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...What if his adhd symptoms are caused by crystal light and red 40 food coloring. Does any of you ever heard about this before?
To address the specific question asked:
There is no evidence at all, that red 40 causes adhd.
There are bits of evidence that red 40 can make a kid who already has adhd, experience the traits of adhd, more significantly, than if that kid hadn't been ingesting red 40. The evidence is not solid enough to draw any conclusions, however; it's sketchy, and there's a lot of room for error - such as, a lot of foods that kids eat, that also contain red 40, also happen to contain sweeteners of one sort or another. So it's possible that it's ingesting sweeteners - anything that would trigger an insulin response - and that it isn't the dye at all. Or, it's possible, that it's the combination of the dye and the sweetener, and by itself, the dye isn't nefarious at all. Or, it's possible that there's something else entirely going on, and it's completely coincidental.
You could eliminate red 40, but it'd be a lot easier to eliminate artificial flavorings and artificial sweeteners. If you want your kid to have a sweetened drink, let him have some fresh-squeezed lemonaid sweetened with honey instead of sugar, or agave. Sugar isn't the enemy with kids who have adhd. It's *loading them up with sugar* that's the enemy.
Unfortunately, many kids drink Crystal Light. The studies show that it is just not red 40 that causes kids to get wired, all the FD&C dyes do this. They are made from petroleum. The UK and EU require warning labels on foods if they have artificial dyes. There's even a support group for parents The Feingold Diet Program for ADHD and a facebook page - Feingold Association.
When my son was about four and totally out of control, hyperactive and with little attention span, I read in a parents forum about red dye number 40. So we decided to try cutting it out. We didn't do anything different. He could have the same kinds of drinks if they didn't have the dye.
It was like night and day. He was far more calm and could pay attention. He wasn't up all night because he couldn't hold still. The family was amazed like he was a different kid...
I'd say cut it out and try it. But you'll have to read a LOT of labels since its stuck in so many things. But its worth the effort.
When my son was about four and totally out of control, hyperactive and with little attention span, I read in a parents forum about red dye number 40. So we decided to try cutting it out. We didn't do anything different. He could have the same kinds of drinks if they didn't have the dye.
It was like night and day. He was far more calm and could pay attention. He wasn't up all night because he couldn't hold still. The family was amazed like he was a different kid...
I'd say cut it out and try it. But you'll have to read a LOT of labels since its stuck in so many things. But its worth the effort.
Awsome. This is what I have heard too. My son has no problem sleeping at night though. He wakes up at 6:00 am every morning and go non stop all day long until he crash at 7:00 pm every night. I am on day 3 now without the red 40 coloring and crystal light. I am not sure if it has effected him already but yesterday he came home with both home work and his lunchbox. Most if the time he forgets one or the other in school. Maybe it is too early to tell but I am hopefull. So thanks for your post.
How long before you noticed a change in your child?
The OP is talking about a school aged child. Many kids drink powdered drinks like Kool Aid. Crystal Light is just another powdered drink. I don't use these products either but that doesn't make them outlandish.
My bad... but the OP WAS the one who mentioned sippy cups! At least that's what I thought her " zippy cup" meant. To me, sippy cups = toddlers = and fruit juice, diluted fruit juice and water.
My bad... but the OP WAS the one who mentioned sippy cups! At least that's what I thought her " zippy cup" meant. To me, sippy cups = toddlers = and fruit juice, diluted fruit juice and water.
No, you are right Pitt Chick. I know. It was a mistake. I gave my son sugar free drinks when he was very young. Never in a million years did I think it would be harmful. I have always been pessimistic to these researches that claims everything that is not 100 % natural will "kill you" or poison you.
Maybe this is because I am very healthy myself. I am hardly ever sick other than a 24 hour flue every other year or so. I have always believed our bodies can handle more than we give it credit too.
Now, saying this I realize know now that my thought process might not have been very bright. Crystal light is nothing more than sugar free cool aid but it contains artificial coloring, red 40. So does some fruit juices too I believe.
I started this thread to get some ideas and maybe some testimonials regarding red dye and a possible link to adhd. I have googled it and found lots of hits but I thought I would ask you guys here on citi data.
Today my son came home from school with home work, lunch box, a clean shirt( yes, his shirt always had markers all over ) and the teacher did not need to talk to me!! Once he came home he sat down without any objection and did his home work, nice and neatly. If he keeps this up I am confident that red food coloring were behind his behavior problems in school and at home.
Last edited by glass_of_merlot; 10-23-2012 at 10:39 PM..
Awsome. This is what I have heard too. My son has no problem sleeping at night though. He wakes up at 6:00 am every morning and go non stop all day long until he crash at 7:00 pm every night. I am on day 3 now without the red 40 coloring and crystal light. I am not sure if it has effected him already but yesterday he came home with both home work and his lunchbox. Most if the time he forgets one or the other in school. Maybe it is too early to tell but I am hopefull. So thanks for your post.
How long before you noticed a change in your child?
Mine slept okay after he wound down, but like mom and dad is a night bird. Going to bed at night was a problem since he would be so wound up since he wasn't sleepy. It just took constant motion to do the wind down.
He showed progress after a few days, since I assume it takes time to leave the body, and in a week was far calmer. I assume that the brain chemicals it triggers (or something does) have to also cycle out. Sleep remained a problem since it wasn't his internal bedtime, but it got a lot easier.
I'd be careful about the artifical sweetners too. Some are sensitive to them, and they can have widly varying effects. I know I'm alergic to one, but not which one, so I avoid them all.
I'm really glad I could help. I suspect like anything else, only some are sensitive to the dye, or some component of it, so its not so obvious. But I hate how everything has to look so colorful and bright instead of leaving out the unneeded stuff.
It's not just red dye, remember that. There are 7 dyes allowed in foods and you don't want any of them. All 7 are made from petroleum and if red bothes you, then so do the others. In fact, a study in 2007 (Lancet) showed that all kids have a problem with them and it led to warning labels now being required all products with dyes that the food “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.”
Quote:
Originally Posted by glass_of_merlot
No, you are right Pitt Chick. I know. It was a mistake. I gave my son sugar free drinks when he was very young. Never in a million years did I think it would be harmful. I have always been pessimistic to these researches that claims everything that is not 100 % natural will "kill you" or poison you.
Maybe this is because I am very healthy myself. I am hardly ever sick other than a 24 hour flue every other year or so. I have always believed our bodies can handle more than we give it credit too.
Now, saying this I realize know now that my thought process might not have been very bright. Crystal light is nothing more than sugar free cool aid but it contains artificial coloring, red 40. So does some fruit juices too I believe.
I started this thread to get some ideas and maybe some testimonials regarding red dye and a possible link to adhd. I have googled it and found lots of hits but I thought I would ask you guys here on citi data.
Today my son came home from school with home work, lunch box, a clean shirt( yes, his shirt always had markers all over ) and the teacher did not need to talk to me!! Once he came home he sat down without any objection and did his home work, nice and neatly. If he keeps this up I am confident that red food coloring were behind his behavior problems in school and at home.
OP, I'm glad to hear that your son already shows some improvement! I hope it contunues.
Me too. I just hope his teacher noticed also. Im going to ask her tomorrow. Thanks!
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Red dye?
