It seems there is some correlation between Afib episodes, MSG and Aspartame. The studies I found were a couple of years old. If the ginger ale was very cold that may factor in as well.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/490552-research-on-aspartame-heart-arrhythmia/
http://www.opednews.com/articles/--Lone-atrial-fibrillati-by-Craig-G-Burkhart-091207-399.html

Steve

I have heard there are other problems with aspartame too. My neurologist said only use Splenda or Stevia.

Thank you very much Steve and Heart 2222, your comments are very helpful. I used to drink a lot of aspartame in the 80s and early 90s. I have not had any ( that I know of) since then ... until last night. Steve, your two articles were most helpful. Thanks for your comments too Heart; however I would not use Splenda as in contains a primary chloro compound. I don't know how that got through the FDA. Primary-cholo compounds are also known as alkylating agents which can react with your DNA - then who knows what can happen. Thanks anyway for the warnings from your neurologist. Steveinns website references talk about aspartate being a neurotransmitter. Now that gives one pause. His references also talk about Donald Rumsfeld( former head of the company that made Aspartame) involved in a serious conflict of interest when he facilitated the approval of Aspartame.

Steve, I am sorry to hear this.....I hope it was an errant episode that does not happen again!

Oh, Steve, bummer! After seven years? Hurry back into NSR and stay there!

Sorry Steve....I just read the article and I definitely react to MSG. I'm not sure about aspartame...but sounds like none of the artificial sweetners are good for us :(

Thank you Yoga, Terry and MariKay for your good wishes and comments. I like the sound of errant episode, especially one that happens rarely. It is interesting MariK that you react to MSG ( aka glutamate). MSG is a close relative of aspartate ( which is what ASPARTAME makes in your stomach). Both are dicarboxyilc amino acid which are different by just one carbon.

Hey steve, Im new to this message board and this is my first reply/post to it. Im not completely convinced that aspartame is toxic to a persons health. This has been an ongoing debate since the 60s when the artificial sweeteners of that time did cause cancers but were pulled for that reason. Ever since then people have been suspicious of all artificial sweeteners. HOWEVER I did find this article.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/suzy-cohen-rph/abnormal-heart-rhythm_b_854619.html

From what I understand from this article, apparently aspartame some how has a chemical reaction with Taurine and causes youre body to think its a waste product and dispose of it and in large quantities it can strip youre body of massive Taurine levels.

I use to always think that Taurine was bad for youre health because you always see it in those energy drinks. I asked my doctor about that and he basically said they put it in the energy drinks to counter act all the stimulants they add to them. Basically to keep youre heart from giving out from taking them.

I was rushed into the ER about two months ago with my first case of AFIB and stayed two nights in the ICU because they could not get my heart rate under control, then all of a sudden it converted on its own.


After a follow up with my heart specialist, I had asked him about various herbal supplements such as Co enzyme Q10, Magnesium, Zinc and Taurine to keep it from coming back. He basically gave me a nod and a wink to try it but said there really hasnt been any full fledged non biased studies done on them so he cant really say if it would work or would not but that it wouldnt hurt to take the supplements along with fish oil which is what I have been doing.

I have not had a single reoccurring episode of it since. So I dont know. I also look at it like this, I was in the hospital for almost 48 hours and all they would allow me to drink was water so its possible if the aspartame was causing that effect it had cleared out of my system by then.

I still drink the diet sodas, I dont really have a choice if I want something sweet, especially as a truck driver because I sit behind the wheel of a vehicle for 14 hours a day. Its one of those things, youre dammed if you do and dammed if you dont because you would weigh 800LB if you drank regular sodas. So I picked up a couple of bottles of Taurine and have been taking it daily to counteract the aspartame and Taurine interaction.

Sorry to hear about your episode!

I've learned over the years about the politics of food. Just because an ingredient is permitted in the U.S. food supply, doesn't mean it's safe.

There is an ingredient in Subway breads, for example, that would get a baker in another country 8 years in prison for using.

Genetically modified organisms ( GMOs) are in virtually every preocessed food in the U.S.) 90 percent of all corn, soy, and rice you eat. its in everything from chocolate (soy lecithen) to the corn you buy from your local farmer to aspartame!!!in the U.S., yet, thanks to Monsanto's powerful political lobby, is not only allowed in the U.S, but isn't labeled. Thats even though study after study has shown evidence of GMO ingestion and the development of tumors, inflammation in the stomac, and premature aging.

The only way you can avoid GMOs is if the foods you buy are labeled "100% organic).

Here is a list of 11 ingredients that are allowed by the U.S. and banned elsewhere. One of those ingredients is in the Subway bread I mentioned.

http://gma.yahoo.com/11-food-ingredients-banned-outside-u-eat-101120572--abc-news-topstories.html

(Continued.. Sorry, being on an iPod won't let me multi task). I wanted to point out.the two articles and how corporate politics are at work in the media as well.

Here is the original article... http://intellihub.com/2013/06/27/6-ingredients-sold-in-the-u-s-but-banned-in-other-countries/

As you can see.. This one lists the banned ingredients and why, while the other one takes the more corporate view and tries to justify why those ingredients are allowed.

You just have to read, read, read and decide for yourself. I eat about 80 percent organic... But you can't help eating other things when you go out to restaurants. I just do the best I can... However, I haven't had a diet soda in about ten years, I order water.

I have given up on believing what I read, good or bad. The latest is fish oil ups your chances of prostate cancer:

http://www.voanews.com/content/fish-oil-prostate-cander/1700850.html

The only thing I can say for sure is moderation may be the answer.

petey

Petey, what's your take on this? I'm at a fork in the road on fish oil.

I just received my order of PRN fish oil. It's concentrated and purified. It's a non ethyl ester (EE) form of fish oil, purified, concentrated and returned to it's original triglyceride form. So it's essentially as it was when derived from the natural source. I thought I'd try it for 90 days and see if there were any noticeable benefit. I do like that it has no fishy taste whatsoever, not even a single fishy burp so far.

Before the report this week on concerns with increased prostate cancer I was concerned about the effects of fish oil when combined with Pradaxa. I wrote to PRN with my concerns and I received a reply stating that most fish oil supplements are sold in ester ethyl (EE) form. I was told that It's the alcohol content that poses a risk of over anitcoagulation when taken with thinners. I was under the impression that it was more related to dosage than the production process. I wrote back to them because the PDF file they referenced did not list Pradaxa in the study. I realize anticoagulants work on the same principle but Pradaxa not having an antidote heightens my concern for dangerous bleeds. It may end up that instead of the recommended 4 grams daily I'll take 2. Like yourself, I'm thinking that moderation is wise.

Here's the PDF reference that I received:
http://seed4change.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Omega-3s-and-Bleeding.pdf

They also attached this:
http://www.kameen.com/portals/0/docs/dyerber_2010.pdf

Steve, my apologies. I didn't mean to hijack your thread but Petey's mention of the recent fish oil report raised a subject I'm wrestling with right now

Steve.

I don't know what to think of the fish oil report. Same thing with aspartame. These studies many times are flawed.

No problem Steve changing subject. I do have some info for you regarding fish oil I was about to enter a heart study to determine the effects of fish oil and vitamin D on some aspect of heart health. The VITAL study is being conducted by Brigham& Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. I was rejected from the study because they said that fish oil would raise my INR ( I am on coumadin). I would imagine that they would know about the trace level of ethanol in the EE from of oil. People knowledgeable in the structure of fish oil would not refer to the EE form of a fatty acid ( part of the fish oil) as an oil Fish oil by definition is a triglyceride.