TORONTO – Think nixing sugary carbs will help you stay slim? You may also have to trim your beauty regimen to include less artificial ingredients, new research suggests.
A new study from Uppsala University in Sweden suggests that a common chemical used in cosmetics and plastics is linked to weight gain and type-2 diabetes.
The chemicals, called phthalates, are synthetic ingredients that can be absorbed directly through the skin or through inhalation. They not only disrupt hormones, but have also have been shown to cause damage to the kidneys, liver, lungs and reproductive systems in animals.
Cosmetic manufacturers use the chemicals since they help the product last longer – they cling to the skin and nails to give perfumes, nail polish and hair gels more staying power.
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In the Swedish study, researchers analyzed data from 1,000 people who were in their 70s. As they expected, diabetes was more common among participants who were overweight and had high blood lipids.
But the researchers also found that the people in the study with higher levels of phthalates in their blood were twice as likely to develop diabetes. This was found even after adjusting for obesity, smoking, blood lipids and exercise habits. They also found that certain phthalates were associated with disrupted levels of insulin production.
“Although our results need to be confirmed in more studies, they do support the hypothesis that certain environmental chemicals can contribute to the development of diabetes,” said Monica Lind, one of the authors of the study.
While cosmetics are one of the only consumer products for which the public’s ‘right to know’ about chemical ingredients is guaranteed in Canada, fragrances don’t fall into that category. Fragrance recipes are considered a trade secret so manufacturers are not required to disclose fragrance chemicals in the list of ingredients.
Globalnews.ca contacted the Canadian Cosmetic Toiletry and Fragrance Association for comment. The organization said in an email response that they were not able “to comment specifically on the Uppsala University study as we have not yet had the opportunity to review the science behind their conclusions and once the CCTFA has had a chance to review the study in detail, (they) would be happy to provide a response.”
SOUND OFF: Fragrance recipes don’t have to list their ingredients because they’re considered to be trade secrets. Should perfumes have to disclose their ingredients? Tell us what you think.
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