Be Alert, These Household Goods Can Cause Death

JAKARTA - Household items that have been considered safe turn out to be harboring potential deadly hazards. A recent global study revealed that chemicals called phthalates, widely used in daily plastic products, contributed to hundreds of thousands of deaths from heart disease worldwide.

Phthalates are found in various household products such as food containers, plastic drinking bottles, children's toys, cosmetics, perfume, and soap. This substance is used to make plastic more flexible and not easily broken. But behind its practical function, this chemical has great potential to endanger health.

"Phthalates causes inflammation in heart vessels that can exacerbate disease and trigger sudden death," explained Dr. Leonardo Trasande, professor of pediatrics and public health at the Grossman School of Medicine NYU, quoted from the CNN page.

He also explained that this material can interfere with the hormone testosterone, which in men is directly related to the risk of heart disease.

In a study published in the journal eBiomedicine, scientists examined the impact of Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP), one of the types of phthalates, on the global death toll. The study involved data from more than 200 countries and regions, as well as analysis of urine samples showing traces of DEHP exposure.

The results are astonishing, namely in 2018 alone, DEHP's exposure was linked to more than 356,000 deaths from heart disease in the 55'64 year age group. The African region recorded 30% of these deaths, followed by East Asia and the Middle East with 25% each.

"Our findings suggest that these chemicals have a major role to play in the world's leading cause of death," said Sara Hyman, lead researcher from NYU Grossman.

"This strengthens the evidence that phthalates are very dangerous for human health," he added.

The danger of phthalates does not stop at heart disease. Previous studies have linked it to reproductive disorders, such as genital abnormalities in baby boys, decreased sperm, and low levels of testosterone in adult men. In addition, this substance is also said to be related to asthma, obesity in children, to cancer.

David Andrews, an Environmental Working Group scientist who monitors exposure to chemicals in consumer products, gave a statement.

"This research confirms the huge health and economic burdens caused by DEHP. This is an alarm for the government and industry," said David.

Although it is difficult to completely avoid, there are several ways to reduce phthalates exposure at home:

- Use food containers from glass, stainless steel, or ceramics, not plastic.

- Never heat food in plastic containers in the microwave.

- Avoid self-care products that contain synthetic fragrances.

- Choose fresh or frozen food instead of canned or processed food.

- Regularly washing hands to reduce the traces of chemicals in the skin.

Reduce the use of ultra-process foods and avoid exposure to heat on plastic. These small steps can make big changes to your health. Dr. Trasande advises.