According to some recent research, your
hair spray, nail polish, or perfume could add to your diabetes risk,
thanks to a class of chemicals called phthalates.
By Chris Iliades, MD
Medically reviewed by Niya Jones, MD, MPH
You probably haven’t heard of phthalates, a type of chemical found
in beauty products, like nail polish, hair spray, skin lotions, and
perfumes; and household products, including raincoats, shower curtains,
and food packaging. But you should expect to hear a lot more about them
soon.
Type 2 Diabetes Risk Factors
Why? Because these chemicals — present in the bodies of every
American tested for environmental pollutants, according to a report from
the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — might have some
newly discovered side effects, including possibly contributing to
chemical causes of diabetes. Here’s what you need to know.
Diabetes Risk and Recent Phthalate Research
In one recent study of people at age 70, significantly higher
levels of phthalates were found in the people with diabetes than in
those without diabetes. The results were published in the journal
Diabetes Care.
Earlier research found that phthalate levels are typically higher
in women than men, perhaps because women generally use more personal
care and beauty products, researchers speculate. Because of this,
Tamarra James-Todd, PhD, and her colleagues at Brigham and Women's
Hospital in Boston wanted to know whether women with diabetes would have
high levels of phthalates in their urine — finding that
women with the highest levels of phthalates were nearly twice as likely to have diabetes as women with the lowest levels.
"Phthalates in beauty products may be inhaled or absorbed through
the skin," James-Todd says. "We think they may be linked to adult-onset
diabetes by binding to fat cells and increasing obesity, which is a
major risk factor. They may increase resistance to insulin in the body,
especially in women."
What to Do About Phthalates in Beauty Products
"Unfortunately, it's hard to avoid phthalates in beauty products
because companies that use them claim they are a trade secret and don't
have to list them on their labels," James-Todd says. "Europe is way
ahead of us on phthalates. Many types of phthalates have already been
banned there. We need our government to do a better job of informing and
protecting us from these chemicals."
However, James-Todd says that more research is needed before a definite link can be made between
phthalates and diabetes risk.
"Right now we only have an association, not a cause," she explains.
Researchers are still looking at the possible effects of phthalates on
childhood obesity and comparing phthalate exposure in cosmetics to other
exposures.
"We don't have enough evidence to say you need to avoid phthalates,
and even if we did they are all around us," she says. "What you can do
is look for beauty products that say ‘phthalate-free.’ But since there
are no government regulations, there are no guarantees. You can also use
glass instead of plastic to hold food and water and try to find
all-natural personal care products."
More on Chemical Causes of Diabetes
Over the years, research has linked both type 1 and type 2 diabetes
to exposure to a variety of chemicals. These include heavy metals like
cadmium, mercury, arsenic, and lead. Aluminum and fluoride have also
been linked to diabetes.
One heavy metal that could be common enough to be a chemical cause of diabetes is mercury.
Eating fish with a high mercury content
and breathing air from coal-fired power plants are possible causes.
Some studies do show a link between mercury and decreased insulin
production.
"These studies do come up now and then," says Amber L. Taylor, MD,
an endocrinologist who directs the Diabetes Center at Mercy Hospital in
Baltimore. "In most cases they seem to be more linked to adult-onset
[type 2] diabetes. But down here on the ground, where we treat diabetes,
they are pretty far down on the
list of causes [of diabetes]
we worry about. Most of our diabetics do not have a history of
significant chemical or heavy metal exposures. If they do, we can test
for it."
Dr. Taylor notes, however, that concern about phthalates seems to
be growing. "Phthalates are a common exposure, and people are beginning
to ask about them, especially in regards to plastic water bottles," she
says. "More research should tell us if these chemical are a significant
cause.”
In addition to the potential diabetes risk, phthalates have been
linked to reduced sperm counts and liver cancer. Alhough it's too early
to press the panic button, it's not too early to keep your eyes open for
more research on phthalates.
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