Cumulative Effect of Phthalates in Pharmaceutical Drugs and OTC Meds

Researchers from Harvard and Boston Universities have published a report of their study that found high levels of phthalate metabolites in people taking pharmaceutical drugs. No surprise to us, but many people are unaware of this -- prescription drugs and over the counter "medications" contain phthalates -- if you do not know about the dangers of phthalates, they are bad for the human body, particularly children and especially unborn babies.

This study identified almost fifty different pharmaceutical drugs that contain phthalates. Note that the phthalates are simply used to make "coatings" for the drugs, an application for which much safer substances could be substituted, if their is any actual need for a coating at all to be colorful and "tasty" going down...

Part of their study utilized testing thousands of people for metabolites of various phthalates, some of which have been banned in Europe and a few even in the United States. This analysis revealed that the metabolite levels were significantly higher in people who reported taking at least one phthalate containing pharmaceutical. Additionally, the high levels of phthalates detected in the tests indicated that some people in the study exceeded safety limits that the EPA established for phthalate compounds.

Note that phthalates are used in a wide range of consumer products as well as in pharmaceutical drugs. Research reports by safety organizations reveal that the health risks from over-exposure to phthalates are seriously under estimated due to the combined cumulative exposure from all sources not being taken into adequate consideration, as it is currently viewed from individual phthalates exposure.

Not only are phthalates closely associated with adversely affecting hormone and testosterone levels, causing abnormal gender disruptions (particularly in males, e.g. "feminization"), but phthalates have also been linked to liver cancer. Be aware, tell everyone, particularly women of child bearing age.