I love it when I can honestly understand what products are made of. Reading the back of many baby care products makes me dizzy. Apparently I have not paid attention very well during chemistry class because I really don’t understand what is in it. So I’m happy that some producers like Weleda and Lavera have a biological philosophy and think about the environment. I know I can buy their products without worrying how many chemicals are in it.
Because I’m curious about the (dangerous) substances in care products I tried to find out what they mean and why these chemicals are chosen to be used. Some health organisations say that they’re dangerous although the industry (offcourse) denies that. Scientific studies don’t show the same results all the time. So for an Ecomama it’s better to be safe than sorry. I don’t want any risk for my baby. So which products can I buy?
Which substances are toxic?
One of the most dangerous groups are the endocrine disruptors.
Endocrine disruptors
The endocrine disruptors (to some extent) get through the skin, get into the blood and are often stored in fatty tissue. Thus they are passed on to the unborn child, through blood and later through breast milk. The development of the sensitive system of the unborn child may result in birth defects. In the later stages of life endocrine disruptors can disturb the sexual development.
| Phthalates | These substances are in plastic to soften the product. They appear to get in the way of the female hormones. In laboratory animals is a series of deformities in offspring reproductive organs was found. |
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| Parabens | This is a preservative that is particularly effective against fungi and bacteria. Parabens are also working to distort the sex hormones in animals and reduce sperm. As with many of these issues there is a big controversy on whether or not this is a dangerous substance. |
| Synthetic musk | Most used nowadays is polycyclic musk. These musk compounds give a nice smell to soap, detergents and cosmetics. This musk prove not only to get in the way of the female sex hormone, but also on the male sex steroid hormones. This has negative effects on the reproduction. |
| Triclosan | This is a powerful and popular bactericidal and antifungal substance. In fish this results to adverse effects on reproduction (decreased fertility). |
Other chemical toxins
Most toxins are dangerous because they work on the endocrine system. But also consider toxins like lead, PCB and PBDE’s. Published studies express concern because exposure to PBDEs impairs development of the nervous system. PBDEs have also been shown to have hormone disrupting effects, particularly on estrogen and thyroid hormones. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) noted that PBDEs are particularly toxic to the developing brains of animals. Peer-reviewed studies have shown that even a single dose administered to mice during development of the brain can cause permanent changes in behavior, including hyperactivity.
Photo Weleda ingredients are natural