Anyone know why FemGest might cause cancer???

RunnerDuck · 04-03-2005, 04:56 PM

I have decided to do the NPC thing to bring on AF (hopefully) and I have gone for FemGest because I can get it locally and it is cheaper than Pro-Gest. But the package says "This product contains a chemical known by the state of California to cause cancer." ??? Here are the ingredients:

Purified Water, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Progesterone, Ceteareth 20, Triethanolamine, Polysorbate 80, Keratin Amino Acids, Diazolidinyl Urea, Carbomer, Methylparaben, Coconut Oil, Almond Oil, Grapefruit Seed Extract (Citrus grandis), BHA, Lemon Oil (Citrus medica limonum), Propylparaben, Panthenol, Aloe Vera Gel, Sodium Hyaluronate

Thinking it was the hormone it contained - hormones being blamed for everything, heh - I thought maybe this was just CA being over cautions (these warnings appear all over the place here) I checked a package of ProGest yesterday (whole foods sells it) and it did noit have this warning.

What gives? Anyone know?

*katja* · 04-04-2005, 04:30 AM

If you spoke German I'd have a site for you that lists cosmetic ingredients and what's "wrong" with them, however you'd have to go through the whole list, which is tedious. I would just call the company! It's probably just them covering their a$$es.

nobimbo · 04-04-2005, 08:16 AM

It is not just FemGest that has that warning, there are others, too (such as Nature's Bounty). If an NPC product is made in California, it has to have that warning on the label because of California's proposition 65. The state of California lists progesterone as a known carcinogen. That is because there have been studies on HRT and cancer, although no studies on natural hormone therapy and cancer.

Linda

RunnerDuck · 04-04-2005, 04:55 PM

See I thought it might just be that weird California thins but like I said it wasn't on the ProGest at Whole Foods. Maybe they had a shipment not labled for CA???

There is no number on the box so I can't call the company and ask even. Grrrrr. Well I guess I'm just gonna hope that one round of this doesn't give me cancer.

Maybe I'll check out GNC to see if their stuff has warnings, just for peace of mind.

nobimbo · 04-04-2005, 08:27 PM

Femgest is the brand that GNC carries; all Femgest products have that warning on it. No matter what brand of NPC is manufactured in CA, it will have that warning on it. It's not the Femgest product per say, it is progesterone itself that is on the list of possible carcinogens. But NPC itself has never been shown to cause cancer; its the synthetic form of progesterone that has (keep in mind though that there haven't been the same amount or type of studies done on NPC as those done with synthetic progesterone).

Linda

nobimbo · 04-04-2005, 09:23 PM

For anyone interested, here is the link to the list of substances in California that have to have a warning label. You'll notice it includes aspirin and alcoholic beverages. Heck, even one of my blood pressure meds in on the list:

http://www.oehha.ca.gov/prop65/prop65_list/files/P65single71103.pdf

The synthetic form of progesterone has been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer. NPC is thought to actually decrease the risk of breast cancer by blocking estrogen receptors. California makes no distinction between the two, but there is a world of difference!

Someone at the Hystersisters website wrote to the Nature's Bounty company asking about the warning on NPC. Here is that letter and the company's reply:

Ladies I have been in discussion with some gals here about a warning label on a jar of Nature's Bounty Progesterone Cream about an ingredient that causes cancer, in the state of CA.

I decided to write to them and this is the response I got, I thought I would share it with you all here.

This is what i wrote:I AM VERY CONCERNED AS TO THE WARNING SIGN POSTED ON THE BOTTLE OF YOUR MENOPAUSE FORMULA, PROGESTERONE CREAM:

"WARNING: THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS A CHEMICAL KNOWN TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO CAUSE CANCER"

PLEASE EXPLAIN!

SINCERELY,

KIM

Here is their response:

"Kim,

I forwarded your question directly to Nature's Bounty and this what
they had to say:

"We have been getting this question a lot ever since the
label was printed. Here's the info--

The warning "This product contains a chemical known to the state of California to cause cancer". Is on our labels because, this particular statement is required due to California's proposition 65. The state of California lists progesterone as a known carcinogen. The complete list from the state of California can be found at:

www.oehha.ca.gov/prop65/prop65_list...single71103.pdf

Since we ship to customers all over the country, even non-Californians will get product with this statement."

Thank you for your inquiry!

Sincerely,

Eddie Miranda
Customer Service

Linda

Mishee · 05-20-2009, 03:14 AM

I really wouldn't worry too much about the warnings from California. Anything that is manufactured that might be sold or distributed in California are required to have warnings required by California law. I was given a similar required warning when I moved into my apartment in San Diego some years ago because it was possible that my apartment had been painted using lead paint before it was banned, even though the only danger to me was if I ate the paint chips. Which I didn't.....