New York: Daily exposure to Phthalate, a group of chemicals used in all things ranging from plastic containers to makeup, can cause around 100,000 deaths in American parents every year, a study from New York University warned Tuesday.
Chemicals, which can be found in hundreds of products such as toys, clothing and shampoo, have been known for decades for “hormone bullies,” affecting a person’s endocrine system.
Poison can enter the body through the item and be linked to obesity, diabetes and heart disease, the study published in environmental pollution journals.
Research, conducted by the Grossman New York Medical School University and covers around 5,000 adults aged 55 to 64 years, show that those who have a higher concentration of phthalate in their urine are more likely to die of heart disease.
However, higher concentrations do not seem to increase the risk of death by cancer.
“Our findings reveal that the increase in phthalate exposure is related to early death, especially because of heart disease,” said the author of Leonardo Trasande’s writer.
“Until now, we have understood that chemicals are connected with heart disease, and heart disease in turn is the main cause of death, but we have not binded the chemicals themselves to death.” Trasande warned, however, that this study did not establish direct relationships and effects between phthalate and death exposure, partly because the specific biological mechanism of the relationship was unclear.
“Our research shows that these chemical victims in the community are far greater than the first time we think,” Trasande said, adding that “could not be clearly denied that limiting exposure to toxic phthalate can help maintain American physical and financial well-being.” Other studies have linked Phthalate to more than 10,000 deaths per year associated with reduced testosterone levels in adult men.
This study added that economic losses due to Phthalate were between $ 40 billion and $ 47 billion – more than four times what was previously estimated.