Talk to me about Aspartame and Talcum Powder

fastwunz · 18 Sep 2018 at 18:40

So, when I was a kid my dad covered me in Imperial Leather talc after every bath. Doesn’t seem to have done me any harm. He still uses it to this day. Stud.

I love cherry Pepsi. It’s got Aspartame in it. My mother in law literally looses control of her bowels when she sees me drinking it by virtue of the fact that the Aspartame will give me cancer apparently.

Can someone please tell me if either of the above will indeed cause my head to explode?

On Holiday · 18 Sep 2018 at 18:40

fastwunz · 18 Sep 2018 at 18:42

WoodyUK said:
Only if mixed together at the same time. Just look at coke and mentos.

Interesting

Rroff · 18 Sep 2018 at 18:48

Not aware that in food level dosage Aspartame has any meaningful carcinogenic properties - very very very high doses might but you'd have some quite significant other problems first.

Some people (properly not surprising) appear to have lower tolerance/higher sensitivity to Aspartame which can cause some minor issues* like more frequent migraines, etc. some flat out deny it but personally I think it is quite likely that some have poor tolerance to it - I have quite bad sensitivity to certain E numbers that most people can consume without any noticeable problems.

Talc I have no idea.

* Relatively speaking - migraines are pretty horrible :s

Chojin · 18 Sep 2018 at 18:54

Aspartame is known to cause oxidative stress, which is linked to pretty much every health problem. I haven't read anything about head exploding, but why voluntarily consume it?

aardvark · 18 Sep 2018 at 18:55

they are both fine, there is no evidence of them causing anything bad.

fastwunz · 18 Sep 2018 at 18:55

Chojin said:
Aspartame is known to cause oxidative stress, which is linked to pretty much every health problem. I haven't read anything about head exploding, but why voluntarily consume it?

Kinda like Pepsi

bowey · 18 Sep 2018 at 19:09

Until your snorting lines of crushed up welding rods or asbestos I wouldn't worry.

Destination · 18 Sep 2018 at 19:20

Talc was demonstrated to have carcinogenic properties iirc.
Lots of stuff has.
As ever, suggestion is where possible to avoid risk, avoid risk, if not minimise it.

Jokester · 18 Sep 2018 at 19:24

There isn't any credible body of evidence that suggests either have any long term health implications when used in quantities they are normally used in.

They are both firmly in the "May cause cancer" bracket, like pretty much every other compound/chemical not shown to actually cause cancer.

randomshenans · 18 Sep 2018 at 19:25

Why not use talc made from rice? We did for our kids.

Hades · 18 Sep 2018 at 19:30

Talc apparently does have carcagenic properties. My mum used it on me as a baby to stop nappy rash. A few years ago I had testicular cancer. Probably not related but you never know and there's no history of it in my family.

Orionaut · 18 Sep 2018 at 19:32

Talc is fine if you are a Boy, However it is likley to be very bad indeed if you are a Girl!

Ayahuasca · 18 Sep 2018 at 19:34

Inhaling oxygen is carcinogenic so better stop breathing bro.

Skorpion · 18 Sep 2018 at 19:38

Johnson & Johnson had to pay out millions in a lawsuit because a woman in the states got ovarian cancer using talc.

Steampunk · 18 Sep 2018 at 19:51

Talc is mined, and it forms next to rocks that tend to contain asbestos. A lot of talc was contaminated with asbestos particles. It's only fairly recently that it was filtered out, or replaced with other powders like rice or corn. Even after the rules were made stricter in 1973 in the US, Johnson & Johnson were found to have asbestos contamination from their mine in Vermont.

Irish_Tom · 18 Sep 2018 at 19:53

I seem to recall the Aspartame study that linked it to cancer gave rats extremely high doses.

If you extrapolate the amount up to human size, you’re talking an absolute **** load of Aspartame before it actually becomes harmful.

I tend not to consume things that contain Aspartame, but that’s not because they contain it.

Minstadave · 18 Sep 2018 at 19:56

Skorpion said:
Johnson & Johnson had to pay out millions in a lawsuit because a woman in the states got ovarian cancer using talc.

I thought they got away with it because the cancer samples were all handled by people wearing talc coated gloves. Though I remember seeing it pop up in the news more recently.

Flibster · 18 Sep 2018 at 20:07

Skorpion said:
Johnson & Johnson had to pay out millions in a lawsuit because a woman in the states got ovarian cancer using talc.

Than name alone indicates what area is it for. It's not Johnson and Lady Garden...

But the lawsuit was strange, FDA and J&J showed there was no asbestos in the talc, no evidence for years... but apparently that's what caused the ovarian cancer. Flawed testing methods, therefore guilty. $4.7bn in damages.

Somnambulist · 18 Sep 2018 at 20:07

Basically, there's no evidence that occasional consumption of artificial calorie-free sweeteners has any adverse effects. It's one of the most heavily studied food additives in existence. I wouldn't endorse drinking as much Pepsi Max Cherry as you can every day, but in the grand scheme of things there doesn't seem to be any harm in enjoying some now and then, particularly if you're weening yourself off drinking the full sugar equivalents in an attempt to reduce your caloric intake.

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/aspartame-facts/

And for something more fun which you should read.