Thursday, March 13, 2008

DEODORANTS MAY INCREASE RISK OF BREAST CANCER

A link has been found between aluminium in deodorants and cancer, according to British scientists.

Tests found that women who used deodorants had deposits of aluminium in their outer breasts. The samples were taken from women who had undergone a mastectomy for breast cancer.

Aluminium is not normally found in the human body and scientists are reasonably convinced the presence of the metal means it is being absorbed from anti-perspirant sprays or roll ons. Most deodorants contain aluminium salts, because the metal is effective at stopping skin sweating.

Dr Chris Exley, from Keele University, who carried out the tests, has already raised concern about the aluminium content of sun creams, fearing it could put users at increased risk of developing skin cancer and Alzheimer's.

The findings were published in the November issue of the Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry.

Dr Exley said: "We found there was a wide variation in concentrations of aluminium. Some patients had low concentrations while others had quite high concentrations. "What we found among all the women is that they all had higher concentrations in the breast tissue closest to the underarm compared to more central tissue, for example below the nipple.

Dr Exley added: "Aluminium is known to cause cancer in animal models. We need to make sure aluminium in antiperspirants isn't contributing to breast cancer."

He said: "There are some non-aluminium- based antiperspirants but they don't work as well. Myth and legend tells us aluminium is safe but reality shows us not that it isn't safe but that we don't know. Not knowing is not a reason for assuming safety."

Click here to read the full article at the Daily Mail...

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