Forgetting to put on deodorant in the morning can have terrible consequences later in the day, especially if you are active or hanging out in the heat. Body odor can be an embarrassing and offensive aroma to dispel. But sometimes the ways in which we mask the scent of body odor can be more damaging to our bodies than the smell is offensive to your coworkers.
Paraben
While deodorants contain ingredients that have been declared safe by the Food and Drug Administration, they do contain some questionable ingredients, such as the preservative paraben. The FDA has ruled that paraben has no negative side effects. However, a study conducted in 2004 by Dr. Philippa Darbre led to the discovery of paraben in breast tumors, suggesting that there may be a connection between paraben and breast cancer. These findings -- reported in the "Journal of Applied Toxicology" -- are currently being investigated and have not been substantially proven or disproven.
Aluminum
Deodorants that also act as antiperspirants use aluminum salts to prevent sweat from leaving the body at the place of application. Aluminum is absorbed through the skin much easier than it is absorbed through oral ingestion, making prolonged use of deodorants a concern. According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, high exposure to aluminum can result in speech disorders, dementia and convulsions, although these symptoms have not been directly connected to the use of deodorant.
Alzheimer's
There is a strong correlation between aluminum and neurological disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Studies conducted by toxicologist Dr. Curtis Klaassen have found significant increases in the brain's aluminum content in patients dying from Alzheimer's. While these findings neither prove nor disprove a correlation between deodorants containing aluminum and neurological disorders like Alzheimer's, the evidence suggests that maybe switching deodorants isn't such a bad idea.
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