Skin Whitening Products: Mental and Physical Degeneration

The use of some skin whitening creams, unusually popular amongst Asian women, ^{[1] [2]} has detrimental effects toward IQ. Skin whitening products, often contain toxic chemicals that affect the nervous system such as hydroquinone or mercury as the active ingredient. ^{[3] [4] [5] [6] [7]} A major portion skin whitening products, especially popular sold in stores around Asia, have been criticized by many, such as the FDA, for the presence of these toxic chemicals. ^{[8] [9] [10]}

When applied, mercury and hydroquinone absorbs through the skin into bloodstream. Studies shown that an increase in 100 micrograms of mercury in blood decreases IQ by an average of 14 points in children. The effects of mercury poisoning and hydroquinone poisoning have produced mental and physical disorders, such as autism, low verbal IQ, and low social intelligence, caused by the use of mercury-containing and hydroquinone-containing cosmetic products, including skin-whitening products. ^{[11] [12] [13] [14]} Thus, the IQs tested from Asians, might not measure their "potential" IQs because of mercury and hydroquinone poisoning from skin whitening products. The use of skin whitening products is especially popular in Hong Kong, ^[15] which is the nation with the highest average IQ (the average IQ is 107).^[16] However, a majority of products sold there are cited by Hong Kong officials to contain mercury as its active ingredient, often a whopping 27,000 to 60,000 times the "acceptable" dose. ^[15] Skin whitening products, which a majority sold in Asian nations contain mercury or hydroquinone, are also very harmful to the brain development of fetuses in pregnant women. ^{[17] [18] [19] [20] [21]}

Besides the effects on the brain, skin whiteners generally contain carcinogens, cause kidney failure and even death.^[7]

Effects of skin whiteners can be evidenced by the strong autism rate in Japan, occurring approximately 2 out of 100 births. ^[22] Some research has suggested that exposure to mercury can cause autism in fetuses and children. ^{[12] [23]} Therefore, studies have suggested that topical Hg-based skin creams, such as skin whiteners and infant teething powders, can cause autism due to its mercury content. ^{[12] [24]}

Effects of skin whiteners can also be evidenced by studies that found relatively low verbal IQ scores of Japanese children, compared to their high spatial IQ. (Lynn, 2006, pp. 121-148) Since mercury lowers verbal IQ, ^[12] the comparatively low verbal IQ of Japanese people might be caused by skin whiteners (the verbal IQ of Japanese is 101.4, still slightly higher than white average of 100^[25]). Also the high Autism Spectrum Quotient of Japanese people might also be caused by skin whitening products. ^[26]

References

1. ^ In a survey, 28% of Koreans and 50% of Philippians say that they use skin whitening products. Skin lightening in Asia? A bright future?, http://www.synovate.com/knowledge/infact/issues/200406/ 


2. ^ "Glamour at a price in Asia". http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/05/01/news/skin.php. 



3. ^ Counter, S. Allen (Dec 16, 2003), Whitening skin can be deadly, The Boston Globe, http://www.boston.com/news/globe/health_science/articles/2003/12/16/whitening_skin_can_be_deadly/ 


4. ^ Heyward, Georgia (Feb 5, 2005), New York City Warns: Some Skin Creams Are Poisonous, The Epoch Times, http://en.epochtimes.com/news/5-2-5/26302.html 


5. ^ Mercury in Cosmetic Skin Whitening Creams, http://www.hgtech.com/Data/Other/Hg%20Cream.htm 



6. ^ "The Emerging Skin-Whitening Industry". http://www.counterpunch.org/mire07282005.html. 


7. ^ ^{a b} "Self-hatred leads to skin bleaching". http://www.thestatesmanonline.com/pages/news_detail.php?section=7&newsid=3866. 



8. ^ FDA Proposes Hydroquinone Ban, http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=64167  FDA bans hydroquinone in skin whitening products


9. ^ Skin-lightening creams face FDA ban: Dermatologists defend treatment, http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20070128/ai_n17159064  FDA bans hydroquinone in skin whitening products


10. ^ Nyc Health Dept. Warns Against Use Of "Skin-Lightening" Creams Containing Mercury Or Similar Products Which Do Not List Ingredients, Jan 27, 2005, http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/pr/pr008-05.shtml 



11. ^ Skin Lightening, http://www.cosmeticscop.com/learn/article.asp?PAGETYPE=ART&REFER=SKIN&ID=25  Article that links skin whitening products to mercury and hydroquinone


12. ^ ^{a b c d} Countera, S. Allen; Leo H. Buchanan. Mercury exposure in children: a review. http://www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/cehsweb/kiddiekollege/documents/counter04_mercuryexpochildren.pdf. 



13. ^ Clarkson; Thomas, Magos, Laszlo. The Toxicology of Mercury and Its Chemical Compounds. http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/tandf/btxc/2006/00000036/00000008/art00001?crawler=true. 


14. ^ Mahaffey, Kathryn R., Dynamics of Mercury Pollution on Regional and Global Scales, http://www.springerlink.com/content/w245027uu23r4381/ 


15. ^ ^{a b} Bray, Marianne, SKIN DEEP: Dying to be white, CNN, http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/east/05/13/asia.whitening/ 



16. ^ Lynn, R. and Vanhanen, T. (2002). IQ and the wealth of nations. Westport, CT: Praeger. ISBN 0-275-97510-X


17. ^ Asian Skin Tanning Article, http://www.chinatownconnection.com/asian_skin_tanning.htm  An argument that links skin whitening products to the development of the brain of a fetus of pregnant Asian women, both mercury and hydroquinone. Therefore it is not WP:SYN


18. ^ Mercury Fact Sheet, http://www.zeromercury.org/fact_sheet/index.htm  Another argument that links skin whitening products to the development of the brain of a fetus of pregnant Asian women. Therefore it is not WP:SYN



19. ^ Does Low Mercury Containing In-Lightening Cream (Fair & Lovely) Effect The Kidney, Liver, And Brain Of Female Mice?, http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a713930964~db=all  Another argument that links skin whitening products to the development of the brain of a fetus of pregnant Asian women, both mercury and hydroquinone. Therefore it is not WP:SYN


20. ^ Yang MG, Krawford KS, Garcia JD, Wang JH, Lei KY (1972). "Deposition of mercury in fetal and maternal brain". Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 141 (3): 1004-7. PMID 4645746. 



21. ^ Shafiq-ur-Rehman, Rehman S, Chandra O, Abdulla M (1995). "Evaluation of malondialdehyde as an index of lead damage in rat brain homogenates". Biometals 8 (4): 275-9. PMID 7580048. 


22. ^ Honda H, Shimizu Y, Misumi K, Niimi M, Ohashi Y (1996). "Cumulative incidence and prevalence of childhood autism in children in Japan". The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science 169 (2): 228-35. PMID 8871801. 



23. ^ Nelson, Karin B.; Margaret L. Bauman. Thimerosal and Autism?. doi:10.1542/peds.111.3.674. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/111/3/674. 


24. ^ Zahir, Farhana. Low dose mercury toxicity and human health. doi:10.1016/j.etap.2005.03.007. 



25. ^ Lynn, R. (2006). Race differences in intelligence: An evolutionary analysis. Augusta: Washington Summit Publishers.


26. ^ Wakabayashi A, Tojo Y, Baron-Cohen S, Wheelwright S (2004). "The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) Japanese version: evidence from high-functioning clinical group and normal adults" (in Japanese). Shinrigaku kenkyu : The Japanese journal of psychology 75 (1): 78-84. PMID 15724518. 

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Why are Asian People Short?

East Asian people, who appear to be stereotypically shorter, have been increasing their average height relatively quickly through dietary improvements, as seen in nations such as South Korea and the People's Republic of China. ^{[1] [2][3] [4] [5]} Cultural influences, such as malnutrition and differences in diet, still prevalent in developing nations such as North Korea and the People's Republic of China, decrease the overall Asian growth rate. ^{[6] [7] [8]}

The short stature of East Asians may be contributed by micronutrient deficiency in developing nations or even consuming Asian diets in developed Western nations. These kind of malnutrition ^[9] such as low calcium intake partially due to lactose intolerance in 90% of their adult population, ^{[10] [11] [12][13]} limited consumption of protein, calories,^{[14] [15]}iron,^[16][17][18] vitamin A,^[19] reduced vitamin D, partially from their nutrition; and also from their darker skin that synthesize vitamin D at a slower rate than whites, ^[20][21] iodine, ^{[22] [23] [24] [25] [26][27]} amongst many other nutritional deficiencies. Other factors, such as the consumption of large quantities of soy products which contains isoflavone may reduce growth rate.^{[28] [29]} zinc,^[30][31] amongst many other nutritional deficiencies. Other factors, such as the consumption of large quantities of soy products which contains isoflavone may reduce growth rate.^{[32][33][34][35][36] [37]} Schools in The PRC is giving students soy milk. ^[38] Also, the Asian diet does not promote as much testosterone as Western diets do. ^[39] Consumption of white rice, the most popular staple food amongst Asians, and refined noddles and bread, can lead to micronutrient deficiency. ^[40] The consumption of white rice instead of whole grains, can also instigate a sudden increase of insulin production, which causes hormone imbalance and reduces growth hormones. ^[40]

Other factors such as their culture that devalues exercise ^[41][42] and calorie deficiency, and the Great Leap Forward that plausibly created famines, stunted the growth of many Chinese people. Fluoride poisoning and other environmental conditions, which have affects including growth stunting, and affect millions of East Asians. ^{[43] [44] [45] [46]}

East Asian cultures value white skin. ^[47] Many of the Asians often avoid participating in sports to avoid being tanned. ^[48] Therefore, they will not grow tall due to the lack of exercise and vitamin D defiency from avoiding the sun. ^{[49] [41]} Skin whiteners, which are unusually popular amongst Asians, contain toxic chemicals such as mercury or hydroquinone as the active ingredient, stunts growth of Asians including fetuses in pregnant women. ^[50][51]

Lactose intolerance only affects 2% of Swedish and 5% of Northern European adults and whites have the highest vitamin D intake. Thus, studies hypothesized that this might be an explanation for their relatively tall height.^{[52] [53][54][55]}

References

1. ^ "By the time the baby boomers reached adulthood in the 1960s, most northern and western European countries had caught up with and surpassed the United States. Young adults in Japan and other prosperous Asian countries now stand nearly as tall as Americans do." American diet may explain height


2. ^ "Calcium deficiencies is also very common, and is thought to be one of the reason for shorter stature of some Asian populations, such as Vietnam and Laos compared to their counterparts in other Asian countries such as Singapore and Taiwan."


3. ^ Human nutrition in the developing world, http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/W0073e/w0073e00.htm 


4. ^ Effects of famine: Short stature evident in North Korean generation (2004) The Seattle Times


5. ^ North Korea is failing to meet growth target (2004) Guardian Unlimited


6. ^ Jiang Y (2006). "Effect of B vitamins-fortified foods on primary school children in Beijing". Asia Pac J Public Health 18 (2): 21-5. PMID 16883966. 


7. ^ Asians, Diet of


8. ^ Kaiser, Ann P.. The Effects of Poverty on Parenting Young Children. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0161-956X(1996)71%3A4%3C66%3ATEOPOP%3E2.0.CO%3B2-%23. 


9. ^ Jiang Y (2006). "Effect of B vitamins-fortified foods on primary school children in Beijing". Asia Pac J Public Health 18 (2): 21-5. PMID 16883966. 


10. ^ Kerry, A. Jackson, Lactose Maldigestion, Calcium Intake and Osteoporosis in African-, Asian-, and Hispanic-Americans, http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/abstract/130/2/272S 


11. ^ Wang YG, Yan YS, Xu JJ, et al (1984). "Prevalence of primary adult lactose malabsorption in three populations of northern China". Hum. Genet. 67 (1): 103-6. PMID 6235167. 


12. ^ Enattah N, Sahi T, Savilahti E, Terwilliger J, Peltonen L, Järvelä I (2002). "Identification of a variant associated with adult-type hypolactasia". Nat Genet 30 (2): 233-7. PMID 11788828. 


13. ^ Lactose Intolerance: The Molecular Explanation, UC Davis Nutritional Genomics website


14. ^ Energy Balance: Interpretation of Data from Rural China, http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/Nov98/thermogenesis_paper.html 


15. ^ Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada: Vegetarian diets, http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3961/is_200307/ai_n9239758/pg_6 


16. ^ Zhu Y, Liao Q (2004). "Prevalence of iron deficiency in children aged 7 months to 7 years in China". Zhonghua Er Ke Za Zhi 42 (12): 886-91. PMID 15733354. 


17. ^ Yang F, Ma A, Zhang X, Jiang D (2006). "Status of vitamin A, vitamin B2, iron and an-oxidantive activity in anemic pregnant women in China". Wei Sheng Yan Jiu 35 (3): 320-2. PMID 16921759. 


18. ^ Georgieff M (2007). "Nutrition and the developing brain: nutrient priorities and measurement". Am J Clin Nutr 85 (2): 614S-620S. PMID 17284765. 


19. ^ Jiang J, Toschke A, von Kries R, Koletzko B, Lin L (2006). "Vitamin A status among children in China". Public Health Nutr 9 (8): 955-60. PMID 17125556. 


20. ^ Vitamin D supplements for Asian kids, say researchers. Nutraingredients.com, Europe: Health Condition News, August 31 2006


21. ^ Asian Children Should Receive Vitamin D Supplements For Two Years From Birth, Medical News Today, September 1 2006


22. ^ Consensus statement on iodine deficiency disorders in Hong Kong. http://www.hkmj.org/article_pdfs/hkm0312p446.pdf. 


23. ^ Mild iodine deficiency and thyroid disorders in Hong Kong, http://www.hkmj.org/article_pdfs/hkm0112p414.pdf 


24. ^ Heywood P, Marks G (1993). "Nutrition and health in South-East Asia". Med J Aust 159 (2): 133-7. PMID 8336591. 


25. ^ DONALD, McNEIL (December 16), "In Raising the World’s I.Q., the Secret’s in the Salt", The New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/16/health/16iodine.html?ex=1177992000&en=f46e244ab67df1d0&ei=5070 


26. ^ Seshadri S. "Prevalence of micronutrient deficiency particularly of iron, zinc and folic acid in pregnant women in South East Asia". Br J Nutr 85 Suppl 2: S87-92. PMID 11509095. 


27. ^ Chen X, Wang W, Yan H, Yin T, Xu Q. "Studies on iron deficiency anemia, rickets and zinc deficiency and their prevention among Chinese preschool children". Prog Food Nutr Sci 16 (4): 263-77. PMID 1492154. 


28. ^ Fritz W, Wang J, Eltoum I, Lamartiniere C (2002). "Dietary genistein down-regulates androgen and estrogen receptor expression in the rat prostate". Mol. Cell. Endocrinol. 186 (1): 89-99. PMID 11850125. 


29. ^ Vitamin D Intake: A Global Perspective of Current Status. http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/135/2/310. 


30. ^ Seshadri S. "Prevalence of micronutrient deficiency particularly of iron, zinc and folic acid in pregnant women in South East Asia". Br J Nutr 85 Suppl 2: S87-92. PMID 11509095. 


31. ^ Chen X, Wang W, Yan H, Yin T, Xu Q. "Studies on iron deficiency anemia, rickets and zinc deficiency and their prevention among Chinese preschool children". Prog Food Nutr Sci 16 (4): 263-77. PMID 1492154. 


32. ^ Fritz W, Wang J, Eltoum I, Lamartiniere C (2002). "Dietary genistein down-regulates androgen and estrogen receptor expression in the rat prostate". Mol. Cell. Endocrinol. 186 (1): 89-99. PMID 11850125. 


33. ^ McVey M, Cooke G, Curran I (2004). "Increased serum and testicular androgen levels in F1 rats with lifetime exposure to soy isoflavones". Reprod. Toxicol. 18 (5): 677-85. PMID 15219630. 


34. ^ MacArthur, John "Soy and the Brain," The Weston A. Price Foundation for Wise Traditions, April 28, 2004


35. ^ Fallon, Sally & Enig, Mary G. Soy: The Dark Side of America's Favorite 'Health' Food, The Weston A. Price Foundation for Wise Traditions, February 2004


36. ^ Rutz, The Big Picture: Soy is making kids 'gay', WorldNetDaily, Dec. 2006.


37. ^ Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada: Vegetarian diets, http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3961/is_200307/ai_n9239758/pg_7 


38. ^ Soybean Milk Plan to Be Promoted in Schools, People's Daily, http://english.people.com.cn/english/200004/05/eng20000405_38343.html 


39. ^ Suhana N, Sutyarso, Moeloek N, Soeradi O, Sri Sukmaniah S, Supriatna J (1999). "The effects of feeding an Asian or Western diet on sperm numbers, sperm quality and serum hormone levels in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) injected with testosterone enanthate (TE) plus depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA)". Int. J. Androl. 22 (2): 102-12. PMID 10194642. 


40. ^ ^{a b} Nutrition and fitness: Carbohydrates, Sugar, and Your Child, http://www.uhhospitals.org/tabid/390/newsid/40420/Default.aspx 


41. ^ ^{a b} How We Grew So Big, http://www.time.com/time/asia/covers/501041108/story.html 


42. ^ Diabetes Becomes Growing Threat for Affluent Asians, http://www.huliq.com/17282/diabetes-becomes-growing-threat-for-affluent-asians 


43. ^ Human nutrition in the developing world, http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/W0073e/w0073e00.htm 


44. ^ Fluoride Health Effects Database, Fluoride Action Network, http://www.fluoridealert.org/health/epa/nrc/index.html 


45. ^ Fluoride's Neurological Effects: studies show there may be grave implications for Alzheimers, Dementia, Attention Deficit Disorder, reduced IQ in children, http://www.fluoridation.com/brain.htm 


46. ^ Fluoride in Drinking Water: A Scientific Review of EPA's Standards. The National Academies Press. 2006. http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=030910128X. 


47. ^ "Glamour at a price in Asia". http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/05/01/news/skin.php. 


48. ^ "Asian Finest: Skin whitening". http://www.asiafinest.com/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=124722&view=findpost&p=3037616. 


49. ^ Borer KT (1995). "The effects of exercise on growth". Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) 20 (6): 375-97. PMID 8614759. 


50. ^ Countera, S. Allen; Leo H. Buchanan. Mercury exposure in children: a review. http://www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/cehsweb/kiddiekollege/documents/counter04_mercuryexpochildren.pdf. 


51. ^ Clarkson. The Toxicology of Mercury and Its Chemical Compounds. http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/tandf/btxc/2006/00000036/00000008/art00001. 


52. ^ Calvo, Mona S.. Vitamin D Intake: A Global Perspective of Current Status. http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/135/2/310. 


53. ^ Lactose and Lactase, Norman Kretchmer, Scientific American, October, 1972


54. ^ Identification of a variant associated with adult-type hypolactasia, Enattah NS, Sahi T, Savilahti E, Terwilliger JD, Peltonen L, Jarvela I, Nat Genet. 2002 Feb;30(2):233-7


55. ^ Lactose Intolerance: The Molecular Explanation, UC Davis Nutritional Genomics website

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8 Ways to Speed Up Your Metabolism

Eat lots of calories. This will signal your body to speed up it's metabolism.

Avoid excessive PUFAs. Consuming PUFAs over 4% of your total calories is “excessive” by our standards. Limiting PUFAs to 2% or even 1% is better. That will further speed up your metabolism.

Contrarily to what others have told you, you don’t need to supplement with extra omega-3 to balance out your omega-6s. If you keep your omega-6s to a minimum, then no extra omega-3 is needed.

Be sure to get enough B vitamins from food or supplements. A fast metabolism will increase the need for B vitamins, especially B6. If you can’t get enough from food, then be sure to supplement.

If you supplement with B vitamins, take caution. Many supplements have synthetic analogues of these vitamins. Some synthetic versions will lessen your ability to metabolize the natural versions.

In addition, you should get some of your B vitamins from animal sources. For example, vitamins B6 and B12, which are found in plant foods, are different in chemical structure from the B6 and B12 from animal foods. The plant versions aren’t utilizable within your body, and can actually inhibit your ability to metabolize B6 and B12.

Consume plenty of vitamins A, D, E and K2. These vitamins function like hormones. For example, vitamin A will increase the production of growth factors and testosterone. Vitamin D has a hormone-like function which will help the absorption of minerals. And lastly, vitamin K2 regulates the calcification of organs.

Vitamins A, D, E and K2 interact with one another. They should be balanced. Increased vitamin D levels requires increased vitamin A. Excess vitamin D could deplete K2. You should consume them in the right proportions.

In addition, these vitamins may require some cofactors to activate it. It’s said that vitamin D requires magnesium and boron.

Vitamin E is an endocrine booster. It will increase testosterone levels. In fact, it is required for fertility.

Vitamin K is actually a complex. The two main forms are MK-4 and MK-7. The two forms may have different functions, so it’s probably safe to take both.

Vegetable sources of vitamin A and K have poor availability within the body. Plants contain the beta carotene and K1 forms of vitamin A and K. But evidence suggests that you can only convert 10% of beta carotene to retinol, the available form of vitamin A. In addition, studies have shown that consumption of beta carotene will actually inhibit your absorption of retinol. These could be the same with vitamin K.

Unlike beta carotene, plant-based vitamin K1 do have some merit over its animal counterpart, K2.

Intake of fat-soluble vitamins, which include A, D, and K, should be consumed along with fat. Fat is required for the absorption of these vitamins.

Consume lots of fats, especially saturated fat. Saturated fats have been shown to increase growth factors and testosterone. Monounsaturated fats also do this, but to a lesser extent.

In our opinion, if you're insulin resistant, then fats should be at least 30% of your calories. But remember to keep PUFAs to a minimum. However, if you're perfectly sensitive to insulin, then fats aren't required.

Limit your intake of amino acids cysteine, methionine, and tryptophan. They are found in large quantities in muscle meats. Try to get your protein from other sources, such as organ meats and dairy products.

Do high-intensity interval training (HIIT) once every few days. But be sure to rest well in between. HIIT will adjust you to a more fat-burning mode.

Minimize your lifestyle stressors. Such stressors include: undersleeping, oversleeping, starvation, overtraining, excess fiber, excess PUFAs, excess iron, stimulants, fluoride, aluminum, heavy metals, pesticides, and excess iodine.

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