FD&C Yellow #5 (Tartrazine).
A synthetic yellow dye. One of the more controversial artificial colors due to sensitivity reactions in some people. Colors supplements yellow. That's the only purpose.
Reviewed March 2026
- Category
- General
- Also filed under
- Provides yellow coloring to products
What FD&C Yellow #5 (Tartrazine) is, and what it does.
- Does it work
- Cosmetic dye with more controversy than most.
- How much to take
- There is no amount to take. It is added at the small level a shade needs, and no daily figure is on record because it is not an active.
- Time to feel it
- It dissolves with the tablet in minutes and is cleared. It is a colourant, not an active, so it has no onset. People sensitive to azo colours react within hours.
- The first dose
- No effect for most. Possible reaction in sensitive individuals.
- With regular use
- It has no nutritional role and does not accumulate, so weeks of use change nothing in the body. People sensitive to azo colours react to a single exposure rather than to a build-up.
- How well tolerated
- Well tolerated in most, but has real sensitivity concerns for a subset of people. The EU requires warning labels.
- How it feels
- Nothing for most people.
- The overlooked benefit
- Because EU rules make this colour a named label declaration, it is one of the easiest ingredients to check for and avoid if you know you react to azo colours.
The proof, claim by claim.
These words describe the research, not the molecule's worth. Research strength is how much work stands behind one claim, and it is never a product score.
- Triggers reactions in aspirin-sensitive people
- Linked to hyperactivity in children
- Well tolerated in the general population
No pairing data for FD&C Yellow #5 (Tartrazine) yet.
Nothing on file for FD&C Yellow #5 (Tartrazine), either from a combination trial or from settled biochemistry. When either lands, it appears here with its source.
Stitching two separate single-ingredient studies into a pairing is the one thing this engine will not do. When a study of the combination itself holds up at source, it lands here with its citation.
No invented synergy. Where actives were studied on their own rather than together, each shows on its own evidence, never a combined effect no trial measured.
Research strength. Research strength says how much work stands behind the combination. It is never a product score.
Independent record. Every finding is cited to a named trial, dated, and never written by the brand.
24 pairings are live across the library today. Checked 25 August 2026.
Talk to a doctor before taking FD&C Yellow #5 (Tartrazine) if any of these apply to you: Can trigger reactions in aspirin-sensitive individuals, May exacerbate asthma symptoms, Linked to hyperactivity in some children (Southampton study), EU requires warning label. These are flags to check first, not effects FD&C Yellow #5 (Tartrazine) is known to cause.
Not medical advice. Show the label to your pharmacist.FDA Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement regimen.
