Kid’s
vitamins are supposed to be healthy, right? Well, then what's going on with Flintstones
Vitamins, which proudly claims to be "Pediatricians' #1 Choice"?
Produced by the global pharmaceutical corporation Bayer, this wildly
successful brand features a shocking list of unhealthy ingredients, including:
- Aspartame
- Cupric Oxide
- Coal
tar artificial
coloring agents (FD&C Blue #2, Red #40,
Yellow #6)
- Zinc Oxide
- Sorbitol
- Ferrous Fumarate
- Hydrogenated Oil
(Soybean)
On Bayer Health Science's Flintstones product page designed for healthcare professionals, they lead into the product description with the following tidbit of information: 82% of kids aren't eating all of their veggies1. Without enough vegetables, kids may not be getting all of the nutrients they need.
References: 1. Lorson BA, Melgar-Quinonez HR, Taylor CA. Correlates of fruit and vegetable intakes in US children. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009;109(3):474-478.
The implication: Flintstones vitamins somehow fill this nutritional void. But let's look a little closer at some of these presumably healthy ingredients....
ASPARTAME: Aspartame is a synthetic combination of the amino acids aspartic acid and l-phenylalanine and is known to convert into highly toxic methanol and formaldehyde in the body. Aspartame has been linked to over 40 adverse health effects in the biomedical literature, and has been shown to exhibit both neurotoxicity and carcinogenicity [1].What business does a chemical like this have in a children's vitamin, especially when non-toxic, non-synthetic non-nutritive sweeteners like stevia already exist?
CUPRIC OXIDE: According to the European Union's Dangerous Substance Directive, one of the main EU laws concerning chemical safety, Cupric Oxide is listed as a Hazardous substance, classified as both "Harmful" and "Dangerous for the environment." It has industrial applications as a pigment in ceramics, and as a chemical in the production of rayon fabric and dry cell batteries. [2]
COAL TAR ARTIFICIAL COLORING AGENTS: A well-known side effect of using synthetic dyes is attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. There is also indication that the neurotoxicity of artificial food coloring agents increase when combined with aspartame[3], making the combination of ingredients in Flintstones even more concerning.
ZINC OXIDE: Widely used as a sun protection factor (SPF) in sunscreens, The EU's Dangerous Substance Directive classifies it as an environmental Hazard, "Dangerous for the environment." How can it be dangerous to the environment, but not for the humans ingesting it?
FERROUS FUMARATE: Ferrous Fumarate is so toxic that accidental overdose of products containing this form is "a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6." The manufacturer further warns: Keep this product out of reach of children. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.
HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL: Finding hydrogenated oil in anything marketed to children is absolutely unacceptable. These semi-synthetic fatty acids incorporate into our tissues and have been linked to over a dozen adverse health effects, from coronary artery disease to cancer, violent behavior to fatty liver disease.[5]
Sources:
[1] GreenMedInfo.com, Adverse Health Effects of Aspartame
[2] FlinstonesVitamins.com, FLINSTONES Complete Chewable, Nutritional Info Overview
[3] Karen Lau, W Graham McLean, Dominic P Williams, C Vyvyan Howard. Synergistic interactions between commonly used food additives in a developmental neurotoxicity test. Toxicol Sci. 2006 Mar;90(1):178-87. Epub 2005 Dec 13. PMID: 16352620
[4] GreenMedInfo.com, Sorbitol's Adverse Health Effects
[5] GreenMedInfo.com, Health Effects of Hydrogenated Oil
Article originally posted by Elevation Health
For quality nutrition and functional medicine care for your children and yourself contact Total Health of Naples, the premier center for chiropractic and wellness in Naples, Fl. Total Health of Naples is located in north Naples, Fl at the Greentree Professional Center call 239-260-1426 or go to www.totalhealthnaples.com to schedule your appointment.
