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Tartaric Acid

Tartaric Acid

Aid Overall Health / Cleanse/Digestion

Tartaric acid is an organic acid that is not produced in the human body. It makes it way into the body via foods, such as grapes, pears, bananas, and apples or from supplements. Tartaric acid was initially derived from potassium tartrate, however, it was synthetically produced for the first time in 1847.

Tartaric acid is used in foods, medicines and in wines. In addition, it is recommended by many women who create home remedies for the skin using vinegar bolstered with tartaric acid. They claim that it is perfect for making the skin feel soft.

Despite these claims, tartaric acid is not used in beauty products designed for the skin. What’s more, there are no actual studies to support the use of tartaric acid on the skin.

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Summary

The Benefits of Tartaric Acid Tartaric acid is an antioxidant. However, tartaric acid is not typically used as a way to add antioxidants to food.  You will find tartaric acid in candies like Sour Patch Kids, Sweet Tarts, and sour Skittles. The reason for this is that, in its natural st... more

The Benefits of Tartaric Acid

Tartaric acid is an antioxidant. However, tartaric acid is not typically used as a way to add antioxidants to food. 

You will find tartaric acid in candies like Sour Patch Kids, Sweet Tarts, and sour Skittles. The reason for this is that, in its natural state, tartaric acid is sour.

When manipulated a bit, tartaric acid is used as a food additive. You will also find it in cream of tartar and in baking powder. The FDA has designated tartaric acid as a GRAS ingredient.

The Uses of Tartaric Acid in Wine Making

Most people who are aware of tartaric acid associate its uses with wine. Tartaric acid helps to reduce the acidity in wine and it is considered to be one of the strongest acids the winemakers can use. However, the older the wine is, the more acidic it will be because tartaric acid breaks down over time and stops providing a benefit.

Tartaric acid is sometimes used purposefully to control how tart a wine is. However, in general, tartaric acid is used to control the acidity.

Citric acid and malic acid both are used to control the tartness of a wine and do so better than tartaric acid. However, neither of these acids have the same impact on the acidity of a wine.

Medical Uses for Tartaric Acid

In the medical community, tartaric acid can be used as a natural way to induce vomiting. It can also be used as a natural laxative. Doctors often like to prescribe tartaric acid for these two purposes because it provides an antioxidant benefit, preventing cell degradation from free radicals.

Tartaric Acid Side Effects

Tartaric acid can kill you if you overdose. This may sound extreme, but it is important to know that some of the side effects of an overdose are irreversible and they are deadly. The two possible fatal dangers of a tartaric acid overdose are renal failure and heart attack.

In many cases, an overdose of tartaric acid leading to one of these two conditions results in death. In some cases it may cause organ damage but you will survive the incident.

Some common side effects of taking too much tartaric acid include:

  • Irritability
  • Short fuse
  • Stomach pain
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Being thirsty even after you drink fluids

If you ignore these symptoms and continue to take too much tartaric acid, it will eventually lead to the deadly medical problems listed above. Don’t ignore these symptoms if you are supplementing with tartaric acid!

Even though tartaric acid is found in a variety of foods and candy, the amounts used are generally small and will not lead to any health issues.

Recommended Dosages of Tartaric Acid

There is no recommended daily amount of tartaric acid, mainly because your body does not need it to function or to survive. As with many supplements, you will see the amounts of tartaric acid what are included vary based on the manufacturer of the supplement.

The good news is that understanding your maximum dose isn’t difficult because it is based on your weight rather than your age or gender. You will want to keep your dose at around 2 grams of tartaric acid for each pound that you weigh.

For a 160 pound man that would be 320 grams per day. Any more tartaric acid than that would be dangerous and much more could be lethal.

Tartaric Acid Conclusions

The truth is that tartaric acid as a supplement doesn’t really make sense. Your body doesn’t need it and it can be dangerous if you take too much. Once you hit that toxicity level, there is every possibility that you will never recover.

The good news is that there are many other antioxidants for you to consider if you were thinking of tartaric acid as a way to boost your antioxidant levels. With other choices, there is no need to risk your health with something that could potentially be volatile.

If you are looking for a good antioxidant product, use the supplement finder now!

Other

  • Side Effects
  • Other Names
  • Uses
Diarrhea
Excessive Thirst
Irritability
Organ Damage
Overdose Can Cause Heart Attacks
Overdose Can Cause Renal Failure
Overdose Can Result In Death
Stomach Pain
Vomiting
Alpha Hydroxy Acid
Antioxidant
Food Additive
Laxative
Induce Vomiting