Association Between Exposure to Phenols and Parabens and Allergy-Related Outcomes

Background Parabens and phenols (PAPs) are widely used in consumer and personal care products. Although prior studies suggest links between PAP exposure and allergic outcomes, evidence across adolescents and adults remains limited. Objective To investigate associations between urinary PAPs and allergy-related outcomes. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of NHANES 2005-2006. Eight urinary PAPs were considered; three with >33.3% values below the limit of detection were excluded. Allergic symptoms and sensitization were assessed based on participants’ self-reported health conditions. Three survey-weighted generalized linear models (crude model: unadjusted; Model I: partially adjusted; Model II: fully adjusted) and weighted quantile sum regression were used to evaluate the associations between PAPs exposure and allergy-related outcomes in both adolescents and adults. Results Among adolescents, higher triclosan (TCS) exposure was positively associated with allergic rhinitis, allergies, sinus infection, and sneezing; in the fully adjusted model, odds ratios (ORs) were 2.04 (95% CI: 1.18-3.54), 2.36 (1.25-4.47), 3.28 (1.36-7.91), and 2.12 (1.27-3.52), respectively. Higher TCS, methyl paraben (MPB), and propyl paraben (PPB) were associated with dust-mite sensitization, with ORs of 2.00 (1.16-3.45), 2.09 (1.05-4.17), and 3.87 (2.09-7.16). Among adults, MPB was positively associated with allergic rhinitis (OR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.26-3.00) and sneezing (OR = 1.99, 1.27-3.10), and TCS was associated with hay fever (OR = 1.99, 1.22-3.23) and plant sensitization (OR = 1.40, 1.03-1.91). In mixture analyses, PAPs were positively associated with allergies (adjusted OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.07-1.51), sneezing (1.15, 1.00-1.33), and plant sensitization (1.21, 1.02-1.43) in adolescents, but no significant mixture associations were found in adults. Conclusion Higher levels of specific PAPs, particularly TCS, MPB, and PPB, and PAP mixtures were associated with increased risks of allergy-related outcomes in adolescents. In adults, TCS and MPB showed positive associations with multiple outcomes, whereas the overall PAP mixture was not statistically significant.