Woman 'poisoned' by chewing gum

Moderation, moderation, moderation. Almost anything -- even the most seemingly innocuous habits -- can be disastrous when taken to excess.

Abigail Cormack almost learned that the hard way. She started having severe muscle cramps, tingling in her hands and feet, heart palpitations, anxiety attacks, depression, skin rashes and insomnia. It was so bad that she had to take time off work -- and, at one point, feared she was having a heart attack.

Despite the best attempts by doctors to diagnose the problem, Cormack continued to suffer until she discovered an website that suggested her problems might be the result of aspartame poisoning. Aspartame, she discovered, is used in 5000 foods and beverages -- including chewing gum.

Cormack had been chewing up to four packs of chewing gum every day for years, so she stopped the habit, and within 24 hours, her symptoms disappeared.

While no study has formally linked the compounds found in aspartame to any serious side effects (even in large daily doses), some people are more susceptible to allergic reactions, and -- theoretically -- could experience the same symptoms.

That said, even Cormack admits her habit was "excessive."