Scientists warn that a food coloring found in dozens of family snacks can cause serious intestinal disease.
Red 40, also known as Allura Red, is found in several popular candies, sodas and chips – including Doritos, Skittles and Pepsi – as well as baked goods and cake mixes.
However, researchers at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada found that the additive can impair the gut’s ability to absorb nutrients, water and electrolytes, increasing a person’s risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease.
They say this depletion of the body’s defenses can make people more susceptible to ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
While the study was conducted on mice, the researchers say the results are extrapolable to people in Western countries, whose diets are typically high in dyes.
Red 40, also known as Allura Red, is found in several popular candies, soft drinks and chips – including Doritos, Skittles and Pepsi – as well as baked goods and cake mixes
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Chief researcher Dr. Waliul Khan said: “These findings have important implications for the prevention and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.”
He added: “What we found is striking and alarming, as this common synthetic food coloring is a possible dietary trigger for IBDs.”
The results were published in the journal Nature Communications.
Inflammatory bowel diseases, such as colitis and Crohn’s disease, a chronic condition that causes inflammation in the digestive tract, affect an estimated three million Americans.
A major caveat of the study, however, is that one’s diet must contain more than the recommended amount of Red 40 to see the kind of results reported in the mice.
Mice that consumed Red 40 only sporadically did not experience increased cases of colitis, suggesting that only people who occasionally consume food or drink containing Red 40 are affected.
The use of food coloring has increased over the past 100 years, but little research has been done on its effects on the gut.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) limits the amount of food coloring in food and cosmetics and sets the recommended daily limit at 7 mg/kg body weight.
Yet the chemicals in the dyes have been linked to numerous ailments.
As part of their study, the McMaster scientists gave mouse models Allura Red dye in their meals for 12 weeks.
They found that the additive increased the production of serotonin in the colon and disrupted gut bacteria, leading to cases of colitis, a chronic condition that causes stomach ulcers and ulcers in the digestive tract.
Serotonin – also known as the “happiness hormone” – is often referred to for its effects on the brain. Low hormone levels are usually a factor in people with depression.
But it is actually the gut that is responsible for producing 95 percent of all serotonin in the body.
In the intestine, serotonin regulates the normal rhythmic movement of the intestinal muscle and helps to move the intestinal contents. It is also responsible for the absorption of nutrients, electrolytes and water.
The researchers looked for several common synthetic dyes in a model of human enterochromaffin (EC) cells.
It affects the colon and rectum and can cause a variety of problems related to inflammation, including abdominal pain and bloating, diarrhea, dehydration and dehydration.
Dr Khan said: “The literature suggests that consumption of Allura Red also affects certain allergies, immune disorders and behavioral problems in children, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.”
Studies have suggested a link between food coloring consumption and hyperactivity in children.
An April 2021 analysis of studies commissioned by the state of California reported that out of a total of 25 studies on the topic, 16 showed a link between food coloring and neurobehavioral problems, “specifically an exacerbation of attention problems, such as in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Other Behavioral Consequences”.
Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 contain benzidine, a human and animal carcinogen that is allowed in paint at low, presumably safe, levels.
The FDA calculated in 1985 that taking free benzidine increases the risk of cancer to just below the “concern” threshold, or 1 cancer in 1 million people.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
