Do you go to work with parabens on you?

fancypantsonfireRN · Mar 10, 2016

This comment is the winner. Your unit sounds awesome . :roflmao:

Rocknurse, MSN, APRN, NP · Mar 10, 2016

I looked at Lindsey Berkson's Linkedin profile and it seems that she has a degree in Nutrition and has a chiropractic license? She is also the author of several books and currently works as a "Functional Consultant".
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-devaki-lindsey-berkson-55aab12b
Who has told you that you have to avoid parabens? I did a PubMed search with the terms "endometriosis" and "parabens" (including specifically methyl- and propylparaben) and I didn't get a single hit. Could you please provide a link to the research that shows that topical use of products containing parabens exacerbates endometriosis? I'm genuinely curious about whether there is a proven link.

Using my grad school library I was able to find many studies and papers addressing the impact of parabens on endocrine function. Simply typing in endometriosisâ€ and parabensâ€ into a search is not really going to turn up much information for you. You have to look at it from a wider angle and understand the pathophysiology and etiology of the condition. Knowing that it is driven and impacted by estrogen levels, and the delicate balance between the estrogen and progesterone ratio, you should conclude that any influence of excess estrogen in the form of xenoestrogens is going to have a negative impact on estrogen-driven diseases, namely endometriosis and breast and uterine/ovarian cancers. Therefore, anyone with a disorder related to endocrine function should be hugely concerned about parabens and phthalates in their cosmetic items.

Discrediting an author's credentials because you don't think she's smartâ€ enough doesn't make you look smarter. The author in fact suffered from lady partsl cancer as a result of being exposed to DES in the womb and has led a life-long mission to understand and expose the dangers of environmental toxins. She deserves nothing but respect for her work.

Without risk of boring everyone silly, I have included some excerpts from research studies below that should at least pique the interest of anyone who might be interested in understanding the link between disease and hormone disruption.

The objective of this study was to detect the probable association between polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and phthalate esters (PEs), and the occurrence of endometriosis in a prospective case control study. We found that PCBs and PEs may be instrumental in the etiology of endometriosis. Environmental toxicants may directly act as hormone disruptors or indirectly behave as immune toxins affecting the response of the endometrium to steroids, resulting in endometriosis. Phthalate esters (PEs) are chemicals used in the manufacturing of automotive parts, medical supplies, plastic wraps, beverage containers, and the linings of metal cans. They may act as potent endocrine disruptors. Several studies indicate that phthalates adversely affect reproductive function in laboratory animals We found the presence of PCBs and PEs in laparoscopy-proven endometriosis infertile women and in the control group. Current research indicates an increasing prevalence of endometriosis (13.2%) in the general population compared to the commonly accepted 10% incidence rate (7 and 43). Correlation between exposure to persistent organic pollutants and the incidence of reproductive conditions, which includes infertility, have been reported (44, 45 and 46). Some of the infertility problems are likely due to the endocrine-disrupting ability of these chemicals and include effects such as endometriosis in women and lowered sperm counts in men. Rier et al. (39) also provided the strongest evidence linking endometriosis to organochlorine exposure. The higher concentration of these chemicals in the plasma of subjects with endometriosis compared to fertile controls possibly suggests an association of PCBs and PEs with the occurrence of endometriosis. (Reddy, et. al, 2006)

Industrial chemicals, including lead, phthalates, and parabens, are basic ingredients or contaminants found in personal care products. Research links exposure to these chemicals with multiple, serious, adverse health effects such as breast cancer, endometriosis, endometrial cancer, impaired fertility or infertility, low birth weight, preterm birth, obesity, hypothyroidism, hypercholesterolemia, ADHD, hypospadias, and cryptorchidism. In females, phthalate exposure increases the risk for early puberty, impaired fertility or infertility, preterm labor, endometriosis and breast cancer. Research by Colon, Caro, Bourdony, and Rosario (2000) showed an association between phthalate exposure and premature puberty in young girls. Women with higher blood levels of DBP, BBP, dioctyl phthalate (DOP) and DEHP are more likely to be diagnosed with endometriosis and increased levels of phthalate concentrations correlated with increased severity of endometriosis (Reddy, Rozati, & Raman, 2006). Cobellis et al. (2003) suggests that exposure to phthalates may be contributing to increasing endometriosis rates (Lieser, 2013).

Some environmental toxins like DDT and other chlorinated compounds accumulate in the body because of their fat-soluble nature. Other compounds do not stay long in the body, but still cause toxic effects during the time they are present. For serious health problems to arise, exposure to these rapidly-clearing compounds must occur on a daily basis.

Methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-, and benzyl parabens, all esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, are widely used as antimicrobial preservatives in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food, and beverages. Because of their low cost and low toxicity, they are used commonly throughout the world. Once in the bloodstream they can be conjugated in the liver with glycine, sulfate, or glucuronate for excretion in the urine. But, they are also lipophilic and can be absorbed through the skin and are found intact in tissue.

Parabens have weak estrogenic activity and have been shown to induce the growth of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells in vitro, leading some researchers to suggest their potential as initiators or promoters of breast cancer. Part of the concern stems from the fact that an increasing number of breast cancers are occurring in the upper outer quadrant of the breast, where paraben-containing antiperspirant application occurs.'^ Others debate that the estrogenic effect is too weak to cause problems. The current consensus is that parabens' effect on health, including cancer risk, is due to much more than estrogen mimicry. An alternative mechanism by which parabens can indirectly affect estrogen levels is via inhibition of sulfotransferase activity inside the cytosol of human skin cells. By blocking sulfotransferases, the estrogen levels can remain higher than normal.

Paraben exposure comes mainly from the use of personal care products containing these compounds. While their exact health effects are currently unknown, they do possess some estrogenic activity, can adversely affect the breakdown of endogenous estrogens, and cause mitochondrial dysfunction. (Crinnion, W, 2010).

Environmental chemicals that functionally mimic estrogen may impact normal functioning of the endocrine system (EDs, endocrine disruptors) and lead to abnormal hormone regulation and gene expression [1]. Parabens, the alkyl esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, are one such group of ED chemicals with xenoestrogenic activity. Although parabens have generally been considered safe, several recent studies have cautioned that exposure to parabens may modulate or disrupt the endocrine system and thus may have harmful consequences on animal and human health than previously realized [3] and [4]. Parabens are lipophilic and this characteristic may facilitate its accumulation in sufficient concentrations to provide direct estrogenic or cytotoxic challenge.

To better understand the mechanism of CaBP-9k induction by these endocrine disrupting compounds, we measured the levels ofestrogen receptor (ERÎ±) and progesterone receptor (PR) expression following parabens exposure. Like other xenoestrogens, parabens can bind to estrogen receptors (ER), stimulate the ER-dependent response, and/or influence the expression of estrogen-responsive genes, including ERÎ±, PR, and pS2 [6], [7] and [8].

In vivo, several studies also showed a progressive increase in the estrogenic activity with increasing molecular weights of parabens. Increasing doses of butylparaben at 100, 400, and 600 mg/kg/day induced increased uterine wet weights and in addition, the high dosage of butyl-, isopropyl-, and isobutylparaben (1000 mg/kg/day) significantly increased uterine wet weight. Estrogen receptor dependent estrogenic activities of parabens were demonstrated in MCF-7 human breast cancer cell [6], [7] and [10] and ZR-75-1 human breast carcinoma cell line [10], [11] and [12] as well as in immature and adult mice and rats [9], [13], [14], [15] and [16] and fish [17].

Parabens are readily absorbed through the skin and gastrointestinal tract and metabolism involves hydrolysis to p-hydroxybenzoic acid [2]. The estrogenic activity of the paraben has shown adverse reproductive effects by the dietary route because these compounds are rapidly absorbed, metabolized and excreted as urinary conjugates Parabens have been shown to bind the estrogen receptor, activate genes controlled by these receptors, and stimulate cell growth and increase immunoreactivity of estrogen receptors [43]. In addition to estrogenic activity, parabens also increased progesterone receptor gene expression [7], [8], [15] and [39]. In this study, we showed that the induction of CaBP-9k expression by estrogens and estrogenic chemicals correlates with the increase in estrogenic potencies and their structure (Vo, et. al, 2011).

Studies indicated that parabens, used as anti-microbial agents in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals, produced a positive uterotrophic response in vivo. The proliferation of two estrogen-dependent cell lines MCF-7 and ZR-75-1 could be increased by parabens. They also increased expression of both transfected and endogenous estrogen-regulated genes in MCF-7 cells. (Ge, et. al, 2006)

Parabens are a class of suspected weak endocrine-disruptor chemicals possessing antimicrobial properties. Parabens are used widely in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and personal care products. Common parabens are comprised of methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, iso-propyl, n-butyl, and iso-butylparaben. Detection of these compounds in breast tumor cells [155] raised concern over the safety of these compounds, suspecting them to be carcinogenic. Human exposure to parabens is caused via absorption through skin or ingestion or by the use of products containing parabens. (Faniband, et. al, 2014)

Although diet, alcohol, radiation and inherited loss of BRCA1/2 genes have all been associated with increased incidence, the main identified risk factors are life exposure to hormones including physiological variations associated with puberty/pregnancy/menopause,1 personal choice of use of hormonal contraceptives2 and/or hormone replacement therapy.3â€“6 On this basis, exposure of the human breast to the many environmental pollutant chemicals capable of mimicking or interfering with oestrogen action7 should also be of concern. (Darbre, et. al, 2012)

Parabens are esters of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid that are commonly used as antimicrobial preservatives in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food or beverage processing (Andersen 2008). It is likely that repeated contact with products or foods containing parabens leads to widespread human exposure through ingestion, inhalation, or dermal contact. some parabens may be estrogenic in vitro (Routledge et al. 1998), although with activity levels several orders of magnitude lower than that of estrogen. Recent experimental studies have reported that certain parabens may also act as antiandrogens (Chen et al. 2007; Darbre and Harvey 2008; Satoh et al. 2005), and there is limited evidence that parabens may affect thyroid function (Rousset 1981)

References

Crinnion, Walter J. "Toxic effects of the easily avoidable phthalates and parabens." Alternative Medicine Review Sept. 2010: 190+.Academic OneFile. Web. 10 Mar. 2016.

Darbre, P. D., & Fernandez, M. F. (2012). Environmental oestrogens and breast cancer: long-term low-dose effects of mixtures of various chemical combinations. Journal of epidemiology and community health, jech-2012.

Faniband, M., Lindh, C. H., & JÃ¶nsson, B. A. (2014). Human biological monitoring of suspected endocrine-disrupting compounds. Asian journal of andrology, 16(1), 5.

Ge, J. H., & Chang, B. (2006). [Estrogenic activities of parabens]. Wei sheng yan jiu= Journal of hygiene research, 35(5), 650-652.

Lieser, A. E. (2013). Toxic exposures from personal care products in women of childbearing age.

Reddy, B. S., Rozati, R., Reddy, S., Kodampur, S., Reddy, P., & Reddy, R. (2006). High plasma concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls and phthalate esters in women with endometriosis: a prospective case control study. Fertility and sterility, 85(3), 775-779.

Vo, T. T., Jung, E. M., Choi, K. C., Frank, H. Y., & Jeung, E. B. (2011). Estrogen receptor Î± is involved in the induction of Calbindin-D 9k and progesterone receptor by parabens in GH3 cells: A biomarker gene for screening xenoestrogens. Steroids, 76(7), 675-681.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Mar 10, 2016

This comment is the winner. Your unit sounds awesome .

Which comment would "this comment" be?

Farawyn · Mar 10, 2016

Which comment would "this comment" be?

And whose unit? :blink:

APRN., DNP, RN, APRN, NP · Mar 10, 2016

Using my grad school library I was able to find many studies and papers addressing the impact of parabens on endocrine function. Simply typing in endometriosisâ€ and parabensâ€ into a search is not really going to turn up much information for you. You have to look at it from a wider angle and understand the pathophysiology and etiology of the condition. Knowing that it is driven and impacted by estrogen levels, and the delicate balance between the estrogen and progesterone ratio, you should conclude that any influence of excess estrogen in the form of xenoestrogens is going to have a negative impact on estrogen-driven diseases, namely endometriosis and breast and uterine/ovarian cancers. Therefore, anyone with a disorder related to endocrine function should be hugely concerned about parabens and phthalates in their cosmetic items.
Discrediting an author's credentials because you don't think she's smartâ€ enough doesn't make you look smarter. The author in fact suffered from lady partsl cancer as a result of being exposed to DES in the womb and has led a life-long mission to understand and expose the dangers of environmental toxins. She deserves nothing but respect for her work.
Without risk of boring everyone silly, I have included some excerpts from research studies below that should at least pique the interest of anyone who might be interested in understanding the link between disease and hormone disruption.
The objective of this study was to detect the probable association between polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and phthalate esters (PEs), and the occurrence of endometriosis in a prospective case control study. We found that PCBs and PEs may be instrumental in the etiology of endometriosis. Environmental toxicants may directly act as hormone disruptors or indirectly behave as immune toxins affecting the response of the endometrium to steroids, resulting in endometriosis. Phthalate esters (PEs) are chemicals used in the manufacturing of automotive parts, medical supplies, plastic wraps, beverage containers, and the linings of metal cans. They may act as potent endocrine disruptors. Several studies indicate that phthalates adversely affect reproductive function in laboratory animals We found the presence of PCBs and PEs in laparoscopy-proven endometriosis infertile women and in the control group. Current research indicates an increasing prevalence of endometriosis (13.2%) in the general population compared to the commonly accepted 10% incidence rate (7 and 43). Correlation between exposure to persistent organic pollutants and the incidence of reproductive conditions, which includes infertility, have been reported (44, 45 and 46). Some of the infertility problems are likely due to the endocrine-disrupting ability of these chemicals and include effects such as endometriosis in women and lowered sperm counts in men. Rier et al. (39) also provided the strongest evidence linking endometriosis to organochlorine exposure. The higher concentration of these chemicals in the plasma of subjects with endometriosis compared to fertile controls possibly suggests an association of PCBs and PEs with the occurrence of endometriosis. (Reddy, et. al, 2006)
Industrial chemicals, including lead, phthalates, and parabens, are basic ingredients or contaminants found in personal care products. Research links exposure to these chemicals with multiple, serious, adverse health effects such as breast cancer, endometriosis, endometrial cancer, impaired fertility or infertility, low birth weight, preterm birth, obesity, hypothyroidism, hypercholesterolemia, ADHD, hypospadias, and cryptorchidism. In females, phthalate exposure increases the risk for early puberty, impaired fertility or infertility, preterm labor, endometriosis and breast cancer. Research by Colon, Caro, Bourdony, and Rosario (2000) showed an association between phthalate exposure and premature puberty in young girls. Women with higher blood levels of DBP, BBP, dioctyl phthalate (DOP) and DEHP are more likely to be diagnosed with endometriosis and increased levels of phthalate concentrations correlated with increased severity of endometriosis (Reddy, Rozati, & Raman, 2006). Cobellis et al. (2003) suggests that exposure to phthalates may be contributing to increasing endometriosis rates (Lieser, 2013).
Some environmental toxins like DDT and other chlorinated compounds accumulate in the body because of their fat-soluble nature. Other compounds do not stay long in the body, but still cause toxic effects during the time they are present. For serious health problems to arise, exposure to these rapidly-clearing compounds must occur on a daily basis.
Methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-, and benzyl parabens, all esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, are widely used as antimicrobial preservatives in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food, and beverages. Because of their low cost and low toxicity, they are used commonly throughout the world. Once in the bloodstream they can be conjugated in the liver with glycine, sulfate, or glucuronate for excretion in the urine. But, they are also lipophilic and can be absorbed through the skin and are found intact in tissue.
Parabens have weak estrogenic activity and have been shown to induce the growth of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells in vitro, leading some researchers to suggest their potential as initiators or promoters of breast cancer. Part of the concern stems from the fact that an increasing number of breast cancers are occurring in the upper outer quadrant of the breast, where paraben-containing antiperspirant application occurs.'^ Others debate that the estrogenic effect is too weak to cause problems. The current consensus is that parabens' effect on health, including cancer risk, is due to much more than estrogen mimicry. An alternative mechanism by which parabens can indirectly affect estrogen levels is via inhibition of sulfotransferase activity inside the cytosol of human skin cells. By blocking sulfotransferases, the estrogen levels can remain higher than normal.
Paraben exposure comes mainly from the use of personal care products containing these compounds. While their exact health effects are currently unknown, they do possess some estrogenic activity, can adversely affect the breakdown of endogenous estrogens, and cause mitochondrial dysfunction. (Crinnion, W, 2010).
Environmental chemicals that functionally mimic estrogen may impact normal functioning of the endocrine system (EDs, endocrine disruptors) and lead to abnormal hormone regulation and gene expression [1]. Parabens, the alkyl esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, are one such group of ED chemicals with xenoestrogenic activity. Although parabens have generally been considered safe, several recent studies have cautioned that exposure to parabens may modulate or disrupt the endocrine system and thus may have harmful consequences on animal and human health than previously realized [3] and [4]. Parabens are lipophilic and this characteristic may facilitate its accumulation in sufficient concentrations to provide direct estrogenic or cytotoxic challenge.
To better understand the mechanism of CaBP-9k induction by these endocrine disrupting compounds, we measured the levels ofestrogen receptor (ERÎ±) and progesterone receptor (PR) expression following parabens exposure. Like other xenoestrogens, parabens can bind to estrogen receptors (ER), stimulate the ER-dependent response, and/or influence the expression of estrogen-responsive genes, including ERÎ±, PR, and pS2 [6], [7] and [8].
In vivo, several studies also showed a progressive increase in the estrogenic activity with increasing molecular weights of parabens. Increasing doses of butylparaben at 100, 400, and 600 mg/kg/day induced increased uterine wet weights and in addition, the high dosage of butyl-, isopropyl-, and isobutylparaben (1000 mg/kg/day) significantly increased uterine wet weight. Estrogen receptor dependent estrogenic activities of parabens were demonstrated in MCF-7 human breast cancer cell [6], [7] and [10] and ZR-75-1 human breast carcinoma cell line [10], [11] and [12] as well as in immature and adult mice and rats [9], [13], [14], [15] and [16] and fish [17].
Parabens are readily absorbed through the skin and gastrointestinal tract and metabolism involves hydrolysis to p-hydroxybenzoic acid [2]. The estrogenic activity of the paraben has shown adverse reproductive effects by the dietary route because these compounds are rapidly absorbed, metabolized and excreted as urinary conjugates Parabens have been shown to bind the estrogen receptor, activate genes controlled by these receptors, and stimulate cell growth and increase immunoreactivity of estrogen receptors [43]. In addition to estrogenic activity, parabens also increased progesterone receptor gene expression [7], [8], [15] and [39]. In this study, we showed that the induction of CaBP-9k expression by estrogens and estrogenic chemicals correlates with the increase in estrogenic potencies and their structure (Vo, et. al, 2011).
Studies indicated that parabens, used as anti-microbial agents in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals, produced a positive uterotrophic response in vivo. The proliferation of two estrogen-dependent cell lines MCF-7 and ZR-75-1 could be increased by parabens. They also increased expression of both transfected and endogenous estrogen-regulated genes in MCF-7 cells. (Ge, et. al, 2006)
Parabens are a class of suspected weak endocrine-disruptor chemicals possessing antimicrobial properties. Parabens are used widely in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and personal care products. Common parabens are comprised of methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, iso-propyl, n-butyl, and iso-butylparaben. Detection of these compounds in breast tumor cells [155] raised concern over the safety of these compounds, suspecting them to be carcinogenic. Human exposure to parabens is caused via absorption through skin or ingestion or by the use of products containing parabens. (Faniband, et. al, 2014)
Although diet, alcohol, radiation and inherited loss of BRCA1/2 genes have all been associated with increased incidence, the main identified risk factors are life exposure to hormones including physiological variations associated with puberty/pregnancy/menopause,1 personal choice of use of hormonal contraceptives2 and/or hormone replacement therapy.3â€“6 On this basis, exposure of the human breast to the many environmental pollutant chemicals capable of mimicking or interfering with oestrogen action7 should also be of concern. (Darbre, et. al, 2012)
Parabens are esters of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid that are commonly used as antimicrobial preservatives in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food or beverage processing (Andersen 2008). It is likely that repeated contact with products or foods containing parabens leads to widespread human exposure through ingestion, inhalation, or dermal contact. some parabens may be estrogenic in vitro (Routledge et al. 1998), although with activity levels several orders of magnitude lower than that of estrogen. Recent experimental studies have reported that certain parabens may also act as antiandrogens (Chen et al. 2007; Darbre and Harvey 2008; Satoh et al. 2005), and there is limited evidence that parabens may affect thyroid function (Rousset 1981)
References
Crinnion, Walter J. "Toxic effects of the easily avoidable phthalates and parabens." Alternative Medicine Review Sept. 2010: 190+.Academic OneFile. Web. 10 Mar. 2016.
Darbre, P. D., & Fernandez, M. F. (2012). Environmental oestrogens and breast cancer: long-term low-dose effects of mixtures of various chemical combinations. Journal of epidemiology and community health, jech-2012.
Faniband, M., Lindh, C. H., & JÃ¶nsson, B. A. (2014). Human biological monitoring of suspected endocrine-disrupting compounds. Asian journal of andrology, 16(1), 5.
Ge, J. H., & Chang, B. (2006). [Estrogenic activities of parabens]. Wei sheng yan jiu= Journal of hygiene research, 35(5), 650-652.
Lieser, A. E. (2013). Toxic exposures from personal care products in women of childbearing age.
Reddy, B. S., Rozati, R., Reddy, S., Kodampur, S., Reddy, P., & Reddy, R. (2006). High plasma concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls and phthalate esters in women with endometriosis: a prospective case control study. Fertility and sterility, 85(3), 775-779.
Vo, T. T., Jung, E. M., Choi, K. C., Frank, H. Y., & Jeung, E. B. (2011). Estrogen receptor Î± is involved in the induction of Calbindin-D 9k and progesterone receptor by parabens in GH3 cells: A biomarker gene for screening xenoestrogens. Steroids, 76(7), 675-681.

I don't put much stock into "an article", "a study", "a report", until I've critically appraised the article and determined what level of evidence the study's author(s) have risen to.

I certainly don't care to perform that level of research from a post on this thread.

I also don't worry about the parabens on my skin leeching onto my patients skin, as I generally don't crawl into the ICU bed with them and lie down with them to spoon.

Rocknurse, MSN, APRN, NP · Mar 10, 2016

I don't put much stock into "an article", "a study", "a report", until I've critically appraised the article and determined what level of evidence the study's author(s) have risen to.
I certainly don't care to perform that level of research from a post on this thread.
I also don't worry about the parabens on my skin leeching onto my patients skin, as I generally don't crawl into the ICU bed with them and lie down with them to spoon.

That's great. You're free to do as you wish. All the papers are published in recognized academic journals and available in any academic library. Simply reading a study and either agreeing or disagreeing is really missing the point of research, which is whole the point of meta-analysis. You need to read several to understand the implications and formulate a conclusion. In a difficult-to understand-disease like endometriosis, there is no right or wrong. There are only suggestions, implications and conclusions. You're free to draw your own. In the meantime, I'll stay away from hormone-disrupting chemicals, thank you very much.

canigraduate · Mar 10, 2016

This is actually a serious topic. It's a sad indictment that not many of you have heard of parabens and it's indicative of what's wrong with society today, and probably a strong indicator of a lot of disease processes that occur without many people giving them much thought...
There...that's my preach for the day :)

You remind me of my old preacher. I honestly zoned out and saw angels for a minute.

No parabens for you!

Parabens for the rest of us!

macawake, MSN · Mar 10, 2016

Discrediting an author's credentials because you don't think she's smartâ€ enough doesn't make you look smarter. The author in fact suffered from lady partsl cancer as a result of being exposed to DES in the womb and has led a life-long mission to understand and expose the dangers of environmental toxins. She deserves nothing but respect for her work.

I didn't say (or think) that she's not smart. That's your interpretation. What I meant was that a degree in Nutrition and a chiropractic license doesn't qualify a person as an expert on either the potential effect of endocrine disruptors on human health/disease processes or oncogenesis. And even though my heart goes out to anyone who's battled cancer, being a cancer survivor doesn't in itself qualify you as an expert in the two above-mentioned areas.

This seems (and is) more up her alley:

Osteoarthritis, chiropractic, and nutrition: osteoarthritis considered as a natural part of a three stage subluxation complex: its reversibility: i... - PubMed - NCBI

Using my grad school library I was able to find many studies and papers addressing the impact of parabens on endocrine function. Simply typing in endometriosisâ€ and parabensâ€ into a search is not really going to turn up much information for you. You have to look at it from a wider angle and understand the pathophysiology and etiology of the condition.

I did a wider search on parabens quite some time ago, that's how I arrived at the conclusion that my shampoo and deodorant are safe for me to use (as mentioned in a previous post in this thread).

The only reason I made this admittedly narrow search were your very strong, definitive-sounding statements presented as facts.

Methyl Paraben and Propyl Paraben are known xenoestrogens...

Xenoestrogens are dangerous, carcinogenic and harmful to women.

I have endometriosis so I have to avoid parabens.

(my bold)

Wouldn't it have been more accurate for you to say that you personally avoid parabens because you are concerned that they may negatively impact your condition? I say this even after reading all the studies you've included in your most previous post.

I'll use this one as an example:

Although diet, alcohol, radiation and inherited loss of BRCA1/2 genes have all been associated with increased incidence, the main identified risk factors are life exposure to hormones including physiological variations associated with puberty/pregnancy/menopause,1 personal choice of use of hormonal contraceptives2 and/or hormone replacement therapy.3â€“6 On this basis, exposure of the human breast to the many environmental pollutant chemicals capable of mimicking or interfering with oestrogen action7 should also be of concern. (Darbre, et. al, 2012)

(my bold)

This is much less definitive than your statements. To me the author's feel that there is a possibility that chemicals capable of mimicking or interfering with estrogen action may be a risk factor for breast cancer and that it needs to be studied further.

Completely anecdotal I know, but today I asked three oncologists ( specialty area: breast, two female and one male) if they avoid parabens in their deodorants. One looked at me like I was slightly unhinged (but this doc is rather haughty even on a good day, and today wasn't :lol2: ) and the other two, said no.

The objective of this study was to detect the probable association between polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and phthalate esters (PEs), and the occurrence of endometriosis in a prospective case control study. We found that PCBs and PEs may be instrumental in the etiology of endometriosis.

I thought we were discussing parabens, not PCBs and phthalates. They are different chemicals. I don't think anyone would argue that organochlorides like PCBs aren't carcinogenic. Anyway, PCBs and phtalates are not ingredients in either my shampoo or my deodorant.

In the meantime, I'll stay away from hormone-disrupting chemicals, thank you very much.

That's of course a choice that each of us is free to make. I've interpreted the available evidence differently than you and feel that the products I use are safe. If new evidence comes to light, I will (as always) re-evaluate.

APRN., DNP, RN, APRN, NP · Mar 10, 2016

I didn't say (or think) that she's not smart. That's your interpretation. What I meant was that a degree in Nutrition and a chiropractic license doesn't qualify a person as an expert on either the potential effect of endocrine disruptors on human health/disease processes or oncogenesis. And even though my heart goes out to anyone who's battled cancer, being a cancer survivor doesn't in itself qualify you as an expert in the two above-mentioned areas.
This seems (and is) more up her alley:
Osteoarthritis, chiropractic, and nutrition: osteoarthritis considered as a natural part of a three stage subluxation complex: its reversibility: i... - PubMed - NCBI
I did a wider search on parabens quite some time ago, that's how I arrived at the conclusion that my shampoo and deodorant are safe for me to use (as mentioned in a previous post in this thread).
The only reason I made this admittedly narrow search were your very strong, definitive-sounding statements presented as facts.
(my bold)
Wouldn't it have been more accurate for you to say that you personally avoid parabens because you are concerned that they may negatively impact your condition? I say this even after reading all the studies you've included in your most previous post.
I'll use this one as an example:
(my bold)
This is much less definitive than your statements. To me the author's feel that there is a possibility that chemicals capable of mimicking or interfering with estrogen action may be a risk factor for breast cancer and that it needs to be studied further.
Completely anecdotal I know, but today I asked three oncologists ( specialty area: breast, two female and one male) if they avoid parabens in their deodorants. One looked at me like I was slightly unhinged (but this doc is rather haughty even on a good day, and today wasn't ) and the other two, said no.
I thought we were discussing parabens, not PCBs and phthalates. They are different chemicals. I don't think anyone would argue that organochlorides like PCBs aren't carcinogenic. Anyway, PCBs and phtalates are not ingredients in either my shampoo or my deodorant.
That's of course a choice that each of us is free to make. I've interpreted the available evidence differently than you and feel that the products I use are safe. If new evidence comes to light, I will (as always) re-evaluate.

This is a very well presented rebuttal. I agree with Macawake.

SaltineQueen · Mar 11, 2016

lots of parabens in hair products.
"he's not bald. He's...balding."

i was in the pool!!! I was in the pool!!!

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Mar 11, 2016

Poll:

Who do you prefer? Relationship George (who uses parabens) or Independent George (who uses parabens)?

Farawyn · Mar 11, 2016

Poll:
Who do you prefer? Relationship George (who uses parabens) or Independent George (who uses parabens)?

I prefer Vandelay Enterprises George. VE makes parabens!