Rise of parabens cause of concern
DEAR DOCTOR: I read that parabens found in moisturizers and creams have also been found in breast tissue. Should I be concerned?
DEAR READER: Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in commercial moisturizers, shampoos, shaving gels, sunscreens and makeup. They are relatively inexpensive to make and are considered generally safe for food consumption by the Food and Drug Administration and European Union.
The widespread use of parabens, however, leads to their deposit in unintended places. Parabens are found at various concentrations in indoor dust and air. The potential health effects are more concerning in children than in adults, because their ingestion rate of parabens from dust is five to 10 times higher. In addition, parabens can end up in wastewater, ultimately sending them into the water supply, agricultural soil and fish, which leads to higher paraben exposure through consumption of fish and food products. One good aspect of parabens is that they are quickly eliminated from the body, so it is less likely they will build up over time.
The primary concern
is about parabens’ effect on sex hormones. Parabens can bind to estrogen receptors in the body, meaning they have an estrogenlike effect that could potentially raise breast cancer risk and impact fertility. They also can bind to testosterone receptors, potentially affecting male fertility as well.
Parabens have been found in both breast tumors and in the breast tissue adjacent to tumors. This doesn’t mean that parabens cause breast cancer, but it also doesn’t mean we should simply call them innocuous.
Also, in humans, higher levels of parabens in the urine have been associated with lower levels of thyroid hormones. Lastly, parabens applied to the skin, in combination with UVB light, can increase the risk of skin damage and possibly skin cancer.
In short, parabens at current human exposure may not cause harm. But with greater use and with greater accumulation of parabens in our food and water supply, we should all ask questions about their future health effects.
Robert Ashley, M.D., is an internist and assistant professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles.