Genotoxic Properties Of The Chemical Components
Clinical studies in 2004 reported increased levels of genomic instability in outer regions of the breast in histologically normal tissue , which was suggested to result from exposure to genotoxic chemicals in that region . Instability of the genome is an important contributor to genetic changes that drive carcinogenic processes, and in accordance with the cancer field theory could provide a milieu where genetically altered cells would be more susceptible to the development of cancer .
The active antiperspirant agents are aluminium salts – and aluminium has a known genotoxic profile , and aluminium chlorhydrate has been shown active in the Comet assay . Use of these salts in cosmetics relies on the inability of the antiperspirant complexes to be absorbed . Dermal absorption of aluminium from topically applied antiperspirant aluminium chlorhydrate, however, has been demonstrated through intact human skin of the underarm , and aluminium was measured in human breast tissue at greater levels in outer quadrants than in inner quadrants . Clinical consequences arising from absorbed antiperspirant salts were described in a case study in 2004 reporting adverse bone pain and fatigue associated with toxic blood levels of aluminium, both of which disappeared after discontinuing antiperspirant use .
Whats The Difference Between Deodorant And Antiperspirant
Although deodorant and antiperspirant mean different things, they tend to be used interchangeably, and often have very similar formulas. Antiperspirant refers to a product that stops sweating from happening, whereas deodorant aims to mask body odour that is the result of sweat. Body odour occurs when sweat produced by the apocrine glands mixes with bacteria that lives on your skin. This results in acid, which smells. Bacteria feeds on protein and so, more protein means more acidand apocrine glands produce a lot of protein.
Aluminum Induces Cancer In Immune
Mandriota and a subset of his team had previously studied the effect of long-term culture of mammary cells in aluminum salts. For that research, they used concentrations of aluminum similar to the concentrations found in breast tissue of women in industrialized countries.
This aluminum in vitro transformed healthy cells into cancer-causing cells. Then, when researchers injected these cancer-causing cells into immunocompromised mice, the mice developed tumors.
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And I Especially Hate Breast Cancer
Assomeone who started menstruating at age ten, Im considered increased risk. But even if youre notgenetically susceptible to early-onset menses or your endocrine system wasnt disrupted inchildhood, breast cancer is one of the most common cancers today. A littleknown and particularly horrible fact: men, too, can get breast cancer. Since themid-1960s, weve seen an unfortunate and relentless upward trend in breastcancer.
Asidefrom skin cancers, breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women: one in eight will be diagnosed with it in her lifetime.Thats a rate of one breast cancer diagnosis every two minutes.
Does Aluminum In Deodorant Cause Breast Cancer Its Complicated
Over the past few years, I have read more and more articles about the effects of aluminum and aluminum deposits in deodorants. As a teen, I never really thought much about the ingredients in the products I was using. I would buy the stuff my friends were using or whatever my mom suggested I use. But as I got older I realized that the stuff you use on your body can also affect your overall health. So it can be important to make sure what you are using is safe.
As a college student living on a budget, it can be hard to buy those high-end products that advertise as aluminum free. However, this past semester I did a small research project on the effects of aluminum in breast tissue and it really opened my eyes. I wont go all science nerdy on you but basically, your breasts have special signal receptors called estrogen receptors. These are signaling receptors that are responsible for all kinds of things. However, when these receptors are mutated or changed to stop performing their normal function, they have a high likelihood of turning bad and causing the formation of tumors. Although not a lot of studies have been done to actually see if aluminum could cause changes to these estrogen receptors, it is possible.
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Is There A Link Between Antiperspirants Or Deodorants And Breast Cancer
Because underarm antiperspirants or deodorants are applied near the breast and contain potentially harmful ingredients, several scientists and others have suggested a possible connection between their use and breast cancer . However, no scientific evidence links the use of these products to the development of breast cancer.
Do Antiperspirants Keep A Person From Sweating Cancer
Lymph nodes help clear out bacteria, viruses, and other possible threats to the body, but the lymph nodes do not release waste or toxins through sweating. In fact, lymph nodes are not connected to sweat glands. Sweat glands are located in the skin, not in the lymph nodes. Most cancer-causing substances that enter the body are removed from the blood by the kidneys and by the liver. Substances removed by the kidneys are released into urine, while those taken by the liver are released into bile. The bile then mixes with and is eliminated with feces.
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Antiperspirants And Alzheimers Disease
Back in the 1960s, a few studies found high levels of aluminum in the brains of people with Alzheimers disease. The research suddenly called into question the safety of everyday household items such as aluminum cans, antacids, and antiperspirants.
But the findings of these early studies werenât replicated in later research, and experts have essentially ruled out aluminum as a possible cause of Alzheimers.
There was a lot of research that looked at the link between Alzheimers and aluminum, and there hasnt been any definitive evidence to suggest there is a link, says Heather M. Snyder, PhD, senior associate director of medical and scientific relations for the Alzheimers Association.
According to the experts interviewed for this story, the aluminum in antiperspirants doesnt even typically make its way into the body.
The aluminum salts do not work as antiperspirants by being absorbed in the body. They work by forming a chemical reaction with the water in the sweat to form a physical plug which is deposited in the sweat duct, producing a blockage in the areas that its applied, says David Pariser, MD, professor of dermatology at Eastern Virginia Medical School and past president of the American Academy of Dermatology. Even nicks from shaving, the amount is so negligible that it doesnt make a whole lot of scientific sense.
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Ingredients In Deodorants And Anti
Many people use the term deodorant and antiperspirant interchangeably, but the truth is they are two different products. Deodorant masks the smell of body odor while antiperspirants actually block the production of sweat. However, oftentimes deodorants are two-in-one products that have antiperspirant properties that hide odor while reducing sweat.
Aluminum-based compounds are the active ingredients in antiperspirants that block the flow of sweat from sweat glands. When pores in your underarm are blocked from sweating with aluminum, they can become clogged. This effect can increase estrogen levels in your body the concern being that increased exposure to estrogen is correlated to a higher risk of cancer. However, this effect of estrogen production has been proven to be very minimal and not enough to increase your risk of developing breast cancer.
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Can Antiperspirants Or Deodorants Cause Breast Cancer
Articles in the press and on the Internet have warned that underarm antiperspirants or deodorants cause breast cancer . The reports have suggested that these products contain harmful substances, which can be absorbed through the skin or enter the body through nicks caused by shaving. Some scientists have also proposed that certain ingredients in underarm antiperspirants or deodorants may be related to breast cancer because they are applied frequently to an area next to the breast .
However, researchers at the National Cancer Institute , a part of the National Institutes of Health, are not aware of any conclusive evidence linking the use of underarm antiperspirants or deodorants and the subsequent development of breast cancer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration , which regulates food, cosmetics, medicines, and medical devices, also does not have any evidence or research data that ingredients in underarm antiperspirants or deodorants cause cancer.
Not Evidence Of A Human Link
The authors state that their results are compelling evidence that aluminum is a human carcinogen. Dr. Kotryna Temcinaite, senior research communications manager at Breast Cancer Now, disagrees. That cells exposed to aluminum salts in laboratory experiments led to genomic instability is not evidence that aluminum salts are carcinogenic, she said.
However, she added, These papers provide evidence of the need for further evaluation to see if aluminum compounds can be classified as carcinogens.
Dr. Grumley also questioned whether these studies provide evidence of a link: As a physician and clinician, I take it with a grain of salt. You cannot extrapolate we dont inject into the system, and we are not mice.
I would never use these studies to tell women they cant use deodorants.
Dr. Janie Grumley
Dr. Temcinaite added, Our bodies also have several defense mechanisms that detect and get rid of cells that arent quite right, so genomic instability alone may not always be enough to result in cancer.
an analysis of 19 studies concluded that there was no scientific evidence to support the hypothesis of a possible link between antiperspirants and breast cancer.
She added, There are currently no strong epidemiological studies that link breast cancer risk and antiperspirant use, and ultimately carcinogenicity of aluminum has not yet been proven.
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Using The Wrong Antiperspirant May Influence Your Breast Cancer Risk
Putting on antiperspirant is a routine part of most people’s day, and you may not think much about it. But here’s why you should: if you use one containing aluminum, you could be increasing your risk of breast cancer.
Antiperspirants work by clogging, closing, or blocking the pores that release sweat under your arms — with the active ingredient being aluminum. Not only does this block one of your body’s routes for detoxification , but it raises concerns about where these metals are going once you roll them on.
Research, including one study published this year in the Journal of Applied Toxicology, has shown that the aluminum is not only absorbed by your body, but is deposited in your breast tissue and even can be found in nipple aspirate fluid a fluid present in the breast duct tree that mirrors the microenvironment in your breast. Researchers determined that the mean level of aluminum in nipple aspirate fluid was significantly higher in breast cancer-affected women compared to healthy women, which may suggest a role for raised levels of aluminum as a biomarker for identification of women at higher risk of developing breast cancer.
Aluminum In Breast Tissue: A Possible Factor In The Cause Of Breast Cancer
- Date:
- Keele University
- Summary:
- A new study has identified a regionally-specific distribution of aluminum in breast tissue which may have implications for the cause of breast cancer. Scientists have found that the aluminum content of breast tissue and breast tissue fat was significantly higher in the outer regions of the breast, in close proximity to the area where there would be the highest density of antiperspirant.
A new study has identified a regionally-specific distribution of aluminium in breast tissue which may have implications for the cause of breast cancer.
Scientists have found that the aluminium content of breast tissue and breast tissue fat was significantly higher in the outer regions of the breast, in close proximity to the area where there would be the highest density of antiperspirant.
Recent research has linked breast cancer with the use of aluminium-based, underarm antiperspirants. The known, but unaccounted for, higher incidence of tumours in the upper outer quadrant of the breast seemed to support such a contention. However, the identification of a mechanism of antiperspirant-induced breast cancer has remained elusive.
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women and is the leading cause of death among women aged 35-54. The cause of breast cancer is unknown and is likely to be a combination of generic and environmental factors.
But it goes on to say that aluminium in breast tissue might contribute to breast cancer.
Story Source:
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What Did The Studies Show
The researchers did a series of tests on hamster cells and demonstrated that mammalian cells, including those in the mammary gland , when exposed in vitro to aluminium salts rapidly incorporated this metal.
The studies showed that within 24 hours of exposure, genomic instability appeared in these cells as an altercation in the structure and number of chromosomes.
The studies said this is known to occur during malignant transformation caused by proven carcinogens and therefore confirms the carcinogenic potential of aluminium on breast cells.
How Could A Link Exist Mechanistically Between Underarm Cosmetics And Breast Cancer
An extensive number of cosmetic products are applied topically on and around the human breast on a daily basis, often multiple times a day, including not only underarm anti-perspirant/deodorant products but also body lotions, body sprays, moisturising creams, breast firming/enhancing creams and suncare products. These products are not rinsed off but left on the skin, allowing for continuous dermal exposure, absorption and deposition into underlying tissues, which may be further increased by abrasions in the skin created by shaving . The extent to which chemicals absorbed by this route escape metabolism remains unknown, but they would certainly escape the systemic metabolism to which orally derived chemicals would be subjected .
With current cultural pressures, these products are used with increasing frequency and quantity , and by ever younger children including babies , and the effects of long-term low-dose exposure to these mixtures of multiple chemicals are unknown. The diversity in usage of these cosmetics and the range of different products available provides ample possibility for cancer to arise through issues of quantity used, through pattern of usage or through individual susceptibility to specific product formulations .
Table 1 Components of cosmetics applied to the underarm and breast area
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So What Do We Do Now About Aluminum And Breast Cancer
Virtually every major brand of deodorant and antiperspirant still uses aluminum compounds in America. In Europe the situation is changing and aluminum is being taken out. These aluminum compounds are toxic to breast tissue. But even so-called natural brands in America still contain aluminum.
You can stop using deodorant or make your own with non-toxic ingredients.
While its true that ingesting aluminum is different from rubbing it on your skin under your arms, its best to avoid aluminum exposure as much as you possibly can.
Make sure to never buy baking powder that contains aluminum. Read the ingredients and buy aluminum-free.
And get rid of aluminum-containing cookware. Choose glass baking dishes instead.
Its also important to avoid aluminum-containing vaccines. However, if you do choose to vaccinate, be sure to get only one aluminum-containing vaccine at a time.
If we want to live cancer-free healthy lives, we have to reduce our exposure to aluminum and other toxins. Our lives depend upon it.
Antiperspirants And Breast Cancer: Is There A Link
Recent years have seen an increase in the number of aluminum-free antiperspirants and deodorants on the market. The trend has been led by smaller, boutique brands marketed as natural, such as Here + Now, Justin Biebers new gender-neutral deodorant from Schmidts Naturals. But even Dove, one of the longest-established and biggest-selling deodorant brands in the world, launched its 0% Aluminum label this year.
This market shift is driven in part by a hotly disputed link between aluminum-based antiperspirants and breast cancer. Medical experts initially dismissed that link almost 20 years ago due to a lack of scientific studies. Several studies have been done since then, but there is still no scientific consensus. From EWG scientists, heres a summary of the current state of the science.
There are many ways that humans can be exposed to aluminum. Human studies have commonly focused on ingestion and inhalation, often in occupational settings, but aluminum can also be absorbed through the skin, especially skin damaged by shaving, and may accumulate in the body over time as a result of this type of exposure. This is potentially relevant for breast cancer because antiperspirants, which usually contain aluminum to prevent sweating, are applied to skin, near the breast.
Ultimately, we need more studies to reach a consensus. In the meantime, EWG will continue to look out for new research on the issue.
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Why Breast Cancers Are Often Near The Armpit
One reason that people have believed that there is a connection between antiperspirant use and breast cancer is that many breast cancers start in breast tissue that is close to the underarms. This is more likely due to the fact that the breast tissue higher up in the chest is denser. Dense tissue is more likely to develop cancer, and it makes it harder to detect unusual growths during exams and mammograms.
Can Deodorants And Antiperspirants With Aluminium Cause Cancer
Is this something we should be concerned about or is it just a myth?”
There is no evidence to support the claim that deodorants or antiperspirants cause cancer. This link was first suggested in an email hoax, and rumours have circulated ever since. Typically, scare stories suggest that aluminium in antiperspirants prevents us from getting rid of toxins in our sweat, which clog up lymph nodes and lead to breast cancer. But the details of this are wrong.
First, sweating does help your body get rid of toxins. Second, breast cancer starts in the breast and spreads to the lymph nodes, not the other way around. Third, there is no evidence that aluminium can lead to cancer. Some reports occasionally claim to have found aluminium, or other deodorant chemicals, in samples taken from breast tumours. But they usually involve a very small number of women, and they never compare levels of aluminium in the tumours to levels in other parts of the body, or to women who dont have breast cancer. Without this information, these reports tell us nothing about deodorants and breast cancer risk. On the other hand, one study looked at 1600 women and found that those who use deodorant are no more likely to develop cancer than women who dont.
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