Owned by PepsiCo, Mountain Dew is a carbonated soft drink brand with its original formula invented in 1940 by Barney and Ally Hartman. Mountain Dew is one of the most popular carbonated drinks today, but many people still have so many questions about how it is prepared and what effects it can leave on your health. Many people ask whether mountain dew would kill sperm. Teenagers believe that is the case. Keep reading to learn more about it.

Does Mountain Dew Kill Sperm?

No, that is not true. Mountain Dew does not affect your testis, sperm, or penis size in any way. However, many experts say that Mountain Dew contains 55mg of caffeine in 12oz, which is quite high, especially compared to Pepsi that has only 37.2mg of caffeine, so it can affect your sexual performance due to its caffeine content.

Moreover, the presence of a colouring agent called Yellow Dye No. 5 is supposed to affect your sexual performance and sperm count. There is no scientific literature or research to prove that though. In fact, the FDA has confirmed already that Yellow Dye No. 5 is not associated with any physiological side effects in non-allergic people. Does this mean the answer to your question—does mountain dew kill sperm—should be in negative? There is definitely more to the issue.

Does Caffeine Affect Your Sexual Performance?

Research also shows that very high dose of caffeine may have an impact on your sperm quality and sexual health. A recent study has showed that you will notice an increase in your sperm motility if you drink a cup of coffee every day, but your sperms density and motility will decrease when you drink more than 4 cups a day and smoke a pack of cigarette as well. It, however, implies that only heavy smokers who also drink too much of Mountain Dew should worry about their sexual health.

Ingredients of Mountain Dew

Does Mountain Dew kill sperm? You can also find the answer just by having a closer look at the ingredients found in this carbonated drink. Here is what you need to know:

The ingredients list of Mountain Dew is self-explanatory. It includes corn syrup (high-fructose), citric acid, carbonated water, concentrated orange juice, sodium benzoate, erythorbic acid, natural flavors, caffeine, gum Arabic, brominated vegetable oil, calcium disodium, and Yellow 5. You should bear in mind that there is some difference in the ingredient make for different countries. In Canada, you will get Mountain Dew that includes glucose-fructose and is caffeine-free by default.

Food Dye Yellow 5: Is It Safe?

A closer look at the ingredient make up shows there is nothing serious to worry about other than food dye Yellow 5, which may make some people skeptical about the health effects of this drink. Yellow 5 or tartrazine is used in the making of jams, potato chips, drinks, candy, and even pet food. Many cosmetic products as well as vitamins and some medications also have it. What makes it controversial is the fact that Yellow 5 is already banned in Norway and Austria, whereas many European countries have issued warnings about its negative effects.

Side Effects of Yellow 5

To answer the question “Does Mountain Dew kill sperm or cause other health issues?” it is important to have a look at the possible negative effects of Yellow 5.

Allergies

Yellow 5 can cause allergic reactions, such as asthma because some people may be more sensitive to tartrazine. It usually affects people with aspirin hypersensitivity.

Hyperactivity

Some children develop symptoms of hyperactivity after the regular use of Yellow 5. A warning was issued in the UK in 2008 that certain food colourings, including tartrazine can lead to behavioural changes in children and make them impulsive. It was found by British researchers in a randomized, placebo-controlled study that food colourings have connections with hyperactivity in children. The recommendation is to limit or avoid consumption of products that contain these food colourings.

Risk of Cancer

The Centre for Science in the Public Interest reports mentioned in their studies conducted on food dyes that there is no connection between food dyes and cancer. That is mainly because they did not follow the guidelines set by the FDA for the number of animal subjects used, age, and some testing requirements for chronic toxicity studies. They also mentioned that earlier studies did not consider the higher consumption of food dyes including Yellow 5 by children who are already more sensitive to cancer-causing agents.

Other Risks

A study published in 2006 found that in patients who should drug sensitivity, it is important to check tartrazine allergy and give them medications that do not contain any tartrazine. Moreover, Yellow 5 has been considered responsible for causing several other health problems, such as migraines, blurred vision, anxiety, and fatigue. It might also cause chromosomal damage, but it has not yet been proven scientifically.

Possible Side Effects of Mountain Dew

As you may have already understood that there are several side effects of Yellow 5, so Mountain Dew is not entirely free of negative health effects. Even if the answer to your question, "Does Mountain Dew kill sperm?" is no, you may still want to limit its intake to avoid other possible health issues. For instance:

Dental Health Concerns

Many dentists believe that excessive use of Mountain Dew may lead to a condition they call Mountain Dew Mouth. The condition causes severe toothache.

Diabetes

Mountain Dew is loaded with sugar and too much of sugar will lead to obesity, which is also connected to diabetes. Excessive sugar is also linked to liver disease, cardiovascular disease, and many other health concerns. Sweetened beverages contain fructose or other forms of artificial sweeteners, but they are all equally damaging. Ditching these beverages and cutting back on sugar will help a lot in preventing issues related to weight gain and other chronic health problems.

Bromine Poison

Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is a potentially dangerous chemical additive. Derived from soy or corn and then combined with bromine, the vegetable oil is used in beverages for its emulsifying effects that keep flavourings from floating to the surface. It also weighs down the citrus flavouring to mix well with sugar water, but it builds up in your system and leads to several complications, such as nerve disorders, skin lesions, memory loss, and muscle problems. It is important to mention though that the beverage company will soon remove BVO from their products.