ABSTRACT
Treatment modalities for insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetes consist of diet, medication, and exercise. In many cases diet therapy alone is used to treat a non-insulin-dependent diabetic patient. Although persons with diabetes are likely to be frequent users of aspartamesweetened foods and beverages, there are few published data on any blood glucose changes in this situation. Ingestion of protein and intravenous infusion of amino acids are known to stimulate secretion of insulin, growth hormone, and glucagon. Each of these hormones can, in turn, affect the blood glucose level. Since its discovery in 1965, aspartame has been subject to a more extensive safety evaluation than probably any other sweetening agent, and has been found to be remarkably free of known or potential toxicity. In infant rodents, parenteral or forced enteral administration of large amounts of monosodium L-glutamate or aspartate causes focal necrosis of neurons.
