Paraben Preservatives—A Clear and Present Danger to Newborns, from Healthy Living
Unfortunately for public health, the threat of parabens to the developing fetus has been confirmed in numerous recent studies and all women of childbearing age or parents of newborns must have this information, particularly to protect their offspring. It is that important. Yet few women will be provided this information and even fewer companies will act on it in an expeditious manner.
What we're learning about the use of a family of preservatives known as parabens is frightening. New research tells us that every cosmetic company that is using them now in baby products or products to be used by women of childbearing age ought to remove these dangerous compounds immediately.
Further, all women of childbearing age who anticipate they might be pregnant soon or in the future ought to eliminate use of such cosmetics.
Thankfully, our recommended line of Aubrey Organics baby products has never contained any of the parabens. You should continue to use the Aubrey Organic cosmetic and personal care product line if you already are using these products. If you're not using them and your products list parabens on the label, you should switch immediately to a safer line. Fortunately, the parabens must be disclosed on cosmetic and personal care product labels.)
FYI: Paraben Background
We told readers about the toxic effects of parabens more than two years ago in Healthy Living (see, for example, 5.3:18-19)—that these commonly used preservatives (namely methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, and butylparaben), which are listed on labels, had recently been identified as xenoestrogens, that is, synthetic compounds that mimic the sex hormone estrogen.
Researchers who studied the estrogenicity of the parabens concluded that, "Given their use in a wide range of commercially available topical preparations, it is suggested that the safety in use of these chemicals should be reassessed."
Now, late-breaking research has impelled us to ratchet up our warning level to an extreme health risk—especially for newborn male offspring.
Parabens are p-hydroxybenzoic acid ester compounds widely used as preservatives in foods, cosmetics, toiletries, and pharmaceuticals. Their use in cosmetics is particularly troubling because their absorption into the bloodstream bypasses the gastrointestinal tract where they might be broken down. In other words, cosmetic products likely deliver one of the most potent dosages.
Frightening Consequences for Male Newborns
In the July 2002 issue of the Archives of Toxicology , Dr. S. Oishi of the Department of Toxicology, Tokyo Metropolitan Research Laboratory of Public Health, Japan, reported that exposure of newborn male mammals to butylparaben "adversely affects the secretion of testosterone and the function of the male reproductive system.
"In this paper, we have shown that butylparaben had an adverse effect on the male mouse reproductive system and that it damaged the late steps of spermatogenesis in the testis," the researcher reports. "A dose-dependent decrease of both round and elongated spermatid counts in stages VII-VIII seminiferous tubules was observed, and the elongated spermatid counts were significantly lower in all of the treated groups. The serum testosterone concentration decreased in a dose-dependent fashion and was significant at 1.00%. These data demonstrated that butylparaben can exert an adverse effect on the male reproductive system at doses that are well below those of the accepted daily intake (ADI) in Japan."
A few months later in the December issue of Food and Chemical Toxicology, the researcher reported that closely related propylparaben "adversely affects the hormonal secretion and the male reproductive functions. Daily sperm production and its efficiency in the testis of all groups receiving propylparaben significantly decreased. The serum testosterone concentration decreased in a dose-dependent manner and the decrease was significant in the group that received the highest dose. The exposure level at which this effect was observed is the same as the upper-limit acceptable daily intake (10 mg/kg body weight/day) of parabens in the European Community and Japan."
Earlier, Dr. Oishi reported that sperm counts among animals receiving the highest doses of specific parabens were 58.2 percent of control values. "The daily sperm production (DSP) in the testis was also significantly lower in all treated groups when compared to controls. Serum testosterone concentration was lowered dose-dependently and was significant at 0.1% or more." Once again, we are reminded the daily intake of butylparaben that caused these disruptions "is similar to the lower level of acceptable daily intake (ADI) for parabens in the European Community (EC) and in Japan. The results of the present experiments show for the first time that exposure of a postweaning mammal to butylparaben had an adverse effect on the secretion of testosterone and in the functions of the male reproductive system."
These results are confirmed and extended by additional experimental research independent of the work of Dr. Oishi and reported on in the March 2002 issue of the Journal of Veterinary Medical Science.
Not only were live birth and postnatal survival rates decreased among newborns whose mothers were exposed to parabens during pregnancy, "the weights of testes, seminal vesicles and prostate glands were significantly decreased," report researchers at the Department of Veterinary Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine and School of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Suwon, Korea. The Korean researchers further state, "The sperm count and the sperm motile activity in the epididymis were significantly decreased. Taken together, these results indicated that maternal exposure of BP might have adverse effects on the male offspring."
There is too much evidence now for us not to put into practice the precautionary principle.
Baby Products & Parabens: The Good, Bad and Ugly
Gerber is a trusted name in babies' nutrition and health that has branched into baby products including baby washes, shampoos, lotions, powders and ointments. However, Gerber Skin Nutrients Baby Lotion with Lavender and Chamomile contains parabens. Gerber Teeny Bodies Moisturizing Cream also does.
Playtex is another major player in the baby care market. Its major baby care brand continues to be the Baby Magic line, which contains foaming and creamy baths, shampoos, lotion and oil. Some of these products contain paraben preservatives.
Johnson & Johnson is the number one leader in the baby soaps category. The company's Baby Lotion contains paraben preservatives.
In young boys who are exposed to these chemicals before puberty, they may cause a statistically marked increased risk for birth defects and reproductive abnormalities.
Meanwhile, among young women, one disturbing trend is premature sexual development. Pediatricians are increasingly reporting appearance of secondary sexual characteristics in female babies as young as two years of age, including growth of pubic hair and development of ovarian cysts; as well as onset of menarche (menstruation) at younger and younger ages; and breast development (thelarche) in girls younger than eight years of age without other signs of puberty.
Cosmetic and personal care products with xenoestrogens that are used during pregnancy or perinatally (following birth) might be partial contributors to these increasingly disturbing reproductive abnormalities in both sexes.
We don't think parents of newborns ought to have to play a guessing game. What we do know is that the most influential—that is, toxic—exposures are likely to occur prenatally and perinatally when the developing children¹s cell growth is rapid and their cells are extremely sensitive to even minute alterations of the hormonal environment. They can also become "imprinted"—that is, hypersensitized to future estrogenic exposures.
The Safe Choice—Aubrey Organics
These reports make it clear that our choices in cosmetics and personal care products can have profound health consequences not only for ourselves but also for our offspring. We recommend that all women of childbearing age who intend to have children and parents of newborns or young children simply stop using products with parabens during their pregnancy or for their newborns.
Our safest and most efficacious recommendation is to use Aubrey Organics cosmetics and personal care products. Their Natural Baby and Kids Bath Soap, Body Lotion and Shampoo products have always conscientiously avoided use of controversial ingredients, including all parabens.
These are the very best products for your child. Their cosmetic and personal care products for adults are also the very best products for you and your child.
Back to Aubrey Organics
(Resources: the above information was taken from the www.aubrey-organics.com website)
Aubrey's References:
Routledge, E.J., et al. "Some alkyl hydroxy benzoate preservatives (parabens) are estrogenic." Toxicol Appl Pharmacol, 1998;153(1):12-9.
Oishi S. "Effects of butyl paraben on the male reproductive system in mice." Arch Toxicol, 2002;76(7):423-429.
Oishi, S., et al. "Effects of propyl paraben on the male reproductive system." Food Chem Toxicol, 2002;40(12):1807-1813.
Oishi, S. "Effects of butylparaben on the male reproductive system in rats." Toxicol Ind Health, 2001;17(1):31-39.
Kang, K.S., et al. "Decreased sperm number and motile activity on the F1 offspring maternally exposed to butyl p-hydroxybenzoic acid (butyl paraben)." J Vet Med Sci, 2002;64(3):227-235.
Canadian Press. "Shampoo linked to decline in sperm quality." The Calgary Sun, September 28, 1995:27.
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