Hormones in numerous cosmetics

Daily facial care with hormonal effects?

07/24/2013

One third of cosmetics products on the German market contains „Hormonally effective chemicals“, This is the result of a recent study by the BUND. According to the environmental protection organization, the expensive products of the market leaders Beiersdorf (Nivea) and L'Oréal were especially heavily burdened. „On the other hand, natural cosmetics usually do without these hazardous chemicals“, so the message of the BUND. The private labels of the drugstore chains also performed comparatively well within the scope of the BUND study (17 percent of the products charged).

The BUND has examined more than 60,000 care and beauty products on 15 different chemicals that act like hormones. The examined hormonally active substances are assigned to a priority list of the EU with the highest priority and for all the hormonal effectiveness was documented in animal experiments, justified the federation the focus of the investigations on these same ingredients. The range of contaminated products ranged in the current evaluation of sunscreen over shower gel, shaving cream, hair wax and hair gel to lipstick, hand creams, body lotions or even toothpaste.

Fetuses, toddlers and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to hormones in cosmetics
Although the use of chemicals with hormonal action is not prohibited in principle, there is a concern that they could cause significant long-term health effects in the form of developmental disorders. „Especially fetuses in the womb, infants and adolescents are endangered by hormonally active chemicals“, reports the BUND. Under the headline „The cosmetic check - hormone cocktail in the bathroom“ The environmental protection organization has published the results of its current study. According to the BUND, the „Hormonally active substances used in cosmetics especially as preservatives and UV filters.“ In the process, the substances would also be absorbed through the skin, which can be a risk for fetuses in the womb, infants and adolescents that should not be underestimated. Because hormonally active substances may interfere with these sensitive development phases considerably.

Health complaints from hormonally active chemicals
The hormonally acting chemicals are according to the BUND „associated with health problems that have become more prevalent worldwide in recent decades“, such as a decline in sperm quality or male fertility and certain hormone-related cancers (breast cancer, prostate cancer, testicular cancer). Also, behavioral problems in children and premature puberty in girls are possible consequences of hormone-acting chemicals. The same applies to learning and memory difficulties, obesity, adult onset diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The daily contact with the hormonally active substances contained in care and cosmetic products is therefore highly critical in the opinion of the environmental protection organization.

Products particularly under pressure from market leaders
Overall, 30 percent of the examined cosmetic products were according to BUND „burdened with hormones“ and every fifth product contained several hormonally active substances. When „frightening“ According to the environmental protection organization, the high proportion of polluted articles is at the market leaders L'Oréal (45 percent) and Beiersdorf (46 percent). Even baby shampoos, which should be due to the particularly sensitive reactions of infants to hormonal impairments urgently free of the corresponding substances were burdened according to BUND to nine percent. Also critical was the high proportion of products that contained a number of hormonally active substances. Studies would have „demonstrated that hormonal chemicals can enhance each other's effects“ and „then, as it were, act as a cocktail of chemicals“, reports the BUND. The experts go „for substances having a similar effect (eg estrogens, androgens or thyroid hormones), the effects may add up“, the environmental protection organization continues.

Combination effect of the chemicals
According to BUND could result from the multiple use of parabens and UV filters in cosmetics combination effects that have a significant effect, „even if the individual substances are present in such low doses that they alone have no observable effect.“ However, this is not taken into account in the current risk assessment of the European Union. Instead, it continues to focus on individual substance limits, although the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that „the health risks posed by combination effects of hormonally active chemicals are severely underestimated.“

Natural cosmetics mostly free from chemicals with hormonal effects
In order to offer consumers the opportunity to consciously refrain from buying cosmetics with hormonal effects, the BUND offers the free iPhone app „ToxFox“ which enables the barcode of cosmetic products to be scanned and makes it immediately apparent to what extent the products are loaded. Also, the app offers the opportunity to send a complaint directly by email to the manufacturer of the product. In this way, the environmental organization hopes to increase the pressure on the manufacturers to bring them to abandon the hormonal chemicals in their articles. Anyone who wants to play it safe can also look to the unloaded products from manufacturers like „alva Naturkosmetik, Laverana Naturkosmetik, Logocos Naturkosmetik, Martina Gebhardt Naturkosmetik and Weleda Naturkosmetik“ fall back, reports the BUND. (Fp)

Also read about hormones:
Cancer through hormone transfer in artificial insemination
Hormones can cause breast cancer

Picture credits: Konstantin Gastmann