This vegetable oil added in sports drinks and sodas can damage heart, liver, and brain

Sports drinks and sodas are often marketed as healthy drinks and every now and then sportsmen promote such beverages as post-workout or sports drinks, which helps in recovery. But, as per latest reports, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States has recently announced that it will no longer allow the use of harmful additives in food products and packaged drinks.Scroll down to read why.

As per reports, FDA released a statement, explaining brominated vegetable oil (BVO) - a type of vegetable oil - is used in the form of a food additive and helps keep citrus flavouring from floating to the top in beverages. It is also reported that this ruling will go into effect from August 2, 2024. However, the packaged food companies will have "one year after that date to reformulate and relabel their products as well as deplete their BVO inventory."
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The question of concern is what Brominated vegetable oil is and how it impacts human health. Scroll down further to read the details.

What is Brominated vegetable oil?
Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is a complex mixture of plant-derived triglycerides that have been reacted with bromine.BVO is used primarily in the food and beverage industry as an emulsifier. Its main function is to help keep citrus-flavored sodas and other fruit-flavored beverages uniformly mixed, preventing the flavoring from separating and floating to the top. If we talk about its composition it is derived from vegetable oils like soybean or corn oil, which are brominated to create a more dense oil that can mix well with water-based solutions.
Is it unsafe for human consumption?
As per a 1969 study by the Canadian Food and Drug Directorate, bromine is said to be toxic for human health. As a result, the FDA had removed BVO from the Generally Regarded as Safe list. Another report published by the Centre for Science in the Public Interest says that , explained that the additive is known to leave bromine triglyceride residues in body fat that often causes damage to the liver, heart and brain. Some of the common effects of bromine toxicity are damaged central nervous system, headaches, nausea, memory loss, and loss of coordination.

Is it banned in India?
As per reports, in early 1970, the use of brominated vegetable oil was banned in the United Kingdom. Then India banned it in 1990, the European Union in 2008 and Japan in 2010.
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Take a look at other side effects of this toxic oil.
Neurological effects: BVO can accumulate in the body and potentially lead to neurological symptoms such as headaches, memory loss, and impaired coordination.
Thyroid issues: Bromine competes with iodine in the body, which can interfere with thyroid function. This can lead to hypothyroidism, where the thyroid gland doesn't produce enough hormones, resulting in fatigue, weight gain, and depression.
Skin and mucous membrane irritation: Some people may experience skin irritation or rashes, as well as mucous membrane irritation, from consuming products containing BVO.
Reproductive and developmental effects: Animal studies have indicated potential reproductive and developmental toxicity, though more research is needed to confirm these effects in humans.

Bromism: Chronic exposure to bromine, a component of BVO, can lead to a condition called bromism, characterized by symptoms such as fatigue, headache, and memory loss.
Risk of heart disease: There is some evidence to suggest that high intake of BVO may contribute to heart disease due to its effects on lipid metabolism.
Final words
What do you think of adding such toxic ingredients in health drinks? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
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