[Andrew K Fletcher (OP)]

Beware of Paraben Preservatives in Body Care Products

Cosmetic chemicals found in breast tumours
12:24 12 January 04
New Scientist.com news service

Preservative chemicals found in samples of breast tumours probably came from
underarm deodorants, UK scientists have claimed.

Their analysis of 20 breast tumours found high concentrations of
para-hydroxybenzoic acids (parabens) in 18 samples. Parabens can mimic the
hormone estrogen, which is known to play a role in the development of breast
cancers. The preservatives are used in many cosmetics and some foods to
increase their shelf-life.

"From this research it is not possible to say whether parabens actually
caused these tumours, but they may certainly be associated with the overall
rise in breast cancer cases," says Philip Harvey, an editor of the Journal
of Applied Toxicology, which published the research.

"Given that breast cancer is the largest killer of women and a very high
percentage of young women use underarm deodorants, I think we should be
carrying out properly funded, further investigations into parabens and where
they are found in the body," Harvey told New Scientist.

Chemical cousins

The new research was led by molecular biologist Philippa Darbre, at the
University of Reading. She says that the ester-bearing form of parabens
found in the tumours indicates it came from something applied to the skin,
such as an underarm deodorant, cream or body spray. When parabens are eaten,
they are metabolised and lose the ester group, making them less strongly
estrogen-mimicking.

"One would expect tumours to occur evenly, with 20 per cent arising in each
of the five areas of the breast," Darbre toldNew Scientist. "But these
results help explain why up to 60 per cent of all breast tumours are found
in just one-fifth of the breast - the upper-outer quadrant, nearest the
underarm."

However, Chris Flower, director general of the Cosmetic, Toiletry and
Perfumery Association, challenged the study's findings. "There are almost no
deodorants and body sprays that contain parabens," he says. "Although they
are in most other creams and cosmetics, the safety margin is huge and they
would not have any effect on enhancing growth of new tumours."

Darbre replies that deodorants and antiperspirants have only stopped
containing parabens in the last few months and that the tumours she studied
occurred prior to this.

A small survey by New Scientist of three British high street shops and one
supermarket found deodorants in each that contained parabens, although most
of these products did not. However, many other products used under the arm
commonly contained parabens, such as body sprays, hair removal creams and
shaving gels. Body lotions, face creams, cleansers and shampoos also
frequently contained parabens.

Skin deep

Previously published studies have shown that parabens are able to be
absorbed through the skin and to bind to the body's estrogen-receptors,
where they can encourage breast cancer cell growth.

But Flower maintains that the amount of parabens absorbed by the skin is
very low and the parabens are "metabolised by the skin cells to produce
products that have no estrogenic activity".

Darbre's research did not look at the concentrations of parabens in other
areas of the breast or body tissues and Harvey cautions that the
significance of the chemicals in tumour tissue should not be
over-interpreted.

Darbre says she has not used cosmetic products, including underarm
deodorants, for eight years. She recommends that other women do the same
"until their safety can be established".

Journal reference: Journal of Applied Toxicology (vol 24, p5)


"The explanation requiring the fewest assumptions is most likely to be correct."
K.I.S. "Keep it simple!"

[neilep]

Thanks for this Andrew.

I'll be checking wifeys lotions now.

Seems nothing is safe nowadays !

Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

[another_someone]

quote:Originally posted by Andrew K Fletcher

"One would expect tumours to occur evenly, with 20 per cent arising in each
of the five areas of the breast," Darbre toldNew Scientist. "But these
results help explain why up to 60 per cent of all breast tumours are found
in just one-fifth of the breast - the upper-outer quadrant, nearest the
underarm."


Darbre's research did not look at the concentrations of parabens in other
areas of the breast or body tissues and Harvey cautions that the
significance of the chemicals in tumour tissue should not be
over-interpreted.

I don't know if you recollect the spoof article that was circulating around the Internet some years ago about the amount of DHMO found in tumours, and clearly indicating how dangerous DHMO was.

I am not commenting upon the safety or otherwise of  parabens, only that one should be just as cautious about interpreting negative research as we should be about interpreting positive research.

quote:

Darbre says she has not used cosmetic products, including underarm
deodorants, for eight years. She recommends that other women do the same
"until their safety can be established".

But when can absolute safety ever be established.?  We might be able to determine demonstrable harm, but can we ever be sure of the absence of risk of harm?

Not that any of this concerns me, since I am neither female nor do I use cosmetics (the two factors are loosely linked, although clearly there are men who do use cosmetics).

[Gwenrow]

Thanks for the info. I heard about parabens from xxxxxxx and this is why I buy my microdermabrasion and face cream from them. They don't have any of that garbarge in their stuff. We don't have cancer in the family, but I don't want to take any chances. Great article...thanks!

[Dene]

It's good to see that some people don't take everything at face value. The study that claimed to have found parabens in breast cancer tissues had some major flaws. The biggest was probably the fact that they found parabens in all the blank controls! Any reputable scientist would stop the experiment there, as the whole point of a blank control is exactly that - to prove that you are not finding what you are looking for in places where it shouldn't exist or, in other words, to check that there is no contamination in the experimental method. There is, therefore, a very strong argument that the parabens found were actually introduced as contaminants during the experimental procedure. This was extremely bad science, and a total failure of the principle that scientific papers are properly refereed before publication. Parabens are amongst the safest preservatives available in personal care. There is absolutely no need to avoid products containing them.

[deepthinker]

We look at it this way; as we can get products that have the same function and are just as nice as the ones that contain parabens, why take the chance? We have been buying our stuff from Xxxxxxx for several months, as they don’t stock anything with parabens, or anything else rumoured to be a carcinogen.

[Gwenrow]

What other companies don't use parabens?

[bodybrainhealth]

USANA Health Sciences, manufactures a line of skin and hair care products called Sense' that contain NO PARABENS. Additionally, they are botanically-based, which means no petroleum or animal products. SPAM REMOVED
Carol

[Miriam4198]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by another_someone</i>

quote:Originally posted by Andrew K Fletcher"One would expect tumours to occur evenly, with 20 per cent arising in eachof the five areas of the breast," Darbre toldNew Scientist.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

 I think I saw this "fletcher" somewhere in this forum before... I'll go check and edit this post in a minute

SPAM REMOVED

[Andrew K Fletcher (OP)]

Preservative Methyl Paraben in Skin Lotions and Gels

 

For many years, parabens were considered among those preservatives with low systemic toxicity, primarily causing allergic reactions. However, as we have become aware that some synthetic chemicals mimic the female hormone estrogen, our understanding of the toxic effects of both synthetic and natural substances has changed. Now, John Sumpter from the Department of Biology & Biochemistry, Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex, have found that alkyl hydroxy benzoate preservatives (namely methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, and butylparaben) are weakly estrogenic. In an estrogen receptor-binding assay, butylparaben was able to compete with the female hormone estradiol for binding to estrogen receptors with an affinity approximately 5 orders of magnitude lower than that of diethylstilbestrol (a highly carcinogenic synthetic estrogen), and between 1 and 2 orders of magnitude less than nonylphenol (an estrogenic synthetic industrial chemical).

Although it is reassuring to note that when administered orally, the parabens were inactive, subcutaneous administration of butylparaben produced a positive estrogenic response on uterine tissues. Although approximately 100,000 times less potent than17 beta-estradiol, greater exposure to the parabens may compensate for their lower potency. The researchers conclude that, "Given their use in a wide range of commercially available topical preparations, it is suggested that the safety in use of these chemicals should be reassessed . . ."  

The European Union has asked the European Cosmetics and Toiletry industry about these new findings and the implication for breast cancer. These preservatives are found in the vast majority of skin an body lotions, even in natural progesterone creams. Generally, for the sterol hormones, taken orally the hormones are 90% first pass metabolized by the liver. Thus, taken orally only 10% reaches the body. In contrast, anything absorbed by the skin is directly absorbed. In other words, anything absorbed through the skin may be as high as 10 times the concentration of an oral dose.

Unfortunately, some natural progesterone creams were found to contain methyl and propyl parabens as a preservative.

Shampoos that Purposely Contain Very High Amounts of Estrogen

African Americans favored shampoos with clinically active high doses of estrogen. They also used them on their children. In 1998 Tiwary, now retired, published a study of four girls - including a 14-month-old - who developed breasts or pubic hair months after beginning to use such products. The symptoms started to disappear when they stopped using them. The year before, he published a study showing that some of the products used by his patients contained up to one milligram (1 mg) of estradiol per one ounce of shampoo. By comparison a normal adult topical skin dose for estradiol is 0.02-0.05 mg/day. This means that one ounce of shampoo contains 50 times the daily ADULT dose of estradiol. A small handful of this shampoo on your child every day may give her OR HIM breasts! See the article here
http://www.fibrocystic.com/xeno.htm



"The explanation requiring the fewest assumptions is most likely to be correct."
K.I.S. "Keep it simple!"

[jameshan01]

paraben series such as EthylParaben,ButylParaben, MethylParaben, PropylParaben are used as food antioxidant or preservatives, it is approved by FDA. It is safe when use limited dosage.