Information Provided by CHEM-TOX.COM

You're child goes to school and catches a cold from the student across the room. What's interesting.... none of the other 25 students got sick. It may not be coincidence..... Over the weekend you installed new carpeting in your child's bedroom, you also setup a new mattress for his bed (containing flame retardants), along with that you painted his room (vinyl compounds) and installed a plug-in fragrance in his wall (containing dozens of chemicals including phthalates). Your neighbor had their lawn sprayed Sunday afternoon for weeds with the chemical 2-4D. On Sunday evening, you also drove the family 100 miles in rush hour traffic to visit grandma (car exhaust contains the immuno-toxic chemicals benzene and dioxin).

It is well documented that many of these chemicals alone can negatively impair immune function. Simultaneous exposure can be dramatically worse. This situation happens everyday across the country and not much thought is given to it. It is typically blamed on non-washing of hands etc. The chemicals didn't cause the "cold," however, they did set up a situation in which the immune system was not able to rid the virus faster than its growth rate., which resulting in the child catching the cold. For example, if a single virus cell is inhaled (from the sick child's cough at school), and in turn, entered a lung cell and began replicating, in approximately 20 minutes, a group of 100 new viruses are born and are into the blood stream. However, when working properly, when a lung cell is invaded, it produces a chemical known as "interferon" (to interfere with virus growth), that warns other lung cells in the area to close up and literally prevent the virus from entering. Unfortuntely, some petroleum based chemicals impairs the ability of infected cells to make interferon... The consequences would then be obvious.

The field that studies the ability of compounds in the environment to weaken the immune system is known as "immunotoxicology." How serious a problem this is today depends on who you talk to. Companies that manufacture products that contain immunotoxic compounds will most likely tell you different that scientists who study this.

Currently, chemical companies such as DOW, DUPONT, UNION CARBIDE, MONSANTO and others are not required by the EPA to test their chemical products for subtle or gradual harmful effects upon the immune system.  However, independent research has found immune system problem can occur from exposure to home and lawn/garden pesticides, disinfectants, cosmetic product chemicals, plastics, vinyl copounds, alcohol, car exhaust, electro-magnetic radiation (EMR), mercury (as in mercury/silver amalgam fillings and other sources.  What is very worrisome is the fact that when an individual receives exposure to many of these sources simultaneously, the harmful effects upon the immune system are sometimes far greater (1 + 1 = 3).

Health effects resulting from a weakened immune system have now been found to include - increased frequency of colds and flu, allergies, asthma, autoimmune disorders such as diabetes, arthritis, lupus and others.  Of particular concern is new research showing how children with low function in parts of their immune system are contracting cancer (and dying of cancer) at much higher rates than children with higher functioning immune systems.  This fact provides some of the strongest logic to date on the importance of identifying and removing all environmental sources with a potential for suppressing a child's immune system.

For the average person, one cubic millimeter of blood contains about 7,000 white blood cells. This can range between 4,000 and 10,000 for 95% of the population who are given the label of "normal," although it has been found that people in the low-normal range have increased infections.

LEARN ABOUT IMMUNE SYSTEM FUNCTION

NATURAL KILLER CELL INFORMATION -Natural Killer Cells are the back-bone of the human immune system.  They are one of the first immune system cells to attack virus infected cells and essential in removing cancer cells..  Some people are being found with low levels of natural killer cells making them more prone toward infections and cancer.   This link explains details on natural killer cell function. Of even greater concern,

IMMUNE SYSTEM DAMAGING CHEMICAL RESEARCH BELOW

ALCOHOL - Many aspects of immune function are weakened by drinking alcohol.

CHEMOTHERAPY - These drugs used to kill cancer cells can also weaken the immune systems ability to remove cancer cells from the body.

DENTAL FILLINGS - Typical Silver/Mercury Amalgam Fillings shown to weaken immune system

PESTICIDES - Weakening of the immune system occurs from even low level pesticide exposure from common pesticide exposure in homes, food and raises concern for people living near agriculture areas.

PLASTICS & PAINTS - These products contain chemicals which can seriously weaken immune function

RADIATION - Electromagnetic Radiation from Microwave Towers & Power Lines Suspected

RIVER POLLUTION - Chemical river pollution weakens fish immune systems

VEHICLE EXHAUST - Car exhaust contains many different immuno-suppressing chemicals

DRINKING WATER - Chemicals in drinking water found to weaken immune function

AIDS PATIENTS - Many AIDS patients found to have been using drugss which weaken the immune system

CHILD CANCER WEBSITE -Information on suspected environmental causes of  child cancers, neuroblastoma, brain cancer, leukemia and information on how the immune system protects a child from cancer.

VISIT CHEM-TOX.COM - our home/index page providing information on other harmful effects of modern chemicals.

 

Personal Care Products Contain Immune System Weakening Phthalates
Source: Journal of Exposure Scientific Environmental Epidemiology, Vol. 20(7):625-33, November, 2010

Phthalates are a chemical added to perfume and personal care products as a solvent or to prevent the product from becoming brittle. It has been found to weaken the immune system (see below) and has been banned in some European countries (but not the U.S.) Scientists examined phthalate levels in 48 diferent personal care products purchased stores in Washington, DC. This included perfume, deodorant, hair spray, hair gel, nail polish and remover, body wash, and lotions. The following table summarizes their findings regarding the presence of phthalates:

Perfume 5 of 5 contained phthalates
Body Wash 2 of 3 contained phthalates
Dedorant 7 of 9 contained phthalates
Body/Skin Lotions 2 of 4 contained phthalates
Hair Gel/Mousse 6 of 10 contained phthalates
Nail Polish 1 of 6 contained phthalates
   

Two types of phthalates, diethyl phthalate (DEP) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), were found at higher concentrations than other phthalates. All perfumes and one nail polish had the highest concentrations of phthalates . Unfortunately, phthalates are exempt from being listed under ingredients which prevents the consumer from knowing whether the chemical has been added.

Scientists studied the air and urine concentration of phthalates in 186 inner-city women during pregnancy. Women reporting perfume use had 2.3 times higher livels of a urine metabolite formed after phthalate exposure. The scientists conclued their study with the statement, "Results suggest that perfume use is a significant source of DEP (Diethyl Phthalate) exposure."

Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health
Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA

 

How Paints & Plastics Weaken the Immune System

The chemical tributyltin (TBT) is used in antifouling paints, as a catalyst and in marine applications. It is also used in common PVC (polyvinyl choride) plastics. The chemical’s effect on the immune system of laboratory animals was studied at the University of California and reported in the 1990 journal Environmental Research. Their investigation found that laboratory animals fed even very small levels of the chemical (10 and 100 parts per billion) for only one week caused a 38% and 46% reduction of Natural Killer cell activity (Natural Killer cells attack virus infected cells and cancer cells). The researchers stated this inhibition of immune activity may "predispose the animals to malignancy."  PVC is made flexible by the addition of chemicals called plasticizers. Plasticizers are used in many vinyl products including shower curtains, vinyl flooring, couches, artificial leather, wall paper, flexible toys and car interiors. A 2004 joint Swedish-Danish research team found an significant association between allergies in children and indoor air levels of two plasticizers DEHP and BBzp (butyl benzyl phthalate). These are used in vinyl flooring. This study was reported in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 112(14):1393-1397. The Japnese car companies Toyota, Nissan, and Honday have eliminated PVC in their car interiors beginning in 2007.

Another very toxic chemical group is called halogenated polyaromatic hydrocarbons - a fancy name for chemicals such as dioxin, PCB’s, PBB’s, hexachlorobenzene and pentchlorophenol. Dioxin has been found as a by-product in some pesticides such as the common lawn fungicide Daconil and also forms when plastics containing chlorine are burned. Dioxin is also a routine contaminant in many products "whitened" by chlorine treatment such as paper towels, toilet paper coffee filters and tampons. PCB’s were used as a coolant in electrical transformers. Hexachlorobenzene was once used as a disinfectant in hand soaps and pentachlorophenol is presently used to make pressure treated wood. In 1973 an accident happened where the chemical PBB contaminated cattle feed in Michigan. Local farmers and Michigan residents who consumed these dairy products were found to have PBB’s in their blood. Immune system investigation found that 34% of farm workers and nearly 60% of PBB manufacturing workers had a reduction in T-cell lymphocyte numbers.

IMMUNE SYSTEM VS. 20TH CENTURY INDEX