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Q:Are diet drinks harmful to a developing baby?

A:I answer this question as it pertains to aspartame-containing beverages. Aspartame is broken down in the stomach and intestines into methanol, aspartate, and phenylalanine.

According to "Drugs in Lactation and Pregnancy," by Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins:

"Ingestion of aspartame-sweetened products during pregnancy does not
represent a risk to the fetuses of normal mothers or of mothers ... who
have PKU." But, "Women with PKU need to control their consumption of any
phenylalanine-containing product. Because aspartame is a source of
phenylalanine, although a minor source, this should be considered by
these women in their dietary planning." (You'd know it if you had PKU!) "The other components of aspartame, methanol, and aspartic acid, and the various degradation products have no toxicity in doses that can be ingested by humans."

So don't worry. It seems OK, just for the taste of it.



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