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Chemical Linked To Low IQ In NZ Cancer Society Sunscreens

Published: Tue 31 Jul 2012 12:52 PM
Chemical Linked To Low IQ Found In NZ Cancer Society Sunscreens
A chemical scientifically linked to low IQ in children and described as being similar in effect to licking lead paint, is being used in some New Zealand Cancer Society Sunscreens.
That’s one of the revelations in a new Ian Wishart book on VITAMIN D, which is being released this week.
The chemical, piperonyl butoxide or PBO, commonly used in household insect sprays, was found to be associated with a four point IQ drop in toddlers in a recent study, and Wishart’s book reveals it’s also used in the combined sunscreen and insect repellent products sold by the Cancer Society.
The products also contain the pesticide “Deet”, and Wishart’s book confirms that a safety data sheet provided for government purposes warns it is “not suitable for babies and toddlers”, yet no warning to this effect appears on the Cancer Society product itself, nor on the Cancer Society website page advertising the products.
VITAMIN D: IS THIS THE MIRACLE VITAMIN? ($34.99, Howling At The Moon Publishing Ltd) explores the latest studies linking low vitamin D levels to a raft of major health issues, including cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s.
The book also reveals low vitamin D during pregnancy may play a huge role in the later development of mental illness, autism, ADHD and depression in children and young adults.
Wishart is scathing of New Zealand’s Ministry of Health in its failure to address vitamin D deficiency.
“In a sense, the Ministry has effectively lied to the news media and the public about the seriousness of vitamin D deficiency in New Zealand. They have redefined the word “deficiency” differently to leading research teams in the rest of the world, and then issued press releases saying only 5% of adult New Zealanders are vitamin D ‘deficient’.
“This is the same Ministry of Health, however, that defines ‘deficiency’ as less than 8 ng/ml of vitamin D in the blood, whereas Australian scientists say anyone with less than 20 ng/ml ‘were considered deficient’.”
“Australia says 31% of its population are deficient in vitamin D. Using the same definitions as the Aussies, 32% of New Zealanders are actually deficient, not 4.9% as the Ministry of Health would have you believe,” says Wishart.
Why is this important? Because the latest studies have confirmed that people with less than 20 ng/ml of vitamin D in the blood have a massively increased risk of developing cancer, heart disease or Alzheimer’s. People with low vitamin D levels are more likely to die young from disease and poor general health.
“International research is now suggesting we should be aiming for 50 ng/ml of vitamin D in the blood. With the Ministry of Health falsely suggesting that 20 ng/ml is perfectly fine, they could be condemning thousands of New Zealanders to early graves on the basis of the latest scientific studies.”
ENDS

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