Here’s one you probably never saw coming: It turns out that one of the potent ingredients that make some soaps ¨antibacterial¨ may also be killing your love life.
Germophobes have helped to ensure the marketing success of antibacterial soaps, many of which contain an ingredient known as triclosan. This chemical can also be found in some body washes, cosmetics, and toothpastes.
Hormonal Effects
While its use has long been controversial, one unpleasant side effect of triclosan has been rarely discussed until relatively recently. In animal tests, the chemical has been shown to disrupt normal operations of the endocrine system, which is essentially the control center for regulation of hormone levels and activity throughout the body. Among the hormones shown to be affected in animal testing is testosterone, the primary sex hormone in males.
While a chemical or drug’s effect on an animal in laboratory testing isn’t proof that that chemical or drug will have the same effect on humans, it is a warning sign that more study must be done.
Studies raising the red flag about triclosan’s possible effects on hormone levels include a 2008 study that was published in the ¨Oxford Journal of Toxicological Sciences.¨ In that study researchers exposed laboratory rats to 5 milliliters (roughly a teaspoon) of triclosan per 100 grams of body weight.
T-Levels Reduced
Researchers divided laboratory rats into two groups, one of which included animals given the triclosan and a second of similar size that got a placebo. At the end of testing, researchers found that rats that received triclosan had significantly lower testosterone levels than those in the control group.
Another disturbing finding about the effects of triclosan on sexual function in animals came from a study conducted by the Department of Biotechnology at the Indian Institute of Technology. Rats exposed to triclosan over a 60-day period showed a statistically significant decline in sperm production.
Many Pushing for Ban
While human studies approximating those already conducted in animals have not been done, some consumer advocates and health professionals are calling for a ban on the use of triclosan in consumer products, at least until certain questions are resolved.
Even the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been increasingly cautious in its advisories about possible dangers associated with the risk of using antibacterial soaps and other such products.
In a December 16, 2013, posting to its Consumer Updates page, the FDA suggests that consumer expectations of the protections afforded by so-called antibacterial products are being set far too high. The agency says that the vast majority of antibacterial product users seem to think that in addition to promoting cleanliness these products ¨reduce your risk of getting sick or passing on germs to others.¨ According to the agency’s own in-house experts, that is not necessarily the case.
In fact, reports the FDA, Colleen Rogers, Ph.D., one of the agency’s lead microbiologists, finds ¨there currently is no evidence that over-the-counter (OTC) antibacterial soap products are any more effective at preventing illness than washing with plain soap and water.¨
¨Unnecessary Risks¨
The FDA article goes to warn that certain chemical ingredients in antibacterial soaps, such as triclosan and triclocarban, ¨may carry unnecessary risks given that their benefits are unproven.¨
Among such ¨unnecessary risks¨ are growing indications that triclosan and other such ingredients may contribute to bacterial resistance to antibiotics. This means that heavy use of triclosan-containing products may in the long run lower your body’s natural ability to fight off harmful bacteria and may in fact hamper the ability of antibiotics to assist in fighting off germ-borne illness.
Simultaneous with the mid-December 2013 posting to its Consumer Updates page, the FDA unveiled a proposed rule that would require antibacterial soap manufacturers to provide ¨more substantial data¨ to show the products’ safety and effectiveness. This FDA rule would apply only to consumer antibacterial soaps and body washes that are used with water.
Hormonal Effects Worrisome
In addition to its concern that triclosan and similar ingredients might help bacteria to develop resistance to antibiotics, FDA also mentioned growing concerns about possible hormonal effects these ingredients might have.
If the FDA’s proposed rule change eventually takes effect, it will represent a victory for the Natural Resources Defense Council, or NRDC, which has been pushing the FDA for several years to ban triclosan from consumer products.
In a December 16, 2013, press release, issued after the FDA announced its proposed rule change, NRDC summed up its concerns about triclosan as follows:
¨An Endocrine Disruptor¨
¨Laboratory studies have shown that triclosan is an endocrine disruptor capable of interfering with hormones critical for normal development and reproduction. Such hormonal interference has the potential to cause long-term health problems including poor sperm quality and infertility, and damage to the developing brain, leading to poor learning and memory. Several studies suggest that triclosan also may contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, may exacerbate allergies, and may weaken muscle function.¨
Mincing no words in her assessment of triclosan, Sarah Janssen, M.D., a physician and senior scientist with the NRDC, told the Chicago Tribune, ¨Triclosan is what we call a stupid use of a chemical. It doesn’t work, it’s not safe, and it is not being regulated.”
As if the claims of hormonal disruptions and bacterial resistance to antibiotics weren’t enough to get triclosan permanently banned from consumer products, Prevention.com reports that animal tests also show the chemical reduces muscle strength and weakens cardiac function.
UC Davis Animal Studies
Researchers at the University of California, Davis, conducted a series of animal studies designed to evaluate the negative health effects — if any — of triclosan. They found that moderate exposure to the chemical significantly reduced muscular strength and cardiac function in mice and slowed the swimming speed of fish.
Pointing out that there have not yet been tests to determine whether triclosan exposure in humans would produce similar results, lead study author Isaac Pessah, Ph.D., said that the findings were clearly alarming. ¨They give us clear reason to reconsider whether the benefits of triclosan really outweigh the risks for consumers,” said Pessah, who chairs the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Molecular Biosciences.
For those still not convinced that it’s probably best to avoid triclosan, the American Medical Association has gone on record to recommend against any use of the chemical in the home.
Don Amerman is a freelance author who writes extensively about a wide array of nutrition and health-related topics.
We specialize in providing our over 1,000,000 customers with relevant product and condition information created by our professional editorial staff which includes our team of medical writers, medical practitioners, and health educators. eDrugStore.com Staff on Facebook