How house dust is secretly sabotaging your health and waistline

(NaturalHealth365)  Strange as it seems, being an indifferent housekeeper could be right up there on the list of risk factors that promote health problems and obesity.  Recent studies suggest that endocrine-disrupting chemicals lurking in ordinary household dust may disturb metabolic health and trigger the accumulation of body fat, especially in children.

Read on to discover the truth about how chemical residues in household dust can contribute to weight gain and serious health problems.

House dust attracts, holds, and redistributes contaminants

“House dust” is composed of a blend of shed skin cells, hair, bacteria, dust mites, and a sprinkling of dead insects’ body parts.  This environmental mix also includes particles of pollen and soil, fibers from clothing, and microscopic specks of plastic and dye.

As unwholesome as this mixture is, the real danger of house dust may be its content of pollutants and carcinogenic compounds, all of which can function as endocrine disruptors.

No matter how vigorously one cleans, dust can become entrenched in carpets and accumulate in crevices, leading over the years to a harmful buildup – even in the tidiest of homes.  Even more troubling is that dust in place for many years can hold residues of banned substances, such as DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls).

Warning: Household debris contains dangerous phthalates from flame retardants and plasticizers

According to an article in Chemical and Engineering News, phthalates are the most common harmful contaminants found in dust, with DEHP (Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate) – a phthalate plasticizer found in plastic food containers, cosmetics, and vinyl flooring – topping the list.

According to recent studies, DEHP can disrupt hormone function and reduce sperm motility in men.

Dust is also a major source of human exposure to PBDEs, or polybrominated diphenyl ether.  Found in flame retardants and fabric protectants, PBDEs are known endocrine disruptors.  Although PBDEs have been banned, they still exist in the environment – and in household dust.

And now, for a shocking fact:  According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit environmental agency, the concentrations in house dust of some phthalates and flame retardants actually exceed soil-screening health risk thresholds set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Toxic compounds in dust can be inhaled, absorbed through the skin, or ingested through the mouth – as can occur when eating with dusty hands.

Exposure to household contaminants can trigger weight gain

In a study conducted by researchers at Duke University and published in Environmental Science and Technology, precursor fat cells – or adipocytes – were exposed to household dust containing endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

The result?  The team found that extracts from seven of the eleven house dust samples caused precursor adipocytes to mature and accumulate more fat – while nine of the samples caused the cells to proliferate and increase in number.

The team found that the flame retardant TBPDP (2,4,6-Tribromophenyl-2,3-dibromopropyl ether), the plasticizer DBP (Dibutyl Phthalate), and the pesticide pyraclostrobin had the greatest effects on fat accumulation.

Lead author Dr. Heather Stapleton remarked that the findings raised concerns for human health, especially because the dust’s fat-producing tendency occurred at concentrations below the EPA-estimated child exposure levels.  Disturbingly, as little as 3 micrograms of dust triggered fat-producing effects – well below the 50 milligrams of house dust that children could be consuming daily.

Certain pollutants are linked to leukemia, researchers say

Some compounds found in dust, including PBDEs, PCBs, and PAHs – or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons – are suspected leukemia risk factors.  According to the Environmental Working Group, PBDEs, in particular, have been linked in animal studies to thyroid hormone disruption, learning and memory impairment, hearing deficits, decreased sperm count, and even cancer.

Todd P. Whitehead, an environmental scientist at the University of California, studied dust in California homes as part of his work with the California Childhood Leukemia Study.  The research showed that homes of children diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or ALL, tended to have higher levels of PAHs, PBDEs, and PCBs.

Whitehead called the findings the “strongest type of evidence” to suggest that these compounds are risk factors for childhood leukemia.

In addition, Professor Marsha Wills-Karp of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health reports accumulating evidence that exposure to contaminants in dust might lead to diseases such as obesity, asthma, and autism.

How can I reduce the exposure to unwanted pollution in my home?

Natural health experts recommend frequent hand washing and using a vacuum with a high-efficiency particulate air filter to reduce exposure to and ingestion of dust.

Avoid using feather dusters, which only redistribute dust, and clean with a damp rag.  Whenever possible or practical, opt for wood or tile floors over carpets.  Experts report that normal vacuuming only removes about 10 percent of entrapped dust from carpets.

Other actions you can take include changing bedding once a week, removing all clutter from floors, and storing closet contents in garment bags or boxes.  Finally, you may want to consider opening up the window (as often as possible) and using a good quality air purifier, at least in the bedroom.

Sources for this article include:

NIH.gov
ACS.org
ACS.org
Express.co.uk
EWG.org

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