US Pharm. 2012;37(7):6.
Baltimore, MD—Exposure to antibacterial chemicals and preservatives used in personal-care products like soap and toothpaste may increase a child’s risk of developing environmental and food allergies, according to new research from Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. Existing data from a national health survey of 860 children aged 6 to 18 years revealed an association between level of exposure to antibacterial chemicals and preservatives (measured by the amount of antimicrobial agents in the urine) and the presence of immunoglobulin E antibodies in the blood. These agents were not demonstrated to actually cause the allergies, but they appear to play a role in immune-system development.
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