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In 2017, California began to review the science on food dyes and behavior. The CSPI requested me to send a collection of studies to them, which you can see here. Today they released their Final Report. The Report concludes that: … Continue reading
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Annals of General Psychiatry (2015) March 1; 14:12 This was a study on children with ADHD who were already receiving Ritalin therapy, to see if improving their diet in general might make a difference. The children were divided into two … Continue reading
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Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health. 1997 June; 33(3): 190-4. The author summarizes and discusses the research from the 1970s up until the 1990s. She emphasizes that studies often only can deal with a single item but in actuality there … Continue reading
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Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 2003 March; 28(1): 63-75. In this paper, Schnoll reviews the research on food additives, refined sugars, food allergies, and fatty acid metabolism as it relates to ADHD. QUOTE: “Although clinicians and researchers alike acknowledge the complex … Continue reading
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Roczniki Panstwowego Zakladu Higieny. 2012;63(2): 127-34 In this review of ADHD treatments, Konikowska describes hyperactivity as a genetic trait connected to abnormal brain maturation, likely related to less activity by neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine. While stimulant medications effectively increase the … Continue reading
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Life Sciences. 1980 Nov 17;27(20):1897-904. In this study, some rats were treated with 6-OHDA and some were treated with placebo. In each of these groups, some were given food dyes and some were given placebo, resulting in 4 groups of … Continue reading
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Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 2015. 21 Suppl 1:52-62. During the past 50 years, the amount of synthetic dye used in foods has increased by 500%. At the same time, there has been an alarming rise in behavioral problems … Continue reading
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Acta Alimentaria, 43(2), 344-359. QUOTE: “Given that it is now well-known that autistic patients tend to be PST-deficient, causal link between a low-salicylate diet and the mitigation of symptom-severity seems a rather plausible hypothesis.” QUOTE: “It is quite apparent from … Continue reading
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Clinical Pediatrics, 2014. Feb; 53(2): 133-40. The amount of food dyes certified over the years has increased more than 5-fold since 1950 (12 mg/capita/day) to 2012 (68 mg/capita/day). Studies that used 50 mg or more of food dyes showed a … Continue reading
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European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2014 Jul;23(7):519-29. Verlaet discusses the common causes of GI problems, asthma, eczema, ear infections, and ADHD – involving both genes, immunity, and inflammation. An immune imbalance can be related to food provoking ADHD-like behavior. Food … Continue reading
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Toxicology and Industrial Health, 2013. Aug; 29(7): 616-23. In this study, Doguc gave pregnant rats the ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake) amounts of the following food dyes by mouth, continuing to do so after the babies were born so that the … Continue reading
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The Medical Journal of Australia, 2013. Jun 17; 198(11): 600-2. Gray was treating patients who had tried the low-salicylate diet (called the FAILSAFE diet) used in Australia, which is more restrictive than the Feingold diet, eliminating both more of the … Continue reading
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American Journal of Psychiatry, 2013. March. 170(3): 275-89. This paper is a review of dietary and psychological treatments for ADHD. QUOTE (Conclusion): “Free fatty acid supplementation and artificial food color exclusions appear to have beneficial effects on ADHD symptoms, although … Continue reading
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Nutrition Review, 2013 May;71(5):268-81. Stevens reviews the research on mechanisms by which food dyes and common foods may cause behavioral changes in children with and without ADHD. The three potential mechanisms are toxicological, antinutritional, and hypersensitivity. Suggestions for future studies … Continue reading
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Neurotherapeutics. 2012 Jul;9(3):599-609. Arnold reviews the history of the effects of artificial food colors (AFC) on ADHD and the testimony to the 2011 FDA Food Advisory Committee. Arnold discusses possible biological mechanisms such as the effects of food dyes on … Continue reading
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Pediatrics, 2012 Feb;129(2): 330-7. Millichap says his article is a comprehensive overview of the role of diet for treatment of children with ADHD “when pharmacotherapy has proven unsatisfactory or unacceptable.” He promises to talk about new research. Unfortunately, he falls … Continue reading
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Environmental Health Perspectives, 2012 Jan;120(1):1-5. Dr. Weiss examines the basis of the FDA’s position on food dyes, the decision of the Food Advisory Committee, and the reasons that this is an environmental health issue He points out that they limited … Continue reading
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Journal of American Science, 2011; 7 (6): 1211-1218. This paper from Egypt describes a double-blind controlled study on rats to determine the behavioral effects of long-term exposure to various doses of tartrazine (E102, Yellow 5) provided in the drinking water … Continue reading
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The Lancet, 2011. Feb 5;377 (9764): 494-503 This is a study of 100 children diagnosed with ADHD but not selected on any basis of expectation of a dietary effect. The children were randomly assigned to an experimental diet group and … Continue reading
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European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 2009 Jan;18(1):12-9. In a randomized controlled trial in the Netherlands, 27 children were assigned either to an elimination diet or to a “waiting list” control group for 5 weeks, beginning after a 2-week “baseline” diet … Continue reading
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Lancet, September 6, 2007 As a followup to the earlier Bateman (2004) study, the authors retested 153 toddlers as well as 144 elementary school (8/9 years old) children from the general population. They were briefly put on a dye-free … Continue reading
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American Journal of Public Health, 2006. Oct;96(10):1815-20 The authors surveyed almost 5,500 students in 10th grade to see how many sugar-containing soft drinks they consumed per day and to assess their mental health and conduct. AUTHORS’ CONCLUSIONS: “High consumption levels … Continue reading
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Archives of Disease in Childhood. 2004 Jun;89(6):506-11. The authors put 277 3-year-old children from the general population on a diet without artificial food dyes or benzoate preservatives for a week, and then challenged them at various times with a drink … Continue reading
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Annales Academiae Medicae Stetinensis, 1998;44:297-314 Deficiencies of magnesium, copper, zinc, calcium, and iron occur more in children with ADHD, and magnesium deficiency is the most frequent. Starobrat-Hermelin studied a group of 110 hyperactive children who also had a variety … Continue reading
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European Journal of Pediatrics, 1997. Jul;156(7):557-61. Uhlig carried out EEG brain mapping on 15 children with food-induced ADHD, both when they were on their diet and when they had been given provoking foods. Consuming the provoking foods caused a significant … Continue reading
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Annals of Allergy, May 1994, Vol. 72, pp. 462-8. 73% of 26 children with ADHD responded favorably to a diet eliminating reactive foods and artificial colors. 16 of the improved children were given a double blind challenge with 100 mg … Continue reading
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Journal of Pediatrics, November 1994, Vol. 135, pp.691-8 150 of 200 children [75%] improved on an open trial of a diet free of synthetic food coloring, and deteriorated upon introduction of foods containing synthetic colorings. 34 other “clear” or “suspected” … Continue reading
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Archives of Disease in Childhood, November 1993, Vol. 69 (5), pp.564-8 59 of 78 children (75.6%) referred for “hyperactive behavior” improved on an open trial of an elimination diet. 19 of them were studied in a placebo-controlled double-blind challenge protocol. … Continue reading
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Clinical Pediatrics (Phila) 1992 May;31(5):302-7. 21 children with migraine and/or hyperkinetic behavior disorder also had daytime or nighttime enuresis (wetting). Use of an oligoantigenic (few-foods) diet controlled their migraine and/or hyperkinesis, and for 76% of them the diet also stopped … Continue reading
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Pediatria Medica e Chirurgica 1992 Jan-Feb;14(1):39-42 The author describes two cases of reactions to the food additives tartrazine (Yellow 5) and benzoates involving mainly the central nervous system (headache, migraine, overactivity, concentration and learning difficulties, depression) and joints (arthralgias), confirmed … Continue reading
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Archives of Disease in Childhood, 1990. Jan;65(1):74-7, Heart and Lung Institute, Brompton Hospital, London. Pollock did a double-blind placebo-controlled challenge study on 19 children who had improved previously on an additive-free diet. He didn’t use any additives but food dyes, … Continue reading
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Proceedings of the Nutrition Society of Australia, 1990 pg. 233. Sarantinos studied 13 children, 4-14 years old, who had been at least 6 weeks on a diet free of synthetic food dyes as part of their treatment for ADHD. The … Continue reading
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Journal of Pediatrics, 1989. Jan;114(1):51-8. Egger put 45 children with epilepsy and recurrent headaches, abdominal symptoms, or hyperactivity on an oligoantigenic (few foods) diet. 36 of them — 80% — improved. QUOTE: “Headaches, abdominal pains, and hyperkinetic behavior ceased … Continue reading
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Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, April 1989, Vol. 17(2), pp.127-32. Kaplan compared food diaries of children with and without ADHD and concluded that it was idiosyncratic sensitivities to components in the diet rather than a different overall diet. MedLine || … Continue reading
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Australian Paediatric Journal, April 1988, Vol. 24 (2), pp. 143-7 Of 220 children referred for suspected hyperactivity, 55 were put on a 6-week trial of the Feingold Diet. 40 of them — 72.7% — exhibited improved behavior, and 26 of … Continue reading
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Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1987 Jun-Jul;20(6):331-5, 346. A single subject ABAB (on-off-on-off) design was used to test the effectiveness of the Feingold (K-P) diet in the treatment of a 6-year-old hyperkinetic male who seemed to be diet-responsive. His behavior was … Continue reading
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Archives of Disease in Childhood, 1987. Feb;62(2):119-22. In a double-blind study, David challenged 24 of his patients who had been using diet for ADHD with benzoic acid (a preservative) and a large dose of coloring — 250 mg of Yellow … Continue reading
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Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 1987. Jan;26(1):53-5. Gross carried out a diet study in a summer camp which is a great way to totally control the diet and get solid results in a study. NOTE: … Continue reading
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International Journal for Biosocial Research, 1986, 8(2); 185-195. Over 4 years, 803 New York City schools changed their breakfast and lunch programs. They lowered sucrose, synthetic food color/flavors, and two preservatives (BHA and BHT). For each change, there was an … Continue reading
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The Lancet, 9;1(8428):540-5. 62 of 76 (81.6%) overactive children improved by at least one grade level on an oligoantigenic (few foods) diet. Benzoic acid and tartrazine (Yellow 5) were the most common problems, but all children had other sensitivities as … Continue reading
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Lancet, 1983. Oct 15;2(8355):865-9 93% of 88 children with severe frequent migraine recovered on an oligoantigenic (few foods) diet. 40 of them were challenged with various foods in a double-blind test, establishing that it was the diet that had helped. … Continue reading
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Ecology of Disease, 1982. 1(2-3):153-65 QUOTE: The increase in behavioural disorders accompanied by a persistent drop in scholastic performance coupled with the continuing rise in the prevalence of delinquency is undoubtedly one of the most important expressions of the disruption … Continue reading
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Neurobehavioral Toxicology and Teratology, 1982. Jan-Feb;4(1): 43-9. Goldenring studied the effects of giving sulfanilic acid to rat pups. He chose this chemical because it is formed when azo food dyes are digested. He gave the sulfanilic acid to normal rat … Continue reading
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International Journal of Neuroscience, 1982. May;16(3-4):241-246 QUOTE: “… The physiological measures [EEG and heart rate] were obtained prior to and following the ingestion of drinks containing food additives or placebos, which were administered in a double-blind, randomized, crossover procedure. … … Continue reading
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Science, March 28, 1980, Vol. 207. pp.1485-7 QUOTE: “The performance of the hyperactive children on paired-associate learning tests on the day they received the dye blend was impaired relative to their performance after they received the placebo, but the performance … Continue reading
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Science, 1980. March 28;207 (4438): 1487-9. QUOTE: ”Twenty-two young children, maintained on a diet that excluded certain foods, were challenged intermittently with a blend of seven artificial colors in a double-blind trial. Parents’ observations provided the criteria of response. One … Continue reading
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The Journal of Pediatrics. 1979. June; 94(6):944-5 Trying to find a reason why some children respond well to the Feingold Diet and others don’t, Brenner measured copper and zinc levels in the blood of 20 children who had responded well … Continue reading
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Science. 1979. July 27; 205 (4404): 410-2. Lafferman found that erythrosin B [Red 3] given to rats prevents the uptake of dopamine (the “feel good” neurotransmitter) by nerve cells in the brain called the caudate synaptosomes. This is consistent with … Continue reading
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Neurobehavioral Toxicology, 1979. Spring;1(1):41-7. (Today called Neurotoxicology and Teratology) In a study on rat pups, the highest dose of food dyes caused the greatest activity. Even after a half hour, the pups only calmed down by 7.25% — while the … Continue reading
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Medical Journal of Australia, 1978 Dec 2;2(12):548, 569-70. The Feingold diet, as used in Australia, was found to be nutritionally superior to a “normal” diet, and pronounced safe to use. MedLine
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Psychopharmacology Bulletin, 1978. April; 14(2):39-40 Goyette performed two studies: Experiment One: 16 children were put on the diet and were much improved according to both parents and teachers. Then they were challenged with two cookies per day (with or without … Continue reading
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Pediatrics, 1978. Jun;61(6):818-28 In a double-blind diet study in which all food was provided for a “Feingold Diet” and a “control diet,” parents of 63% of the 36 school-age children and 100% of the 10 preschool children reported improved behavior … Continue reading
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New Zealand Medical Journal, 1978. Jul 26;88(616):43-5. QUOTE: “Ten hyperkinetic children have been treated with the [Feingold] diet, five of whom improved dramatically and are now off all other therapy. Their response to accidental and deliberate challenge supports the hypothesis … Continue reading
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Medical Journal of Australia, 1978. Jan 28;1(2):61-4 In this double-blind study of 22 hyperactive children, Levy put them on an elimination diet for four weeks and then challenged them with Yellow 5. She reported that their improvement in the first … Continue reading
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Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis 1978 Winter; 11(4):439-46 This was a double-blind study on two girls who had been on the Feingold diet for almost a year. Trained observers watched them in school and reported on the frequency of the … Continue reading
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Pediatrics. 1978 Jun;61(6):811-7. 26 hyperactive children were given a “modified” Feingold diet in which artificial food dyes and flavorings were eliminated, but not preservatives or salicylates. They were then challenged in four ways: Cookie with 13 mg food dyes + … Continue reading
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Clinical Pediatrics (Phila) 1977 Jul;16(7):652-6 (Case studies) When 32 hyperactive children Dr. Brenner had been treating medically for years were given the Feingold diet, 11 of them — 34.3% — “markedly improved.“ Another 2 improved as much but were older, … Continue reading
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Journal of the American Society for Preventive Dentistry, 1977 Jan-Feb;7(1):13-5. QUOTE: “The presence of food additives in products used in dental procedures may have serious consequences for many patients. Hyperactivity and learning disabilities as well as buccal, gingival and … Continue reading
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Speech to American Academy of Pediatrics, New York Hilton Hotel, November 8, 1977. QUOTE: ”Recognizing that any compound under the appropriate conditions can induce adverse reactions, including behavioral disturbances, it becomes necessary to evaluate each compound or class of compounds … Continue reading
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Pediatrics, 1976 Aug;58(2):154-66. In a double-blind crossover study, 15 children were given a control diet and the “K-P” (Feingold) diet eliminating artificial flavors, colors, and natural salicylates. QUOTE: “Both parents and teachers reported fewer hyperkinetic symptoms on the K-P diet … Continue reading
