{"id":7709,"date":"2016-12-23T05:42:07","date_gmt":"2014-12-23T05:42:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.edrugstore.md\/blog\/?p=7709"},"modified":"2014-12-23T19:31:49","modified_gmt":"2014-12-23T19:31:49","slug":"could-antibacterial-soaps-harm-erections-as-well-as-immunities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/erectile-dysfunction\/could-antibacterial-soaps-harm-erections-as-well-as-immunities\/","title":{"rendered":"Could Antibacterial Soaps Harm Erections as Well as Immunities?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Some
Some antibacterial soaps may contain ingredients that can cause hormonal disruptions, including lowering of testosterone to levels that are less than optimal.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here\u2019s one you probably never saw coming: It turns out that one of the potent ingredients that make some soaps \u00a8antibacterial\u00a8 may also be killing your love life.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Hormonal Effects <\/b><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

While a chemical or drug\u2019s effect on an animal in laboratory testing isn\u2019t proof that that chemical or drug will have the same effect on humans, it is a warning sign that more study must be done.<\/p>\n

Studies raising the red flag about triclosan\u2019s possible effects on hormone levels include a 2008 study that was published in the \u00a8Oxford Journal of Toxicological Sciences.\u00a8 In that study researchers exposed laboratory rats to 5 milliliters (roughly a teaspoon) of triclosan per 100 grams of body weight.<\/p>\n

T-Levels Reduced <\/b><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Many Pushing for Ban<\/b><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"FDA
FDA microbiologist Colleen Rogers, Ph.D., says there is no evidence that antibacterial soaps are any more effective at preventing illness than washing with plain soap and water.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In a December 16, 2013, posting to its Consumer Updates page<\/a>, 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 \u00a8reduce your risk of getting sick or passing on germs to others.\u00a8 According to the agency\u2019s own in-house experts, that is not necessarily the case.<\/p>\n

In fact, reports the FDA, Colleen Rogers, Ph.D., one of the agency\u2019s lead microbiologists, finds \u00a8there 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.\u00a8<\/p>\n

\u00a8Unnecessary Risks\u00a8<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The FDA article goes to warn that certain chemical ingredients in antibacterial soaps, such as triclosan and triclocarban, \u00a8may carry unnecessary risks given that their benefits are unproven.\u00a8<\/p>\n

Among such \u00a8unnecessary risks\u00a8 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\u2019s natural ability to fight off harmful bacteria and may in fact hamper the ability of antibiotics to assist in fighting off germ-borne illness.<\/p>\n

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 \u00a8more substantial data\u00a8 to show the products\u2019 safety and effectiveness. This FDA rule would apply only to consumer antibacterial soaps and body washes that are used with water.<\/p>\n

Hormonal Effects Worrisome<\/b><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

If the FDA\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

\"Health
Health professionals claim that heavy use of antibacterial soaps, particularly those containing triclosan, can help bacteria to develop resistance to antibiotics.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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:<\/p>\n

\u00a8An Endocrine Disruptor\u00a8<\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a8Laboratory 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.\u00a8<\/p>\n

Mincing no words in her assessment of triclosan, Sarah Janssen, M.D., a physician and senior scientist with the NRDC, told the Chicago Tribune<\/a>, \u00a8Triclosan is what we call a stupid use of a chemical. It doesn’t work, it’s not safe, and it is not being regulated.”<\/p>\n

As if the claims of hormonal disruptions and bacterial resistance to antibiotics weren\u2019t enough to get triclosan permanently banned from consumer products, Prevention.com<\/a> reports that animal tests also show the chemical reduces muscle strength and weakens cardiac function.<\/p>\n

UC Davis Animal Studies<\/b><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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. \u00a8They give us clear reason to reconsider whether the benefits of triclosan really outweigh the risks for consumers,\u201d said Pessah, who chairs the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Molecular Biosciences.<\/p>\n

For those still not convinced that it\u2019s probably best to avoid triclosan, the American Medical Association has gone on record to recommend against any use of the chemical in the home.<\/p>\n

Don Amerman<\/i><\/a> is a freelance author who writes extensively about a wide array of nutrition and health-related topics. <\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here\u2019s one you probably never saw coming: It turns out that one of the potent ingredients that make some soaps \u00a8antibacterial\u00a8 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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7707,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_autoblog_aioseo_focus_keyphrase":"","_autoblog_aioseo_title":"","_autoblog_aioseo_description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7709","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-erectile-dysfunction"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t