Further to my trilogy Flight Safety, Flight Safety – Pilot Error and Flight Safety – Aircraft Accidents of 2015, Flight Safety – Epilogue shows some interesting research which could actually back up the suspicion of aspartame causing neurological and psychiatric problems for pilots.
Pilot depression research
This research particularly concentrates on depression and suicidal thoughts that pilots suffer from. The fact that so many pilots are admitting to these conditions could be a sign that some are in fact ingesting aspartame on a regular basis. This could exacerbate or even cause their conditions.
Research following Germanwings crash
This survey was started soon after the Germanwings flight 9525 tradegy where 150 people were killed, supposedly on purpose, by the co-pilot of the aircraft Andreas Lubitz. There is no doubt that this young man, who was an accomplished pilot, was in mental turmoil and had been so for some years. I am not defending this young pilot, what he did was horrendous. But looking for an answer as to why he did it, could possibly avoid this kind of devastation happening again. One thing about a person who wants to commit suicide. They will not want to take others with them. Not caring about killing innocent people, is a person who is suffering from psychotic tendencies.
1837 pilots fill in questionaire
The Harvard T.H. Chan study goes into how many pilots have depression and other mental problems and comes up with a multitude of statistics. Perhaps the most worrying of these are the percentages of pilots who admit to having suicidal thoughts. Out of a potential of 3485, 1837 pilots (52.7%) actually cooperated by filling in questionaires. 75 of those pilots (4.1%) reported having suicidal thoughts within the past 2 weeks and 233 pilots (12.6%) met the depression threshold, that’s 1 in 8 pilots.
140,000 pilots worldwide
There are approximately 140,000 airline pilots around the world with half of them in the United States. If you relate the figures above of 4.1% of pilots thinking suicidal thoughts, the total number of pilots in the US having these feelings could be as many as 2,870 and worldwide 5,740!
This is a shocking revelation and is something the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) and other aviation authorities throughout the world, should be all over this research like a rash, not to mention the commercial airline companies themselves.
The popular pilot
Being an airline professional has a kind of celebrity status. Being a pilot is considered, by most, to be a worthy career with pilots considered as being especially gifted and accomplished. Pilots and crew want to look good and being overweight is not in keeping with their image. Hence many do their best to keep fit and trim and consuming dietary products is deemed to be helpful to that cause. They probably have no clue that ingesting aspartame laced sodas, hot drinks and food stuffs could actually threaten their career and worse, be the cause of an airline accident, possibly causing loss of life. This apart from not helping weight loss. Those using aspartame are more likely to gain weight!
What would you do?
If you were a pilot who had mental health symptoms that could jeopardise your profession, what would you do? It is only human nature to hide illnesses and conditions that could impact on your career, especially if they are mentally related. A pilot has to declare any problems he may have which were not obvious to an observer. It won’t be until someone else observes the problem that it will be reported. Even then, it is known that pilots will protect their colleagues. There was an incidence when a pilot has a seizure whilst in the cockpit, but because it only lasted a few minutes, it was not reported. This event came out in a confidental phone call to Mary Stoddard who set up the Pilot Hotline back in the last century to help pilots with aspartame reactions.
Study was confidential
It is admirable that this study was confidential and it explains why so many pilots were willing to participate and answer the questions honestly. If it had not been an anonymous survey then I suspect those that did fill in any questionaires would have lied about any conditions that would impact on their licence to fly and who could blame them.
No questions on dietary habits
There were many questions about various characteristics of the participants. I found it interesting that a question was asked about ingestion of alcohol and sleep aid medicine. Not once was there a question about dietary habits in this questionaire. If only they had asked about ingestion of foods, including diet drinks and other products. A possible link may have been found.
Aspartame ban won’t happen
Even if the 92 symptoms I mentioned in my last post was accepted by the FAA, they would ignore it. This despite 75% of reported side effects of food additves to the FDA concern aspartame. So why is this? Because they are politically connected to the FDA who passed this toxin in the first place, under a cloud of fraud and misdemeanour, way back in 1981 and again for carbonated drinks, in 1983. In other words, its all to do with politics and financial gain. If aspartame was banned, the loss to those companies that have a vested interest in it would be catastrophic and detrimental to their business and there lies the problem. No matter that it’s damaging the health of the population.
Public awareness is the only way
As for the health of pilots and crew and the subsequent safety of passengers, the only way to stop consumption of aspartame laced products is for the public to be aware of the dangers. With public awareness of what aspartame can do neurologically and psychologically they will not want those in control of their flights to be ingesting this chemical and thus taking chances with their lives.
If just one pilot is unknowingly being affected by this sweetener, he could be the cause of an aircraft disaster. It’s a pity that Andreas Lubitz’s history of consumption of food and drink was not scrutinised as part of the crash investigation. If it was found that he regularly ingested aspartame and that it could have exacerbated or even been the cause of his psychotic behaviour, the media would have informed the public. A public outcry is the only way this toxin will be removed from the market.
Neuropsychiatrist talks of Germanwings pilot
Dr. Jeff Victoroff, neuropsychiatrist at USC’s Keck School of Medicine stated “We need to stop talking as if this was a suicidal guy with access to an airplane. This was a murderous guy who probably had elements of a mood disorder and personality disorders.”
“Unless investigators recognise the toxic role of aggression and hostility in some patients’ depression, such troubled individuals will continue to elude detection – to the public’s peril”.
Aircraft industry ignoring aspartame
The aircraft industry is missing a vital clue to what could be happening with pilot error cases. This was actually addressed in the late last century by a multitude of aviation magazines and media, so why has it all been forgotten? If there’s just a chance, that consuming the chemical aspartame could have an effect on a pilot’s mental acuity, then they should be doing something about it. Not doing so could be just as dangerous as a mechanical failure. In fact you could class it as that, except the machine is biological!
The FAA won’t protect pilots, pilots have to protect themselves. One of the aircraft industry’s acronyms “I’m Safe” check is one way of looking honestly at your own health. I’ve added one more letter to make the acronym “AM I SAFE?” which includes the ingestion of Aspartame. Aspartame Medication Illness Stress 
Alcohol Fatigue Emotion. If you can honestly say you pass each one of these potential problems, IMHO you will be as safe to fly as you can be. Being fit in all these areas will enable a pilot to do his job to the best of his ability. He will be keeping his passengers and crew safer. He will be alert and follow procedures in an emergency. He will then not lose his licence.
Andreas Lubitz’ symptoms
- Vision problems
- Light sensitivity
- Bright flashes in the eyes
- Double vision
- Psychosis
- Tinnitus – ringing and buzzing sounds in the ears.
- Severe depression
- Irritability
- Aggression
- Anxiety
- Personality changes
- Insomnia
These are known symptoms but how many symptoms did he suffer that we didn’t know about. He was seeing a large number of doctors and this could certainly be a sign that the medics did not know what he was suffering from, except from the obvious severe depression. It would be easy for crash investigators to contact family and ask about eating and drinking habits. It could be enlightening!
The magnesium factor
This website is dedicated to informing the public about the dangers of a magnesium deficiency. Aspartame is known to deplete magnesium levels at an alarming rate. Aspartame is an excitotoxin that when consumed in high amounts, reacts with receptors in the brain. This can cause damage to certain types of neurons. Many neurosurgeons and neurologists now consider that excitotoxins play a vital role in developing many neurological disorders. Those such as headaches, migraines, tremours, seizures, panic attacks, aggression, anxiety, Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons’s, Huntington’s, ADHD to name but a few.
Check out this short video
This video explains succinctly what magnesium does at the cellular level. In high concentrations as in this food additive, excitotoxins constantly stimulate the cells. This can cause a process of cell death known as excitotoxicity, where calcium channels are kept open. This allows excess calcium into the cells, exciting them to death. If the body has good magnesium levels, the affect of excitotoxicity from free amino acids will be reduced. This is because magnesium is the ‘gatekeeper’ of the calcium channels, closing them to calcium when it’s not needed in the cell.
The side effects and adverse reactions from aspartame are very similar to a magnesium deficiency. In effect it’s a double whammy. If you are consuming aspartame, you will be depleting your magnesium levels and it becomes a vicious circle. Serious problems will ensue if the issues are not addressed.
Studies by the aspartame industry versus independent studies
There have been numerous studies on aspartame. More than 70 studies done by the aspartame industry concluded there were no side effects from aspartame. More than 90 studies independently done outside the realms of the aspartame industry, found serious side effects from aspartame. Which studies would you believe?
I would be pleased to read any comments you have about this Flight Safety trilogy and epilogue. Thank you for reading and please, please avoid food and drink that contains aspartame.
Ches
Spread the word!
Interesting epilogue! I can categorically say this is rampant now. Yes, we have to look at ways to improve the way our medical model handles health issues like this . Learning to fly can be one of life’s most rewarding adventures. The freedom of moving in three dimensions is not only fun but can lead to interesting career and travel opportunities. And being has a competent and healthy pilot has a lot to do with the lives of the passenger in aircraft. I support the fact that pilots should be meet with as to access them well before they fly which is a great idea. We could even give him/her some information about what aspartame does to the body, and necessary health tips before flight. Thanks for sharing this.
The trouble is Topaz, our medical profession is under the control of the pharmaceuticals, as is our medical education. Have a little look at this article on how it came about. It all started way back when Rockefella and Carnegie were in charge. The history of our medical profession is quite an eye opener and explains why we’re in the position, medically speaking, that we’re in.
That’s a great idea, to give the pilots and crew some information about the dangers of aspartame and references to research by independent researchers, which backs up how toxic this chemical concoction is. They were warned way back in the late last century. So what’s happened to those warnings then? Why have they stopped?
Good afternoon Ches,
This is the first time I hear about that Aspartame could have an effect on pilots depressions and suicidal thoughts. This is really frightening especially as I am familiar with what type of foods/drinks are available on board. Not the best to stay healthy for sure. The job as such is neither one of the healthiest ones you can have. Your biorhythm is completely off.
We can forget the FDA as what it has done over the years is a scandal. Allowing additives knowing jolly well they are harmful.
I think you are right if this study had not been done anonymous the answers obtained would not have reflected the real situation. To think that every time a plane takes off the lives of hundreds of people rests in the hand’s of 1 person, the pilot.
It is already a long time ago that I banned sweeteners from my house. I only use honey or the right type of stevia.
Regards, Taetske
Hi there Taetske and thanks for your important comments. It is quite surprising to learn that aspartame was mentioned way back in the late last century and pilots were advised not to consume it. These warnings seemed to die a natural. Something to do with the pharmaceuticals, do you think??
I only wish more people would do as you do. This stuff is so lethal that if somebody gets ill because of it, nobody seems to make any connection. Why is that? The reason is the poor unsuspecting public are too trusting. They trust that the pharmaceutical industry would no way produce a dangerous concoction that could cause harm. They also trust that their doctors know all about aspartame and would warn their patients not to ingest it. How naive we all are. We also use honey, honey on the comb. If a sweetener has to be used it will be Stevia but I try to avoid them all.
It’s the pilots that worry me. We know how professional they are, we know how accomplished they are but still they ingest this rubbish. It must be they have no clue to its side effects. Why hasn’t anyone asked the question? Why is over 50% of aeroplane accidents put down to pilot or human error? I just cannot believe that our pilots are that incompetent, there must be another reason they are not making the right decisions and following training protocols.
Hello Ches, I am completely speechless as I read through your post. Your article is an eye opener to what is going on in the aviation industry. There is need for urgent measure that will help ascertain the mental stability of pilots before engaging in flight. There has been an increase of airplane crash and often times, no one really know the cause.
Your revelation about aspartame and diets that can trigger it off is quite revealing. With this information, I am already developing cold feet for traveling by air. You are completely right, about the need for public awareness, this will help the public make sure that pilots don’t consume diets that can trigger off aspartame. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for your valuable comments Gracen. It does make you think twice when your board your flight. I’m tempted to take a letter on board to give to the Captain such has “Have you recently ingested the neurotoxin aspartame?”, it might make them think. On the other hand, I may get thrown off the plane!! If passengers were more aware of the dangers, perhaps it would take hold and something would have to be done about it. Such as banning the pilots and crew from ingesting aspartame laced food and drink before and during a flight.
Wow! Such an informative and revealing post. I am shocked beyond words to learn that pilots are depression prone.
it’s also amazing to know that they eat and drink their way into this, through the ingestion of aspartame which causes magnesium deficiency, through the depletion of the substance.
As I was reading through, I was wondering if the mental state of any of the pilots in the Ethiopian Plane Crash, contributed to the Plane Crash? It’s just a question, I hope it doesn’t offend anybody.
Who’s to know Peace. Nobody can be offended at us pondering a possible cause of this crash. All possible causes should be investigated. So why is it that our pilots’ diet and what they recently ingested, is not investigated thoroughly too, the same as other possible causes are? Why is it over 50% of all plane crashes are caused by pilot or human error? This is a devastating number. I’m sure it can’t be all to do with incompetent pilots and engineers.
It’s quite scary to think for even a second, that your pilot may not be psychologically fit to fly the airplane at any time. I think people generally should stop consuming foods that contain aspartame because of its negative effects on our health. There are a lot of healthy foods, and I hope people change their lifestyle and make the right choices, especially people whose occupation requires high level of responsibility.
Regards
Amen to that Louis, it’s not just pilots. There are so many people in charge of so much equipment that could be dangerous if the operator had an episode or blanked out, even just for a minute or two. I wonder how many accidents that have occured could be put down to aspartame? If it came to light how aspartame can cause problems with cognition, apart from the other side effects, this news would be devestating to the pharmaceuticals who produce this poison. Think of Diet Coke, Sprite, Pepsi and other diet drinks. Think of chewing gum. What about all those no sugar products? Products with aspartame in are in the thousands. Follow the money!
I am filled with joy after reading this article. Not because the article is meant to make one happy but because someone wrote about this. To the author, nice work. Flight safety is very important and we have all seen the tragedy that comes with any crash. But no one chooses to talk about them as they die down after a while. Everyone really needs to read thia
Hi there Linus and thanks for your comments. I just wish more people knew about the dangers of this chemical concoction, it really is so dangerous, especially for those working large machinery. Piloting a plane must be one of the most critical, but how about, driving heavy trucks? We all know what rubbish food truck drivers consume. What about crane drivers and diggers etc.. The mind boggles as to what damage and deaths can be caused.
This is certainly alarming. But this problem is so widespread that we have to look at ways to change the way our medical model handles health issues such as these. I agree that addressing pilots should certainly be a priority because when we get on a plane to travel we want to know we will arrive at our destination.. alive!
There are solutions to poor nutrition. For many nutrition is the solution. One solution I found is called Nutrition Response Testing, done by practitioners across the country. I will be having second thoughts the next time I consider flying or at the very least try and meet the pilot.
Hi there Galagirl and thanks for your input and comments. You’re right, nutrition is the answer and I’m afraid the general population is getting sicker because of the lack of good foods, with an abundant supply of vitamins and minerals. I am presuming you are in the US because most medics across the UK certainly do not have the knowhow regarding nutrition; they can do nothing but prescribe prescription drugs.
Trouble is, if you’re not a doctor, nobody takes a blind bit of notice of you, despite the fact you probably know more about nutrition than your medic does, after all, they’re not taught it in college, so what can we expect! We are not born with drugs inside us but most of us die with them.
I think meeting the pilot before you fly is a great idea! We could even give him/her some information about what aspartame does to the body. Ches
As I recently took a flight, it’s definitely nerve wracking to think your pilot may not be at his best. Our bodies are a delicate balance of minerals which of course you learn as you get older and things start going out of whack. General population knowledge is the key, but with so much knowledge floating around not everyone knows what to believe and what’s just extra fluff. Keep spreading the knowledge. Great Article!
Hi Jen, you’ve hit the nail on the head about the amount of fluff floating around the web. It is difficult to sift out the wheat from the chaff! Doing as much research as possible and then disseminating it, is about the best we can do to inform the vulnerable public, who at worst have complete faith in governmental bodies such as the FDA and FAA and at best are a little suspicious of their dealings but are willing to give them the benefit of the doubt! If in doubt, research it! Ches