What Effect Does Food Coloring Have on the Nervous System?
A variety of food colorings are approved for human consumption in the United States, although the quantities of colorings permitted in foodstuffs are controlled. The effects of food colorings on your central nervous system, or CNS, depend on your sensitivity to colorings, the type of coloring consumed, and the overall quantity. Consult your doctor for medical advice regarding how food colorings might be affecting your CNS.

Combining Food Colorings

Although individual food colorings are regulated in foods and beverages for human consumption, the safe limits set for each colorin, g or dye do not take into account the potential effects of combined food colorings. A study repnorted in the 2009 issue of the "Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health" indicated that common coloring combinations of tartrazine, Red 40, Yellow 4, Yellow 5, Red 2 and brilliant blue FCF or Blue 1 could have negative effects on the CNS. Such combinations of food colorings are commonly used in processed foods. For example, the combination of Yellow 4 and Blue 1 -- as might be used to color food green -- reduced brain cell generation in animals.

Hyperactivity

Certain food colorings have been linked to an increase in hyperactive behavior. In November 1994, the "Journal of Pediatrics" linked increased food coloring consumption with an increased level of hyperactivity among children referred for potential ADHD diagnoses. Some of these children were sensitive to food colorings and showed nervous-system-related symptoms including sleep disturbance, irritability and restlessness after consuming these colorings. The coloring tartrazine caused similar symptoms in children without suspected ADHD.

Carcinogenic Potential

Certain food colorings have been linked to the development of cancer, although the carcinogenic properties of food colorings have not been conclusively proved in clinical trials with human subjects. In 1985, the acting Food and Drug Administration commissioner indicated that Red 3 food coloring was known to cause cancer. Red 3 continues to be used in the U.S. market in huge quantities -- some 200,000 lbs. annually. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, there are also known carcinogens in Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and Red 40. Cancer affecting the brain, in particular, can cause serious nervous system symptoms including seizures and problems with physical movement.

Metanil Yellow

Metanil yellow is commonly used as a food coloring in India, despite not being approved for human consumption. An animal study reported in the January 1993 issue of the journal "Food Chemistry and Toxicology" found a link between long-term consumption of metanial yellow and the levels of serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline in parts of the brain. In rats, consistent consumption of metanil yellow slowed the brain's ability to learn new tasks.

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