DUDU MIXED FRUIT DRINK AND TIARA ORANGE INSTANT FLAVOUR A CAUSE OF CONCERN FOR PHENYLKETONURICS

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June 6, 2017

By

Jonah Bilyaminu

If you have been drinking Dudu without reading the label then you may be killing yourself. Dudu fruit mixed drink may be a serious health concern. Even though, this fruit drink may not be a health concern to many. I think is high time we know what we are drinking and eating.
After taking dudu and tiara orange instant flavor for some time I realize that my body system has changed, I decided to check the label, and I saw this “Caution: contains Aspartame, a source of phenylalanine” “not to be used by persons who have Phenylketonuria as it contains a source of phenylalanine”. It is clear on tiara but that of dudu didn’t say anything much. At first it look like everything is ok but when I started making research on phenylalanine I then found a lot of information that could be a serious health challenge to many people in our category.

Even though phenylalanine occurs naturally in many protein-rich foods, such as milk, nuts, beans, legumes and meat. It isn’t a health concern for most people. However, for people who have the genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) or certain other health conditions, phenylalanine can be a serious health concern. Research shows that phenylalanine can cause mental retardation, brain damage, seizures and other problems in people with PKU.
Some researchers claim that the amino acid phenylalanine is a natural muscle relaxer and sleep aid. I’ve heard a rumor that this could be why turkey, which is a high phenylalanine food, always seems to make people sleepy (in addition to the amino acid tryptophan, which is also a natural sleep aid). For people without PKU or other metabolic disorders, it is very important to eat a balanced diet, and this certainly includes high protein (high phenylalanine) foods.
Federal regulations require that any food that contains aspartame bear this warning: “Phenylketonurics: Contains phenylalanine.” This warning helps people with PKU avoid products that are a source of phenylalanine.
Dr. Tracy L. Beck, Ph.D. (2016) wrote that; “Phenylketonurics” is the term used to refer to people that have the metabolic disorder (Phenylketonuria, or PKU for short). Just like how the word “diabetics” refers to people that have “diabetes”, “phenylketonurics” refers to the people that have “phenylketonuria”. She is one of those suffering from phenylketonurics and the warning on diet soda cans is included merely to inform people like her that the product contains the synthetic chemical ASPARTAME.
Phenylketonuria is a genetic metabolic disorder that results when the PKU gene is inherited from both parents. People with PKU have a deficiency of an enzyme which is necessary for the proper metabolism of an amino acid called Phenylalanine (i.e., the component in diet soda included in the warning). Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid and it is found in nearly all foods which contain protein: meat (of all kinds), dairy products, nuts, beans etc.
In addition, phenylalanine is found in aspartame, the sweetener found in most diet soft drinks and sugar-free candies/gum – hence the need for the warning on the labels of these products. Those people that have PKU must follow a strict “low protein” diet to avoid all food sources that have high phenylalanine content as Dr. Tracy advised. Aspartame has phenylalanine as an ingredient, but is itself a completely different chemical. It is believed that aspartame can cause a wide range of side effects – from stomach problems, to headaches, nausea and skin rashes. This chemical is considered to be very unsafe by many people (including medical professionals).
If phenylketonurics did not follow a strict low protein diet, phenylalanine is not adequately digested in their bodies and it builds up in our blood in the form of an acid called phenylpyruvic acid. High levels of phenylpyruvic acid damage the brain and can cause an array of side effects – mental retardation, the loss of pigmentation in the skin/hair/eyes (people with untreated PKU often have light skin, blond hair and blue eyes), a “mousy” or musty odor, muscle aches and pains and in extreme cases, even seizures. Depending on the severity of the PKU, babies who were not treated for the disorder and put on the special diet at birth run the risk of suffering irreversible mental
If you don’t have PKU, you probably don’t need to worry about harmful health effects of phenylalanine — with certain important exceptions. Aspartame in large doses can cause a rapid increase in the brain levels of phenylalanine. Because of this, use products with aspartame cautiously if you:

• Take certain medications, such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors, neuroleptics or medications that contain levodopa
• Have tardive dyskinesia (a muscle movement disorder)
• Have a sleep disorder, anxiety disorder or other mental health condition; phenylalanine may worsen feelings of anxiety and jitteriness

If you aren’t sure if phenylalanine or aspartame is a concern for you, talk to your doctor. A blood test to determine if you have PKU is available.
This article is not aim at making a fuss of Dudu mixed fruit drink and Tiara orange instant flavour but it is to enlighten the customers on the caution signs found on the labels of these products. I am not a medical practitioner. Please, see your medical doctor before making any decision.