I find this may be intersting as it seems to be affecting many males, and I suspect similar with females..maybe with balance, amounts of oestrogen/ progesterone/ testosterone/ cortisol ie. the many hormones in this group in general.
I suspect these phthalates are only part of a picture of chemicals, which together are causing a decrease in "general well being": the slightly wiped fatigue and depressive symptoms as well as obesity - insulin resistance.
Obesity in Men Linked to Testosterone-Lowering Chemical
Breaking News http://www.vrp.com/art/2058.asp
A new study by University of Rochester researchers has linked exposure to a common chemical found in plastics and soaps to insulin resistance and obesity in men.
Previous studies have found that exposure to phthalates—found in cosmetics, shampoos, soaps, lotions, lubricants, paint, pesticides, plastics and in the coating of some timed-release medicines—may be associated with reproductive problems. More than 75 percent of the United States population is thought to have measurable levels of several phthalates in their urine.
Researchers have theorized that this class of chemicals, as well as other environmental pollutants, may be lowering testosterone levels in men and may be responsible for the substantial declines in testosterone levels and sperm quality that have occurred in the United States and other countries over the last several decades. Animal studies have demonstrated that phthalates lower testosterone levels and recent human data has found that phthalates are associated with poor semen quality in men and subtle changes in the reproductive organs in male children.
Researchers of the current study decided to investigate the effect of this class of chemicals on obesity after noting that low testosterone appears to cause increased abdominal fat and pre-diabetes in men. Consequently, if phthalates cause a decrease in testosterone, they theorized, then it could also play a role in weight gain and insulin resistance. The scientists analyzed urine, blood samples and other data from subjects participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a large, multi-ethnic, cross-sectional sampling of the U.S. population conducted routinely by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The study authors examined data from 1999 to 2002, the most recent years that phthalates levels were available. Of the adult men participating in NHANES, 1,451 had data on phthalate exposures, obesity and waist circumference. Of these subjects, 651 also had fasting glucose and insulin levels available.
After adjusting for confounding factors, the researchers discovered that there was a definite link between levels of several phthalate metabolites and abdominal obesity. Men who had the highest phthalate levels in their urine had more belly fat and a greater prevalence of insulin resistance compared to subjects with lower levels.
Reference:
University of Rochester Medical Center news release. Accessed online March 14, 2007