Sunscreen, thyroid linked

London - German researchers found that rats exposed to the sunscreen chemical 4MBC had raised levels of thyroid stimulating hormones and heavier thyroid glands.

Another chemical, benzophenone 2, was also found to alter thyroid hormone levels, but the effect was reversed by other chemicals present in sunscreens, according to BBC News.

Researchers say more research is needed to test the findings, which were presented to the European Congress of Endocrinology.