Endocrine and Reproductive Health Considerations of Sunscreen UV Filters: Insights from a Comprehensive Review 2014-2024.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Systematic review of predominantly observational and epidemiological human studies
PubMed 40751801 · doi:10.1007/s40572-025-00492-9
What was done
A PRISMA-guided review synthesized findings from 75 epidemiological and human research studies published between 2014 and 2024 evaluating the endocrine, reproductive, and developmental health impacts of chemical/organic UV filters, focusing on benzophenone derivatives (BP-3, BP-2, and 4-OHBP).
What was found
The abstract reports qualitative directional trends without numerical effect sizes. Exposure to benzophenones was linked to lower testosterone in adolescent males, altered thyroid hormones in pregnant women, delayed puberty in boys, and earlier menarche in girls. In men, exposure was associated with decreased sperm quality and motility, whereas female ovarian reserve and fertility outcomes showed less pronounced impacts. Prenatal exposure results were mixed, showing associations with lower gestational age, reduced neonatal size, and higher placental-to-birth weight ratios, with cumulative disruptions observed under mixed chemical exposures.
Why it matters
This review synthesizes a decade of human data demonstrating that common organic UV filters may act as endocrine disruptors across various life stages, informing the risk-benefit balance of photoprotection versus chemical safety.
Limits
The abstract reports no quantitative pooled estimates or confidence intervals. The included literature consists of observational studies subject to residual confounding, exposure misclassification, and co-exposure confounding, with inconsistent findings noted across prenatal outcomes and female reproductive endpoints.
Cited by
- supports Chemical-based sunscreens contain endocrine disruptors, whereas mineral sunscreens using zinc oxide only do not.