Interactive map could help evaluate evidence about chemicals in personal care products and impact on early puberty

04 Jan 2024 --- The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences develops a systematic evidence map that enables informed decision-making regarding the links between personal care products and early puberty. 

Personal care products can contain different compounds and are a source of exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), including phthalates and phenols. The early-life exposure to EDCs commonly found in these products has been linked to earlier onset of puberty. 

The interactive map informs and directs new approaches for evaluating evidence about exposure to chemicals in personal care products and their effects on puberty.

“This study is the first to systematically identify, categorize and map the scientific research in humans and animals that examines the link between personal care products and the early onset of puberty. The resulting interactive map serves as a tool to help scientists and the public better understand existing data and prioritize new research as part of ongoing efforts to protect public health,” Kyla Taylor, author of the study, tells Personal Care Insights.

Personal care and puberty
The new tool allows users to search, sort and filter the existing scientific evidence on puberty-related studies by critical concepts, including the type of personal care product, health outcome, study design and health disparities.

EDCs in personal care products can cause early puberty.Researchers and regulators can use the map to prioritize and target future research and funding to reduce uncertainties and address data gaps. It also informs a class-based hazard or risk assessment on the association between phthalate and phenol exposures and puberty-related health outcomes.

“The question of the safety of chemicals in cosmetics and other personal care products is an important one for the public health community, including potential associations with puberty. The use of personal care products is a modifiable exposure that is critical to understand because it may contribute to health disparities related to the timing of puberty,” says Taylor.

“Research has shown that personal care product use varies by different racial and ethnic groups. For example, compared to White women, Black women have higher cumulative exposures to chemicals found in personal care products at earlier ages and throughout their lives.”

The author of the research continues that early puberty is disproportionately prevalent among Black girls. “The interactive evidence map developed for this publication is a significant advance to the understanding of existing research and our ability to target future studies to reduce health disparities and protect public health for everyone.”

The research characterizes the human and animal evidence on the association between puberty-related outcomes and exposure to personal care products and their chemical constituents. It identifies whether sufficient evidence exists to identify groups of chemicals and outcomes to support a systematic review for a class-based hazard or risk assessment.

Ninety-eight human and 299 animal studies were evaluated, leading to 96 chemicals identified and mapped by critical concepts, including chemical class, data stream and puberty-related health outcome. 

Among these studies, phthalates and phenols were the most well-studied chemical classes. Most phthalate and phenol studies examined secondary sex characteristics and changes in estradiol and testosterone levels. The studies evaluating personal care product use and other chemical classes (such as parabens) had less data.

Similarly, Nonprofit Breast Cancer Over Time released findings reporting a link between phthalates and parabens found in personal care products and an increased risk of breast cancer.

By Sabine Waldeck