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AmityvilleHams · 10-26-2019, 03:32 AM

E102(yellow 5) and E110(yellow 6) are both pretty commonly known to have links to cancer. In fact, they're often listed with the notorious red 40!

However, the effects of food dyes go beyond cancer. There are definitely reasons to avoid the dyes with very specific exceptions(ie when used in medicine for sick hamsters).

E110/yellow 6 in particular is clearly known to have links to cancer. They're not always the most obvious links, but they're certainly there.

A list of some E110 effects:
Chromosome damage and DNA fragmentation(which increases risk of cancer)
Liver damage(through elevated liver enzymes)
Kidney damage(through elevated serum creatinine and urea)
Sperm damage(not a concern for hamster owners, but definitely something breeders should be thinking about)
Suppressed glutathione levels(which interferes with the body's capacity to deal with toxic chemicals)
Suppressed superoxide dismutase activity(which interferes with an enzyme that protects cells from being damaged)
Elevated triglyceride levels(basically leading to excessive fat buildups in the bloodstream)

Xenoestrogenic effects were also something I found linked with yellow 6/e110. I think parts of this particular effect are important to the average hamster owner, but not all of them. You may be asking yourself "What the heck is a xenoestrogen and why does it even matter?", but interestingly enough a lot of us have probably seen or heard something about similar chemicals(other endocrine disruptors), and in particular most likely you've noticed the mention of BPA.

Xenoestrogens in particular are linked to reproduction deficits(clearly a breeder orientated concern). A particular xenoestrogen(DES, or Diethylstilbestrol, and yes I had to copy and paste the spelling because despite having a bit of previous knowledge on it it is not an easy word to remember) was proven to inhibit estrogen production by hamster ovarian cells. Sadly, it was part of a drug prescribed to many pregnant women for many years(from 1938-1971 according to the CDC)and it produced devastating effects.

As a another separate point before I cover the effects E102, keep in mind that throughout history there have been endless things considered safe. Those things aren't always safe, and sometimes people stand up and say they aren't and often get criticized or even in some cases outright shunned from communities(like one doctor who was an early believer in proper hygiene but was ultimately shunned for his beliefs even if later on those same beliefs were proven to be true and are now standard practice). Sometimes, it can take years or even decades or centuries before these changes happen.

Now onto the effects of e102/yellow 5:
Genotoxicity(similarly to yellow 6/e110's chromosome damage and DNA fragmentation as it also leads to an increase in the chance of cancer)
And, just as with e110, it's xenoestrogenic.

There are similar effects from many dyes including e110 and e102 that are seen which include potential increase in allergic reactions, hives, eczema, and even a potential increase in hyperactivity and aggressive behavior.

While it is hard to find as much information on e133/blue v/Patent Blue V it is also known to cause potential DNA damage. Because of that, yes, it is also capable of increasing the risk of cancer.

Interestingly one of the big factors for why we may not necessarily connect these dyes and Harry Hamster in general to potential cancer in hamsters is that from what I could find it does seem like the three year mark was typically where rodents did develop cancer.

That doesn't mean there's no other effects we could be seeing but not clearly connecting properly, since I've definitely seen a lot of people mentioning kidney problems in general which is hypothetically connected. It's not guaranteed, but it's reasonable knowing that most people probably aren't going to be able or even willing to invest the time and money it would take to fully connect those dots

It's also worth mentioning when it comes to kidneys in particular that menadione also seems to be included in Harry Hamster, which is another questionable additive. It is something I wouldn't be as concerned about on its own in a completely dye free and otherwise high quality treat for example, but daily exposure to menadione isn't very good(it is known to increase likelihood of and even potentially cause kidney damage, among other things, and not just in dogs where it's more widely known).

Hopefully this doesn't end up being too much of an information overload for everyone, but sometimes you try to focus on the very basics and it spirals into much more!

10-26-2019, 03:32 AM
AmityvilleHams PM Fluffy for custom title Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 4,545	Re: Roborovski hamster homemade food mix E102(yellow 5) and E110(yellow 6) are both pretty commonly known to have links to cancer. In fact, they're often listed with the notorious red 40! However, the effects of food dyes go beyond cancer. There are definitely reasons to avoid the dyes with very specific exceptions(ie when used in medicine for sick hamsters). E110/yellow 6 in particular is clearly known to have links to cancer. They're not always the most obvious links, but they're certainly there. A list of some E110 effects: Chromosome damage and DNA fragmentation(which increases risk of cancer) Liver damage(through elevated liver enzymes) Kidney damage(through elevated serum creatinine and urea) Sperm damage(not a concern for hamster owners, but definitely something breeders should be thinking about) Suppressed glutathione levels(which interferes with the body's capacity to deal with toxic chemicals) Suppressed superoxide dismutase activity(which interferes with an enzyme that protects cells from being damaged) Elevated triglyceride levels(basically leading to excessive fat buildups in the bloodstream) Xenoestrogenic effects were also something I found linked with yellow 6/e110. I think parts of this particular effect are important to the average hamster owner, but not all of them. You may be asking yourself "What the heck is a xenoestrogen and why does it even matter?", but interestingly enough a lot of us have probably seen or heard something about similar chemicals(other endocrine disruptors), and in particular most likely you've noticed the mention of BPA. Xenoestrogens in particular are linked to reproduction deficits(clearly a breeder orientated concern). A particular xenoestrogen(DES, or Diethylstilbestrol, and yes I had to copy and paste the spelling because despite having a bit of previous knowledge on it it is not an easy word to remember) was proven to inhibit estrogen production by hamster ovarian cells. Sadly, it was part of a drug prescribed to many pregnant women for many years(from 1938-1971 according to the CDC)and it produced devastating effects. As a another separate point before I cover the effects E102, keep in mind that throughout history there have been endless things considered safe. Those things aren't always safe, and sometimes people stand up and say they aren't and often get criticized or even in some cases outright shunned from communities(like one doctor who was an early believer in proper hygiene but was ultimately shunned for his beliefs even if later on those same beliefs were proven to be true and are now standard practice). Sometimes, it can take years or even decades or centuries before these changes happen. Now onto the effects of e102/yellow 5: Genotoxicity(similarly to yellow 6/e110's chromosome damage and DNA fragmentation as it also leads to an increase in the chance of cancer) And, just as with e110, it's xenoestrogenic. There are similar effects from many dyes including e110 and e102 that are seen which include potential increase in allergic reactions, hives, eczema, and even a potential increase in hyperactivity and aggressive behavior. While it is hard to find as much information on e133/blue v/Patent Blue V it is also known to cause potential DNA damage. Because of that, yes, it is also capable of increasing the risk of cancer. Interestingly one of the big factors for why we may not necessarily connect these dyes and Harry Hamster in general to potential cancer in hamsters is that from what I could find it does seem like the three year mark was typically where rodents did develop cancer. That doesn't mean there's no other effects we could be seeing but not clearly connecting properly, since I've definitely seen a lot of people mentioning kidney problems in general which is hypothetically connected. It's not guaranteed, but it's reasonable knowing that most people probably aren't going to be able or even willing to invest the time and money it would take to fully connect those dots It's also worth mentioning when it comes to kidneys in particular that menadione also seems to be included in Harry Hamster, which is another questionable additive. It is something I wouldn't be as concerned about on its own in a completely dye free and otherwise high quality treat for example, but daily exposure to menadione isn't very good(it is known to increase likelihood of and even potentially cause kidney damage, among other things, and not just in dogs where it's more widely known). Hopefully this doesn't end up being too much of an information overload for everyone, but sometimes you try to focus on the very basics and it spirals into much more!