For parents searching for explanations about why their children are hyperactive, one answer might be in the food pantry.
As the The Washington Post reports, two studies sponsored by the British government in recent years have linked some artificial food dyes, and a preservative, to the affliction.
The British government responded in 2009 by urging food manufacturers to stop using six food dyes. And now a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel will meet Wednesday and Thursday to discuss the issue.
Some experts say that the possible connection between food dyes and children’s behavior warrants serious concern. “There are sometimes nine different dyes in a food product,” Laura Anderko of the Georgetown University Medical Center told the Post. “Moms and dads will say, ‘Here’s a fruit roll-up — that must be healthy.’ But it’s filled with dyes. And emerging science suggests it’s a harm to children.”
Others, however, are less convinced. “At first glance, a study may appear to show an association, but when you consider other important factors that could be responsible for the results, such as gender, maternal education level, pretrial diet and other factors, it becomes impossible to affirm that the change in behavior was due to food colors,” said Keith Ayoob, director of the nutrition clinic at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City.
Dyes often are associated with vividly colored products aimed at children such as Kool-Aid, but they are widely used, common in bagels, pickles and many other foods.
Many food companies dismiss the concerns. “All of the major safety bodies globally have reviewed the available science and have determined that there is no demonstrable link between artificial food colors and hyperactivity among children,” the Grocery Manufacturers Association said in a statement.
Some major food producers, however, already are making changes. Frito-Lay, for example, has eliminated artificial coloring in 60 of its snacks.
There is some precedent in restricting the dyes. The FDA banned Red Dye No. 2, which was used in food and cosmetics, in 1976 over cancer concerns. In 1990, it also prohibited Red No. 3 after it was linked to cancer in laboratory mice, although that ban applied to cosmetics and medicine, not food.
I can say without this study. My son was truly the most well behaved child you could ask for until I started giving him Kool Ade thinking I could manage his sugar intake. Well the sugar was the least of the problem. Upon drinking it he was a wild man, running around banging his head, trying to bite. It was as if he had a split personality. I thought maybe terrible 2′s were setting in. He went to my Mom’s to visit for a few weeks. At the end of 3 days my Mom called to say I needed to come get him that he was out of control. I said take his favorite thing away until he straightens up. That thing was popsicles, after 3 days he was back to normal. With the first popsicle he was out of control again. From that day he was not allowed to have anything with dye in it. In fact he would say I can’t have that Mommy because it is yuk and makes me mean. I also restricted my daugter, although as they got older they would sneak it and I always knew based on their mood and behavior. I honestly believe Adderall would be out of business if these dyes were removed from food.
For 50 years I have suffered from migraines and could never link a food to them because it takes 36-40 hours from ingesting the food with red dye in it until I had the migraine. If really bad, I would have nausea, excessive bowel movements and always pain on the left side of my head for days unless I take a very expensive vasoconstrictor type drug. I finally linked it to Wendy’s Chili after several episodes and investigating what was in their chili. I made a complaint at their web site. Upon discovering the red 40 connection I have found so many foods that a person would not dream would have red dye in them like chocolate ice cream and chocolate candy and all candy and gum. I read every label and ingredient now and have cut back on my migraines. However, it is hard to find dye free prescription meds and over the counter ones also. I believe that they are sneaking it into things like cranberry sauce and some canned pasta sauces and are not putting it on the labels because I have had reactions to them recently. Maybe the manufacturer is getting some of the ingredients from another source that might spray his cranberries with dye to make them look fresher to sell better. I have found that some apples are done this way. Or maybe the tomato puree that is listed in a sauce is bought from another source that does add red 40. Is the final canning company obligated by law to list dye 40 only if he puts it in and is not obligated if a vendor from whom he buys ingredients puts it in initially? I think dyes in our foods should be eliminated and will finally be found to cause as much illness and misery as cigarettes have. I now consider any thing that has been commercially prepared and is red to be off limits but one can not go by color of the end product alone. We must read the labels. I no longer eat out much since you just never know what the ingredients are.
No one needs dye in the things they ingest. Surely we are smart enough to know they cause problems in so many ways to so many people.
My son struggled immensly with hyperactivity and impulse control. I read a book in the mid-nineties by Dr. Doris Rapp called “Is This Your Child” where she focuses on the realtionship between food coloring and cerbral allergies. Following her suggestions I tested my son and saw dramatic chages in his behavior when diet was controlled and and food dyres were systematically ingested.
She expalins that the brain is a physiological part of the body just as skin and eyes . If skin can develop hives and eyes and tear and noses can run, why can’t offending foods and chemicals cause physiological changes in the brain as well? Following this philosophy I was able to make dramatic changs in my son’s life.
It is unfortanate that it has taken so long for this to become worhy of national . I was ade fun and even told I was crazy by educational people of the day. Doctors told me it was all anecdotal. I knew my son and I saw real changes.
This research needs to move forward. As a teacher I see more and more children suffer each day. I is an injustice created by food companies falsely creating appearances of food that are unwilling to make more natural choices. it all boils down to profit.