Parabens are man-made chemicals often used in small amounts as preservatives in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, foods, and beverages.
CDC
Surprisingly, paraben is present in almost every cosmetic and cleaning household agent we use daily. It comes in different forms, and I’ve learned to check product labels before buying one, so I avoid any of these terms – methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben. Any term that has one evil root word – paraben.
Yes, it is quite shocking. I even found paraben in dishwashing liquids, deodorant, shampoo, and cereals!
So why avoid Paraben?
According to WebMD – the biggest concern with parabens is that some studies show that they disrupt hormones in your body. Once in your body, parabens can act like the hormone estrogen in both males and females.
This could have an effect on things like:
- Fertility (sperm count and length of menstrual cycle)
- Reproductive development (fetal nourishment)
- Birth outcomes, such as preterm birth
The use of parabens became quite controversial after being found in the cells of breast cancer patients. This needs further testing, but European Union banned isopropylparaben and isobutylparaben from use in any personal care products in 2015. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has also banned these parabens.
More studies found that paraben can cause changes in cholesterol, blood sugar, thyroid, and immune function. The risk of allergies, obesity, and infertility has also been associated with the use of parabens.
Animal and cell research shows parabens can act like estrogen which may cause health problems. Unfortunately, there’s still a lot we don’t know about this chemical.
And so ending this post with a simple advice – lessen our exposure to paraben and as much as possible read product label before buying, and be smart for your health.
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mypanoplies 