Effect of aspartame plus monosodium L-glutamate ingestion on plasma and erythrocyte amino acid levels in normal adult subjects fed a high protein meal.

It has been suggested that aspartame addition to meals already containing large amounts of monosodium L-glutamate would result in an early rapid rise in plasma glutamate and/or aspartate concentrations and increase the potential for dicarboxylic amino acid-induced toxicity. Six normal adult subjects were fed hamburger and milk shake meals providing protein at 1 g/kg body weight in a randomized cross-over design. One meal had no additions while the other contained added monosodium L-glutamate and aspartame (each present at 34 mg/kg body weight). The addition of aspartame plus glutamate had little effect on either plasma or erythrocyte concentrations of glutamate or aspartate beyond those arising from the meal itself. Plasma phenylalanine concentrations were significantly higher (p less than 0.05, paired t test) after ingestion of meals containing aspartame plus glutamate reflecting the increased phenylalanine load.