Urinary concentrations of parabens amongst Iranian adults and their associations with socio-demographic factors

Abstract

Background Parabens are widely used to prevent organism growth and increase the shelf life of foods, medicines and personal care products (PCPs). Recent studies indicate their potentially harmful effects on human health. There is no information on the extent of exposure to parabens among Iranians. Methods We measured the concentration of urinary methylparaben (MP), ethylparaben (EP), propylparaben (PP) and butylparaben (BP) among Iranian adults and calculated their estimated daily intake (EDI). Also, association between the level of urinary parabens with socio-demographic and lifestyle variables were investigated. Results Detection frequencies of MP, EP, PP, and BP were 98.9, 91, 94.3, and 88.2%, and their median urinary concentrations were 69.06, 9.10, 12.4, and 9.87 µg/l, respectively. Urinary parabens were higher in females, and the difference in the concentration of MP and PP was significant. A significantly positive correlation between MP and PP (r = 0.638) and a moderate to a weak correlation between other parabens were observed. There was a significantly negative weak correlation between age and MP, BP and PP. There was also a significant association between different age groups and MP, BP and PP as well as different BMI values and MP. The highest EDI value belonged to MP in the female group. Despite being lower than the acceptable daily intake (ADI), its value was higher than that reported in other countries (except the US). Conclusions Our findings indicated that Iranians are widely exposed to the parabens and the range of exposure was associated with socio-demographic factors. These results could serve as a basis for assessing the risk of exposure to parabens amongst Iranians.

Urinary levels of parabens, phthalate metabolites, bisphenol A and plasticizer alternatives in a Belgian population: Time trend or impact of an awareness campaign?

“…In the univariate regressions, MP levels were significantly higher in women compared to men but this difference disappeared in the multivariate models demonstrating that the usual difference observed between women and men for parabens would be due to some genderdependent habits such like the use of cosmetics (Calafat et al, 2010;Kiani Feizabadi et al, 2020;Honda et al, 2018;Kang et al, 2016;Moos et al, 2015;Zhao et al, 2021). The associations observed between the levels of some phthalate metabolites and parabens, and the age of the participants were previously observed (Dewalque et al, 2014).…”

Impact of Paraben Exposure on Adiposity-Related Measures: An Updated Literature Review of Population-Based Studies

“…As urine is the most common biological matrix in these studies, a major limitation is the lack of consistency in urine sample collection. In some studies, participants provided first-morning/early-morning urine samples [ 62 , 68 , 69 ], whereas, in other studies, the timing of urine collection was different, even within the same study [ 65 , 67 , 70 ]. In some studies, fasting morning samples were collected from at least a portion of the participants [ 7 , 67 ], while in other studies, no such information was provided [ 29 , 62 , 64 , 68 , 71 , 72 , 73 ].…”

“…In some studies, participants provided first-morning/early-morning urine samples [ 62 , 68 , 69 ], whereas, in other studies, the timing of urine collection was different, even within the same study [ 65 , 67 , 70 ]. In some studies, fasting morning samples were collected from at least a portion of the participants [ 7 , 67 ], while in other studies, no such information was provided [ 29 , 62 , 64 , 68 , 71 , 72 , 73 ]. Seasonal variability in EDS concentrations in urine, including parabens, is well documented [ 69 , 70 ]; however, seasonal timing of exposure was not considered in most of these studies.…”

“…The absorption and metabolism of parabens depend on the length of the carbon chain, which varies across the types and brands of consumer products. The composition of paraben profiles in human samples is often population- and/or region-specific, influenced by the local environment, how the specific pharmaceutical and personal-care products are used, as well as by varying dietary cultures/lifestyles [ 51 , 68 , 72 ]. The existing literature suggests several other ways that future investigations may advance the current knowledge.…”

Associations of personal care products use with reproductive outcomes of IVF/ICSI treatment

“…In stratified analyses, we observed that the association of PCPs use with IVF/ICSI parameters varied with age and BMI. It has been shown that adult urinary paraben concentrations are negatively associated with age ( 70 ) and that younger women tend to use more toiletries ( 71 ). Our results align with these observations, particularly noting the negative association between the use of gel or soap and the cleavage rate observed specifically in women under 30 years of age.…”