Why Do Kids Vitamins Contain Aspartame, GMOs, Trans Fats Hazardous Chemicals?Sayer Ji The #1 Childrens Vitamin Brand in the US contains ingredients that most parents would never intentionally expose their children to, so why arent more opting for healthier alternatives? Kids vitamins are supposed to be healthy, right? Well then, whats going on with Flintstones Vitamins, which proudly claims to be Pediatricians #1 Choice? Produced by the global pharmaceutical corporation Bayer, this wildly success brand features a shocking list of unhealthy ingredients, including: 82% of kids arent 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? That Flintstones vitamins somehow fill this nutritional void. But lets look a little closer at some of these presumably healthy ingredients. 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 doing in a childrens vitamin, especially when non-toxic, non-synthetic non-nutritive sweeteners like steviaalready exist? CUPRIC OXIDE Next, lets look closer at Cupric Oxide, 2mg of which is included in each serving of Flinstones Complete chewable vitamins as a presumably nutritional source of copper, supplying 100% of the Daily Value (Ages 4+), according to Flintstones Vitamins Web sites Nutritional Info.[2] But what is Cupric Oxide? A nutrient or a chemical? According to the European Unions Dangerous Substance Directive, one of the main EU laws concerning chemical safety, Cupric Oxide is listed as a Hazardous substance, classified as both Harmful (XN) and Dangerous for the environment (N). Consider that it has industrial applications as a pigment in ceramics, and as a chemical in the production of rayon fabric and dry cell batteries. In may be technically correct to call it a mineral, but should it be listed as a nutrient in a childrens vitamin? We think not. COAL TAR ARTIFICIAL COLORING AGENTS A well-known side effect of using synthetic dyes is attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. For direct access to study abstracts on this topic view our Food Coloring research page. 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 Each serving of Flinstones Complete Chewable vitamins contain 12 mg of zinc oxide, which the manufacturer claims delivers 75% of the Daily Value to children 2 3 years of age. Widely used as a sun protection factor (SPF) in sunscreens, The EUs Dangerous Substance Directive classifies it as an environmental Hazard, Dangerous for the environment (N). How it can be dangerous to the environment, but not for humans ingesting it, escapes me. One thing is for sure, if one is to ingest supplemental zinc, or market it for use by children, it makes much more sense using a form that is organically bound (i.e. chelated) to an amino acid like glycine, as it will be more bioavailable and less toxic. SORBITOL Sorbitol is a synthetic sugar substitute which is classified as a sugar alcohol. It can be argued that it has no place in the human diet, much less in a childs. The ingestion of higher amounts have been linked to gastrointestinal disturbances from abdominal pain to more serious conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome.[4] FERROUS FUMARATE 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] GMO CORN STARCH While it can be argued that the amount of GMO corn starch in this product is negligible, even irrelevant, we disagree. It is important to hold accountable brands that refuse to label their products honestly, especially when they contain ingredients that have been produced through genetic modification. The vitamin C listed as ascorbic acid in Flintstones is likely also produced from GMO corn. Lets remember that Bayers Ag-biotech division, Bayer CropScience, poured $381,600 of cashinto defeating the proposition 37 GMO labeling bill in California. Parents have a right to protect their children against the well-known dangers of genetically modified foods and the agrichemicals that contaminate them, dont they? GMO corn starch is GMO, plain and simple. Wed appreciate it if Bayer would label their vitamins accordingly. In summary, Bayers Flintstones vitamin brand is far from a natural product, and the consumer should be aware of the unintended, adverse health effects that may occur as a result of using it. Resources [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, Sorbitols Adverse Health Effects [5] GreenMedInfo.com, Health Effects of Hydrogenated Oil This article first appeared at GreenMedInfo. Please visit to access their vast database of articles and the latest information in natural health. linkwithin_text=Related Articles: 