Introduction
Flavoring agent sweeter than sugar, metabolized as phenylalanine and aspartic acid.
Uses
Used as a diet supplement and sugar substitute.
Associated Conditions
Pharmacodynamics
Sugar Free Gold Tablet 100 mg (L-alpha-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester) is a low-calorie sweetener used to sweeten a wide variety of low- and reduced-calorie foods and beverages, including low-calorie tabletop sweeteners. Sugar Free Gold Tablet 100 mg is composed of two amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylalanine, as the methyl ester. Aspartic acid and phenylalanine are also found naturally in protein containing foods, including meats, grains and dairy products. Methyl esters are also found naturally in many foods such as fruits and vegetable and their juices. Upon digestion, aspartame breaks down into three components (aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol), which are then absorbed into the blood and used in normal body processes. Neither aspartame nor its components accumulates in the body. These components are used in the body in the same ways as when they are derived from common foods.
Mechanism of Action
180 to 200 times sweeter than sucrose, it is metabolized as a protein and its subsequent amino-acids used up in there respective mechanisms.
Absorption
Absorbed in the small intestine, aspartame is metabolized and absorbed very quickly.
Half Life
At room temperature, aspartame is most stable at pH 4.3, where its half-life is nearly 300 days. At pH 7, its half-life is shortened to only a few days.
Toxicity
Mild gastrointestinal side effects including diarrhea have been reported.
