Cancer Promotion by Parabens & Phthalates Found In Personal Care Products

Reducing Harmful Chemical Exposure Through Personal Care Products 

The REDUXE study published in May of 2023 looked at how reducing exposure to certain chemicals in personal care products (PCPs)—like shampoo, lotions, and makeup—can affect the body, especially breast cells. These chemicals, like parabens and phthalates, are called xenoestrogens (XEs), and are man-made substances that act like estrogen in the body. Phthalates and parabens were the chemicals that were specifically examined in the Reduxe study, and they were found to promote changes that can drastically increase breast cancer risk. This study was particularly important because it tracked the changes seen in women's breast tissue- and not in a petri dish or animal study.

Parabens are typically used as preservatives in personal care products like shampoo, conditioner, lotions, moisturizers, shaving products, make-up, and perfumes.  The most common parabens in cosmetics are methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, and ethylparaben.

Parabens are also commonly used as antimicrobial agents in medications. 

In the United States parabens are not regulated by the FDA. However, the state of California and several foreign countries do regulate parabens and have maximum concentration limits for use in cosmetics and some specific parabens are banned.

Phthalates in personal care products are used as “plasticizers,” solvents, and stabilizers.  While the FDA does regulate phthalates, they are often not named directly on the list of ingredients, and are instead listed as “fragrance.”  Disturbingly, current law permits phthalates to be listed as "fragrance" even if they make up 20% or more the product. Phthalates are surprisingly common in medications and supplements as well.

In the Reduxe study two groups of women were evaluated: one group used their typical personal care products and the other group of women replaced their usual personal care products with new products that were free of phthalates or parabens. The women in both groups then volunteered to have a fine needle aspiration of their breast tissue both before and after the study, as well as to provide urine samples. A fine needle aspiration is a procedure that uses a needle to collect a tissue specimen for close examination.

After the tissue samples were examined the researchers found: 

1. Women had fewer xenoestrogens and xenoestrogen by-products in their urine, showing that their exposure to these chemicals had decreased with paraben and phthalate-free products.

2. According to the researchers there was a "striking" reversal of cancer-associated phenotypes (ie. cellular characteristics) including PI3K-AKT/mTOR pathway.

   
   

3. That the ratio of estrogen receptors in the examined breast tissue found a shift away from cancer-promoting ratio to one of cancer protection. Specifically, there was a shift towards increased estrogen receptor beta in women who had avoided the xenoestrogens.

   
   

Even though XEs don’t typically stay long in the body, we are constantly bombarded by them through air, food, and especially PCPs. The REDUXE study showed that switching to safer PCPs led to a noticeable drop in certain chemicals like methylparaben, while other chemicals mainly found in food did not change. This proves the changes were due to the personal care products used, not food or other sources. 

Although the study included only a small number of people, it showed real changes in human breasts. Unlike lab experiments that use single cell types, this human study gives a more accurate view of how people’s bodies react differently but still show common patterns.  This study is the first of its kind to show how using safer personal care products can directly affect gene activity in a way that can lower breast cancer risk.

When reading up on this information I became interested in which medications were known to have the highest levels of parabens. After all, nearly 65% of all Americans 18 years and older take at least one drug. Turns out that studies measuring which medications caused the highest urinary elimination of parabens found a med called alendronate to be the worst offender. Alendronate, aka Fosamax, is a drug used to treat osteoporosis and is typically given to post-menopausal women. One recent study found that alendronate users had urinary concentrations of parabens that were approximately 3x higher than non-users.

So apparently, the drug most likely to increase parabens in the body is being given primarily to post-menopausal women who as a group have the highest risk of breast cancer.

And, it's not just women who should be concerned about parabens in their bodies. A newer study suggests that higher levels of parabens in men is positively associated with prostate cancer.

These chemicals have even been found to increase the risk of ADHD in children.

The take-home message is that these common chemicals are dangerous and we cannot count on manufacturers to protect us from exposure. While manufacturers may be following the law regarding the inclusion of these chemicals or their deceptive labeling practices, the fact is the science shows the potential for serious harm to users.

It is worth the effort for everyone to pay attention to what you put on and in your body. If you're not sure about your personal care products, a simple internet search can help you identify those products that contain harmful ingredients.