The association of personal care products uses and dietary habits with the urinary concentration of parabens in Iranian adults

Lifestyle and Chemicals: Exploring Behavioral Habits Related to Endocrine Disruptor Exposure Among the General Population of Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) interfere with hormonal systems, potentially causing metabolic, reproductive, and neurological issues, as well as hormone-related cancers. Found in everyday products, EDCs accumulate in body tissues over time, with adverse effects depending on the dose and duration of exposure. This study aims to explore behaviors related to EDC exposure among Saudi citizens to assess the need for further risk reduction interventions.

METHODOLOGY

This cross-sectional study employed a validated, self-administered online questionnaire to assess daily life behaviors associated with EDC exposure. A total of 563 participants were recruited using convenient sampling through online platforms.

RESULTS

The study revealed that a significant majority of participants were aged 18-25 years (48.67%, n=274). On average, participants scored 32.78 out of a maximum of 60 for potential EDC exposure, with scores ranging from 13 to 54 points. The majority (85.26%, n=480) fell into the moderate potential exposure category, while a small minority (4.26%, n=24) exhibited high potential risk based on their reported daily habits, predominantly among male participants (95.83%, n=23). A significant majority (72.65%, n=409) indicated a likelihood of adopting lifestyle changes to reduce exposure to harmful substances.

CONCLUSION

This study reveals diverse behavioral patterns linked to endocrine disruptor exposure among the general population in Saudi Arabia. Interestingly, the participants showed a positive attitude and willingness to change their risky behaviors. These findings underscore the necessity for educational programs and public health campaigns aimed at addressing gaps in knowledge. Encouraging the public to adopt behaviors that reduce exposure is essential to minimizing the potential long-term effects of EDCs.

Interventions on Reducing Exposure to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in Human Health Care Context: A Scoping Review

Purpose

Inevitability of exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in daily lives of modern society is increasing interests in developing and implementing interventions to prevent or reduce harmful health effects of EDCs in various academic areas. This is a scoping review of intervention studies aimed at reducing exposure to EDCs in the text of human health care.

Methods

Scoping review methodology was used to explore the extent, range, and nature of current literature. A comprehensive systematic search of PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane, PcycINFO, EMBASE, and RISS was performed for studies published to date. The authors followed Arksey and O'Malley's stages; 1) identification of research questions; 2) identification of relevant studies using a total of six electronic databases; 3) study selection; 4) charting the data; and 5) collation, summarization and reporting of the data.

Results

A total of 2114 articles were retrieved, from which 13 articles were included in the final review. Among the 13 studies, 12 conducted interventions regarding dietary modification or replacement of household or personal goods. The duration of interventions ranged from at least three days to a maximum of six months, including six studies with a period of less than ten days. The participants were all healthy populations, eight of which were for adults, three for children or adolescents, and two for families. Outcome of the interventions were measured through concentration of EDCs in urine or/and house air. The effects of the interventions were inconsistent, with 11 studies showing significant changes of EDC concentration while no significant change was found in two studies.

Conclusion

The results indicate a need for randomized controlled trials, participant-centered studies promoting active participation and practices of subjects, studies specifying subgroups of participants, and studies including families as units in interventions.

Increased Prevalence of Atopic Dermatitis in Children Aged 0-3 Years Highly Exposed to Parabens

The prevalence of allergic diseases, such as bronchial asthma, atopic dermatitis, nasal allergies (pollinosis), and food allergies, has been increasing in many countries. The hygiene hypothesis was recently considered from the perspective of exposure to antimicrobial agents and preservatives, such as parabens (CAS number, 94-13-3). It currently remains unclear whether parabens, which are included in many daily consumer products such as cosmetics, shampoos, and personal care products as preservative antimicrobial agents, induce or aggravate allergies. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between exposure to parabens and the prevalence of allergic diseases in Japanese children. The cross-sectional epidemiology of 236 children aged 0-3 years who underwent health examinations in Shika town in Japan assessed individual exposure to parabens using urinary concentrations of parabens. The results obtained showed that the prevalence of atopic dermatitis was significantly higher in children with high urinary concentrations of parabens than in those with low concentrations (p < 0.001). This relationship remained significant after adjustments for confounding factors, such as age, sex, Kaup's index, and passive smoking (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the present results from a population study suggested a relationship between atopic dermatitis and exposure to parabens. A longitudinal study using a larger sample number and a detailed examination of atopic dermatitis, including EASI scores and exposure to parabens, will be necessary.

The sex-specific association between maternal urinary paraben levels and offspring size at birth

Parabens are a group of antimicrobial preservatives applied in an extensive range of products and are suspected to impair fetal growth because of their disrupting effect on the endocrine system. We aimed to examine maternal urinary paraben concentrations and their neonates' outcome indexes. Methylparaben (MP), ethylparaben (EP), propylparaben (PP), and butylparaben (BP) concentrations were measured in 105 maternal urine samples collected before delivery. Length, weight, and head circumference at birth were extracted from the mothers' delivery files. A multivariable linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between paraben levels and neonatal anthropometric indices. The median levels of urinary parabens, especially BP, were higher than those in other countries. Prenatal urinary concentration of MP and BP showed a significantly positive association with birth weight in all neonates (β = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.16, 1.41, and β = 8.56, 95% CI: 3.95, 13.17, respectively), while these chemicals showed a significant negative association with head circumference (β = - 0.002, 95% CI: - 0.004, - 0.000, and β = - 0.016, 95% CI: - 0.030, - 0.002, respectively). A significant positive association between MP and birth length was also found (β = 0.004, 95% CI: 0.00, 0.00) in all the neonates. In sex-stratified adjusted models, MP and BP were found to be associated, respectively, with higher birth length and weight in male neonates (β = 0.008, 95% CI: - 0.001, 0.017, and β = 7.948, 95% CI: 1.045, 14.851). In girls, maternal urinary MP, PP, and BP were associated with increased birth weight (β = 0.831, 95% CI: 0.043, 1.620; β = 4.178, 95% CI: 0.877, 7.480; and β = 10.821, 95% CI: 3.545, 18.097, respectively), and MP and BP were associated with reduced head circumference at birth (β = - 0.003, 95% CI: - 0.005, - 0.001, and β = - 0.035, 95% CI: - 0.055, - 0.016). These results revealed potential impacts between neonatal growth and maternal exposure to parabens. However, these findings should be interpreted while considering the limitations of the present study.

Exposure to Parabens Through The Use of Personal Care Products Among Iranian Men

Despite the widespread use of parabens as antimicrobial preservatives in personal care products (PCP) and foodstuffs, recent studies have shown that exposure to parabens can play a role in the endocrine disruption process. In the present study, the urinary concentrations of methylparaben (MP), ethylparaben (EP), propylparaben (PP), and butylparaben (BP) were measured among 125 men, and their relationship with the use of 13 distinct PCPs was examined. MP, EP, PP, and BP were detected with a median concentration of 60.12, 8.40, 9.74, and 7.19 μg/L, respectively. The difference of urinary MP and PP between three groups of users of PCPs (low, medium, and high users) was significant (p < 0.05), and the higher levels were found in the high-users' group. The total number of PCP applications was associated with higher urinary MP and PP. Furthermore, the urinary concentration of parabens was found to be dependent of the types of products used. Participants who reported the use of sunscreen, lotions, and deodorant had significantly higher urinary MP (76-185%) than nonusers. Bodywash users had higher levels of urinary MP and PP (112-160%). The use of mouthwash, perfume/cologne, and toothpaste also had urinary PP concentration (73-412%) higher than nonusers. The use of handwashing products remarkably increased the urinary levels of parabens (158-520%). Our findings showed that the use of certain types of PCP is an important source of paraben exposure among Iranian men. These findings can serve as a basis for more extensive studies to investigate the extent of exposure to parabens and to apply appropriate strategies for reduction of their exposure.