Antibacterial Soap Can Wreak Havoc on Your Hormones

Colgate uses a chemical (which is actually a pesticide) called triclosan in its Colgate Total toothpaste. Since a really effective way to absorb chemicals is through the mouth, (when a drug like nitroglycerine is administered for a heart condition it is given under the tongue for fast absorption), what happens when you brush with toothpaste containing triclosan? You get a dose of the chemical. And what happens when small amounts of triclosan are ingested twice a day over years? No one is certain. But one thing is for sure: “Three out of four Americans have triclosan in their blood,” said Sarah Janssen, M.D., Ph.D, senior scientist in the health and environment program at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) in San Francisco. “And when you brush your teeth with a toothpaste containing the chemical, your levels go way up.” According to one study (Allymr, 2009), volunteers brushing with tricolsan toothpaste for 14 days had a dramatic rise in blood levels — 450 times normal.

“Chemicals in the U.S. are under-studied and under-regulated. As a result, people are being exposed to many chemicals that have not been adequately studied for their health effects,” said Ted Schettler, M.D., Science Director of CHE (Collaborative on Health and the Environment). He was a guest lecturer at a recent training sponsored by CHE at Commonweal in Bolinas, Calif., which I attended along with a group that included doctors, nurses, government officials, and community activists. We heard lectures from five other scientists and researchers on the impact environmental toxins have on reproductive and endocrine systems and what can happen when these systems are disrupted. The consensus was that triclosan (also found in deodorant, acne cream and antibacterial soaps) is proven to be an endocrine disruptor in laboratory animals.

And think about this: According to Johns Hopkins University research, about 75 percent of triclosan (found in 75 percent of liquid hand soaps) and its cousin triclocarban (found in 25 percent of bar soaps) is flushed down drains and survives treatment at sewage plants. Most of that ends up in sludge spread on farm fields and enters our food chain! Every year, the study says, an estimated 200 tons of these two compounds are applied to agricultural lands nationwide.

What can you do?

• Read labels. Look for the word “antibacterial” as a clue that the product contains triclosan or triclocarbon and don’t buy it.
• Use plain soap and water. Antibacterial soaps and washes are not any better at killing germs and could contribute to the growth of bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics.
• Choose alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
• Tell your dentist to read the research and offer Tom’s toothpaste or other, safer choices to their patients.
• Eat organic food to avoid the possibility of consuming triclosan in your food.

Beth Greer, Super Natural Mom®, is author of the bestseller “Super Natural Home,” endorsed by Deepak Chopra and Ralph Nader. She’s former President of The Learning Annex, and an environmental health advocate who eliminated a sizable tumor in her chest without drugs or surgery. Beth is also an inspiring speaker and popular media guest having appeared on CNN, ABC and NBC. She designs Working Healthy corporate wellness programs and personalized in-home detox audits nationwide. www.BethGreer.com