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Phthalates may be linked to diabetes in women

Category: Diabetes

A common chemical found in some women's personal care products may increase their risk of developing diabetes, according to new research from Brigham and Women's Hospital. Those who are concerned about the effects of exposure to phthalates may want to take a blood test to measure their blood sugar levels.

Phthalates are often found in products such as moisturizers, soaps, perfumes, hair sprays and nail polishes. Furthermore, phthalates may be present in toys, electronics and adhesives. When present in the body, these chemicals may disrupt the endocrine system.

In order to investigate the effects of phthalates on women's diabetes risk, a team of scientists analyzed urine samples collected from more than 2,300 female research participants.

According to the findings, exposure to certain class of phthalates may increase a woman's risk of developing diabetes by between 60 and 70 percent. Furthermore, when it came to the compounds mono-benzyl phthalate and mono-isobutyl phthalate, subjects who had the highest amounts of these chemicals in their urine had almost double the risk of diabetes compared to women who had the lowest levels of the compound.

Further research is needed to verify these results. In the meantime, women may take a blood test to assess their risk of developing diabetes.