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Summerized from, "Avoid MSG and NutraSweet"
by Dr. Russell Blaylock, MD
Aging‑related blindness is rising at an alarming rate, and there are many reasons behind this devastating trend. One of the most overlooked involves excitotoxins—specifically MSG and aspartame.
One of the leading causes of adult blindness is diabetes, especially insulin‑dependent (type 1) diabetes. Recent research shows that blindness in diabetics is linked to the destruction of retinal nerve cells by the amino acid glutamate.
Multiple studies have found that glutamate—an excitotoxin—accumulates in the vitreous humor (the gel-like substance in the back of the eye) in people with:
While some of this glutamate comes from damaged retinal cells and glial cells, there is growing concern about the extreme amounts of excitotoxins consumed in the modern diet, especially from:
Unlike the brain, the eye has no protective blood‑brain barrier. Anything circulating in the bloodstream—including excitotoxins—can enter the eye rapidly.
Studies show that after consuming foods containing excitotoxins, blood levels can spike up to 20‑fold. Even if excitotoxins don’t directly cause eye diseases, they accelerate them and make them far more severe.
Imagine an elderly person eating a bowl of commercial soup and drinking a diet soda. That single meal may contain enough excitotoxins to damage both brain cells and retinal cells.
Some soups contain three or four different excitotoxin additives. Even when each additive is present at levels considered “safe,” combining them creates an additive neurotoxic effect—a phenomenon proven in laboratory studies.
In diabetics, vitreous glutamate levels are often significantly elevated, especially in proliferative diabetic retinopathy—the form most likely to cause blindness.
Animal studies show:
Similar patterns appear in glaucoma. Today, excitotoxicity—not high eye pressure—is considered the primary cause of blindness in glaucoma. Elevated pressure reduces retinal blood flow, triggering the release of destructive glutamate.
Glutamate excitotoxicity plays a major role in all of these conditions. Meanwhile, the food industry has been doubling the amount of added excitotoxins every decade since 1945.
Ironically, the 17 million diabetics in the U.S. have been specifically targeted by marketing campaigns promoting aspartame‑sweetened products—despite the fact that aspartame poses unique dangers to diabetic vision.
No one should consume these products, but diabetics are especially vulnerable to their toxic effects.
If you’d like, I can help you create a matching SEO label set or format this into a full “Excitotoxin Awareness” series for your blog.
In a previous post, I explained the connection between glutamates and sudden cardiac death. I also showed that soy contains some of the highest natural levels of glutamates, and that food processing can artificially release these glutamates from the soybean, creating large amounts of free excitotoxins.
So what does this mean for soy infant formula?
To date, no major studies have examined whether there is a link between soy‑based infant formulas and sudden infant death. But considering what we already know about excitotoxins and their effects on adults, it raises serious questions.
There is growing concern about several components found in soy formulas, including:
Given what these compounds can do to the developing nervous system, many experts believe this is an area that urgently needs research. Personally, after seeing the effects of excitotoxins on adults, I would be extremely cautious about using soy formulas for infants.
Neurodegenerative diseases are exploding in today’s world. Conditions that were once rare—Alzheimer’s, Autism, ADHD, Parkinson’s—are now shockingly common. The natural question is: why?
Researchers know these diseases are linked to exposures such as mercury, aluminum, pesticides, herbicides, and other environmental toxins. These substances damage the brain through excitotoxic mechanisms—the same pathways overstimulated by glutamates and aspartame.
But here’s the problem: scientists often look for one single cause. One study links Alzheimer’s to mercury. Another finds Alzheimer’s in people with no mercury exposure but high pesticide exposure. Each researcher focuses on one toxin, while missing the bigger picture.
The truth is simple:
We are exposed to hundreds of excitotoxic compounds every single day.
And the cumulative effect is what’s driving this epidemic.
Think about what happens before you even leave the house.
You start your day with a hot shower.
Hot water opens your pores, increases circulation, and wakes up your brain.
But with those pores wide open, you apply:
These products contain dozens of synthetic compounds that absorb directly into your bloodstream—just like medicated patches designed to deliver drugs through the skin.
Next, you apply perfumes, colognes, or body sprays.
These contain benzene‑based compounds that you inhale deeply into your lungs, where they enter your bloodstream instantly.
Many of these contain:
All absorbed through the skin or mucous membranes.
Then you head to the kitchen:
And that’s just the morning.
Even without scientific training, it’s easy to see the pattern:
These diseases are multifaceted.
We are being bombarded from every direction.
Neurotoxins in personal‑care products.
Excitotoxins in processed foods.
Environmental toxins in the air and water.
Chemical exposures layered on top of each other, day after day.
No single toxin explains the epidemic—
the combination does.
You are not doomed. You can take control.
Here’s where to start:
You can dramatically reduce your exposure—and protect your long‑term health—by making informed choices.
If you want guidance, I’m here to help you reduce your toxic load and transition to 100% chemical‑free, organic, wild‑crafted products that fit your lifestyle and your budget.
Glutamates do occur naturally in foods like tomatoes and seaweed—but in their natural state, they do not pose the same risks as processed glutamates. The difference lies in how they exist within the food.
In whole, unprocessed foods, glutamates are bound within larger molecular structures called oligopeptides and polypeptides. These are long chains of amino acids that must be broken down slowly through normal digestion before the body can use them.
Because these large amino‑acid structures are not naturally present in the bloodstream, they are filtered through the liver, which releases only the small, safe amounts of glutamic acid the body actually needs.
This slow, controlled process prevents glutamate overload.
When proteins are hydrolyzed during food manufacturing—using enzymes, yeasts, or chemical processes—they are broken apart into free amino acids. These “free” glutamates are no longer natural.
Once consumed:
These unnaturally high levels overwhelm the body’s natural defenses.
The blood‑brain barrier cannot handle such extreme spikes in glutamic acid. As a result, large amounts reach the brain and overstimulate glutamate receptors.
This chronic overstimulation has been linked to:
It’s not the natural glutamates causing harm—it’s the processed, free‑form glutamates added to modern foods.
While it’s nearly impossible to avoid glutamates completely, you can reduce your risk:
Small daily choices add up to major long‑term protection.
Most cardiologists are never taught that glutamate receptors exist throughout the heart’s electrical conduction system—and even within the heart muscle itself. Yet this fact has enormous implications for the millions of people living with life‑threatening arrhythmias.
Despite this, patients are rarely warned about two major dietary sources of cardiac irritability:
Both dramatically raise glutamate activity in the body, and both can overstimulate the heart’s glutamate receptors. For someone already prone to arrhythmias, this can be a dangerous—and completely avoidable—trigger.
With more than a million Americans struggling with serious rhythm disorders, it’s astonishing that so few are ever advised to reduce or eliminate these additives.
For years, researchers have known that glutamate receptors are found throughout the brain. What’s now understood is even more alarming: glutamate receptors exist throughout the entire body—in virtually every organ and tissue.
These receptors are found in:
All of these areas respond to glutamate stimulation.
When you eat foods containing MSG (see my post “Glutamates: What Are They?” for the full list of hidden glutamates), blood glutamate levels can rise 20‑fold. This surge overstimulates glutamate receptors throughout the body.
This helps explain why:
These reactions occur because glutamate receptors in the esophagus and small intestine are being overstimulated.
But the most concerning effect may be what happens in the heart.
The heart’s electrical conduction system is lined with glutamate receptors. When blood glutamate levels spike, these receptors can become overstimulated—potentially contributing to the rise in sudden cardiac death.
There’s another factor at play: magnesium levels.
Low magnesium makes glutamate receptors hyper‑sensitive. Athletes, in particular, are at risk because they lose electrolytes—including magnesium—through constant sweating. When magnesium is low and a high‑glutamate meal is consumed (often paired with a diet drink), the combination can create extreme cardiac irritability.
This can trigger:
It’s a perfect storm: low magnesium + high glutamate exposure + physical exertion.
Italian researchers conducted a lifetime study in which animals were fed aspartame from birth until natural death. The results were alarming: there were dramatic, statistically significant increases in lymphoma, leukemia, and especially primary brain lymphoma.
These findings weren’t new. In fact, the original studies by G.D. Searle & Co.—the company that invented aspartame—also found lymphomas, primary brain tumors, and multiple organ tumors. Those early red flags were never fully addressed.
A Spanish research team took the investigation further by radiolabeling aspartame. This allowed them to track exactly how it breaks down in the body. They discovered that aspartame converts into a formaldehyde compound—and they could actually see it attaching to cellular DNA.
Once formaldehyde binds to DNA, it is extremely difficult for the body to remove. That means:
A single diet soda or product sweetened with NutraSweet can cause DNA damage that lingers.
Repeated exposure over time can lead to enough DNA damage to trigger mutations, which are the foundation of many cancers.
Another breakdown product of aspartame is aspartic acid, which creates an acidic environment in the body. Cancer cells thrive in acidic conditions, and this environment can accelerate their growth.
Now combine these effects with the high levels of glutamates in the modern diet (see my post “Glutamate Fact: Cancer Growth”). Both aspartame and glutamates can fuel cancer development and spread.
Is it any wonder cancer rates continue to climb?
Researchers have discovered a troubling connection between glutamates and cancer behavior. When cancer cells were exposed to glutamates—including MSG—they became significantly more mobile. In fact, the glutamate‑exposed cells developed pseudopodia (tiny “feet” used for movement) and began migrating through tissue. This increased mobility is a key factor in metastasis, the spread of cancer.
But mobility isn’t the only concern.
Studies also found that elevated glutamate levels caused cancer cells to grow rapidly—almost like wildfire. When researchers blocked glutamate activity, cancer growth slowed dramatically.
Even more promising, when glutamate‑blocking drugs were combined with conventional chemotherapy, the cancer treatments became noticeably more effective.
These findings raise an important question: if glutamates can influence cancer growth and spread, how much exposure are we getting from our food and personal‑care products?
A recent study revealed something every parent—and every teen—should know:
Sixteen different chemicals from makeup and personal‑care products were found in the bloodstream of teenage girls.
The average teen girl uses 17 personal‑care products every single day. In this study, researchers tested for 25 different chemicals. Every girl tested had 11 to 16 of those chemicals in her body—often at extremely high levels.
The chemicals detected are linked to:
Look at the rates of these conditions in young people today. Premature puberty, cancer, diabetes, and hormonal disorders are rising at alarming rates. So it’s fair to ask:
Is it possible these chemicals are contributing?
How is this happening?
Many people assume the skin acts as a barrier—but drug manufacturers have proven otherwise. Medications can be delivered directly into the bloodstream through patches and creams, bypassing the liver entirely.
If medications can enter the bloodstream this way, so can chemicals from personal‑care products.
Think about what happens first thing in the morning:
For teenage girls, that can mean exposure to chemicals from 17 different products before breakfast. With open pores, absorption increases dramatically.
It’s a perfect storm—and a preventable one.
Start by asking yourself a simple question:
Would you rather use products filled with harmful chemicals—or safer alternatives?
You have choices. Your skin—and your health—deserve better.
Here’s a fact that should make every consumer stop and think:
98% of all breast‑cancer tissue samples contain parabens, phenoxyethanol, butylene glycol, and PEGs.
These chemicals show up again and again in lab analyses—and they’re the same ingredients found in countless everyday personal‑care products.
So ask yourself:
Your skin absorbs far more than most people realize, which makes label awareness essential.
Pick up the products in your bathroom, shower, or makeup bag.
Look closely.
Are these ingredients hiding in your formulas?
They don’t have to be.
You have choices—and safer options exist.
Welcome back to my continuing series on the chemicals we’re exposed to—both in our food and through products we put on our skin. Today’s topic takes a deeper look at glutamates and their impact on early brain development.
Research has shown that glutamates play a major role in how the brain forms during early life. The fetus, infant, and young child are four times more sensitive to MSG toxicity than adults, making early exposure especially concerning.
When someone eats several foods containing MSG—such as corn chips, a frozen dinner, and commercial soup—blood glutamate levels can rise 20‑fold. Add a diet soda to that meal and levels can spike 40‑fold, or 4,000%. And these numbers only reflect glutamate from food. Many personal‑care products also contain glutamates, which are absorbed through the skin, adding even more exposure that isn’t included in these calculations.
Many Americans, including pregnant women, consume diets high in glutamates while also using glutamate‑containing personal‑care products daily.
Studies show that when a pregnant woman consumes a diet high in MSG, the developing baby’s glutamate levels can rise to twice the level of the mother. This can significantly alter how the baby’s brain develops.
High glutamate intake during pregnancy has been linked to:
Animal studies provide additional insight. When young animals were fed MSG early in life, they developed:
Glutamate is the primary neurotransmitter controlling the hypothalamus. When overstimulated, the hypothalamus can malfunction, affecting:
Overstimulation also disrupts autonomic functions involving the heart, lungs, GI tract, and bladder.
When we step back and look at the rising health issues in children today, the patterns are hard to ignore:
Children with chronic illnesses are three times more likely to develop acute conditions requiring hospitalization—and many do not survive.
While we can’t avoid glutamates completely, we can reduce exposure and support the body’s natural defenses.
Check ingredient labels and revisit my post “Glutamates, HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT” to learn the many names glutamates hide under.
Certain nutrients help protect the brain from glutamate toxicity:
These foods help reduce excitotoxicity and support healthier neurological function.
I hope you found this information helpful. Stay tuned for the next post in this series as we continue exploring the hidden chemicals affecting our health.
If you’ve ever wondered whether your body could benefit from an internal cleanse, start by asking yourself a few simple questions:
If you answered yes to three or more questions—or no to question 19—you’re likely a good candidate for an internal cleanse.
Poor Digestion = Toxic Build‑Up
Toxic Build‑Up = Dis‑Ease
Now that you understand the basics of internal cleansing and why it matters, let’s look at the seven most common causes of toxic build‑up in the body. Once you understand these patterns, you can make daily choices that support better health.
When waste doesn’t move through the body efficiently, toxins accumulate. Regular elimination is essential for detoxification and overall health.
A modern diet often includes dead, over‑processed, low‑fiber, fried, or devitalized foods. As a society, we’ve drifted away from raw, organic fruits, vegetables, and whole grains—foods rich in natural fiber, nutrients, and enzymes. Over time, this shift contributes to toxic build‑up and sluggish digestion.
Eating too much—or too quickly—puts tremendous stress on the digestive system. Food that isn’t properly broken down can lodge in the intestines, preventing the absorption of vital nutrients.
Water makes up 65–75% of the human body and is second only to oxygen in importance. It cleanses the body from the inside out, supports digestion, and helps flush toxins.
Stress affects every cell and tissue in the body. It weakens the immune system, strains major organs, and contributes to toxic overload. Stress itself is toxic.
Movement strengthens the entire body. Exercise stimulates circulation and the lymphatic system while supporting muscles, nerves, glands, lungs, the heart, and even mood.
During sleep, the body repairs, rebuilds, and restores itself. This is also when detoxification occurs. Eating late forces the body to digest instead of cleanse, interfering with its natural healing cycle.
Your health is not everything,
but everything is nothing without your health.
Most people recognize MSG as the most familiar member of the glutamate family, but what many don’t realize is how often glutamates show up in everyday foods under completely different names. Thanks to federal labeling laws, any ingredient that contains less than 99% pure MSG can be listed however the manufacturer chooses. That means glutamates can hide behind a long list of innocent‑sounding terms.
Here are some of the most common names used to disguise glutamates on ingredient labels:
Manufacturers know consumers are wary of MSG, so instead of removing it, they often rename it. Understanding these hidden sources helps you make more informed choices about what you’re eating and how it may affect your health.
Concerns about monosodium glutamate (MSG) usually focus on food, but its impact goes far deeper—especially when exposure happens early in life. Research shows that MSG can disrupt the endocrine control system in the hypothalamus, the part of the brain responsible for regulating hormones. Even more troubling, this disruption can be permanent.
Early exposure to MSG doesn’t just interfere with hormone regulation—it can actually alter the wiring within the hypothalamus itself. Because this area of the brain plays a central role in reproduction and sexual development, these changes may influence how a child’s sexual characteristics form over time.
Recent studies have also shown that both male and female reproductive organs contain glutamate receptors. High levels of glutamate have been well documented to damage or destroy these receptors. Since these receptors help regulate reproductive function, their destruction may have significant long‑term consequences.
Parabens have become a major topic of concern in recent years, and many people are still unsure what they are, where they show up, and why they may pose risks. Let’s break it down.
Parabens are a group of chemicals widely used as preservatives in both the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. They’re effective because they prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi, helping products last longer. These compounds—and their salts—are added to formulas specifically for their bactericidal and fungicidal properties.
The short answer is: almost everywhere. Parabens appear in a wide range of cosmetic and personal‑care products, including:
They’re also used as food additives.
Common parabens include:
Less common forms include isobutylparaben, isopropylparaben, benzylparaben, and their sodium salts. All of these will appear in the ingredient list on product labels.
Although parabens have long been considered safe due to their low toxicity and long history of use, recent studies have raised new concerns.
Parabens appear to act as endocrine disruptors, meaning they interfere with the body’s hormone system—affecting both men and women, estrogen and testosterone. Endocrine disruptors are synthetic chemicals that mimic, block, or disrupt hormone activity, often causing more harm at low levels than at high ones.
These chemicals can:
Because the endocrine system regulates every function of the body—including the thyroid, pituitary, adrenal glands, pancreas, ovaries, and testes—disruption can have widespread consequences.
When you apply body‑care products or hair dye, you can absorb or inhale synthetic chemicals containing endocrine disruptors. These chemicals may send false signals to your endocrine glands, preventing them from functioning normally and potentially leading to serious health issues.
What your body doesn’t absorb gets washed down the drain, entering the water supply and affecting algae, fish, whales, birds, and eventually humans again through contaminated water and seafood. Government testing has even found sunscreen chemicals in fish and human breast milk.
Endocrine disruptors accumulate in fatty tissues and do not flush out easily. Rising rates of breast cancer, non‑Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and thyroid cancer have been linked to environmental estrogens. Parabens specifically mimic estrogen—a hormone essential for menstruation, reproductive health, and fat‑cell activity. A Scottish study even found parabens in human breast tumors.
In the last 25 years, thyroid cancer in the U.S. has increased more than 45%, affecting more women than men and becoming the number‑one cancer in children under twenty—many of whom experienced fetal endocrine disruption.
Read every ingredient label on every personal‑care product you buy. Be cautious of unfamiliar chemical names and stay informed about what you’re putting on your skin.
Cosmetics
Foundations, powders, concealers, eye makeup, blushes, bronzers, makeup removers, lipsticks, quick‑dry nail products
Pharmaceutical Products
Topical dermatological medications, eye/ear/nose drops, rectal and vaginal medications, bandages, parenteral products (including antibiotics, corticosteroids, anesthetics, radiopharmaceuticals, vitamins, antihypertensives, diuretics, insulin, heparin, chemotherapeutic agents)
Personal Care Products
Moisturizers, lotions, sunscreens, cleansers, antiperspirants, deodorants, soaps, toothpastes, shampoos, conditioners, colognes, perfumes
Food Products (E210–E219)
Marinated fish, salad dressings, mayonnaise, mustard, sauces, processed vegetables, frozen dairy products, jams, jellies, soft drinks, fruit juices, baked goods, candies
Industrial Products
Oils, fats, shoe polishes, textiles, glues
Nitrates May Be Environmental Trigger For Alzheimer's, Diabetes And Parkinson's Disease
ScienceDaily (July 6, 2009) — A new study by researchers at Rhode Island Hospital have found a substantial link between increased levels of nitrates in our environment and our food with increased deaths from diseases, including Alzheimer's, diabetes mellitus and Parkinrson's. The study was published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.
If you are suffering from Alzheimer's, Diabetes, Parkinsons or other medical challenges and you aren't satisfied with the ever increasing number of medications that aren't helping you get better then I may be able to help.
It’s surprising, isn’t it? Most people assume the FDA keeps a close eye on the safety of cosmetics and personal‑care products. But as I’ve learned through my research into how nutrition affects overall health, that simply isn’t the case.
One of the biggest eye‑openers for me was discovering that, for the most part, the FDA doesn’t regulate cosmetics or personal‑care items at all. The responsibility has largely fallen to a self‑policing industry group—originally the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association, now known as the Personal Care Products Council. This organization represents more than 600 manufacturers and distributors. It’s essentially the fox guarding the henhouse, relying on “voluntary regulation” to keep consumers safe.
What’s even more shocking is that other regions—like the EU, Canada, Japan, and other health‑conscious markets—have far stricter safety standards and ban many more chemicals than the United States. It can make you feel as though American consumers are being used as test subjects.
So what should you be watching for in your own shampoos, conditioners, lotions, and other daily products? There are several ingredients that can make you ill with repeated exposure. Here’s one of them:
Propylene Glycol is used as a solvent or surfactant in a wide range of industrial products, including engine coolants, antifreeze, airplane deicers, tire sealants, rubber cleaners, polyurethane cushions, paints, and enamels. Despite its industrial uses, it’s also found in many shampoos.
Propylene Glycol is a known skin irritant and has been associated with liver abnormalities and kidney damage. And yes—there’s a good chance it’s in your shampoo.
Your skin cannot protect you from these toxins. It is not a barrier to entry—medical patches have proven for years that substances applied to the skin can enter the bloodstream. The chemicals in your shampoo and conditioner may even be more harmful than those in your food because they bypass the digestive system entirely.
It’s surprising, isn’t it? Most people assume the products we use every day are carefully regulated, but that simply isn’t the case. And speaking of surprises—while reviewing my blog last night, I noticed that Part 6 of this series posted, but Part 5 never did. So much for automation. Let’s fix that now.
As I’ve mentioned throughout this series, my research into how nutrition affects overall health opened my eyes to the broader issue of weak safety oversight in personal‑care products. Today, we’re looking at the fifth chemical commonly found in shampoos, conditioners, and other items many of us use daily.
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) in your shampoo? It sounds like a joke, but it isn’t. MSG often appears under other names such as yeast extract, naiad, glutamic acid, or glutamates. Regardless of the label, the reactions it can trigger in personal‑care products are similar to those experienced when consuming it in food.
Reported symptoms include:
If you haven’t already, be sure to check out my video blog where I break down what I found in one particular product: http://youtu.be/KXKIpsDaaTc
Your skin cannot protect you from these toxins. It is not a barrier to entry—medical patches have proven for years that substances applied to the skin can enter the bloodstream. The chemicals in your shampoo and conditioner may even be more harmful than those in your food because they bypass the digestive system entirely.
If you want, I can help you revise Part 6 again so the entire series feels seamless and consistent.
It’s surprising, isn’t it? Most people assume the products we use every day are closely monitored for safety, but that simply isn’t the case. As I’ve mentioned throughout this series, my research into how nutrition affects overall health opened my eyes to the broader issue of weak safety oversight in personal‑care products.
So let’s move on to the next chemical commonly found in shampoos, conditioners, and other everyday items.
Diethanolamine (DEA) is a toxic ingredient that reacts with nitrite preservatives and contaminants in personal‑care products to form nitrosodiethanolamine (NDEA)—a known, potent carcinogen.
DEA also appears to interfere with choline, a nutrient essential for healthy brain development. Pregnant women actually need extra choline to support fetal growth, and an associate dean for research at the UNC School of Public Health emphasized its importance in providing proper nutrients for a healthy baby.
Adding to the concern, the FDA recently reported that around 42% of all cosmetics are contaminated with NDEA, with shampoos showing the highest concentrations.
Your skin cannot protect you from these toxins. It is not a barrier to entry—medical patches have proven for years that substances applied to the skin can enter the bloodstream. The chemicals in your shampoo and conditioner may even be more harmful than those in your food because they bypass the digestive system entirely.
It’s surprising, isn’t it? Most people assume the FDA—or at least some federal agency—keeps a close eye on the safety of cosmetics and personal‑care products. Unfortunately, that simply isn’t the case. Even when the FDA does step in, it often focuses more on policing harmless claims—like when they threatened General Mills for stating that oats lower cholesterol—than on addressing truly unsafe ingredients. They even warned they would classify Cheerios as an unapproved drug if the company didn’t stop making that claim.
Meanwhile, other parts of the world take consumer safety far more seriously. The EU, Canada, Japan, and other health‑conscious markets have stricter regulations and ban far more chemicals than the United States. It can make you feel like American consumers are being used as guinea pigs.
As I mentioned in earlier posts, my research into how nutrition affects overall health opened my eyes to the broader issue of weak safety oversight in personal‑care products. You’ve already seen the first two common chemicals found in shampoos and conditioners. Now let’s take a look at the next one.
Dioxane is a toxic chemical identified as one of more than 200 carcinogens linked to breast cancer in a 2007 report published in the medical journal Cancer. Even more concerning, its connection to cancer was first reported back in 1965—yet it continues to appear in personal‑care products used by both adults and children.
In 1985, the FDA requested a voluntary limit of 10 parts per million for dioxane in these products. Decades later, that limit still hasn’t been implemented.
Your skin cannot protect you from these toxins. It is not a barrier to entry—medical patches have proven for years that substances applied to the skin can enter the bloodstream. The chemicals in your shampoo and conditioner may even be more harmful than those in your food because they bypass the digestive system entirely.
It’s surprising, isn’t it? Most people assume everyday personal‑care products are tightly regulated, but the reality is far different. As I mentioned in the previous post, my research into how nutrition affects overall health opened the door to a much bigger issue: the lack of meaningful safety oversight for many of the products we use on our bodies every day.
One of the most concerning toxins commonly found in shampoos and conditioners is paraben.
Parabens are preservatives added to products to prevent microbial growth. The problem is that they’ve been linked to hormone and endocrine disruption. Because they act as xeno‑estrogens—compounds that mimic or interfere with natural estrogen—they can disrupt normal hormonal pathways.
These disruptions can affect fertility, pregnancy, menstruation, and even fat‑cell activity. Excess estrogen activity is also associated with weight gain, fluid retention, and depression. Scientists have even identified paraben compounds in breast‑cancer tumor tissue.
Parabens appear under many names. Check your product labels for any of the following:
Your skin is not a protective barrier against these chemicals. Medical patches have proven for years that substances applied to the skin can enter the bloodstream. In fact, the toxins in your shampoo and conditioner may be even more harmful than those in your food because they bypass the digestive system entirely.
It’s surprising, isn’t it? Most people assume the FDA is watching over the ingredients in the products we put on our skin. Read on and you’ll see why that assumption doesn’t hold up.
As a pharmacist, I’m launching a series of posts to highlight some of the unsettling facts about the ingredients found in everyday personal‑care products. Think about this: drug manufacturers now create more and more medications designed to be absorbed through the skin. If the skin can absorb beneficial medications, it can also absorb harmful chemicals. That alone should make us take a closer look at what we’re putting on our bodies. After watching the special report from Fox News, the concerns become even more obvious.
Each post in this series will focus on a different ingredient. When I began studying how nutrition affects health, I quickly discovered how little oversight exists in the personal‑care industry. One of the biggest shocks was learning that the FDA does not regulate most cosmetics and personal‑care products. Many of us assumed they were monitoring these items for toxins and harmful ingredients, but they were never given the authority to do so.
Since 1894, this industry has essentially regulated itself through an organization originally called the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association—now known as the Personal Care Products Council. It represents more than 600 manufacturers and distributors. In other words, the companies producing these products are the same ones responsible for “voluntary regulation.” It’s not hard to see the problem with that arrangement.
Even more alarming is the fact that other regions—such as the EU, Canada, and Japan—have far stricter safety standards and ban many more chemicals than the United States. It leaves consumers here feeling like test subjects.
So what should you watch for in your shampoos, conditioners, lotions, and other products? There are resources available to help you evaluate safety, and one ingredient worth examining closely is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is commonly used to create the lather in shampoos and soaps. It’s also used as a degreasing agent in car washes and garages. Because it enhances penetration, it can help other ingredients—including potentially harmful ones—enter the bloodstream. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), research has linked SLS to:
The EWG’s PubMed library contains more than 15,000 studies documenting concerns related to SLS. You can explore them at www.ewg.org.
SLS also appears under many different names, including sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, ammonium laurel sulfate, sodium dodecylsulfate, sulfuric acid, sodium salt sulfuric acid, A12‑00356, Akyposal SDS, Aquarex ME, and Aquarex methyl. Check your labels carefully.
Remember, your skin is not a protective barrier against these chemicals. Medical patches have proven for years that substances applied to the skin can enter the body. In some cases, the toxins in your shampoo or conditioner may be more harmful than what’s in your food.
Keith Abell, RPh MI