Is Maxalt MLT REALLY safe since it contains Phenylalanine?

Question

I have been given a trial sample of 10 Maxalt MLT by my doctor to treat my intense headaches but after reading the ingredients... this medicine contains Phenylalanine which is a component of the unsafe Aspartame. I was just wondering how safe this product really is given that Aspartame is known to be cancerous or cancer causing over time. Originally back in the day (1970's) when Aspartame was created... the FDA wouldn't approve it due to the cancer causing effects of the product but yet due to Republican politicians in the early 1980's... it found it's way to being FDA approved and available to the public in various ways.

Answer 1

Actually, Phenylalanine is a perfectly safe Amino Acid that is used in a few "bad things" on the market. It's used as an ingredient in Aspartame and in antifreeze... but that doesn't make the Amino Acid itself bad. It's like if I put Vitamin C in some biological warfare chemical that killed entire cities... does that make Vitamin C itself bad?

There is unfortunately a lot of misguided (or at least misinformed) press out there that has said that Phenylalanine is bad for a few reasons (especially those I mentioned above), but it's actually very good for mood support, mental function, and joint health... plus, you'll find it as a natural component of many proteins ;-)