Phthalate DEHP Lead to Weight Gain
Plasticisers such as phthalates are always found in plastics.
They can get into our bodies through the
skin or by the
diet. They affect our
hormone system and are suspected of having an influence on our
body weight. Recently,the Integrated Research and Treatment
Center (IFB) Adiposity Diseases at the University of Leipzig and the
University Hospital Leipzig, researchers from the Helmholtz Centre
for Environmental Research (UFZ) have now published a study showing
that the phthalate DEHP leads to
weight gain and revealed the
metabolic processes involved.
Phthalates are used as plasticisers in polymer processing to make
plastics soft, flexible or tensile. Under certain conditions,
phthalates can also emerge from the material and be uptaken into our
bodies most prominently by our diet. Phthalates are mainly
transferred from the food packaging of fatty products, e.g. cheese
or sausages. They are found in various places, including food
containers, toys, beauty products, pharmaceuticals, shower curtains
and paint. These chemicals can easily leach out of plastics and
contaminate foods, the water supply and even the very air we
breathe.
The study shows where phthalates can interfere with
metabolism and pave the way for weight gain. In studies at
the University of Leipzig, mice exposed to the phthalate DEHP in
their drinking water gained a substantial amount of weight. This was
particularly true of the female animals. "It is evident that
phthalates seriously interfere with the hormone balance. They give
rise to significant changes, e.g. weight gain, even in low
concentrations," said von Bergen, Head of the Department of
Molecular Systems Biology at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental
Research (UFZ).
The work at the UFZ focused on defining the metabolic products in
the mice's blood. The researchers determined that the
proportion of unsaturated fatty acids in the blood increased and the
glucose metabolism was disrupted under the influence of phthalates.
The composition of receptors in the blood also changed. These
receptors are important for general metabolism and may cause it to
change. "Some metabolic products that are formed by adipose tissue
also act as messengers and control functions in other organs,"
explained von Bergen. "However, there is no conclusive clarification
of how the various effects of phthalates on metabolism influence
each other and ultimately lead to
weight gain."
Tips to Reduce your Exposure to Chemicals
- Use glass containers and canning jars at home for food storage.
- Use stainless steel containers in the freezer instead of freezer bags.
- Use a stainless steel water bottle instead of plastic bottles.
- Don't drink bottled water from plastic bottles, especially when they've been exposed to sunlight.
- Use glass baby bottles instead of plastic
Chemicals such as phthalates and BPA are widely used as an additive that prevents degrading of plastic structure, but they also interfere with our natural hormone levels which can cause serious problems to both males and females (lower testosterone levels in men, and premature girl puberty). Be Aware.
Ref:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/
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