Monday, July 11, 2011

Other Toxic Substances: Phthalates - Is your shampoo making you fat?

The Source

Doctors at the Mount Sinai Medical Centre in New York claim that phthalates, chemical ingredients in 70 percent of cosmetics as well as many household cleaning products, have been shown to throw the body’s natural weight control system, a delicate balance of hormones, off kilter.

They suggest that exposure to phthalates through daily use may be linked to childhood obesity and weight problems in adults.

“The heaviest girls have the highest levels of phthalates in their urine,” says Professor Philip Landrigan, a paediatrician and the study author. “It goes up as the children get heavier, but it’s most evident in the heaviest kids.”
The Rochester scientists analysed the urine, blood samples and other data of 1,451 men. They found that those with the highest level of phthalates in their urine had more belly fat and insulin resistance and suggested that depressed testosterone levels due to chemicals was the underlying cause of their weight gain.
“If you put something on your skin, you absorb it and you need to find a brand that doesn’t use phthalates or any chemicals. The science against them is strong.” - Daily Mail

No comments: