DEET known to cause brain damage

(NaturalNews) If you insist on using chemical laden insect repellents containing DEET, you may be getting more than you bargained for -- including damage to your central nervous system. In fact, scientists writing in the open access journalBMC Biologydon't just say that more studies should be done to confirm DEET's potential neurotoxicity to humans. The researchers are calling for more investigations of the chemical to be conducted on an urgent basis. The reason? They suspect that the potential brain cell damaging effects of DEET could be particularly harmful if used in combination with other neurotoxic insecticides. And that's exactly the way DEET is normally used in products applied to both adults and kids in order to prevent mosquito bites.

French scientist Vincent Corbel from the Institut de Recherche pour le Developement in Montpellier and Bruno Lapied from the University of Angers headed a team of researchers who studied the mode of action and toxicity of DEET, also known by the chemical nameN,N-Diethyl-3-methylbenzamide. "We've found that DEET is not simply a behavior-modifying chemical but also inhibits the activity of a key central nervous system enzyme, acetycholinesterase, in both insects and mammals," Corbel said in a statement to the media.

DEET has been in use since its discover in l953 and is now the most common ingredient found in insect repellent preparations. It is primarily hyped as a way to keep mosquitos at bay and doctors and insect repellant manufacturers promote DEET's use through scare tactics, suggesting you are likely to get West Nile fever from mosquito bites unless you use the chemical.

Of course, not every mosquito bite spreads any kind of infection and West Nile fever is not always serious. What's more, a host of natural strategies, from wearing long sleeves and pants in areas plagued by mosquitoes to using a variety of herbal extracts and essential oils topically, can help you avoid bug bites and stings without chemicals. Yet DEET remains promoted by the mainstream media and medical establishment astheingredient that protects adequately against mosquito bites and disease.

Consider this worrisome statistic: each year approximately one-third of all Americans spray and slather on insect repellents containing central nervous system toxin DEET. And this is in spite of the fact that previous studies have warned of DEET's dangers. For example, earlier research by Duke University Medical Center pharmacologist Mohamed Abou-Donia, who has spent 30 years studying the effects of pesticides, found that prolonged exposure to DEET can impair functioning in parts of the brain and could result in problems with muscle coordination, muscle weakness, walking or even memory and cognition.

In the new study, Corbel and his colleagues discovered that DEET inhibits the acetylcholinesterase enzyme. This is the exact effect organophosphate and carbamate insecticides have on the body, too. Alarmingly, these insecticides are often combined in products with DEET -- and the scientists found that DEET interacts especially well with carbamate insecticides, magnifying their toxicity. "These findings question the safety of DEET, particularly in combination with other chemicals, and they highlight the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to the development of safer insect repellents for use in public health," Corbel stated.

Another study published earlier this summer in theJournal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Chemical Society, showed that a natural substance, cinnamon oil, shows promise as a great-smelling, environmentally friendly pesticide, with the ability to kill mosquito larvae. The researchers also believe that cinnamon oil could be a good mosquito repellant, though they have not yet tested it against adult mosquitoes. Historically, however, cinnamon oil has been used by natural health practitioners and traditional healers to repel mosquitoes and prevent their bites.


We pride ourselves on being DEET free at Hippy Elixir and hope you will try our formula and save yourself a little brain damage in the process.

Summer is officially here!

Hippy Elixir is officially launched for business as of June 2011. You are now able to order from this blog and also from our Etsy site. We are currently working on getting our bug repelling herbal elixer into local stores in the Minnesota and Wisconsin areas. Follow us on Facebook for the most up to date information on where you can find our products. 

It's proving to be a buggy season in Minnesota and Wisconsin with all of the recent rain fall and the warm weather that FINALLY got around to us.  Last weekend we put Hippy Elixir bug spray to the test at the lake and once again it didn't fail us. We also didn't feel the need to take a shower after covering ourselves from head to toe with the stuff at the nightly bon fires.

We've been busy!

We've been busy mixing Hippy Elixir bug spray, printing packaging, and getting product photos taken.  You will be able to order through our Etsy page early next week! 

Last weekend proved to be a buggy one in the Minnesota northwoods, but it was no match for our bug spray. We came home bug bite free :) 

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We will soon have ordering information, product photos and more on our blog. Find us on Facebook and become a fan!

Thank you for being patient while we build our blog and various online sites.

What we've been up to

Hippy Elixir is currently working on packaging and a new label design. Please check back with us soon for photos and more information about ordering!

How we started

Hippy Elixir bug spray is a natural alternative when it comes to protecting yourself from the pests of nature, allowing you to enjoy more time outdoors. I have spent a lot of time tweaking and testing Hippy Elixir bug spray on family, friends and pets through the summer of 2010. I have personally been on a mission to rid my life of toxic personal care products. Living in Minnesota, bug repellent always seemed like a necessary evil. That's when our natural formula was born. Since the first bottle was made, I've had friends with pets and small children asking me to make it for them. That's when I knew I was onto something great.

Our formula consists of a special blend of USDA certified organic, therapeutic grade essential oils blended in a soothing witch hazel base. It has a pleasant aroma, it's fast drying, and non-sticky. The witch hazel is a skin conditioner with astringent and styptic qualities, which can sooth the bites you may already have.