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According to a recent study published in Environmental Science and Technology, substances present in the plastic of our shampoo and shower gel bottles could promote weight gain.
What if our shampoo bottles were responsible for weight gain? This is suggested by a recent study by Norwegian researchers. published in Environmental Science and Technology. After reviewing 55,000 chemical compounds found in plastic shampoo and shower gel bottlesthe researchers identified 629 chemical substances, 11 of which are known to be endocrine disruptors. Among them are bisphenols and phthalates, components often used in plastics and potentially dangerous to health.
It was by wanting to study the causes of obesity that the Norwegian researchers arrived at this result: “This public health problem has been widely attributed to genetic background and lifestyle changes, such as diet, exercise, lack of sleep and aging. However, epidemiological evidence suggests that these factors are insufficient to explain the magnitude and rate of spread of the obesity pandemic.” they explain in their study. According to these, early exposure to endocrine disruptors would increase the risk of obesity.
The role of endocrine disruptors on our body
The way we use these everyday products (in humid and warm places) would promote their spread in our body. The chemical substances would then play a role on our hormones but also on the way in which we store and develop our fat cells, reveals the study.
If endocrine disruptors impact hormones and the risk of weight gain, they can also promote cancer, immunity disorders, cholesterol, malformations and contribute to infertility, according to Public Health France. To combat these components, since 2014 a National Strategy on Endocrine Disruptors has been in place. The objective: to regulate these substances, research, monitor and inform.