lavender & tea tree - breast development in boys?

[CareBear]

I think I've read about this before, but in case you all haven't seen it

http://www.comcast.net/news/health/index.jsp?cat=HEALTHWELLNESS&fn=/2007/01/31/575677.html&cvqh=itn_boysbreasts

[sudsnwicks]

Yeah, I've come across this article before. CareBear, what is your opinion on using these EOs?

[CareBear]

I think too much of anything is bad for you - and that the threshold might be lower for a few and higher for most. There are what, at least 200 years of history around these without anyone making a connection before recently? The New England Journal or Medicine is a highly regarded peer-reviewed journal and I do trust what they say, but haven't read the research myself so I am taking it with a grain of salt. Also, it seems they haven't really pinpointed the connection.

I assume J&J, etc. are using FOs and not EOs so their products are probably not suspect.

I don't use lavender in lotions for my kids, even though my son loves lavender (not my daughter or myself LOL), and tea tree oil stinks and I would only use it for specific purposes in small amounts anyway.

I say be aware, be cautious, and go about your normal business...

[gingerinarkansas]

I use lavender all the time on my 7 yo grandson. I mix it with lotion and it helps him relax. We've been using it for many years. Ginger

[Crafty1_AJ]

Thank goodness it's rare.

I've always wondered about soy in boys' diets. Never really thought much about lavender or tea tree messing with their hormones.

[RobinInOR]

EOs do have effects on the body - that's why we use them and need to research them. They're not just a pretty smelling herb to use as a scent.

I'd like to see the original research too. This popped out at me

Others sounded less worried. "It takes very little estrogen to cause gynecomastia in a young child," said Dr. Richard Auchus, a University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center hormone expert who knew of the study findings. "If they're getting it for a brief period of time, that really shouldn't cause long-term problems."

I think at the levels we use it at - 1% or less in leave in products - it's relatively safe.

There are people who use way too high a % of EOs in products, though.

[sudsnwicks]

CareBear, that sounds like a good approach. I got a bit worried myself, because I use these 2 EOs, and like you said, this is a highly regarded journal that is peer reviewed.

[Rebecca]

I have also read that over use of EOs can lead to liver damage too.

Crafty1-AJ, here's a link to a site that lists what they call truths and myths about soy:

http://www.westonaprice.org/mythstruths/mtsoy.html

This second link is to the same site but another page on soy:

http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/index.html

I know a few people that feed baby girls soy milk cause they thought it was better and now the kids have health problems that their Dr's are linking to the soy formula.:undecided

[Carriegsxr6]

i agree about the soy formula. i dont think it should be feed to babies.

soy is good for hyperthyroidsm though. its slows you down, but bad for hypothyroidism.

[Accents]

My daughter's weight dropped into the tenth percentile while she was drinking soy milk(14-24mos). Once she was able to digest cow's milk, she jumped right back where she should be. I know other kids who had slow growth while drinking soy milk then fast growth when taken off. It's a good thing I nursed her or she'd have been on soy earlier.