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Are your cosmetics free of hormone disrupting chemicals?

What are endocrine disruptors?

Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that can interfere with our hormone system and cause a variety of health issues. Examples include adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects in humans, abnormal growth patterns and neurodevelopmental delays in children.1 

Sources of exposure to endocrine disruptors

The possible sources of exposure to these chemicals are via plastic bottles, metal food cans, cosmetics, personal care products that have phthalates, food, toys, pesticides, flame retardants. The chemicals present in these sources include BPA, phthalates, parabens, phenol derivatives etc . A continuous and repeated exposure to such chemicals might possibly increase the chances of hormone disruption. This might be particularly in those who are predisposed to hormonal imbalance. Pregnant women are encouraged to avoid these harmful chemicals if possible. Research suggests that such an exposure could be affecting the health of the baby as well as the mother. 2,3

Cosmetics, personal care products and endocrine disruptors

Certain UV filters are well known to cause endocrine disruption. Some of the examples of the commonly used UV filters that can be affecting hormones are BP: benzophenone; 4-MBC: 4-methyl benzylidene camphor; 3-BC: 3-benzylidene camphor; OMC: octyl methoxycinnamate; IMC: isopentyl-4-methoxycinnamate; OC: octocrylene. Among the other chemicals that are commonly used in cosmetics and personal care products that can endocrine disruptors are butylated hydroxyanisole/butylated hydroxytoluene, coal tar dyes, diethanolamine, formaldehyde releasing preservatives, parabens, phthalates, 1,4 dioxane, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, siloxanes, talc/asbestos, and triclosan.1. These chemicals present in a variety of personal care products that are used in every day. One of the possible ways of avoiding these chemicals is by using clean products. 

Many factors are involved in how these chemicals can have an impact on the hormones. The concentration they are used in the products, the health and age of the person who is exposed to these chemicals, the level of exposure and the type of exposure etc. A link between asthma prone patients to endocrine disruptors was established.4 Another study has shown that use of certain personal care products correlated to the presence of high amounts of endocrine disruptors in the urine samples collected from the study group.5

Table: List of commonly used chemicals in cosmetics that are endocrine disruptors

References:

1. Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Disease Susceptibility. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol, 2011, Nov; 127 (3-5): 204-215
2. Maternal Exposure to Domestic Hair Cosmetics and Occupational Endocrine Disruptors Is Associated with a Higher Risk of Hypospadias in the Offspring.  Environ health perspect, 2012 Jul; 120(7): 935–943
3. Cosmetics use and age at menopause: Is there a connection? Fertil Steril. 2016 September 15; 106(4): 978–990
4. Endocrine Disruptors and Asthma-Associated Chemicals in Consumer Products. Environ health perspect, 2012 Jul; 120(7): 935–943
5. Personal care product use as a predictor of urinary concentrations of certain phthalates, parabens, and phenols in the HERMOSA study. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2019 Jan; 29(1): 21–32