mental
retardation.  I don't believe it's much of a problem anymore because
they can detect it and all you do is keep the specific proteins out of
the baby's diet and it grows out of it.  This is all kind of hazy in my
mind, it's been a long time since I had the course that this was
discussed in (like it as in 1977).

-Ron