Can parabens in personal care products affect your child's appetite hormones?

What's actually in it

Children's shampoos, lotions, sunscreens, and body washes often contain methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben as preservatives. These chemicals prevent mold and bacteria from growing in the product. They absorb through the skin with every application.

A child bathed and lotioned daily accumulates parabens from multiple products at once. Because children have more skin surface area relative to their body weight, they absorb proportionally more than adults.

What the research says

A 2025 study in Environ Res measured paraben levels in preschool children and tested their blood for satiety hormones, the signals that tell you when you're full. Children with higher paraben exposure had altered levels of leptin and adiponectin, two hormones that play key roles in appetite regulation and fat metabolism.

Leptin tells your brain you've eaten enough. Adiponectin helps regulate how your body processes sugar and fat. When these hormones are disrupted, children may eat more than they need or store fat differently, setting the stage for obesity later in life.

The study confirmed that parabens act as endocrine disruptors even at the low levels found in everyday personal care products. Choosing paraben-free products for children eliminates this source of hormone disruption.