Phthalates are generally present in plastic products but also in cosmetic products.
More than half of postmenopausal women suffer from sleep disorders. This accumulated fatigue can cause irritability, weight gain and even depression. In the specialist journal Menopauseof The North American Menopause Society (NAMS), researchers find that exposure to chemical compounds is one of the possible origins of these disorders. According to them, phthalates can cause sleep-related problems in women.
New study suggests that exposure to certain chemicals found in everyday products is associated with #sleep disruptions in #midlife women. Read more at https://t.co/mxH2qC1HlL. #menopause @MenopauseJrnl @superchiasmatic @rlsdvm_epivet @NewsAtIllinois pic.twitter.com/xLZnmAZmLs
— NAMS (@MenopauseOrg) July 28, 2020
Previous studies on phthalates
Several studies have already looked at the consequences of exposure to phthalates on health. They are particularly present in beauty products: scientists have found that women who use them a lot have a higher risk of suffering from hot flashes. Other specialists suspect them of increasing the risk of depression. In 2016, an American research proved that women exposed to phthalates had a lower level of vitamin D in the blood. Biological analyzes indicate that phthalates are generally present in greater quantities in women than in men, even if the exposure rate is the same.
A higher concentration of phthalates
In this recent work, the researchers started from a hypothesis: phthalates can disrupt sleep-related hormones. They gathered data on more than 760 pre-menopausal or already menopausal women. The analysis of their urine samples proves that a high concentration of phthalates is associated with sleep disorders. Other factors can influence the result such as smoking. “This study draws our attention to the possible role of phthalates in sleep disorders in pre- or already menopausal women.underlines Stephanie Faubion, medical director of NAMS. Further research on these endocrine disruptors and their interactions with hormones, sleep and mood in women is needed.”
Many endocrine disruptors
There are several types of endocrine disruptors and we can be exposed to them in different ways: by touching them, by ingesting them or by inhaling them. According to thehandlesthey “can interfere with all major functions of living organisms: growth, reproduction, behavior, nutrition, metabolism, nervous system…” According to Public health France800 chemicals disrupt the endocrine system, or are suspected of doing so.
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