Food Dye and ADHD
For more than 30 years, scientists have examined the
relationship between food coloring and hyperactive behavior in children, but
with mixed results. To date, no conclusive evidence has been found to show that
food coloring causes ADHD. Some studies,
though, have suggested an association between the two. Most likely, ADHD is
caused by the combination of changes in brain structure,
environmental factors, and heredity.
A study by the United Kingdom’s Food Standards Agency in 2007
showed that the consumption of foods containing dyes could increase hyperactive
behavior in children. In the study of 3-, 8- and 9-year-olds, children were
given three different types of beverages to drink. Then their behavior was
evaluated by teachers and parents.
One of the drink mixtures contained artificial food colorings,
including:
·
Sunset yellow (E110)
·
Carmoisine (E122)
·
Tartrazine (E102)
·
Ponceau 4R (E124)
It also contained the preservative sodium benzoate. The second
drink mixture included:
·
Quinoline yellow
(E104)
·
Allura red (E129)
·
Sunset yellow
·
Carmoisine
It also had sodium benzoate. The third drink mixture was a
placebo and contained no additives.
The researchers found that hyperactive behavior by the 8- and
9-year-olds increased with both the mixtures containing artificial coloring
additives. The hyperactive behavior of 3-year-olds increased with the first
beverage but not necessarily with the second. They concluded that the results
show an adverse effect on behavior after consumption of the food dyes.
Food coloring consists of chemicals used to add color to food.
Food coloring (dye) is often added to processed foods, drinks, and condiments.
They are used to maintain or improve the appearance of the food.
Manufacturers usually add dye for the following reasons:
·
To add color to
colorless foods
·
To enhance colors
·
To avoid color loss
due to environmental elements
·
To provide consistency
when there are variations in the coloring of the food
The FDA regulates color additives to ensure
that they are safe for human consumption. Regulation also helps ensure that
foods with coloring are accurately labeled so that consumers know what they are
eating. To determine the approval of an additive, the FDA studies the
composition of it and how much is consumed and notes any health effects and
safety factors that need to be observed. Once the food dye is approved, the FDA
determines an appropriate level of use for that additive. The FDA only allows
an additive to be approved if there is a reasonable certainty of no harm to
consumers.
What is in food dye? continued...
There are two types of approved color additives - dyes and
lakes. Dyes are water-soluble and usually come in the form of powders,
granules, or liquids. Lakes are not water-soluble. They are found in products
containing fats and oils.
Some food colorings are synthetically produced. Examples of these
color additives include FD&C Blue Nos. 1 and 2 and FD&C Green No. 3.
Other food colorings come from pigments of vegetables, minerals, or animals.
Examples of these natural additives include beta-carotene, grape skin extract,
caramel color, and saffron.
Does sugar cause symptoms of ADHD?
Processed sugars and carbohydrates may have an effect on a
child’s activity level. These sugars produce a rapid increase in blood glucose levels because they enter the bloodstream so
quickly. A child may become more active due to an adrenaline rush produced by
this blood sugar spike.
Decreased activity in the child is sometimes noted as the
adrenaline levels fall. However, there has been no proof to date that sugar
actually causes ADHD.
It’s important to always consult your child’s doctor before
trying a dietary treatment for ADHD. Based on the findings of the study
discussed above, the U.K. Food Standards Agency advised parents of children with ADHD to eliminate food additives from
their diet. The Agency also encouraged companies to remove artificial
coloring from food products. In the U.S., though, the FDA still considers
artificial food colors to be safe when used properly.
Parents are encouraged to try eliminating
certain foods from their children’s diet if they feel these foods affect their
children's behavior in negative ways. Some experts theorize, though, that
behavioral changes may be noted in children following an elimination diet
simply because of a change in the way the family interacts while on the diet.
It’s also important to not be too restrictive with your child’s diet. The
reason is you want to avoid nutritional deficiencies. Dieticians and doctors
can help you devise a healthy eating plan for your children.
How does diet influence ADHD symptoms?
continued...
Ben Feingold created a popular elimination
diet designed to treat hyperactivity. This diet proposes the elimination of
artificial colorings, flavorings, and preservatives in order to decrease
hyperactivity. Some studies have disproved Feingold’s theory. Nevertheless,
many parents who have tried it have reported an improvement in their child’s
behavior.
Regardless of whether a child suffers from
ADHD, children should eat processed sugars in moderation, if at all. High-sugar
foods contribute to tooth decay, contain empty calories that can
lead to obesity, and tend to have little nutritional value.
http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/childhood-adhd/food-dye-adhd.
Retrieved November 25, 2014.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Commonly used food dyes, such as Yellow 5, Red 40, and six
others, are made from petroleum and pose a “rainbow of risks.”
Those risks include hyperactivity in children, cancer (in animal
studies), and allergic reactions. In 2008, because of the problem of
hyperactivity, the Center for Science in the Public Interest petitioned the
Food and Drug Administration to ban the use of these dyes. The British government and
European Union have
taken actions that are virtually ending the use of dyes throughout Europe.
Food dyes also serve to deceive consumers: they are often used
to simulate the presence of healthful, colorful fruits and vegetables. But
considering the adverse impact of these chemicals on children, and considering
how easily they can be replaced with safe, natural ingredients, it's time to
get rid of them altogether from the United States and Canada.
https://www.cspinet.org/fooddyes/. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
########################################################################
Is
Red 40 Food Coloring Dangerous to Your Health?
Last Updated: Oct 21, 2013 |
By Amy Long Carrera
The compound that gives vibrant
color to beverages may have negative consequences. Photo CreditJohn Foxx/Stockbyte/Getty
Images
Red food coloring is
the most commonly used dye in the U.S., according to Center for Science in the
Public Interest. It is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in
candy, cereal, baked goods, gelatin powder, drugs and cosmetics. Synthetically
derived from petroleum, the additive is also known as FD&C Red No. 40,
Allura Red and Red 40. Although most of the dye you ingest is excreted from
your body, Red 40 has potential for serious side effects, states the CSPI.
Red Light
Red 40 may cause symptoms of
hypersensitivity in some people, including swelling around the mouth, and it
may also cause hives. The colorant might contain contaminants that may
contribute to cancer in humans and could trigger hyperactivity in children. In
a handful of studies, Red 40 damaged the DNA of mice, according to the CSPI.
Go Natural
Many food products contain a mixture
of dyes that includes Red 40 and the combined effect is not well-known. Limit
your intake of Red 40 and other food dyes. Choose products that contain
paprika, beet juice, carotene, red cabbage and turmeric for coloring instead of
synthetic dyes.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/445428-is-red-40-food-coloring-dangerous-to-your-health/.
Retrieved November 25, 2014
*******************************************************************************
(WZZM) -More thanfive million
children in this country are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD), but how many of them are truly have the condition?
Research has suggested a link
between children who are hyper and appear to have ADHD and red dye #40.
Color additives have been used to
enhance our food for nearly 150 years. The federal government began to oversee
their use in the 1880's and in 1931 approved 15 dyes for food, medications, and
cosmetics. Six of those colors are still being used today.
But do you know what the base
ingredient is? It's petroleum, which is why the safety of food dyes has been
debated for nearly 80 years.
Lately the focus has been on red
dye #40. Nearly a dozen studies on red dye #40 since the 1980's show it may
have an effect on children prone to hyperactivity.
Laura Kitchen doesn't need any
research. She has seen its affects in her six year old son, Thomas.
"Heloves to play with
Lego's, he builds trucks together and builds trains," she says. "You
can leave him alone in his for a couple hours and he doesn't come down for
anything, very self-sufficient."
But Laura began to notice a
definite personality change, "He was bouncing around non-stop just
uncontrollably. Wouldn't listen wouldn't even focus on anything."
She was worried that her son may
have ADHD and took him to neuropsychologist Dr. Michael Wolff, who treats
children with hyper activity disorders. He recommended eliminating red dye #40
from Thomas' diet.
Thomas's mother noticed results
right away, "When doing that he's that sweet gentle kid all the
time." But after eating a food with red dye #40 there's a definite change.
"He just gets this really kind of aggressive look like you can see a
change in him."
As proof, Laura allowed Thomas to
eat some foods with red dye so the change could be witnessed. Before eating the
dye, Thomas calmly played with his sister. After the red dye #40, it took less
than 15 minutes before he was nearly uncontrollable, "He would say to me I
just can't control it I can't control what I do," his mom says.
Dr. Wolf viewed the video.When he
looked at the"before" video, he said, "Everything's very solid
there's no tremoring, no disorganization. He's playing with toys with good
intent."
But after watching Thomaseat red
dye #40, Wolf remarked, "He's a little bit more snide in the way that he's
looking. There's intentional pushing the limits here. A lot more animated and
aggressive."
They're classic signs of what Dr.
Wolf calls an allergic reaction, "It can cause inflammation obviously the
body is not used to taking a lot of petroleum based foods and it's something a
lot of our bodies are having to adapt to more and more."
Dr. Wolff describes that
inflammation as a disconnect along the nerves running through the brain.
"Planning, reasoning and making decisions are all areas that seem to be
influenced by areas that are sensitive to food dyes. You can see that
activation even a little more here as to how it develops that hot spot in the
right frontal part of the brain. It's too active and too engaged, it's hyper
excitable at this point."
It's the part of the brain that
is also associated with ADHD,"The primary reason may be there's more
emotion in that right side of the brain and it usually does affect children
with ADHD or possibly make them look ADHD than the average child," Dr.
Wolff says.
So why hasn't the FDA removed red
dye #40 from its list of approved food additives?
This is the statement the FDA
sent WZZM after nearly two weeks of asking for an on camera interview.
"Individual anecdotal
experiences from the elimination of a particular food item may not have been
performed in a scientific manner and that many other factors may be responsible
for any observed behavioral changes," the agency wrote.
In March of 2011, the FDA held
afood dye hearing. The advisory committee listened to arguments against the use
of food dyes as well as new research conducted on children and the effects of
food dye on their social behavior.
In the end, the advisory
committee to the FDA found insufficient evidence to support the connection
between artificial food colorings and children with ADHD. The committee asked
for more research and is currently delaying any action.
But that's not good enough for
Thomas's mom. "I don't know why the FDA even approves for dye which is
filled with chemicals to go into our food at all."
The FDA statement did not answer
that question. But red dye #40 is clearly labeled on food ingredient lists. And
Laura admits it's becoming easier to find products without it, "Almost
everywhere is doing better with going dye free."
Other countries have also taken a
look at the issue. Three years ago, the food regulatory body in the United
Kingdom forced companies using Red Dye 40 in their products to put a warning
label on the packaging letting parents know it could cause hyperactivity in
their children.
THERE’s VIDEO FOUND HERE ALSO:
http://www.wltx.com/story/news/2014/02/11/1673602/.
Retrieved November 25, 2014.
ABOUT
SUGAR:
Harmful Effects of Excess Sugar
The complex
carbohydrates found in vegetables, grains, and fruits are good for you; the
simple sugars found in sodas, candies, icings, and packaged treats can do harm,
at least when eaten in excess. It’s as simple as that. Here’s why:
Excess sugar depresses
immunity. Studies have shown that downing 75 to 100 grams of a sugar solution
(about 20 teaspoons of sugar, or the amount that is contained in two average
12-ounce sodas) can suppress the body’s immune responses. Simple sugars,
including glucose, table sugar, fructose, and honey caused a fifty- percent
drop in the ability of white blood cells to engulf bacteria. In contrast,
ingesting a complex carbohydrate solution (starch) did not lower the ability of
these white blood cells to engulf bacteria. The immune suppression was most
noticeable two hours post-ingestion, but the effect was still evident five
hours after ingestion. This research has practical implications, especially for
teens and college students who tend to overdose on sodas containing caffeine
and sugar while studying for exams or during periods of stress. Stress also
suppresses immunity, so these sugar-users are setting themselves up to get sick
at a time when they need to be well.
An overdose of sugar.
Eating or drinking 100 grams (8 tbsp.) of sugar, the equivalent of two-
and-a-half 12-ounce cans of soda, can reduce the ability of white blood cells
to kill germs by 40 percent. The immune-suppressing effect of sugar starts less
than thirty minutes after ingestion and may last for five hours. In contrast,
the ingestion of complex carbohydrates, or starches, has no effect on the
immune system.
Sugar sours behavior,
attention, and learning. Studies of the effects of sugar on children’s behavior
are as wildly contradictory as a sugar-crazed four-year-old after a birthday
party, but the general consensus is that some children and adults are
sugar-sensitive, meaning their behavior, attention span, and learning ability
deteriorate in proportion to the amount of junk sugar they consume.
Sugar promotes sugar
highs. Some persons are more sugar sensitive than others, and children may be
more sensitive than adults A study comparing the sugar response in children and
adults showed that the adrenaline levels in children remained ten times higher
than normal for up to five hours after a test dose of sugar. Studies have also
shown that some children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
react to glucose intolerance tests with a dip to low blood sugar levels. High
adrenaline levels or low blood sugar levels produce abnormal behavior. For
related topics, See
FROM SWEET TO SOUR
CHILDREN
Research suggests that
children are more sugar sensitive than adults, and the effects are more
pronounced in younger children, according to Dr. Keith Conners, author of
Feeding the Brain. This could be related to the fact that the brain grows
rapidly in the preschool years, exaggerating the effects of sugar on behavior
and learning.
In an interesting
study, researchers fed normal preschoolers a high-sugar drink, containing the
amount of sugar in the average can of soda, and compared them with children who
received a non-sugar drink. The sugar group experienced decreased learning
performance and more hyperactivity than the non-sugar group.
Some children are
sugar junkies. We’ve noted that some of our eight children have more of a sweet
tooth than others. When I’ve brought home food gifts from patients and laid
them on the kitchen table, within minutes the highly-sugared ones would be
“missing,” to be found later in Stephen’s secret stash.
Children tagged with
the ADHD label are often sugar-sensitive. There may be several reasons for
this. Hyperactive kids are impulsive and need instant gratification. They need
more energy and they need it now! Unable to curb their appetite, they overdose on
junk foods. Some studies of hyperactive children show a higher blood sugar rise
following a high sugar meal than one finds in normally active children.
Hyperactive children seem to metabolize sugar differently. In response to a
high sugar meal, hyperactive kids increase their output of the stress hormone,
cortisol, the hormone that plays an important role in regulating blood sugar
levels. Dr. Keith Conners, author of Feeding the Brain, concludes from his
original research that while the neurotransmitters in the brains of normally
active children signal the hormones to regulate blood sugar, brains of
hyperactive children do not seem to send the same signals.
While studies show
that activity levels go up in both hyperactive and normal children on high-
sugar diets, the hyperactive children also become more aggressive. Adding
protein to a high- sugar meal mellows out the behavioral and learning
deterioration. Chalk up another point for eating a balanced breakfast.
Sugar promotes
cravings. The more sugar you eat, the more sugar you want. A high sugar meal
raises the blood glucose level, which triggers the outpouring of insulin. This
excess insulin lingers in the system, triggering a craving for more sugar, thus
adding another hill to the roller coaster ride.
NUTRITIP: Three “Sweet” Beans
If you are a
sugar-sensitive person (you feel uncomfortable after a high-sugar meal), try a
three-bean salad. Kidney beans, chickpeas, and pinto beans all have low
glycemic indexes. No sugar rush – just good, steady nutrition.
Sugar promotes
obesity. People tend to eat and drink too much foods and beverages that are
sweetened with refined sugar. Foods with a high glycemic index stimulate the
production of LPL (lipoprotein lipase), the enzymes that encourage the body to
store food in fat cells. Thus, lowfat diets that contain carbohydrates with a
high glycemic index can actually cause weight gain. It’s much easier to binge
on chocolate chip cookies than fresh peaches or apples. Healthier sugars
usually come with a lot of fiber that takes up room in the stomach. All those
extra calories have to go somewhere. Your body says, “Ah, extra energy. I’ll
pack that away as fat and save it in case there’s ever a famine!” Refined
starches, such as white flour, white rice, white pasta, and corn starch are
more likely to turn into body fat than natural starches, such as whole grains
which, because they contain more fiber, are digested more slowly and raise the
blood sugar less drastically. Yes, fat will make you fat, but so will sugar.
Put them together in soda and chips or high-fat baked goods, and you can expect
to put on some pounds. So, even though fat has gotten the reputation as an
unhealthful food, excess sugars deserve an equal reputation.
Sugar promotes
diabetes. While the risk of developing diabetes lies more in the genes than in
the diet, the old grandmother’s tale that too much sugar causes diabetes does
have scientific support.
Sugar promotes heart
disease. When bears are storing up body fat for their long winter hibernation,
they consume lots and lots of carbohydrates. When you eat excess carbohydrates,
your body turns these sugars into fat. The body stores excesses of most
nutrients as a safeguard against starvation. If you eat more carbohydrates than
you can burn off, the excess is stored as fats. People who eat too much sugar
tend to have higher blood tryglycerides, and this increases the risk of
cardiovascular disease.
Retrieved November 25,
2014.
Other Websites regarding sugar are abundant:
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/negative-effects-refined-sugar-children-7164.html.
Retrieved November 25, 2014.
States the following:
Hyperactivity
Sugar
has not been proven to cause attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. However,
in a review of literature in the "Journal of Alternative Medicine
Review" in 2000, Dr. Parris Kidd reported that sugar consumption
contributes to the aggravation of the symptoms of ADHD, including hyperactivity,
aggression and destructive behavior. Further, she noted that children who were
fed a diet of less than 6 grams of refined sugars daily had an improvement of
symptoms.
Malnutrition
Despite
the fact that many children who consume excessive amounts of sugar are
overweight, they may still be malnourished. Foods high in sugars provide empty
calories. Empty calories are calories that provide little to no nutritional
value. Children who fill up on empty calories are likely to miss essential
nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, that would be provided
by a nutrient-dense meal. This may lead to malnutrition and nutrient
deficiencies.
__________________________________________________________________
“The findings
are disturbing since the amounts of dyes found in even single servings of
numerous foods — or combinations of several dyed foods — are higher than the
levels demonstrated in some clinical trials to impair some children’s
behavior,” read the statement from CSPI. (These are the same folks that first
alerted us in the 1990s to how many calories were in our favorite Chinese food
dishes and movie theater popcorn.)
“...Another study she and
her colleagues published in the same journal last year measured the amount of
food dye in beverages finding the highest amounts — an average of 15 to 25 mg
per 8-ounce serving — in Orange Crush, Powerade, and Kool-Aid.”
Americans eat
an average of 62 mg a day of these artificial food dyes, according to FDA data,
up from 12 mg per day in 1950.
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