Parabens
Parabens are man-made chemical preservatives used to prevent the growth of bacteria, yeast, and mold and extend shelf life. There is widespread exposure to parabens among the US population but some researchers and organizations have concerns and claim that parabens are endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
Quick Facts
Parabens are man-made chemical preservatives used to prevent the growth of bacteria, mold, or other microorganisms and extend shelf life. [1]
Parabens are found in cosmetics, personal care products, food, and pharmaceuticals. Parabens are also found in household dust. We are exposed to parabens via our skin, gastrointestinal tract, and inhalation. [1]
There is widespread exposure to parabens among the US population but some researchers and organizations have concerns and claim that parabens are endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
Parabens act as phytoestrogens, meaning they mimic the activity of estrogen in the body and are endocrine disruptors. Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that can wreak havoc on the hormones in the body, affect fertility and the reproductive system, affect birth outcomes and increase cancer risk. [2]
In 2006, the FDA took part in a Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) and reaffirmed that parabens are safe to use in cosmetics. However, in other countries like the EU, Southeast Asia, and Japan, certain parabens are banned or have restricted use.
The most common types of parabens are methyl-, ethyl-, butyl- and propyl-, isopropyl- and isobutyl-paraben. Oftentimes more than one is used in the same product, though the amounts are small. The longer chain parabens (propyl and butyl) have been linked to more estrogenic activity. [2]
When considering environmental toxins, we must consider the overall toxic load, or the cumulative effects of the many toxins to which we are exposed. It can be difficult to measure the cumulative impact of so many pollutants. The best strategy is to minimize toxins as much as possible to alleviate the total toxin burden on the body.
Products containing Parabens
Cosmetics
Shampoos and conditioners
Lotions and facial moisturizers
Face and body wash
Sunscreens
Shaving cream
Toothpaste
foods containing Parabens
Jams, jellies
Beer and soft drinks
Sauces
Pickles
Desserts like cookies, muffins and donuts
Trail mixes
Frozen dairy items
Flavored syrups
Finding Alternatives without Parabens
Limit use of personal care and cosmetics that contain parabens.
Read ingredient labels on all products to determine which products that you currently use contain parabens.
Avoid processed, packaged foods as much as possible.
Dust regularly and use an air purifier in your home.
Explore simple recipes to make your own personal care products or find local sellers near you at craft fairs, farmers, or artisan markets.
Utilize websites like EWG’s Skin Deep Database where products are graded based on the safety of their ingredients.
Chemical Reactions
The body can respond to foods and/or chemicals in many different ways including allergies and sensitivities. If you suspect a chemical reaction, you can either choose to avoid the chemical or additional testing.
Parabens & Autism in the Research
Parabens & Autism Associations
Parabens may either cause or contribute to the brain physiopathology in ASDs or pathogens that produce the brain pathology observed in the diagnosed rat model of ASD. [3]
Meconium methylparaben was associated with preterm birth, decreased gestational age and birthweight, maternal thyroid hormone dysfunction, and child ADHD. Parabens are a substantial health concern if causally related to these adverse outcomes.[4]
This is the first study to provide evidence that pregnancy environmental phenol exposures may increase the risk for nontypical development in a high-risk population.[24]
Sufficient data exist to report that exposure to some endocrine disruptors is a risk factor for the emergence of neurodevelopmental disorders.[23]
Many suspected endocrine disruptors selectively targeted autism susceptibility genes. Genetic variations among people with autism influence their sensitivity to some environmental chemicals and these same genes play an important role in barrier function and control of respiratory cilia sweeping particulate matter from the airways.[21]
The findings of this review suggest that the root cause of ASD may involve, at least in a subset of children, complex interactions between genetic factors and certain environmental toxicants that may act synergistically or in parallel during critical periods of neurodevelopment, in a manner that increases the likelihood of developing ASD.[22]
Parabens & Child Growth/Development
Findings suggest that maternal exposure to parabens might impact the fetal growth, though more research is needed. [10]
Exposure to parabens may be adversely associated with physical growth in 3-year-old male children. [14]
Prenatal exposure to benzophenones and parabens may be associated with impairment in child cognitive abilities at 2 years. [16]
Parabens & Reproductive Health
Adult exposure to pesticides, heavy metals, diethylstilbestrol, DEHP and BPA alternatives, TCDD, nonylphenol, polychlorinated bisphenols, triclosan, and parabens may be associated with deleterious effects on adult female reproduction. [5]
In young men, urinary parabens may not adversely impact reproductive function, but further research is warranted. [8]
Generally, sub-fertile individuals/couples exhibit higher endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) concentrations, endorsing a positive association between EDC exposure and sub-fertility. [18]
Non-persistent chemicals, like phthalates and parabens, alter antioxidant enzyme activity in women of reproductive age.[7]
Parabens & Obesity
In accordance with other experimental studies, we observed important associations of methylparaben and hormones affecting energy balance and metabolic health, indicating its obesogenic potential. [6]
Maternal paraben exposure may contribute to childhood overweight development by altered neuronal appetite regulation.[11]
Consistent inverse associations were observed, between adiposity measures and paraben concentrations in a representative sample of U.S adults and children [13]
Parabens & Respiratory Health
We observed an increased prevalence odds of reporting emergency department visits for every 10-fold increase in methylparaben and propylparaben concentrations among boys with asthma.[12]
Perinatal exposure to 2,5-dichlorophenol, BPA, parabens, and triclosan were associated with increased allergic sensitization and respiratory outcomes among boys, but not girls. [17]
A small number of studies suggest that triclosan and paraben exposures could be related to the risk of asthma and eczema in children.[19]
Parabens & Immune Health
A direct effect of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) exposure is the suppression of inflammatory processes, which may lead to an insufficient immune response against bacteria, fungi, viruses, and cancer cells. In particular, the immature immune system is vulnerable to EDCs and causing dysfunction of the immune system may attenuate responses to infections. [17]
Endocrine disrupting chemicals can alter airway cell differentiation and gut microbiota, shift the immune response towards TH2, alter expression of T regulatory cells and TH17, and weaken innate immunity.[20]
Paraben Sources of Exposure
Our results suggest that the home environment is an important source of exposure which has been under-investigated for some environmental phenols like parabens, bisphenol A, and triclosan. [9]
The concentrations of parabens reported in pregnant women were an order of magnitude higher than in the general population. Paraben concentrations in food and pharmaceuticals were at the ng/g level, while the levels in personal care products reached mg/g levels. Environmental concentrations ranged from ng/L-μg/L in surface waters to tens of μg/g in wastewater and indoor dust. The levels of human exposure to parabens appear to be higher in the U.S. and EU countries than in China and India.[15]
References
[1] U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 2020. Parabens in Cosmetics. [online] Available at: <https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/parabens-cosmetics> [Accessed 19 June 2021].
[2] Stoiber, PhD, T., 2019. What Are Parabens, and Why Don’t They Belong in Cosmetics?. [online] Environmental Working Group. Available at: <https://www.ewg.org/what-are-parabens> [Accessed 19 June 2021].
[3] Hegazy HG, Ali EH, Elgoly AH. Interplay between pro-inflammatory cytokines and brain oxidative stress biomarkers: evidence of parallels between butyl paraben intoxication and the valproic acid brain physiopathology in autism rat model. Cytokine. 2015;71(2):173-80.
[4] Baker BH, Wu H, Laue HE, et al. Methylparaben in meconium and risk of maternal thyroid dysfunction, adverse birth outcomes, and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Environ Int. 2020;139:105716.
[5] Rattan S, Zhou C, Chiang C, Mahalingam S, Brehm E, Flaws JA. Exposure to endocrine disruptors during adulthood: consequences for female fertility. J Endocrinol. 2017;233(3):R109-R129.
[6] Kolatorova L, Sramkova M, Vitku J, et al. Parabens and their relation to obesity. Physiol Res. 2018;67(Suppl 3):S465-S472.
[7] Pollack AZ, Mumford SL, Krall JR, et al. Urinary levels of environmental phenols and parabens and antioxidant enzyme activity in the blood of women. Environ Res. 2020;186:109507.
[8] Adoamnei E, Mendiola J, Moñino-García M, et al. Urinary concentrations of parabens and reproductive parameters in young men. Sci Total Environ. 2018;621:201-9.
[9] Levasseur JL, Hammel SC, Hoffman K, et al. Young children's exposure to phenols in the home: Associations between house dust, hand wipes, silicone wristbands, and urinary biomarkers. Environ Int. 2021;147:106317.
[10] Fadaei S, Pourzamani H, Ebrahimpour K, Feizi A, Daniali SS, Kelishadi R. Association of maternal urinary concentration of parabens and neonatal anthropometric indices. J Environ Health Sci Eng. 2020;18(2):617-28.
[11] Leppert B, Strunz S, Seiwert B, et al. Maternal paraben exposure triggers childhood overweight development. Nat Commun. 2020;11(1):561.
[12] Quirós-Alcalá L, Hansel NN, McCormack MC, Matsui EC. Paraben exposures and asthma-related outcomes among children from the US general population. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2019;143(3):948-956.e4.
[13] Quirós-Alcalá L, Buckley JP, Boyle M. Corrigendum to: "Parabens and measures of adiposity among adults and children from the U.S. general population: NHANES 2007-2014" [International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health 2018 May;221(4):652-660]. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2019;222(5):911.
[14] Guo J, Wu C, Lu D, et al. Urinary paraben concentrations and their associations with anthropometric measures of children aged 3 years. Environ Pollut. 2017;222:307-14.
[15] Wei F, Mortimer M, Cheng H, Sang N, Guo LH. Parabens as chemicals of emerging concern in the environment and humans: A review. Sci Total Environ. 2021;778:146150.
[16] Jiang Y, Zhao H, Xia W, et al. Prenatal exposure to benzophenones, parabens and triclosan and neurocognitive development at 2 years. Environ Int. 2019;126:413-21.
[17] Nowak K, Jabłońska E, Ratajczak-Wrona W. Immunomodulatory effects of synthetic endocrine disrupting chemicals on the development and functions of human immune cells. Environ Int. 2019;125:350-64.
[18] Green MP, Harvey AJ, Finger BJ, Tarulli GA. Endocrine disrupting chemicals: Impacts on human fertility and fecundity during the peri-conception period. Environ Res. 2021;194:110694.
[19] Jackson-Browne MS, Henderson N, Patti M, Spanier A, Braun JM. The Impact of Early-Life Exposure to Antimicrobials on Asthma and Eczema Risk in Children. Curr Environ Health Rep. 2019;6(4):214-24.
[20] Martín J, Santos JL, Aparicio I, Alonso E. Exposure assessment to parabens, bisphenol A and perfluoroalkyl compounds in children, women and men by hair analysis. Sci Total Environ. 2019;695:133864.
[21] Carter CJ, Blizard RA. Autism genes are selectively targeted by environmental pollutants including pesticides, heavy metals, bisphenol A, phthalates and many others in food, cosmetics or household products. Neurochem Int. 10.1016/j.neuint.2016.10.011
[22]Rossignol DA, Genuis SJ, Frye RE. Environmental toxicants and autism spectrum disorders: a systematic review. Transl Psychiatry. 2014;4:e360.
[23] Rivollier F, Krebs MO, Kebir O. Perinatal Exposure to Environmental Endocrine Disruptors in the Emergence of Neurodevelopmental Psychiatric Diseases: A Systematic Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(8):E1318.
[24] Barkoski JM, Busgang SA, Bixby M, et al. Prenatal phenol and paraben exposures in relation to child neurodevelopment including autism spectrum disorders in the MARBLES study. Environ Res. 2019;179(Pt A):108719.
Author
Elisa Rocks, RDN
Brittyn Coleman, MS, RDN/LD, CLT
