Wash away the chemicals.
It isn't only women who are using dangerous personal care products. The sale of men's personal care products has increased over 15% between 2011 and 2016. The most used male personal care products include antiperspirants and deodorants, followed by shaving products and skincare products. Of the ingredients used in these products many of them are endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Deodorants are filled with aluminum which is a neurotoxin and prevents vitamin D3 absorption.
EDC's primarily affect fertility but they can also play a part in obesity and coronary heart disease. Phthalates, bisphenol A, triclosan and parabens are some of the EDCs in men's health care products that effect health.
Phthalates are used in plastics to improve the elasticity and pliability. They are not bound to the plastic and thus can be absorbed by the body. The male reproductive tract is sensitive to phthalates with animal studies showing that phthalates can induce testicular injury, as well as alter Sertoli and Leydig cells where semen is made. Common EDC Bisphenol A is used for the manufacture of polycarbonate products and epoxy resins. Studies have found that participants who had higher levels of BPA tended to have higher BMIs. Although the majority of BPA is not found in personal care products, these products often contain other chemicals that increase the dermal absorption of BPA. Triclosan is commonly used in a variety of personal care products including toothpaste, antibacterial soap, shampoo and deodorant. In a study conducted recently, researchers found that as triclosan levels rose semen quality decreased.
Parabens may be the most commonly talked about EDC found in personal care products. It is common to see shampoos and other products labeled as "paraben free". but what does that mean? Parabens are commonly used in cosmetics, food products, and pharmaceuticals. They enter the body through dermal absorption and are secreted through the urine, but can remain in the body's adipose tissue. It has been postulated that parabens may interfere with testicular mitochondrial energetics and disturb sperm function.
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