Common plastics are associated with 10% of cardiac deaths, says study

Synthetic chemicals called ftlates, found in consumer products such as food storage containers, shampoo, makeup, perfume and children’s toys, may have contributed to over 10% of all global heart disease in 2018 among men and women aged 55 to 64, according to a new study published on Tuesday (29) in Ebiomedicine.

“Ftlates contribute to systemic inflammation and inflammation in coronary arteries, which can accelerate existing diseases and lead to acute events, including mortality,” says senior author Leonardo Trasande, professor of pediatrics and population health at the University of New York School of Medicine. He is also director of Nyu Langone’s Environmental Pediatric Division and Environmental Risk Research Center.

“Ftlates are known to interrupt testosterone,” says Trasande, adding that in men, “low testosterone is a predictor of cardiovascular disease in adults.”

Previous studies have already related phthalates to reproductive problems, such as genital malformations and testicles not descended in male babies, as well as low sperm count and testosterone levels in adult men. Studies also linked phthalates to asthma, childhood obesity and cancer.

“The new study emphasizes the huge potential for the health and economic exhibition of the DEHP exposure, which aligns with existing concerns about its risks,” says David Andrews, interim scientific director of Environmental Working Group, an organization of consumers who monitors exposure to plastics and other e-mail plastics chemists. He did not participate in the study.

The American Chemistry Council, which represents the industry, refused to comment on the study, but informed the CNN by email that the organization’s ups panel of the organization is dedicated to promoting the benefits of high ftlates such as DINP and DIDP.

Exposure and risk of phthalates

Often called “omnipresent chemicals” because they are so common, phthalates are added to consumer products such as PVC pipes, vinyl floors, rain -resistant products and spots, medical pipes, garden hoses and some children’s toys to make plastic more flexible and harder to break.

Other common exhibitions come from the use of ftalatos in food packaging, detergents, clothing, furniture and automotive plastics. Ftlates are also added to personal care items such as shampoo, soap, hair spray and cosmetics to make fragrances last longer.

People are exposed when they breathe contaminated or eat or drink foods that come into contact with plastic, according to US disease control and prevention centers.

A GLOBAL STUDY

THE new study examined the impact of a ftalato-di (2-etilhexil), or DEHP-on global deaths in 200 countries and territories.

The researchers analyzed health and environmental data from dozens of population research, which included urine samples containing chemical degradation products left by DEHP, known to be connected to cardiovascular disease, according to Trasande.

The DI (2-Etilhexil) was also related to congenital defects, cancer and reproductive damage to men, according to California proposition, a law that requires companies to put product warning labels notifying consumers on possible effects of chemicals to health.

The researchers compared the exhibition with mortality statistics collected by the Institute of Metrics and Health Assessment, a US research group that brings together global medical information.

The analysis found that the exposure to DEHP contributed to 368,764 deaths in 2018 among men and women from 55 to 64 years globally. Africa accounted for 30% of death -related heart disease deaths, while the east Asian and the Middle East accounted for 25% of mortality, the study found.

The research is considered the first global estimate of any health outcome of DEHP exposure, according to the study’s lead author Sara Hyman, an associated research scientist at NYU’s Grossman School of Medicine.

“By highlighting the connection between phthalates and one of the leading causes of death worldwide, our findings add up to the vast set of evidence that these chemicals pose a huge danger to human health,” Hyman says in a statement.

However, a limitation of the survey stems from the use of US risk rates to estimate the population attributable to the population in other countries, according to Andrews, from EWG.

“Although the authors recognize this limitation, this presupposes that the relationship between exposure to DEHP and cardiovascular disease is consistent globally,” he says by email. “This may not be true, considering significant differences in both exposure levels and access to DCV detection and treatment between countries.”

An earlier study on phthalates analyzed US data

Previous research by Trasande and her team measured the concentration of urine in the urine of over 5,000 adults in the United States and compared these levels at the risk of early death over an average of 10 years.

In this study, the researchers found that phthalates can contribute to about 91,000 to 107,000 premature deaths per year among Americans from 55 to 64 years old. People with the highest levels of phthalate have had a higher risk of death for any cause, especially cardiovascular mortality, according to the study.

The results were even after researchers controlled pre -existing heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other common conditions, bad eating habits, physical activity and body mass, and levels of other known hormone deregulators such as bisphenol A or BPA.

The researchers estimated that these deaths could cost the United States about $ 40 billion to $ 47 billion a year in loss of economic productivity.

How to limit your exposure

It is possible to minimize their exposure to ftlates and other endocrine deregulators, experts say.

“Avoid plastics as much as you can. Reducing the use of ultra -processed foods can reduce the levels of chemical exposure with which you get in touch,” says Trasande. “Never put plastic containers in the microwave or dishwasher, where heat can degrade the coatings, making them absorbed more easily.”

Here are other tips for reducing the exhibition:

• Use lotions and detergents for perfume -free clothing.
• Use cleaning products without fragrance.
• Use glass, stainless steel, ceramic or wood to hold and store food.
• Buy fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables instead of canned and processed versions.
• Encourage frequent hand washing to remove chemicals from the hands.
• Avoid air purifiers and all plastics labeled as No. 3, No. 6 and No. 7.

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This content was originally published in ordinary plastics are associated with 10% of cardiac deaths, says study on CNN Brazil.

Source: CNN Brasil