{"id":61823,"date":"2023-12-01T15:27:04","date_gmt":"2023-12-01T20:27:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=61823"},"modified":"2024-10-25T10:23:55","modified_gmt":"2024-10-25T14:23:55","slug":"red-40-side-effects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/red-40-side-effects\/","title":{"rendered":"Red 40 side effects and how to avoid them"},"content":{"rendered":"

Red Dye 40 has been used for years as a popular synthetic food additive derived from petroleum and oils. Manufacturers add Red Dye 40 to products to make it more visually appealing to consumers and because it is <\/span>more stable<\/span><\/a> than natural food coloring. It is found in a variety of food products, drinks, cosmetics, vitamins, and <\/span>over-the-counter medicines<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Red Dye 40 is among the most commonly used artificial food dyes in the United States, and you might see it labeled under a different name on the products you consume. Alternative names include Red 40, Red No. 40, Red 40 Lake, Allura Red AC, FD&C Red No. 40 Aluminum Lake, and FD&C Red No. 40. Regardless of what manufacturers label it as, there have been ties to specific negative side effects when ingested too frequently.<\/span><\/p>\n

The controversy surrounding Red Dye 40<\/span><\/h2>\n

The <\/span>U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)<\/span><\/a> certifies the Red Dye 40 as safe for human consumption. Apart from Red Dye 40, there are eight other certified color additives approved for use in food by the FDA: Blue No. 1, Blue No. 2, Green No. 3, Orange B, Red No.2, Red No.3, Yellow No.5, and Yellow No.6.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite being considered safe for consumption, there has been speculation about its safety among consumers—specifically in regard to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. The FDA has denied any link between the two for years. In 2011, <\/span>the agency reported that it could not establish a relationship<\/span><\/a> between color additives and hyperactivity in children in the general population. It did admit, however, that behavior among certain susceptible children with ADHD and other behavioral problems could be exacerbated by color additives such as Red 40. The FDA <\/span>maintained this stance<\/span><\/a> in 2019 after its <\/span>Food Advisory Committee (FAC)<\/span><\/a> reviewed the available evidence on color additives like Red 40 and their impact on children’s behavior. <\/span><\/p>\n

However, because certain studies suggest that some children may be more sensitive to color additives than others, the FDA recommended that parents check food labels for the ingredient list and avoid foods that contain additives that are triggering for their children. In Europe, foods containing artificial dyes such as Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 come with a warning label that the dyes may adversely affect attention and activity in children.<\/span><\/p>\n

Common side effects of Red 40 Dye<\/span><\/h2>\n

According to <\/span>clinical research<\/span><\/a>, Red 40 can cause hypersensitivity reactions—<\/span>exaggerated or inappropriate immunologic responses to an antigen or allergen<\/span><\/a>. While these reactions vary in nature, one commonly reported hypersensitivity reaction is ADHD. Cancer-causing carcinogens like benzidine have also been identified as contaminants in Red Dye 40.<\/span><\/p>\n

Red Dye 40 and ADHD<\/span><\/h3>\n

ADHD<\/span><\/a> is a neurodevelopmental disorder that often begins in childhood and may continue into adulthood. Symptoms include attention difficulty, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. It was in 1973 that Dr. Benjamin Feingold presented a hypothesis at the annual meeting of the American Medical Association suggesting that hyperactivity in children could be linked to the consumption of artificial food coloring, according to <\/span>an article published in the journal <\/span>Neurotherapeutics<\/span><\/i><\/a>. But his suggestions were dismissed. Feingold also observed that symptoms of hyperactivity improved when those color additives were removed from his patients’ diets. A clinical trial published in <\/span>The American Journal of Psychiatry<\/span><\/i><\/a> supports those findings. <\/span><\/p>\n

However, artificial food colors like Red Dye 40 aren’t the primary causes of ADHD, according to the journal <\/span>Neurotherapeutics<\/span><\/i>, though they may trigger some of its symptoms. This was seen in the <\/span>, which consisted of 297 patients ages 3–9 who were classified across different ranges of hyperactivity. When the children ingested drinks containing a combination of various color additives (including Red Dye 40, also known as Allura red AC), they experienced a significant increase in hyperactivity.<\/span><\/p>\n

A comprehensive 2021 report by California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)<\/span><\/a> found a relationship between the consumption of synthetic food dyes, such as Red Dye 40, and adverse behavior problems in children with and without an existing behavior disorder.<\/span><\/p>\n

Red Dye 40 and cancer<\/span><\/h3>\n

One of the ingredients found in Red Dye 40, benzidine, is a carcinogen. <\/span>Studies<\/span><\/a> suggest that long-term exposure to benzidine may increase the risk of bladder cancer. Benzidine was initially used to produce azodyes in the leather, textile, and paper industries. It is not currently produced in the United States, but it may be imported from other countries.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the moment, there’s no conclusive evidence on the relationship between Red Dye 40 and cancer, and the <\/span>FDA<\/span><\/a> maintains that it has not approved any color additive found to cause cancer in animals or humans. <\/span><\/p>\n

Other Red Dye 40 side effects<\/span><\/h3>\n

Cleveland Clinic<\/span><\/a> shares other potential side effects of Red Dye 40 that include:<\/span><\/p>\n