Study: Common Chemicals in Cosmetics Change Hormone Levels in Women

FAIRFAX, Va. – Women who wear makeup can consider a more natural look. A new study reveals that chemicals found in many beauty products are linked to changes in hormones.

Researchers at George Mason University urge women to take into account the damage that can be caused by exposure to chemicals from cosmetics. Hormonal changes, they warn, can lead to serious problems, including breast cancer and cardiovascular disease.

For their study, the authors collected 509 urine samples from 143 healthy women aged 18 to 44 years. Participants used a contraceptive method and had no history of chronic disease. The urine has been analyzed to determine the chemicals present in the environment, commonly present in cosmetics and personal care products.

The authors found numerous adverse effects on reproductive hormones when these chemicals were present, particularly parabens (antimicrobial preservatives) and benzophenones (ultraviolet filters). They say that even low levels of exposure to chemical mixtures can alter hormone levels.

"We have early indicators that chemicals like parabens can increase estrogen levels," says Dr. Anna Pollack, assistant professor of global and community health, in a university publication. "If this finding is confirmed by further research, it could have implications for estrogen-dependent diseases such as breast cancer."

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The researchers also noted that in some cases, exposure to certain chemical mixtures resulted in a decrease in hormone levels, while other mixtures resulted in an increase in the same hormone.

"This study is the first to examine the chemical mixtures widely used in personal care products compared to hormones in women of childbearing age in good health, using multiple exposure measures throughout the study. menstrual cycle. two measures of chemicals, "Pollack says. "What we should remember from this study is that we may need to pay attention to the chemicals in the beauty and personal care products we use."

The full study is published in the November 2018 issue of the journal International environment.