Medical experts have suspected this for years, and their suspicions were confirmed in 2012 by a team of neurosurgeons led by Dr. Felipe Albuquerque, who’s from Barrow Neurological Institute in Arizona. These doctors analyzed a “prospectively maintained” database of endovascular patients and found out that some of them experienced craniocervical arterial dissections after getting chiropractic treatment.

What Is Craniocervical Arterial Dissection? 

This condition — also known as a vertebral artery dissection or VAD — refers to the tearing of the vertebral artery, which supplies the brain with oxygenated blood. Each person has two vertebral arteries, one on each side of the body. 

When a vertebral artery experiences tearing, it forms a blood clot, which is the body’s natural way of repairing damaged tissues. Unfortunately, this clot partially or fully blocks the flow of blood into the brain, which means that the latter doesn’t get the right amount of oxygen that it needs. This, in turn, results in a major stroke or a series of minor strokes known as transient ischemic attacks. 

Vertebral artery dissection happens whenever the neck is quickly turned or twisted. Patients with VAD usually developed this condition when they were strangled or when they got involved in a road traffic accident. 

However, VAD can also happen spontaneously even without any external factors, especially in people with Ehlers–Danlos syndrome and other disorders. There are also many patients who have not been diagnosed with any disorder but have a genetic predisposition to vertebral artery dissection. These are usually the people who develop VAD while doing simple activities like laughing and lifting items. 

VADs and Chiropractic Treatments

The chances of developing vertebral artery dissection increases when you go through chiropractic treatments that involve neck manipulation. These treatments are usually forceful, and the force exerted on the neck area can be enough to cause a tear in your vertebral artery.

Through their review of the endovascular database, Dr. Albuquerque and his team discovered that 13 patients complained of head and neck pain and/or experienced neurological deficits — days or even hours after receiving chiropractic treatment involving neck manipulation. All of these patients had vertebral artery dissection with varying degrees of severity. After stenting, medications, and other medical treatments, nine of the patients recovered completely. Three of them developed permanent neurological issues, and one sadly died due to a massive stroke.

It’s important to note that this study isn’t conclusive; more research still has to be done. Wade S. Smith, MD, PhD, who lead a study on VAD and chiropractic manipulation in 2003, also points out that millions of chiropractic treatments are safely carried out every year, so the risk of stroke is quite low.

Still, it’s something that everyone should think about. Before you crack your neck or go to the chiropractor, consider the increased stroke risk that it can bring.

Since its introduction in 1950, the Hot Tamales candy became the most popular choice for people of all ages. In fact, in 1999, it was the top selling cinnamon candy. No movie theater is without Hot Tamales candies on their shelves. 

But under all of the candy’s cinnamon flavor, spicy scent, and chewy texture hide a danger that many are still unaware of or choose to ignore in exchange for the fun and satisfaction of eating such a spicy hot treat.  

Did you know that the food dyes used in the candy have a negative impact on your health? 

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) in Washington, DC discovered a connection between artificial food dyes and behavioral problems in children. This is why they petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban artificial food dyes. 

Further study also revealed that certain US-approved artificial food dyes can cause hypersensitivity reactions and are carcinogenic. 

Let’s Talk Dyes

Among the ingredients of a box of Hot Tamales are the following artificial food colors – Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, and Blue 2 Lake. Benzidine is present in Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6, which is a carcinogen that is permitted to be used on human and animals at low, safe levels. 

But how can you ensure consumption of benzidine is kept safe when people consume Hot Tamales by the box or more in a day, a week, a month or so? 

In 1985, FDA calculated that ingestion of free benzidine increases the risk of cancer just under the “concern” threshold, which is one out of a million people. What FDA failed to determine, however, is the free benzidine released by intestinal enzymes, which increases exposure to carcinogens. Add to this the carcinogens present in the environment, and other food items, and the risk of cancer is significantly high. 

Why should people be alarmed about benzidine in dyes? 

Benzidine-based dyes are used in printing inks, paints, paper, and pharmaceuticals. Clearly, it doesn’t belong in a Hot Tamales candy or any candy for that matter because eating one with benzidine is virtually ingesting printer ink or paint.  

Every artificial coloring in Hot Tamales also come with other health concerns, apart from the risk that benzidine presents. 

• Red 3 (Erythrosine) causes thyroid tumors and has been banned by the FDA. 
• Red 40 (Allura Red) triggers hyperactivity and allergic reactions in children and accelerates tumors in the immune system in mice used in laboratory experiments. 
• Yellow 5 (Tartrazine) triggers hyperactivity disorders, severe hypersensitivity, and other children’s behavioral issues.  
• Yellow 6 (Sunset Yellow) triggers hypersensitivity in children and may cause adrenal tumors.  
• Blue 1 (Brilliant Blue) causes kidney tumors in mice used in laboratory experiments. 
• Blue 2 (Indigo Carmine) is shown to cause brain tumors in rats used in laboratory experiments. 

Other commercial candy products that use Green 3 (Fast Green) food color may also pose health dangers to consumers. This is because the artificial color has been shown to increase tumors in the testes and bladder of male rats used in laboratory experiments. 

The Centre for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) in Washington, DC discovered a connection between artificial food dyes and behavioral problems in children. This is why they petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban artificial food dyes. 

Last updated 04/06/2020

What Comes with Too Many Hot Tamales 

Cancer

Commercial candy products, including Hot Tamales, contain artificial dyes that are linked to cancer and other health conditions, such as allergies, asthma, ADHD, hyperactivity, and hypersensitivity. 

Benzidine-based dyes found in candies have the potential to metabolize carcinogenic amines or Heterocyclic amines (HCAs), a chemical compound known to cause changes in the DNA and increase the risk of cancer after it is subjected to high temperatures. 

Just think about how candies are produced and you will see a connection between the sweet treats and cancer. Not so sweet after all, right? 

Tooth Decay

The Minnesota Dental Association likened sour and fruity candies to battery acid where oral health is concerned. These two types of commercial candy products are very acidic and may cause cheeks and gums to burn when eaten. 

Because acid weakens and wears away a tooth’s protective enamel, teeth can become vulnerable to tooth decay and other diseases and conditions that come with it. Teeth will also become more sensitive and will be prone to tooth erosion, cracks, dents, discoloration, rounding, and transparency. 

Raises Blood Sugar

The sugar in a Hot Tamales candy and other candies may be beneficial for people with low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) but not for the rest of the population that do not need or want their blood sugar increased. These sweet treats are packed full of sugar. And some varieties are even coated or dusted with more sugar. 

As you probably know, too much of anything is bad, and the high amounts of sugar in candies are no exception. If you don’t stop eating candy or at least eat it in moderation, you could end up with hyperglycemia or diabetes. 

Brain Tumors 

The food dye Blue 2 in Hot Tamales has been linked to causing brain tumors in rats. Although there are no reports of human studies to show a similar effect, CSPI insists that the food dye is not safe for human consumption, regardless if the FDA considers it safe for use in food.  

Hyperactivity 

The Yellow 5 food dye found in Hot Tamales, gelatin products, dessert powders, cereals, and other baked goods has been known to trigger hyperactivity disorders and cause severe hypersensitivity in children. 

Research at both Columbia University and Harvard University showed that symptoms of ADHD in children diagnosed with the problem are relieved when products and foods that contain artificial food are taken out of the equation. 

This is further validated by the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted by British researchers to test the effect of food dyes on hyperactive children, which is one of the signs of ADHD. 

What the group did was give children food and drinks free of coloring agents and a common preservative called sodium benzoate. And, every two weeks, they were given a special drink that contains food dye the equivalent to 2 bags of candy. They observed that hyperactivity in children significantly increased during the weeks when the special drink was consumed.

It is safe to say that eating Hot Tamales is not good for your health. So you might want to start weaning yourself off it now before it’s too late. 

Sources: 

http://www.doctoroz.com/article/food-dyes-are-they-safe 

http://www.livestrong.com/article/402118-the-health-dangers-of-food-coloring-blue-no-2/

http://www.medicinenet.com/hyperglycemia/article.htm  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_Tamales

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2957945/

https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/risk-management-benzidine-dyes

https://familylifegoals.com/cancer-causing-candy/