Second Nature

37% higher odds of an asthma diagnosis at age 3 with more frequent cleaner use in infancy (adjusted OR 1.37).

CMAJ (2020), CHILD Cohort Study analysis (Parks et al.).

Animal research found that chronic exposure to a common disinfectant mixture (two widely used quats) significantly reduced reproductive performance, suggesting potential reproductive concern signals worth paying attention to as exposure increases. High‑exposure mice took 31 days to deliver a first litter vs 20 days in controls.

Reproductive Toxicology (2014), Melin et al. (mouse study).

Participants with detectable disinfectant residues in their blood showed over 10× higher levels of TNF-α, a key inflammation marker, compared to those without detectable levels.

Hrubec et al., Toxicology Reports (2021)

4.53× higher risk of heart attack, stroke, or death when plastics were detected in plaque (hazard ratio 4.53)

New England Journal of Medicine (2024), Marfella et al.

Large U.S. biomonitoring studies have found that phthalates — chemicals commonly used to soften plastics — are associated with reduced serum testosterone levels. In nationally representative data (NHANES), multiple phthalate metabolites were significantly associated with lower testosterone, particularly among adult men.

Meeker & Ferguson, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (2014) — NHANES 2011–2012 analysis.

Woodward et al., The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (2020) — NHANES 2013–2016 analysis.