Speculations on a Link between a Cosmetics Chemical and ADHD

What a Study Suggests

Expecting mothers may have to be wary of the type of cosmetics they use, if a 2010 study on the link between a chemical found in beauty products and the prevalence of childhood behavioral disorders proves to be true.

Scientists from Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York released a report in January that identified concentrations of low molecular weight (LMW) phthalate metabolites, a common ingredient found in numerous cosmetics and fragrances, as a possible cause of conditions associated with attention deficit disorders (ADD) in children.

ADHD falls under the ADD designation; however, it is characterized by a lack of attention and hyperactivity. ADD is often characterized by a lack of attention and “day-dreaming.”

The study was originally published online in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, and republished by Scientific American and Environmental Health News.

The Study

It involved 188 children between the ages of 4 and 9 who were born between 1998 and 2002 and their mothers (before and after pregnancy). According to the published study, most of the children came from multi-ethnic backgrounds from New York’s East Harlem and Upper East Side of Manhattan. Approximately, three-quarter came from the low-income socio-economic bracket.

Also, the study was an attempt to replicate an earlier study in which Korean researchers linked the exposure to the chemical to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD falls under the ADD designation; however, it is characterized by a lack of attention and hyperactivity. ADD is often characterized by a lack of attention and “day-dreaming.”

Mothers who took part in this study were expecting. They were tested for the presence of phthalates while they were pregnant. Then, afterwards, they were asked to assess their child’s behavioral development.

What the Study Revealed

According to the study, much of the data used were based on answers the children’s mother provided on standardized questions often used by psychiatrists and other specialists to help diagnose ADD. Two tests were used; the first standardized assessment used 130 questions meant to detect behavioral problems on a 4-point scale ranging from:

• “never,” to
• “almost always.”

The second test used 86 questions that measured memory and other cognitive function.

Doctors and other clinicians were not used to evaluate the children, thus making this study more dependent on the mothers’ evaluations.

“More phthalates equaled more behavioral problems,” Stephanie Engel, a Mount Sinai associate professor of preventive medicine and lead author of the study, was quoted as saying in the original article. “For every increase of exposure, we saw an increase in frequency and severity of the symptoms.”

What are Phthalates?

Phthalates is a chemical compound used as a plastic softener and in several personal grooming and cosmetic products. There are at least 10 different forms of this compound used as plasticizers, solvents, antifoam, agents, or denaturants. LMW phthalates that were the focus of the study, can be found in fragrance, shampoo, nail polish, as well as cosmetics. Also, it is used as a solvent that’s in cosmetics. It helps to retain fragrances and is an active ingredient to help lotions penetrate the skin.

Previous reports have implicated the chemical as a possible cause of reproductive disorders due to its ability to mimic a natural hormone. It can enter a person’s system through inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact.

Due to its potential dangers, phthalates have been regulated in Europe and the United States. The regulations in the United States are meant to reduce the presence of dibutyl phthalate (DBP), benzyl butyl phthalates, di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalates (DEHP) that is commonly found in plastic bath toys for toddlers.

“It is not a metabolite usually thought of as toxic." -- Shanna Swan

Also, many nail polish manufacturers have already eliminated the chemical. It was used to make the polish flexible and durable. While the concern over phthalates has been well documented, this latest research has surprised other scientists studying it.

Shanna Swan, a University of Rochester epidemiologist and director of the Center for Reproductive Epidemiology at the university’s School of Medicine and Dentistry, was one such person. She was the scientist who linked phthalates with feminized genitalia in baby boys.

“It is not a metabolite usually thought of as toxic,” Swain stated in the Environmental Health News article on the study.

She also stated the phthalate metabolites at the heart of the study are usually found in the lowest concentrations in people.

Other Studies on the Matter

This wasn’t the only significant study on the causes of ADD. In early October 2010, scientists at Cardiff University in Wales reported that they discovered a genetic link with ADD. In May of 2010, The Cleveland Plains Dealer reported that a study printed in the journal Pediatrics suggested a possible link between exposure to pesticides and incidences of ADHD among children.

While this is the second research to link this chemical to ADD and ADHD, further studies have been made in order to confirm the validity of the study.

Current Situation

As it stands, chemicals in cosmetics are still being looked at as a potential cause of ADHD/ADD. In addition, chemicals found in food additives have been studied as a possible cause. At best, the research is still ongoing, but nothing definitive has been found.

Another strong factor is genetics and possible environmental factors such as air or water pollution. Nobody knows definitively what is the cause. Still, many roads lead to a possibility. And with the possibility, finding a cause and treatment may be around the corner.

Work Cited

1. Cone, Marla and Environmental Health News (2010): “Chemical Exposure Linked to Attention Deficit Disorder in Children”: Scientific American:
2. Associated Press health and medical staff (2010): "Attention-deficit disorder may have link to common pesticides, research finds": Cleveland Plains Dealer
3. Cone, Marla (2010): "Children more likely to have attention, behavioral problems when exposed to phthalates in womb, New York study says": Environmental Health News.
4. Engel, S; Miodovink, A; Canfield, R; Zhu, C; Silva, M; Calafat, A; Wolff, M. (2010): “Prenatal Phthalate Exposure is Associated with Childhood Behavior and Executive Functioning”: Environmental Health Perspectives, National Institute of Environmental Health Science