A n urban myth was proved when British researchers at the University of Reading found traces of chemical preservatives called parabens in breast cancer tissue. This finding supported the long-running urban legend that underarm antiperspirants and some deodorants cause breast cancer. (For more on the breast cancer-antiperspirant link, see Daily Health News, March 16, 2004.) While it's easy to dismiss the problem and simply stop using deodorants/antiperspirants, the fact of the matter is that parabens are in many other products we all commonly use.

AN ESTROGENIC IMPACT

Parabens -- benzylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben and others -- are commonly used to increase the shelf life of a wide range of personal care products, such as deodorants, shampoos, skin lotions and cosmetics. They're also used in pharmaceuticals and foods. The problem is that these chemicals are what scientists refer to as "weakly estrogenic." That is, in the body, they mimic the action of the natural hormone estrogen, many metabolites of which play a role in the development of breast tumors.

EXPOSURE FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES CAN ADD UP

Neither the British study nor any other research has demonstrated a direct causal relationship between parabens and breast cancer. Yet while a single source of estrogen exposure may or may not lead to cancer, women and men are routinely bombarded with estrogen from a variety of sources -- from our own bodies, personal care products, drugs, pesticides and dietary choices such as hormone-fed beef. There are even concerns about excessive soy intake. Over time, the fear is that cumulative exposure to relatively small amounts of estrogen, and estrogen mimics, can add up to big trouble.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

According to Nan Kathryn Fuchs, PhD, editor and writer of the Women's Health Letter (www.womenshealthletter.com), it's time to take a close look at the ingredients in your soaps, cosmetics and shampoos... not just your deodorants. Sure enough, when I lined up my family's toiletries, every shampoo and conditioner (including the "natural" ones from the health-food store) contained some form of parabens. Even the pricey facial cleanser prescribed by my daughter's dermatologist listed methylparaben and propylparaben as ingredients.

If you look, there are paraben-free products on the market. Usana and Aubrey are two product lines in particular that offer paraben-free products. The final nail is not in the coffin of parabens, but why take the chance if you don't have to?

Source

• Nan Kathryn Fuchs, PhD, editor and writer of the Women's Health Letter (www.womenshealthletter.com). Dr. Fuchs runs a private nutritional counseling practice in Sebastopol, California.