Cosmetic-derived endocrine disruptors induce metabolic dysfunction beyond reproductive effects
Ijeoma Evangeline Umeche, Mathew Folaranmi Olaniyan, Olawuyi Abdullahi Olaleye & Ebuka Anthony Emekwisie
Abstract
While endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in cosmetics are recognized for reproductive health effects, their broader metabolic impact remains understudied. This study investigated metabolic dysfunction associated with cosmetic-derived EDC exposure in reproductive-age women. We examined fasting blood glucose, insulin resistance markers, and metabolic syndrome prevalence in 126 women: cosmetic users with PCOS (n=42), cosmetic users without PCOS (n=42), and non-cosmetic-using controls (n=42). Metabolic parameters were correlated with hormonal profiles and androgen receptor gene expression. Findings showed that fasting blood glucose was significantly elevated in cosmetic users with PCOS (103.52±11.50 mg/dL) and without PCOS (99.40±22.82 mg/dL) compared to controls (80.19±9.51 mg/dL; p<0.001). Insulin resistance, assessed by HOMA-IR, was present in 67% of PCOS cosmetic users and 43% of non-PCOS users versus 12% of controls (p<0.001). Metabolic dysfunction correlated with androgen receptor upregulation and testosterone levels, suggesting shared pathogenic mechanisms. Hence, cosmetic-derived EDC exposure induces metabolic dysfunction independent of PCOS status, representing a novel pathway linking environmental chemicals to cardiometabolic disease risk in women.
Keywords
PCOS, endocrine disrupting chemicals, glucose, metabolic
Author information & Contribution
Ijeoma Evangeline Umeche. Corresponding author. MSc. PhD in view. Lecturer II, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Edo State University Iyamho, Edo State, Nigeria. Email: umeche.ijeoma@edouniversity.edu.ng
Mathew Folaranmi Olaniyan. Professor, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Edo State University Iyamho, Edo State, Nigeria. Email: mathew.folaranmi@edouniversity.edu.ng
Olawuyi Abdullahi Olaleye. MSc. PhD in view. Lecturer II, Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila-orangun, Osun State, Nigeria. Email: abdullahi.olawuyi@fuhsi.edu.ng
Ebuka Anthony Emekwisie. MSc. Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Email: emekwisieebuka@gmail.com
"All authors equally contributed to the conception, design, preparation, data gathering and analysis, and writing of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript."
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Funding
This work was not supported by any funding.
Institutional Review Board Statement
This study was approved by the Health Research Ethics Committee of Edo State University (EDSUREC23/0075). All participants provided written informed consent.
Data and Materials Availability
The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
AI Declaration
The author declares the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in writing this paper. In particular, the authors utilised ChatGPT for language editing, restructuring sentences, and improving clarity. The authors take full responsibility for ensuring proper review and editing of the AI-generated content.
Notes
Acknowledgement
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Cite this article:
Umeche, I.E., Olaniyan, M.F., Olaleye, O.A. & Emekwisie, E.A. (2025). Cosmetic-derived endocrine disruptors induce metabolic dysfunction beyond reproductive effects. Journal of Allied Health Sciences & Medical Research, 1(4), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.53378/jahsmr.353288
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