Friend and notable "toxicoligist" Mark Schauss just sent this out to his subscribers- part of a great report on food dyes.
Before you read the notes on each dye below, I'm pasting in the ingredients of a popular
BCAA drink:
L-Leucine, L-Glutamine, L-Valine, L-Isoleucine, Natural And Artificial Flavors, Citric Acid, Citrulline Malate, Acesulfame Potassium, Sucralose, Pyridoxine HCL, Yellow #5, And Green #3.
SuperPump Drink:
Citric Acid, Malic Acid, Natural And Artificial Flavor, Lecithin(Soybean), Xanthan Gum, Acesulfame Potassium, Sucralose, Red #40, Silica
Creatine Punch:
Laboratory-Tested, HPLC-Certified Dextrose, Natural And Artificial Flavors, Citric Acid, Beta-Cyclodextrin, Calcium Silicate, Gum Blend (Modified Food Starch, Gum Arabic, Titanium Dioxide, Tricalcium Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid), Red Color Flecks (FD&C Red No. 40, Gum Arabic), Sodium Citrate, FD&C Red No. 40.
Do you really believe that a Paleo diet w/ natural supplements (fish oils, vitamins, HCL), hard training and planned recuperation could not rival the results of the above supplements without the health risks ?? Please read the report below:
Food dyes, synthesized originally from coal tar and now petroleum, have long been controversial.
Many dyes have been banned because of their adverse effects on laboratory animals.
This report finds that many of the nine currently approved dyes raise health concerns.
Blue 1 was not found to be toxic in key rat and mouse studies, but an unpublished study suggested the possibility that Blue 1 caused kidney tumors in mice, and a preliminary in vitro study raised questions about possible effects on nerve cells. Blue 1 may not cause cancer, but confirmatory studies should be conducted. The dye can cause hypersensitivity reactions.
Blue 2 cannot be considered safe given the statistically significant incidence of tumors, particularly brain gliomas, in male rats. It should not be used in foods.
Citrus Red 2, which is permitted only for coloring the skins of oranges not used for processing, is toxic to rodents at modest levels and caused tumors of the urinary bladder and possibly other organs. The dye poses minimal human risk, because it is only used at minuscule levels and only on orange peels, but it still has no place in the food supply.
Green 3 caused significant increases in bladder and testes tumors in male rats. Though the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers it safe, this little-used dye must remain suspect until further testing is conducted.Orange B is approved for use only in sausage casings, but has not been used for many years. Limited industry testing did not reveal any problems.
Red 3 was recognized in 1990 by the FDA as a thyroid carcinogen in animals and is banned in cosmetics and externally applied drugs. All uses of Red 3 lakes (combi- nations of dyes and salts that are insoluble and used in low-moisture foods) are also banned. However, the FDA still permits Red 3 in ingested drugs and foods, with about 200,000 pounds of the dye being used annually. The FDA needs to revoke that approval.
Red 40, the most-widely used dye, may accelerate the appearance of immune-system tumors in mice. The dye causes hypersensitivity (allergy-like) reactions in a small number of consumers and might trigger hyperactivity in children. Considering the safety questions and its non-essentiality, Red 40 should be excluded from foods unless and until new tests clearly demonstrate its safety.
Yellow 5 was not carcinogenic in rats, but was not adequately tested in mice. It may be contaminated with several cancer-causing chemicals. In addition, Yellow 5 causes severe hypersensitivity reactions in a small number of people and might trigger hyperactivity and other behavioral effects in children. Posing some risks, while serving no nutritional or safety purpose, Yellow 5 should not be allowed in foods.
Yellow 6 caused adrenal tumors in animals, though that is disputed by industry and the FDA. It may be contaminated with cancer-causing chemicals and occasionally causes severe hypersensitivity reactions. Yellow 6 adds an unnecessary risk to the food supply.
Phenomenal physiques and performance noteworthy athletes appeared long before the advent of these supplements. . . and they're still around . . quite healthy because of it !
