As you age, some sun and day creams develop a compound that can cause skin problems and is carcinogenic. In addition, the biological pathways by which pollutants damage our organism are better understood.
- After a year, octocrylene, a filter which protects from the sun and which is very often used in these cosmetic products, has transformed into benzophenone, an endocrine disruptor which can pass through the skin.
- For some creams, after one year, the benzophenone concentration has exceeded 10 mg/kilo.
- Researchers have highlighted the 8 specific biological pathways by which air pollution threatens our health.
When you buy a cream, it is better not to wait too long before using it. French researchers from the CNRS and the University of the Sorbonne reveal that compounds present in sun and day creams are transformed into benzophenone, an endocrine disruptor which can cross the skin and can be carcinogenic. They presented the results of their work this Sunday, March 7 in the review Chemical Research in Toxicology.
After a year, octocrylene turns into benzophenone
The researchers tested a dozen creams, sun and day, which are regularly used by the French. They aged them prematurely, so as to study their composition after a year of use. Result: octocrylene, a filter which protects from the sun and which is very often used in these cosmetic products, has turned into benzophenone, an endocrine disruptor which can pass through the skin. “When on the skin, benzophenone can induce dermatitisadds Didier Stien, author of the study, to France info. This can cause cancer, including liver cancer. It is a molecule that affects thyroid functions and disrupts the development of reproductive organs.”
“Products containing benzophenone and octocrylene should be banned”, concluded Philippe Lebaron, professor of microbiology and teacher at the Sorbonne. They examined creams from well-known brands such as Garnier, Uriage, Bioderma, La Roche Posay, Cosmi and even L’Oréal. For some creams, after one year, the benzophenone concentration has exceeded 10 mg/kilo. “To our knowledge in the scientific literature and in general, no one had demonstrated that octocrylene degrades into benzophenonesaid Philippe Lebaron. And I think it’s important to alert both the manufacturers of these molecules and at the same time to alert consumers to the fact that products that contain octocrylene are potentially dangerous.”
Eight biological pathways involved
In another study, published on March 2 in the journal Cell, American and German researchers presented the biological pathways by which air pollutants contribute to diseases, including cancer. “Every day we learn more about how exposure to pollutants in the air, water, soil and food is harmful to human health.continues Andrea Baccarelli, lead author of the study. Less understood, however, are the specific biological pathways by which these chemicals inflict damage on our bodies. In this article, we provide a framework for understanding why complex mixtures of environmental exposures cause severe disease, even at relatively modest concentrations..”
We are continuously exposed to a mix of pollutants, say the researchers, which lead to changes in our body in multiple areas. They govern gene expression, train and shape our immune system, trigger physiological responses, and determine wellness and disease. They point to eight ways in which these pollutants attack our organism:
– Oxidative stress and inflammation: When antioxidant defenses are depleted, inflammation, cell death and organ damage occur.
– Genomic alterations and mutations: an accumulation of DNA errors can trigger cancer and other chronic diseases.
– Epigenetic alterations: Epigenetic alterations alter the synthesis of proteins responsible for childhood development and the regular functioning of the body.
– Mitochondrial dysfunction: A breakdown in the cellular powerhouse can interfere with human development and contribute to chronic disease.
– Endocrine disruption: Chemicals in our environment, food, and consumer products disrupt hormone regulation and contribute to disease.
– Impaired intercellular communication: signaling receptors and other ways cells communicate with each other, including neurotransmission, are affected.
– Altered microbiological communities: an imbalance in the population of bacteria and other microorganisms in our body can make us vulnerable to allergies and infections.
– Impaired nervous system function: Microscopic particles in air pollution reach the brain through the olfactory nerve and can interfere with cognition.
“These eight characteristics are by no means exhaustive and do not reflect the full complexity of the chemical and physical properties of environmental exposures, including mixtures of short-term and long-term exposures.the researchers concluded. Further research is needed to understand the complex mechanisms by which exposures affect human biology and how altered processes interact and contribute to disease or confer health benefits, across the lifespan..”
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