Parabens: What They Are And Why You Should Avoid Them

When people decide that they want to start going "green" they often begin recycling, eating organic, or perhaps investing in hybrid cars. These are a few great ways to go green but there are also many other ways both large and small. On way that many people do not think of is simply by buying organic bath, beauty, and personal care products. And, as you will read below, this is not only beneficial for the environment. It may also be beneficial for your personal health.

There are many reasons to make the switch to organic bath, beauty, and personal care products. The ingredients in--or rather, the ingredients that are not in organic beauty products is a key reason. Some of the most common ingredients found in commercial products that you will not find in their organic counterparts are compounds known as parabens.

On the ingredients label you will see them listed as:

- Propylparaben
- Butylparaben
- Methylparaben
- IIsoparaben

Parabens are found in many products that you use often and even on a daily basis including moisturizers, shaving gel, toothpaste, shampoo, and so on. Parabens are also occasionally used as food additives. You may have heard of these compounds and wondered if they are really that bad to come in contact with. While this is still under debate, there are many studies which have linked parabens to causing certain ailments and degenerative diseases. So, why take the chance on using products that contain them, when you can invest in organic products that are better for your health.

What Are Parabens?
They are low-cost chemicals used for their antimicrobial and preservative capabilities. These synthetics are very commonly used to increase the shelf life of products.

What Are Their Possible Negative Health Benefits?
There are a number of possible negative health benefits associated with these compounds. Reports have shown a connection between butylparaben and abnormal changes in testosterone secretion. These same reports also showed that the chemical has an adverse affect on how the male reproductive system functions.

And not only males are affected. Studies have found that these chemicals can mimic the effect of estrogen. In other words, they are believed to have an estrogenic effect, an effect that can lead to the development of breast cancer. They are also believed to impair fertility.

In general, the chemicals are believed to be possibly carcinogenic, which makes them worth avoiding entirely.