Certain Ingredients in Toiletries May Lead to Early Puberty

Evidence from animal studies has suggested that exposure to certain ingredients found in toiletries and other personal care products may be tied to altered pubertal timing. Now, new research suggests that these ingredients may have the same effect in humans, too.

Researchers who studied the effects of phthalates, parabens, and other phenols among 338 boys (n = 159) and girls (n = 179) from Salinas Valley, California, say that in-utero and peripubertal exposure to these ingredients may be associated with early pubertal onset, especially among girls.

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Kim G. Harley, MPH, PhD, of the University of California at Berkeley, and colleagues arrived at their conclusion after evaluating data from the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) longitudinal cohort study. In this cohort, participants were followed from before birth until adolescence.

Concentrations of monoethyl phthalate (MEP), mono-n-butyl phthalate, mono-isobutyl phthalate, methyl paraben, propyl paraben, triclosan, benzophenone-3 and 2, and 4- and 2,5-dichlorophenol were measured using urine samples from mothers during pregnancy and from children at age 9 years. Subsequently, from ages 9 to 13 years, pubertal timing was examined among children.

Among girls, prenatal urinary MEP was associated with earlier-onset public hair development, and prenatal triclosan and 2,4-dichlorophenol concentrations was associated with earlier menarche. Propyl paraben and 2,5-dichlorophenol were associated with earlier menarche and later public hair development, respectively. Methyl paraben was associated with earlier breast development, pubic hair development and menarche.

Peripubertal propyl paraben exposure was found to be associated with earlier genital development among boys. However, no associations were observed for prenatal urinary biomarker concentrations among boys.

The authors noted that mothers of children involved in the study were mostly Latina, lived below the federal poverty threshold, and did not have a high school diploma.

—Christina Vogt

Reference:

Harley KG, Berger KP, Kogut K, et al. Association of phthalates, parabens and phenols found in personal care products with pubertal timing in girls and boys. Human Reproduction. 2018;34(1):109-117. https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/dey337.