Deodorants Can be Dangerous

We Americans have a war on sweat and this is a threat to our health. There has long been conce that aluminum in products like cookware and antiperspirant deodorants might contribute to Alzheimer’s disease, but newer research connects antiperspirants with breast cancer as well. According to Time Magazine, 10% of the deodorant market is now devoted to the strongest antiperspirants available without a prescription. It’s not just the aluminum in antiperspirants that is problematic; it’s the parabens, ubiguitous preservatives found in most cosmetics that can mimic estrogen. New research shows that breast cancer cells taken in biopsies contained parabens. Even more thought provoking is another study that showed that women who frequently shaved their underarms and used antiperspirants tended to develop breast cancer at earlier ages. Dr. Ben Johnson and I offered some additional thoughts about antiperspirants in our book, The Secret of Health: Breast Wisdom (Morgan-James, 2008) as follows: The primary lymph nodes in the armpits carry toxins out of your body by several methods, including perspiration. One theory about the association between breast cancer and antiperspirant use is that the lymph nodes are not allowed to do their job properly. Another theory is that the aluminum in the antiperspirants interferes with estrogen action and possibly even changes the cellular structure of breast cells. It is certainly telling that the majority of breast cancers occur in the upper outer quadrants of the breast. Since that’s the place closest to the armpit, it’s enough for us to recommend that you change your deodorant if you’re using antiperspirants. I strongly recommend that everyone take a good look at labels and reject any deodorant that contains aluminum chlorhydrate or parabens. nn