Adaptation to low levels of chemical exposure in individuals with multiple chemical sensitivity in a controlled indoor environment

Abstract

Environmental sensitivity or multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is a debilitating condition and increasingly prevalent in the recent years. MCS is a multisystem disorder with lack of standardized treatment strategies and clinical practice guidelines. Consequently, there are significant costs associated with disability and treating individuals with an increasing percentage of the population experiencing challenges in indoor environments from exposure to everyday chemicals such as personal care products. MCS remains a poorly understood condition with many challenges in establishing evidence to support the reactivity to the indoor environment experienced in individuals. This research attempts to validate the physiological reactivity and adaptation to everyday chemicals in a controlled environment in a sample of individuals (n = 90) with MCS. Sixty percent of the female and 40% of the male subjects demonstrated confirmed physiological reactivity to the test substance. The results from this study indicate that the multifaceted nature of this condition possibly goes beyond the reactivity to chemicals in the environment. Further research is essential to understand the implications of hypersensitivity to help individuals optimally manage their health.