🎧Health Brief: FDA Bans Use of Red Dye No. 3 in Food; Medical Officials Issue Warning on Acetaminophen Overdoses

People shop at a grocery store in Columbia, Md., on June 8, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

Good morning, and welcome to The Epoch Times Health Brief for Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025. I’m Bill Thomas, we have some unique stories to share with you right now, and here’s what’s going on.

The FDA finally bans a harmful food coloring linked to cancer, health officials warn the public about rising overdoses tied to a popular over-the-counter analgesic, and a new study says binge-using social media could have a negative impact on your mood, and we’ll tell you more.

Also, a disturbing forecast to share with you today regarding the number of Americans likely to develop dementia in the decades to come, and if you’re like each and every member of the sprawling Health Brief family and you like pizza, good news. Turns out that a widely used herb that many of us add to our slices could be beneficial to our health. Pizza and health—it’s gonna be a great day.

We have a number of unique stories to share with you today, they’re all related to your good health, and we begin here. One particular federal agency will no longer authorize a certain food dye to be used in snacks, treats, breakfast cereals, and even in a number of medications. More now on the change and why it’s being implemented.

FDA Bans Use of Red Dye No. 3 in Food

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that moving forward, it’s banning the use of Red No. 3 in all food products and ingested pharmaceuticals, due to potential health concerns associated with the synthetic coloring agent that has been used for decades.

The FDA says their decision is based on a number of scientific studies that have raised concerns about the potential carcinogenic effects of the dye when consumed in large quantities over extended periods of time.

By the way, the agency previously restricted the use of Red No. 3 in both cosmetics and externally applied drugs, like prescription lotions, back in 1990. Additionally, a few years ago, an organization called the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), along with 23 other organizations and scientists, petitioned the FDA to ban all remaining uses of the dye.

The CSPI says that the FDA’s latest decision addresses “a decades-long regulatory failure.” They say that the agency failed to uphold its legal obligations to fully ban “cancer-causing additives” and that Red No. 3 was allowed to remain in foods, supplements, and oral drugs for more than 34 years after the FDA promised it would be banned.

Companies that use the dye in their food and ingested drugs have until Jan. 15, 2027, and Jan. 18, 2028, respectively, to find alternative, safe ways to color their products red.

A critical warning to share with you now regarding the overuse of an over-the-counter pain reliever that some experts say can lead to substantial health complications, including organ failure and even death. More now on what we’ve learned.

Medical Officials Issue Warning on Acetaminophen Overdoses

Medical officials with Rutgers University in New Jersey say there’s been a significant increase in Poison Control Center-related calls for overdoses of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol which is commonly used to relieve flu-like symptoms.

The officials say that accidental overdoses can lead to major health problems. They say that most people don’t realize they’re at risk of overusing acetaminophen because they’re unaware there are more than 600 products on the market that contain the ingredient.

They say they’re issuing the warning following a number of cases where their medical center had to help people who ingested too much of the drug when seeking pain relief. They went on to say that these patients are now receiving urgent medical care.

Officials also point out that “overdoing it” is much easier than most people realize, that the consequences of taking too much acetaminophen can happen very rapidly, which can lead to life-threatening situations like severe liver damage, liver failure, kidney failure, or in extreme cases, death.

They say that most people are simply not aware of the harm that acetaminophen overuse can pose over time, and say that before using any medication, people should always check the active ingredients to see if they’re safe for use.

We’ll change things up just a bit and scope out some new complications associated with binge-using social media. Some experts say too much time spent on your favorite platform might be making you irritable, anxious, and may even cause sleep issues. More now on a story that we think you’ll find kind of intriguing.

Social Media Use Linked to Rising Irritability in Adults

A comprehensive new study of more than 42,000 adults says that people who spend too much time using social media show significantly higher levels of irritability than nonusers.

The research was conducted between November 2023 and January 2024, and it surveyed U.S. adults nationwide. It found that around 80 percent of the respondents spent a good chunk of time with at least one social media platform daily.

Using a standard known as the Brief Irritability Test to measure a person’s mood, the researchers found that people who used social media multiple times a day scored higher on the test than those who didn’t.

Individuals who reported using social media “most of the day” showed an even more dramatic increase in irritability. The effect was more pronounced in people who used specific platforms like TikTok and Facebook.

The authors of the study point out that this pattern indicates something called a dose-response relationship, meaning that the more frequently people used social media, the higher their irritability scores climbed.

By the way, the study’s authors acknowledged several important limitations in their research, including both an inability to determine the specific cause of a person’s irritability, as well as their reliance on self-reported data.

A story of concern now regarding a debilitating cognitive disease. Many of us know or are related to someone who suffers from dementia and researchers tell us the number of new cases will continue to rise at an alarming rate. More now on a story that most likely has a substantial portion of the population very concerned.

American Dementia Cases Forecast to Double by 2060

A new study from both New York University (NYU) and Johns Hopkins University shows that 42 percent of Americans who are dementia-free at age 55 will eventually develop the condition during their lifetime.

The researchers also found that the chance of developing dementia rises to more than 50 percent among those who eventually reach age 75.

Researchers say that by the year 2060, an estimated 1 million Americans are expected to develop dementia annually—roughly double today’s numbers. They were also quick to point out that the risk of developing the neurological condition may actually be higher than was previously thought.

This new study evaluated updated data, and tracked both the heart health and cognitive function of nearly 16,000 older adults between 1987 and 2020 to reach their conclusions. The study’s authors also noted that the increase in dementia cases is directly tied to the aging U.S. population, and that women face a higher lifetime risk due to their longer life expectancy.

Additionally, the study pointed out that a high risk of developing dementia is linked to diabetes, hypertension, an unhealthy diet, a lack of exercise, obesity, poor mental health, and a number of genetic factors.

The study’s lead author told The Epoch Times that while the projections are concerning, there’s a growing body of evidence showing that prevention is possible, and he says that what a person does in midlife really matters.

He said that even if you have a higher genetic risk for dementia, you can still reduce your risk by a third with preventive strategies, which include controlling diabetes, maintaining healthy blood pressure, staying active, eating a balanced diet, and avoiding smoking.

Just enough time to brief you on one more story and this is a tasty one. Turns out pizza and pasta dishes with this herb may assist you in fighting off a number of health complications and here’s how it all pans out.

Oregano: The ‘Pizza Spice’ That Fights Infections

Oregano has been adding delicious flavor to pizza and pasta dishes in America for decades but in traditional medicine, the herb has been used for thousands of years to treat a number of ailments, including respiratory illness, arthritis, diabetes, kidney disorders, lung disease, and even epilepsy.

Oregano’s health benefits stem from its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial qualities, and scientific research reveals that the herb’s essential oils contain potent properties that are effective against bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

Traditionally, it’s been used to treat a number of different infections, including the common cold, the flu, bronchitis, wounds, and even urinary tract infections.

Additionally, oregano has been used to support heart health and to alleviate digestive disorders like nausea and stomach aches, and it’s even been examined as an alternative to diabetes medication, with fewer side effects.

A number of studies concerning oregano show that compounds in the herb may inhibit cancer cell growth, improve asthma conditions, prevent obesity, improve mental health, reduce cognitive decline, and even reduce pain.

By the way, oregano is available in a variety of forms, including fresh, dried, and as an essential oil or extract, but you should always consult your health care provider before either using it on your body or adding the herb to your diet, especially if you’re taking any prescription medications.

For now, enjoy your pizza in moderation and go easy on the pepperoni, sausage, and Canadian bacon. But go for that extra oregano, which has now officially been approved by your Health Brief team.

By the way, what’s your favorite kind of pizza? Deep dish, thin or thick crust, New York style, wood-fired, or maybe even frozen? Let us know at [email protected].

And now, it looks like our time is just about up for today, so we’re gonna call it a wrap for this week’s edition of The Epoch Times Health Brief.

Just a reminder, you can leave comments for us on The Epoch Times app which you can download for free on either Google Play or the App Store.

And don’t forget the Health Brief Motto: We’re portable, affordable, we’re healthy as a horse, and we’re always on-demand.

And now, as we do each and every week on this program, we share with you a very notable quote and this one comes to us from Herophilus who said:

“When health is absent, wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot manifest, strength cannot fight, wealth becomes useless, and intelligence cannot be applied.”

Herophilus was a Greek physician regarded as one of the earliest anatomists.

As you know, each week on this program, we also like to remind you that the Surgeon General says smoking causes lung cancer, heart disease, emphysema, and may complicate pregnancy.

Therefore, if you’re a smoker, it would mean a great deal to your Health Brief team if you’d make every effort to stop smoking right away. It’s one of the best things you’ll ever do both for yourself as well as for the people who care a great deal about you.

And finally, we all know there are tons of fast food drive-thru restaurants all over the planet. They open up early, they stay open late and the menu options are varied. Just a reminder though—moderation—and it’s just as easy to drive by as it is to drive through.

For all of us here at The Epoch Times Health Brief, I’m Bill Thomas.

The Epoch Times Health Brief program was written today by David Ross.

Thank you for making us your one-stop source for a concise, accurate, and unbiased weekly synopsis of many of the health stories you need to know about.

Enjoy the remainder of your day, please stay healthy, and we'll see you right back here next time for another edition of The Epoch Times Health Brief.

For now, let’s all continue to watch out for one another and have an absolutely superb day today. Bye for now.