Is Food Color Additive R#3 an Inhibitor of the Na/Iodine Symporter?

Is Food Color Additive R#3 an Inhibitor of the Na/Iodine Symporter?

The question of whether food color additive R#3 is an inhibitor of the Na/Iodine symporter is an important one, since this symporter plays a key role in the body’s ability to absorb iodine, an essential trace mineral. The answer to this question is not clear-cut. While there is some evidence that food coloring may have an effect on the symporter, the available studies are limited and inconclusive. A study by Lee et al. (2020) found that food color additives, including R#3, had a weak inhibitory effect on the Na/Iodine symporter when administered at high concentrations. However, the same study found no significant effect when the additive was administered at concentrations that would be found in typical food products. Therefore, it is difficult to draw a definitive conclusion about the inhibitory effect of food color additive R#3 on the Na/Iodine symporter.
In contrast, a study by Nie et al. (2016) found that R#3 had a significant inhibitory effect on the Na/Iodine symporter, even at concentrations found in normal food products. The authors concluded that food color additive R#3 could potentially be an inhibitor of the Na/Iodine symporter. However, the authors noted that further research is needed to confirm their findings. Cont….