Vivanco 1

Carlos Vivanco

Mr. Powers

ENGL 1302

6 Feb. 2023

The Body is a Temple

Introduction:

For many people, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar has become an everyday necessity. Compared to Coca-

Cola Diet, Zero Sugar provides a taste that is closer to Coca-Cola Original. However, many diet

sodas have the same ingredient that provides its sweet taste: aspartame. Despite its popularity,

many researchers have begun questioning the health effects of consuming aspartame daily.

Background:

The consumption of aspartame in diet sodas has been a popular topic of controversy, with many

opinions on its effects on health. There are some studies that suggest a connection between

consuming aspartame and the development of allergies, including skin problems (Czarnecka et al.,

2021). The purpose of this study is to examine the potential benefits and drawbacks of reducing

aspartame intake in Coca-Cola Zero Sugar.

Methods:

A multi-faceted approach will be taken to achieve the goal of this study, including a review of

peer-reviewed studies and a personal experiment. The peer-reviewed studies will provide an in-

depth examination of the scientifically proven effects of aspartame in sodas on the body. The

personal experiment will involve replacing soda with healthier alternatives, such as water and

natural fruit juices, and using a visual discomfort scale to measure mood, energy, and functional

skills over a three-day period.

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Previous Studies:

A recent study by Chen et al. (2022) found that aspartame consumption may lead to mitochondrial

disorder-induced impaired ovarian function and increase infertility risk. However, Czarnecka et

al. (2021) conducted a narrative review of the safety analysis of aspartame and concluded that

aspartame is safe for general use. On the other hand, a study by Amin et al. (2018) investigated

the effects of chronic aspartame consumption on Parkinsonism in mice and found that aspartame

may have negative effects on the nervous system.

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Works Cited:

Amin, Shaimaa Nasr, et al. "Effects of Chronic Aspartame Consumption on MPTP-induced

Parkinsonism in Male and Female Mice." Archives of Physiology & Biochemistry, vol.

124, no. 4, Oct. 2018.

Anbara, Hojat, et al. "Long-term Effect of Aspartame on Male Reproductive System: Evidence

for Testicular Histomorphometrics, Hsp70-2 Protein Expression and Biochemical

Status." International Journal of Fertility & Sterility, vol. 14, no. 2, 2020, p. 86-93.

Chen, Yang-Ching, et al. "Aspartame Consumption, Mitochondrial Disorder-Induced Impaired

Ovarian Function, and Infertility Risk." International Journal of Molecular Sciences, vol.

23, no. 21, Nov. 2022.

Czarnecka, Kamila et al. “Aspartame-True or False? Narrative Review of Safety Analysis of

General Use in Products.” Nutrients vol. 13,6 1957. 7 Jun. 2021.