Phthalates may Cause Diabetes in Women – Health Study Reports

Synopsis

According to new Health Study Reports, the Phthalates may Cause Diabetes in Women. Read and know in detail here.

“Phthalates are at the top of the exceptionally harmful list, chemicals added to many plastics in order to make them flexible. These chemicals have been part of many health concerns, including obesity, endocrine disruption, reproductive issues, and allergies.”

Plastic is a ubiquitous material and has applications almost everywhere. It helps pack our clothes, food and drink, and uses in the packaging of our personal care products.

Also Read, 12 Tips by WebMD Avoid Diabetes Complications

They are even used in the packaging of drinking water bottles and the air we breathe in the form of microplastics.

While plastic may have multiple uses, increasing scientific evidence suggests that some plastic components may be harmful to the health of humans. 

Phthalates are at top of the exceptionally harmful list, chemicals added to many plastics in order to make them flexible These chemicals have been part of many health concerns, including obesity, endocrine disruption, reproductive issues, and allergies.

Insulin is the most likely hormone that can get affected by phthalates. Insulin is a hormone that controls glucose levels in the blood and makes carbohydrate available to cells.

A health study in adolescents says there are chances of insulin resistance with increased urinary phthalate levels, which is often a source to type 2 diabetes.

There were similar observations in another study done in older adults which showed that exposure to diethyl hexyl phthalates (DEHP), one particular group of phthalates, caused increased oxidative stress and insulin resistance. 

Now, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism longitudinal study has found that women with exposure to high levels of phthalates have increased risk of developing diabetes up to 63%.

Dr Ishita Prakash Patel, board-certified endocrinologist, at Texas Diabetes and Endocrinology, said, “The study subjects were chosen from a larger longitudinal study of midlife women to evaluate an association between phthalates in the urine and [the] development of diabetes. The study found an association between higher levels of certain phthalates and development of diabetes in white women, but not the other races studied — Black and Asian.”