Posted on 05/28/2005 10:35:44 AM PDT by neverdem
Widely used industrial compounds, called phthalates, are linked by researchers to changes in the reproductive organs of male infants.
Scientists studying the effects of hormone-mimicking chemicals on humans have reported that compounds called phthalates, used in plastics and beauty products and widely found in people, seem to alter the reproductive organs of baby boys.
In the first study of humans exposed in the womb to phthalates, the researchers, who examined the genitalia of male babies and toddlers, found a strong relationship between the chemicals and subtle changes in the size and anatomy of the children's genitals. Phthalates are ubiquitous compounds used as softeners in plastics and to maintain color and fragrance in beauty products such as nail polish and perfume, among other uses.
It is the first time that scientists have shown that any industrial compound measured in mothers' bodies seems to disrupt the reproductive systems of their babies.
But many experts, including the authors of the report published today in the online version of the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, say that more research must be done to determine if the genital abnormalities in the boys lead to fertility or health problems and to prove that they are caused by phthalates.
The findings were based on tests of 85 mothers and sons, averaging nearly 13 months of age, born in Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Columbia, Mo. Mothers with the highest levels of chemicals in their urine late in their pregnancies had babies with a cluster of effects. The span between anus and penis, called anogenital distance, was comparatively short, and the infants had smaller penises and scrotums and more instances of incomplete descent of testicles.
Medical experts do not know whether babies with those physical characteristics will later develop reproductive problems. But in newborn animals, laboratory studies show that...
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Good point on the toxicity testing, medical grade PVC easily passes USP Class V testing. The highest level, CLass VI, is used to qualify implantable medical devices...nothing to be concerned about.
Michael Jackson was chief researcher for the study.....
In 1977-78, I was a Product Manager for Baxter Travenol (today = Baxter International) in the Parenteral Products Division.
This was when the DEPH non-story first hit the fan.
It was BS back then as it is now.
Now that it's recognized that choosing to be a queer isn't a condition of the mind, this is just another way for the perverts to blame something else for queers choosing to be a queers. Those perverts are still working for recognition as "a protected class" status. Makes me sick to my stomach.
Speaking of hormone mimics, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, tofu and other soy products interact with human estrogen processes. Women naturally love these foods for some reason but what are the effects in growing boys? Is their strong dislike natural? Boys are force fed much more broccoli and brussel sprouts than PVC plastics but there are no studies from the tofu crowd. Are boys hopped up on vegetable estrogen easier to raise and control? Does vegetable estrogen influence their male mental and physical development?
Gray Davis always starts his day with a tall tofu shake.
Men are so obsessed about SIZE. Kinda silly, IMO.
For the purpose of this article ... I would like to suggest they do a lineup of grown men for penis inspections. I'll bet they'd find more of those small tally-whackers and that it has nothing to do with chemicals. It's just plain ole genetics. Some have little ones, and some have big ones.
Now, I'm not saying this researcher is wrong. However, enhancement surgery certainly didn't start with this one localized chemical.
BTW, when was the last time you saw an experiment like this trying to determine the cause of small breasts?
There have been some soy/phytoestrogen studies. The ones I recall suggest impaired development and unusually agressive behavior in boys and premature puberty in young girls. Will look for the references for you...
"Other sources of plasticizers in plastics can be absorbed if you suck on plastics...day after day after day after day"
Does that apply to those that drink from plastic containers during their life? I've always wondered about the plastic taste. You have to wonder how much plasticizer leaches into the contents.
Genetics may not be the most important factor in size. Girls who are accomplished gymnasts often have small breasts while girls raised on a high fat high carb diet often develop large breasts. Chinese-American girls in general have larger breasts than girls raised in China. A Chinese boy raised on a farm in Ohio often grows up much larger than he would have otherwise. In general, what a person puts into their system for nutrition seems more significant than genetics.
I agree about size not being that important. Small or large breasts has no effect on how attractive a woman is to me. I think women who get breast surgery do so more to compete with and make other women jealous than to attract more men. Similarly, men who get penis enlargement operations are often fireman or others that must shower in front of other men.
You'll probably find more articles by clicking "Related Articles" at that link.
(sarcasm) I suddening see a crossover between the FX Shows "Nip Tuck" and "Rescue Me". (sarcasm end)
But in all seriousness, genitial deformities are not a joking matter, and genitial deformity is NOT homosexuality.
That study focused on 4 years olds, and for only about 6 months. Until age 9 there isn't much hormonal difference between the sexes. What we really need are studies done with identical twins, though that may be unethical to single out twins to exploit in experiments. Also we need a sample size much larger than 48, which is next to meaningless, and for longer periods of time.
Our "normal" is just a little different.
What's the big deal from telling the mother of your child to skip on the beautification poisons for nine months as part of her pregnancy rituals? She can add to that: stop sniffing glue, buy wine by the glass not the gallon and give up smoking. As it is, you're not supposed to get your hair colored when pregnant.
Your point is well taken, and obvious to those who have studied the role of toxic chemistry in nature: humans consume, by far (an estimated 5-10,000 times more), more mutagenic and carcinogenic substances that occur naturally in food than from any other source. These chemicals often constitute a plant's natural resistance to pest attack (which is why so many insect predators are host specific). They have stood the test of time as effective toxins.
There are too many *suggestions* of complications with allgergies, asthma, thyroid problems, visual acuity, cognition, reproductive health, etc, that the only thing I can conclude from reading the abstracts of the many "related" articles is that much more work needs to be done (even the researchers that hail the safety of soy agree). It shouldn't be too hard given the large numbers of children raised on soy formulas, yet the work isn't being done on a systematic, large scale.
I, personally, would love to see follow up on this one: Premature thelarche in Puerto Rico. A search for environmental factors which found a very strong correlation between soy formula use and precocious puberty. It would be interesting to see a similar study conducted in the inner cities- places with high numbers of WIC clients and high rates of thelarche. If you know of one, I'd be interested in reading it. Thanks.
Maybe that is my problem......
I've got big balls! I've got big balls!
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